The Road Less Traveled: Rome

Ahhhh... the land of pizza, gelato, coffee and fine sights. A food lovers dream and one of my favorite places in the world. Rome is a city you could spend weeks in and still not scratch the surface. So with 3 days and a full itinerary, I set off to see it all! Here are the highlights:

--The Colosseum: Built in 80 AD, it is the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire. It was used for gladatorial contests and public spectacles and could hold over 50,000 people. The overall condition is fading but the magnificence of it will never tire. I went three times just because it's that amazing!

--The Vatican (and St. Peter's Basilica): The Vatican City is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled area within the city of Rome. With only about 108 acres, it is thought to be the smallest independent state in the world (and amazingly enough has its own currency!) Home of the pope and one of the holiest sites of Christianity and the Catholic faith, St. Peter's Basilica is the largest church building in the Christian world. Started in 1506 and completed in 1626, St. Peter's Basilica holds the tombs of over 90 popes. St. Peter's square is a magnificent plaza where people from all over the world come to rest, reflect and worship.

--The Trevi Fountain: Completed in 1762, the Fontana di Trevi is busy at all times of the day or night. Local legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. I threw a coin in during my trip in '98 so I had to do the same this time!

--The Spanish Steps: The steps were built in 1723 and are the meeting place for tourists, Roman teens, Italians and tour groups year-round. At the foot of the steps is the beloved Barcaccia ("Ugly Boat") fountain. Leading out from the bottom of the steps is the fashionable Via dei Condotti, Rome's trendiest street for fashion, with names such as Gucci, Valentino, Benetton, and Bulgari. Fun fact: Scalinata di Tinita dei Monti, or Stairs of Trinity of the Mountains, are the local name given because of where they lead, to the church of the same name. But the name "Spanish Steps" comes from where the steps rise, Piazza di Spagna, or Spanish square, named because the Spanish Ambassador to the Vatican lives on the square.

--The Pantheon: The only ancient Roman temple to survive the millennia intact, it is an engineering marvel you have to see to believe. After walking through the 20-ton bronze doors, you have to wonder how the massive dome holds up under its own weight- the tension around the ring of the oculus, along with the ribbed vaulting and the fact that the thickness of the concrete gets lighter towards the apex all aid in supporting the dome. It is now a church dedicated to Saint Mary of the Martyrs.

-- Plaza Navona: I spent much of my trip in this oblong plaza watching the world go by, sipping a coffee or eating some gelato. The plaza is full of life at all hours of the day, whether with tourists buying art in its center or Italian couples walking hand-in-hand beside one of the many fountains or sculptures.

-- The Mouth of Truth: An ancient Roman sewer-cover carved into a face with a gaping mouth, legend holds it will bite off the fingers of anyone who dares stick in his hand and tell a lie. Strange...

(click on the photo below to view the album)