Disclaimer before I begin: Some of the countries I will be profiling will have more than one city I want to visit. For instance, today I will be talking about Italy, but in Italy I want to cover Rome, Florence and Venice…maybe more. But in this post I’ll only talk about Rome, since it’s the largest city. In the next post I’ll cover the rest. Make sense? Awesome.
Ah, Italia. The city of…pizza. And pasta. And some really great cheese. That’s about it, right?
I mean, the food that comes of out Italy (and then becomes harshly Americanized) is pretty good, but Italy has far more than delicious delicacies. Art and architecture is one of the most impressive things to come from fair Italia, but it has so much more.
Italy
Quick Facts:
Capital: Rome
Official Language: Italian
Currency: Euro
Average Airfare from Louisville Airport: $627-665
Average Airfare through STA Travel: $403-555
Today I’ll be covering Rome, the capital of Italy. There is so much about Rome that I’ve been dreaming of my whole life, because it holds so much of the history for not only Italy, but the world in general.
Some of the most important and essential sites to see in Rome are: The Coliseum, The Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Spanish Steps.
THE COLISEUM:
When in Rome, do as the Romans do, and back in the day the Romans went to watch various shows at the Coliseum. The most famous show was, of course, the Gladiators, however I would rather have seen the elephant who could write words in the sand. But to each their own.
In Roman times, all Roman citizens got free admission to the Coliseum. Today, tourists have to reserve tickets. The average ticket will be around €17, or about $22, which isn’t too bad for a quick trip though one of the most historical monuments still standing.
THE PANTHEON:
Pantheon means “to all the gods,” not to be confused with the Parthenon which is temple for the goddess Athena. The exterior of the Pantheon is beautiful, but my favorite part of it is the interior. In the dome of the Pantheon is an Oculus, the only source of light in the entire structure.
The Pantheon is a totally free attraction, which is a pretty good deal if you ask me. There are plenty of shops and cafes surrounding the area in what is called the Piazza della Rotonda.
THE MOUTH OF TRUTH:
This is one site that some people might not think of right off the bat, but if you’ve seen Roman Holiday you know exactly what I’m talking about. You know, when Cary Grant is showing Audrey Hepburn all over Rome, and he puts his hand into the Mouth of Truth and pretends something gets his hand? Classic.
The legend behind the Mask of Truth states that if a liar places his hand into the mouth, they will lose it. Sounds pretty fishy to me, but it’s certainly something I would want to check out. The statue is located in the portico of the Paleochristian Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
PIAZZA NAVONA:
Apparently, Piazza Navona is where all the cool kids in Rome hang out. It is hailed as home to some amazing Barouqe art, namely monuments, by Bernini and Borromini most famously. Art would draw me to any location, but this place sounds like a veritable plethora of stuff to do, places to eat and shop and so much more.
One more fun fact before I go: I googled (yes, I googled) “Best Pizza in Rome,” just for kicks.
http://www.10best.com/Rome,Italy/Restaurants/Pizza/
If you want to visit Italy, I think Rome should definitely be on your list of places to go. Not only is it the capital of the country, it’s bustling with energy and history.
I can’t wait to go there and try some of that pizza.
