This is the second part of my previous post titled “Rome – Beautiful and Eternal” about Rome and our trip to Rome with my daughter. (Photo above: Trajan’s Market (Mercati di Traiano), Rome (Photo taken by my daughter, Sept. 12, 2024)
Our hotel in Rome was in the ancient centre nearby the Capitoline Hill and the Colosseum – the symbol of Rome. Colosseum, the largest Roman amphitheater built in the 1st century, was also the place of gladiator fights, wild animal hunts, and public shows, as depicted in the famous historical film “Gladiator” (2000) directed by Ridley Scott. (As a coincidence, “Gladiator II” is to be released soon.)
The Colosseum, Rome (Photo: colosseo-roma.it) (Built between 70 and 80 AD under the empire of Vespasian and completed by his son Titus, the Colosseum could seat up to 50,000 spectators. Its inauguration was celebrated with games and fights that lasted 100 days.(colosseo-roma.it))
(Note that ‘Guided Tour at Night‘ is available to see the Colosseum at night. ‘Combined Guided Tour’ includes the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill.)
Next to Colosseum along the road Via dei Fori Imperiali is the Roman Forum, a collection of ancient Roman remains. Forums were public spaces being the religious, civic, and commercial centres of ancient Rome. Several emperors constructed their own forums – like Forum of Augustus or Forum of Caesar. The Roman Forum was the most important one with its shops, open-air markets, low courts, temples, and basilicas. (britannica.com)
Sunrise over the Roman Forum (Photo: Peter Zelei Images/Getty via thetimes.com)
(The Roman Forum (Foro Romano) – mentioned as the heart of Ancient Rome. It is located on ground between Palatine and Capitoline Hills. Palatine Hill, once the residence of emperors and aristocrats, has the remains of imperial palaces and temples. You can walk down the Capitoline Hill to descend into the Roman Forum. (colosseum.org))
Kolbe Hotel Rome (Via Di San Teodoro, 48) – our hotel in Rome (Photo: kolbehotelrome.com)
Kolbe Hotel Rome, the premises of which was once a monastery, is located next to the Roman Forum, overlooking the Palatine Hill, known as the birthplace of Rome.
Our first breakfast at the pleasant courtyard of Kolbe Hotel, Rome – once a monastery, Sept.12, 2024 / The following days were rainy and the breakfast was inside, which cosy atmosphere my daughter liked more.
Our second day in Rome was a crazy day with an ambitious unbelievable route including Vatican, Trastevere, the Jewish Quarter, and Colosseum. The man at the front desk of the hotel told us we cannot do it and would get exhausted but we did and frankly we were a bit exhausted – at the very end though. Yet it was worth it. The aim was to get an overview of Rome and to slow down and take it easy the following days.
Rome illustrated map (etsy.com)
Our first destination from the hotel was Campo de’ Fiori (Field of Flowers) – one of the oldest main squares in Rome frequented for its colorful morning market known with its flowers, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish as well as different products like pasta and pasta spices, local delicacies like pistachio cream, and souvenirs (from 8 am until 2 pm from Monday to Saturday). It is lively both during the day and in the evening with restaurants and bars around.
Campo de’ Fiori (turismoroma.it)
(At the middle of the square is the statue of philosopher Giordano Bruno, known for his progressive ideas about the infinity of the universe and the existence of many worlds, who was executed in 1600 (burned at stake) after an inquisition process. The statue is seen as a symbol of freedom of thought.)
Campo de’Fiori market (Photo: visititaly blog (italien.blog))
We are in front of a pasta and pasta spices’ stall. Italian pasta spices are amazing with many sorts, my favorite being “Spaghetti aglio e olio“. / In the street with Campo de’Fiori at the back, Sept. 12, 2024
Note Piazza Farnese here, just behind Campo de’ Fiori, an elegant aristocratic square in Rome, home to ‘Palazzo Farnese’, which is the French Embassy since 1874.
I have read that Audrey Hepburn’s first home was also nearby Campo de’ Fiori – on the historic Via Giulia. She had lived here in a charming apartment with her Italian husband Andrea Dotti whom she married in 1969. (amalfistyle.com)
Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in a scene of “Roman Holiday” / Via Giulia – a historic street around Campo de’ Fiori. (Photos: gpsmycity.com / roma.corriere.it)
I would also like to mention “Antico Forno Roscioli“, a popular bakery and deli in Rome, located beside Campo de’Fiori which we dropped by to have some maritozzo. The place is also famous for its crispy, thin-crust Roman-style pizzas, which we tried and fell into the following days – so delicious and rich besides very budget.
Great pizza at “L’Antico Forno Roscioli” (Via dei Chiavari, 34, Rome) (Photo: Camillo Pasquarelli via cntraveler.com) (We tried the ones with spinach and mushrooms. Roscioli is a well-known brand with its bakery, restaurant, cafe, grocery and wine shop. Check the link ‘roscioli.com‘ for details.)
After Campo de’Fiori, we headed to the Vatican City, the world capital of Catholicism. We walked across Rome’s bridge of angels, ‘St. Angelo Bridge (Ponte Sant’Angelo)’, over the Tiber River, to Piazza San Pietro – the grand square home to the great St. Peter’s Basilica and the papal palaces which include the official residence of the popes and the Vatican Museums.
Ponte Sant’Angelo in front of Castel Sant’Angelo. The angel statues on the ancient Roman bridge (built in 134 AD) were created by Bernini in the 17th century. (Photo: castelsantangelorome.com)
(Castel Sant’Angelo, a majestic fortress on the banks of the Tiber River, a museum today, was initially built as a mausoleum for Roman emperor Hadrian and his family, and then served as a fortress, palace and a prison. It is connected to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican via the ‘Passetto di Borgo‘, which was an escape route for the popes in times of danger.) (castel-sant-angelo-ticket.com)
Piazza San Pietro (St Peter’s Square) and St. Peter’s Basilica (Photo: basilicasanpietro.va)
(St. Peter’s was founded in the 16th century replacing the Old St. Peter’s Basilica from the 4th century. Vatican Museums located in the square are home to the Sistine Chapel famous for Michelangelo’s breathtaking ceiling frescoes.)
St. Peter’s Basilica rises over the Tiber River and Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II, located immediately downstream from Sant’Angelo Bridge. (Photo: Jenny Zarins via cntraveler.com)
We have been to Piazza San Pietro and around but did not go inside the Vatican Museums. Crossing the Tiber River again, we then walked to Trastevere – Rome’s bohemian area known for its picturesque cobbled streets, traditional trattorias, pubs, wine bars, artisan shops and boutiques.
My daughter and I with Tiber River at our back, Sept.12, 2024 (Tiber is ‘Tevere‘ in Italian, and ‘Trastevere‘ means ‘beyond the Tiber’.)
Piazza Santa Maria, a central square in Trastevere, and ‘Basilica of Santa Maria’, one of the oldest churches of Rome
I would like to mention “Il Maritozzaro” in Trastevere here, said to be one of the best places to try a maritozzo in Rome as well as “Regoli“, founded in 1916 and still run by the Regoli family, which both I had mentioned in my older post titled “Two Films, Two Tastes … (Part 2)“.
Regoli Pasticceria, a century-old family-owned classic pastry shop near Rome’s main train station, the Termini, in Esquilino (Photo: tripadvisor.ca) / Il Maritozzaro in Trastevere (Via Ettore Rolli,50)
(Photos: tripadvisor.ca / thatch.co)
(By the way, Esquilino is known for its local market and Asian / African restaurants, and is home to Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (the largest Marian church in Rome) and Palazzo Massiomo (one of the National Roman Museums).)
Palazzo Massimo (museopertutti.org) / Dome of Santa Maria Maggiore (romesite.com)
By the time we arrived in Trastevere, the trattorias were closed to service for lunch. We sat in a pretty bar in the centre with a terrace with small round tables where almost everybody was having Aperol Spritz with snacks – under the rain. The place the name of which I unfortunately had not noted, was quite cosy by a narrow street opposite of a small church, where we had a nice tuna pasta with capers, olives and dried tomatoes.
Vin Allegro – a suggested wine bar on Piazza Giuditta Tavani Arquati in Travestere. (Photo: Pinterest)
The cosy bar we sat in Trastevere, where almost everyone was having an Aperol Spritz. The place was quite full before the rain.
Aperol Spritz is a popular Italian cocktail commonly served as an aperitivo – a pre-dinner drink served with snacks or a light meal (Photos: dreamstime.com / traveloffpath.com)
Take note of Corsetti in Trastevere, a famous restaurant offering typical dishes of Roman cuisine – where Audrey Hepburn used to dine…
Osteria Corsetti 1921 (Piazza di San Cosimato 27, Trastevere) (Photos: TripAdvisor / foodandtravelitalia.it)
Audrey Hepburn having breakfast in Piazza Navona, 1955 (Photo: vanityfair.com) and dining with the Danish actress Annette Stroyberg in Corsetti, Trastevere, 1959 (Photo: Taken by my mobile phone from the book “AUDREY A ROME” by Luca Dotti) (Hepburn used to enjoy long dinners with Henry Fonda, co-star in the film War & Peace and his Italian wife Afdera Franchetti. (amalfistyle.com). She also liked to dine in Nino restaurant (“Nino dal 1934“) in Via Borgognona, close to Hotel Hassler. (italysegreta.com)).
After Trastevere, we went to the Jewish Quarter, which the man working at our hotel’s front desk had recommended to us. We passed through Piazza Mattei, a small quaint square with the Turtle Fountain – the location of a wonderful scene in Netflix series “Emily in Paris”.
A night view of Piazza Mattei in the heart of the Jewish Quarter of Rome, and the Turtle Fountain – a Renaissance fountain with bronze figures of young people, turtles and dolphins (istockphoto.com)
A scene from “Emily in Paris”: Mindy singing ‘Ruins in the Piazza‘ in Piazza Mattei – a very successful scene revealing the eternal beauty of Rome with excellent shots accompanied by the touching lyrics of the song, which almost made me cry. (‘Emily in Paris Piazza Mattei scene‘ (click for the link))
Following Piazza Mattei, my daughter and I headed to the ancient centre of Rome where the Colosseum is located. Our first destination was “Trajan’s Market (Mercati di Traiano)”, considered to be the world’s first shopping mall. Trajan’s Market was in my list since I saw its beautiful images in the Italian film “Love & Geloto“, subject of my older post titled “Two Films, Two Tastes … (Part 2)“, where it was mentioned as Lina’s mother Hadley’s favorite place in Rome.
Trajan’s Market (Mercati di Traiano), Rome at night (Photo: Getty Images, istockphoto.com)
(Trajan’s Market is an archeological complex of shops and offices built in the period of Emperor Trajan (100 – 112 AD), next to the Trajan’s Forum (part of the Roman Forum), where there is currently “Museum of Imperial Forums (Museo dei Fori Imperiali)”.)
By the time we arrived the Trajan’s Market, the museum was just closed and we missed it, yet we could see the complex outside – from above.
Trajan’s Market and Trajan’s Forum at dusk – I cannot find words to describe the beauty of the extraordinary scene I saw from above, and the eternal feeling it made me feel… (Photos taken by my daughter, Sept.12, 2024)
Our final destination was Colosseum. We walked along Via dei Fori Imperiali with a view of the ancient archeological ruins at dark from above. My daughter wanted to see Colosseum at night, with a purpose of a night photo with herself and Colosseum in the background, yet we couldn’t get to a suitable place for such a shot. It was a bit cold and rainy and we were so tired. However, we managed to find a place to have pizza with view of the Colosseum!
In front of the ancient city and Colosseum. Tired but happy…
On our previous visit to Rome as a family, we had discovered a set of cafes with a perfect view of Colosseum which I didn’t come across this time – until our final look at the city on our way to the airport. I had requested our driver to pass by Colosseum which led us to those cafes… I asked him and noted the street name: “Via Nichola Salvi” – a hillside spot and a nice place to watch the Colosseum probably from one of the cafes around.
Different views of the Colosseum. The best view of Colosseum is said to be around the streets Via Nicola Salvi and Via degli Annibali. (romewise.com)
I will mention Monti district here with narrow cobblestone alleys and small squares near Colosseum. Monti is said to be a popular and hip neighborhood famous for its art galleries, bookshops, chic wine bars, trendy pubs, trattorias, and vintage and fashion shops. (visititaly.eu)
Monti neighborhood (Rione Monti), Rome (Photos: istockphoto.com)
Another place to mention among the ancient remains close to the Colosseum is “Baths of Caracalla” – public baths in Ancient Rome completed during the reign of emperor Caracalla in 216 and continued in use until the 6th century. (britannica.com)
A view of the new water feature installed at the Baths of Caracalla (Photo:Tiziana Fabi—AFP/Getty Images via time.com)
In April 2024, a contemporary pool was opened at the place, reflecting the ruins of the bath complexes, equipped with a stage set to host theater and dance performances, and concerts throughout the year. Baths of Caracalla was mentioned among ‘World’s Greatest Places 2024‘ by Time magazine.
I will stop here and tell more about Rome and our trip to Rome at my next post – the final one on this topic.
