When in Rome - My 'Guide' to a Great City

After spending last week in the beautiful city of Rome, I came home with a lot of stuff on my mind. You may or may not have read my last post about being inspired to write and what have you, half of which was written with the old pen and paper in the city itself. If you did find a few minutes to peruse it then you'll be aware that I had more than a few urges to write whilst I was there - the kind that I have never really experienced the like of before. What this post is going to be however, is my take on this great city: the sights, the way of life and some other little intricacies that I came across during my week there. Forget your travel guides and tourist information websites - this is the place that you'll find all you need to know (well almost anyway).

Go to the Colosseum

You've been to football stadiums, rugby grounds or even arenas for indoor bowls (if you are that way inclined) but you really haven't seen anything until you have been to the Colosseum in Rome. Mass executions, animal fights, gladiator battles (without Ian bloody Wright). They have it all but be sure to book in advance because seating is at a bit of a premium nowadays. I am joking of course but the place is truly magnificent. My visit was improved highly by a knowledgeable and very friendly guide which is something that you should find if you go there. You get to skip the mammoth queues and you get to learn something as well. Well worth the visit, even if you get slightly burnt along the way. 

Visit the Forum

So do you want to meet at the centre or how about the temple instead? You have to admire the greatness of this place even if most of it now is in ruins. Having said that the place is constantly packed with tourists, so you can start to picture what it would have been like in its day - except that there would have been more toga's and less New York Yankees t-shirts at the time. The biggest thing that struck me about this place was the fact that nothing has really changed for hundreds of years apart from technology. We still have to have places to meet and do business - hats off to the Roman's for thinking it all up.

Visit the Trevi Fountain

Something that I once heard that someone had said after seeing the most famous and popular fountain in Rome was "it wasn't that impressive...it was stuck on the end of a building". I'm pretty certain that this person was actually referring to some drunk guy leaning on a building taking a leak who they mistook for the Trevi Fountain - in my opinion the fountain is magnificent. Not to sound like I am blogging from somewhere up my own rear end, but something that crossed my mind about a few of the tourists that I encountered in Rome was 'philistine'. Not being able to appreciate the Trevi Fountain takes a lot of doing and so I say to those that are unimpressed by it: would you kindly leave the piazza, some people are trying to throw coins over their shoulders.

Go to the Vatican Museums and St Peter's Basilica

I'm not a religious person but I don't think it's a necessity to be able to visit and appreciate Saint Pietro. The museums are OK but they are far too big I felt. The best part of the museums by far was the Sistine Chapel which really takes ones breath away (twice in my case because we got slightly lost and ended up having to go round again). St Peter's Basilica is also breath taking but if you are not there with even a drop of religious interest then be prepared to feel slightly intrusive. Even though I was in the majority who were there just to see the building and one of Rome's most famous symbols, I still felt like I was walking in on someone praying which in parts of the church is a real possibility. Don't miss it out though because it certainly will be the highlight of any visit to Rome. 

Go to the Pantheon

If you didn't really have a clue where you were in Rome but happened to be in the right part of the city, then you probably would never find the pantheon - well not through choice anyway. It sort of just appears out of nowhere. I was very impressed by the place and the interior of it but even if it fails to get your heart racing then it's nice and cool inside which is a very welcome relief from the heat. I was there on my very first day in Rome and was certainly not enjoying sweating my particulars off. So as horrible and wrong as this sounds: go to the Pantheon, even if it's just for a little bit of shade.

Visit the Capitoline Museums

You will have been to many museums in your life I'm sure, some through choice and others not quite so much. Choose to go to the Capitoline Museums if you visit Rome. They have the most amazing collection of Roman statues and sculptures you will ever see plus you get to say that you have been to the oldest public museum in the world - some people get a kick out of that kind of thing you know.

Take an Open Top Bus Tour

If all else fails or if you are only in Rome for a short time, get a ticket for one of the open top, hop-on-hop-off bus tours of which there are a few to choose from. Not only is it a great way to see the city, it also provides a brilliant way to get from one sight to another. Anything that you can do to avoid walking in Rome is a good thing because the heat, the hills and the crowds can make it all a bit of a nightmare at times - especially when one is tired.

Now I think that I have covered the main attractions (or at least my favourite ones) with a few jokes thrown in there along the way. The next part of this post is going to be about a few other little things that I got up to during my week in Rome - some of which might make you laugh a bit as well. Some of these you have to do when you are in Rome and others should be avoided if at all possible - I think you'll be able to notice what I mean.

Lose a Case at the Airport

I love airports. From a very young age I have had a fascination with the places and I always get a weird kick out of flying. This has unfortunately taken a huge hit this holiday however because we were standing at the baggage carousel (carousel 13 would you believe?) at Rome airport with only two out of three bags and no more coming out - we knew that something might be wrong. So we spent over two hours trying to get someone to tell us where is was and when we would get it back again - we found out the answer to neither. I suppose that since it was delivered to the hotel a couple of days later then I can laugh at the whole thing now but it's not the best way to start a holiday. A small piece of advice that applies to all foreign holidays: try to avoid booking a connecting flight that happens to go through one of the busiest airports in the world. That's when things can easily go belly up and when you start to wonder if you will really have to wear the same socks twice. 

Look like a Tourist

There is something about Scottish folk that makes us look the complete opposite to Italians. It might be the sheet white skin or the constant need to have a map spread before us but I can't quite put my finger on it. The roads in Rome are absolutely mental with mopeds and crazy taxi drivers but I soon learned that to cross a road in Rome you need to make sure that 1) you have your will in place or at least an emergency phone number, 2) you can look as calm and dismissive as the locals and 3) you gave big balls. Anything less than this and you might call an ambulance in advance - ironically one of the most likely vehicles to get knocked down by in Rome. 

Sleep in the Afternoon

I did this at home anyway because I'm a lazy git but apparently it's the thing to do in Rome - maybe I'm more Italian than I first thought. All of the shops close at the hottest time of the afternoon before they re-open when the sun has died down a bit. Nothing gets you ready for a humid night out than a sleep and a cold shower. Again if you read my previous post then you'll know that this time is good for other things as well (now you have to read it because otherwise that last sentence could be seriously misconceived).

Use Public Buses

You have to! You simply must take at least on ride on a public bus in Rome. Every single one of them is packed tight with sweaty, smelly people - it really is a sight to behold when someone's face is squashed against a window. During my only experience of these buses to St Peter's Square, I think I had the Italian equivalent to a prostate exam at least twice and I'm certain that there was cupping going on at one point although I was surrounded by some beautiful Roman women at the time. To top it all off, the only space on the bars that you hold onto to keep your balance was right next to a super sweaty guy's armpit - salty hand wash anyone? I may not have sold this experience very well but I advise that you give it a go (laughs widely whilst disinfecting hand - again).

Drink Peroni

If you want to drink beer in Rome then there are really only a couple of choices, with Peroni being the best. If you want a pint of Tennants then you will have to take out a loan first. The best bit about it? Peroni is only really sold in the big bottles - have you ever heard the saying 'the more the merrier'?

Eat Fast Food (McDonald's, Burger King Etc)

You would think that in the beautiful city of Rome with its plethora or pizzerias and cafes that fast food chains wouldn't stand a chance. But somehow they have managed to elbow their way in there and have found themselves selling burgers in some of the most ornate buildings in the city. Have you ever ordered a Big Mac when there's been a marble cherub above the counter? Well you can in Rome. As bad as this sounds coming from a guy that generally eats healthily, nothing tastes better after a long day of walking than a large meal with a massive, cold drink - nothing. I should also add that the pizza in Rome is amazing but when it comes to fast food then look no further than the old faithfuls.

So there you go. I told you that you would not need a travel guide after reading this - I lied. If you can get your hands on a good one then it is an invaluable thing to have in Rome. You can get lost very easily there as I did a few times, so to have a rough idea where you are headed when you go out helps a lot.

It is a great city and despite the fact that I have made a few poor jokes about certain aspects, it is honestly one of the best places I have visited - and I have visited some great places in the past. If you do ever visit Rome, approach your time there with an open, receptive mind and great things could happen for you. I have honestly been inspired and maybe you will too one day. I guess that there are hundreds of places in the world to see before I go back but one day I will - that has been guaranteed by throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain apparently.

Ciao ciao,

Martin