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MariaMilani's pocket guide to Rome free.
The information in this guide is bound by the disclaimer found at: www.mariamilani.com/disclaimer.htm . It is provided in good faith
and to the best of our knowledge. It is not to be used for any purpose other than personal leisure.
This is a free guide to Rome. The idea is you can print it and just pull out the one or two pages which you
might be interested in at any one time. Quick, cheap, versatile and informative.
A.
B.
C.
GENERAL FACTS OF ROME ................................................................................................................ 2
ROME'S ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN LAYOUT ................................................................................ 2
AREAS OF ROME ................................................................................................................................ 3
1. Areas by Tourism ............................................................................................................................ 3
2. Rome's Geography & the 7 Hills ...................................................................................................15
3. Rome by Regions: ..........................................................................................................................15
D. WALKS AND THINGS TO SEE ............................................................................................................16
1. Touring Rome in a Day .................................................................................................................17
2. Touring Rome in a Week End ........................................................................................................18
3. If you have a week or so ................................................................................................................19
4. Touring the squares of the 7 hills ..................................................................................................20
5. Touring the Obelisks ......................................................................................................................20
E. VISITING ROME WITH CHILDREN ....................................................................................................22
F. GOING OUT FOR MUSIC, DANCE AND OPERA..................................................................................23
G. SHOPPING & ROMANTIC GIFTS .......................................................................................................24
1. Open Air Markets: .........................................................................................................................25
H. RESTAURANTS, COFFEE BARS ETC. ..................................................................................................26
1. Fast food ........................................................................................................................................26
2. Coffee bars.....................................................................................................................................26
3. Restaurants ....................................................................................................................................29
I. USEFUL NUMBERS AND CONTACTS ...................................................................................................31
J. ALWAYS REMEMBER ........................................................................................................................31
K. TIMELINE OF ROME'S HISTORY .......................................................................................................32
To add further sets of information relating to visiting Rome on vacation go to:
www.mariamilani.com/rome.htm or www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome.htm and print the bits you are
most interested in - remember, for personal use only.
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A. General facts of Rome
The population is in the region of 3 million inhabitants.
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Average temp: min=7degC max=24degC.
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Average degC for January: 4(night)-11(day)
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Average degC for July & August: 20(night)-30(day). High peaks to about 40degC.
Altitude: The lowest part of the city is the Pantheon square at 13m above sea level. Top of highest hill
(monte Mario with observatory) is at 138m asl. Capitol=38m asl. The Tiber Island is at approx 16m asl and
could in a sense be regarded the lowest hill of Rome, although no one considers it a hill.
B. Rome's Architecture and Urban Layout
The general layout of the city and its architecture has been driven by a number of factors, the most obvious
of these are ideology, politics and socio-economic factors.
A striking example of this is how the Protestant Reformation led the Catholic church to doctrines of
centralization (of power) called the Counter Reformation, best remembered for the Holy Inquisition. This
directly influenced concepts of Renaissance architecture and transformed them into Baroque architecture:
The central focus of the church building was shifted away from the congregation to the altar itself (and the
priest).
Rome's proximity to the sea and the low height above sea level also had a part to play. Most if not all other
urban centres in Italy were placed high up in dominating positions for defense purposes, leading to the tall
towers which are generally ubiquitous in Italy. Being low down, Rome has very few (tall) towers but is
characterised by domes and (short) spires which blend in with the undulating geography, in a mosaic which
is particularly striking to visitors accessing the city from high up on the surrounding hills such as Monte
Mario.
The tendency to opt for ostentatious grandeur and visual beauty brings us back to its obvious application in
the religious & political power play throughout the ages of Roman history. So there we have it: A
wonderful marriage of geography, urban landscape and propaganda over the course of several millennia is
the true secret of Rome's beauty.
If you enjoy the subject, compare two of the greatest works of architecture in the city (and the world): the
Pantheon and St. Peter's. There's a lot, lot, more than meets the eye. Further Quick Reading:
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Our Bluffer's Rome's history - a single page: not bad for a couple of thousand years.
www.mariamilani.com/Rome_history.htm
Bluffer's guide to Roman architecture - another page giving a quick idea of why Roman
architecture was great. A good key to understanding sites such as the Forum, Colosseum,
Pantheon, St. Peter's, Trevi Fountain and and and….
www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/roman_architecture.htm
The Bluffer's Baroque Rome - Rome's so full of churches you may as well try to understand why
they look the way they do - it's all to do with fighting those protesting Protestant reformers (and
power of course).
www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/baroque_rome.htm
The Pantheon vs. St. Peter's - Divine Propaganda
www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/The_Pantheon_St_Peters.htm
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C. Areas of Rome
The best guide to Rome's geography is the river (note the left map has north to the top whilst the right hand, antique,
map has north to the left). The city can be conveniently subdivided in a variety of ways: Tourism, Geography (Hills)
or by Local Government (Rioni). These are described below.
1. Areas by Tourism
From a visitor's point of view the city is generally subdivided in such a way to include a good mix of geography and
places to visit. An example would be:
1.
2.
Capitoline hill - The centre of power & the point from which all roads were measured from
The Vatican - once just a hill across the Tiber river with attractions like Nero's circus where loads of Christians
got crucified. The possibility that Saint Peter might have been crucified there led to Saint Peter's basilica being
built there.
3. Villa Borghese parks and Villa Giulia - Rome's most important park, the Zoo, a variety of activities + the
Etruscan museum. Villa Borghese museum is a must too.
4. Piazza del Popolo area (the north gate of ancient Rome). The main gate of Rome through which pilgrims from
the north arrived.
5. Pantheon area - around the ancient Roman Pantheon temple. A suggestive mix of Ancient Rome and Medieval
Rome. Happens to be the lowest part of the city (13m above sea level).
6. Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori. Medieval Rome - the declining population shifted towards the river once
the aqueducts were interrupted and fallen into disuse.
7. Quirinal hill - Where the President of the Republic of Italy has his official residence.
8. Esquiline hill
9. Caelius hill
10. Aventine hill - Early Christian basilicas and supreme villas.
11. Palatine hill - Where the emperors had their palaces, where Romulus had his hut.
12. The Forums: Roman, Imperial and Boarium. Markets, shopping centres, temples and politics.
13. Trastevere & Gianiculum hill. Trastevere has a reputation for bars and restaurants.
You might also split out:
14. Via Veneto. Famous for Fellini's film "La Dolce Vita". Chic, expensive hotels and the US Embassy.
15. Outside the city walls, including the Catacombs, old Appian way and a multitude of other sites eg Saint Paul's
basilica etc.
Further detail on each of these areas follows…
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a) The Capitoline hill.
Where is it? The centre of town by definition! It is the archetype of the capital or centre of power of a state or
region. The name of this hill is responsible for the head cities of countries being called "Capitals". The origin of the
name is uncertain but possibly refers to the head of a pre-roman divinity being dug up in ancient times. Head in latin
is "Caput" and the divinity was supposedly "Olum". Caput+Olum=Caputolum and so on to Capitolinum. It is now
known as the Campidoglio.
Although it is the smallest of the hills of Rome, the Capitoline hill has always been the focus of the city's
government. In roman times it was fortified as a citadel dominated by the temple to the Capitoline triad (Jupiter,
Juno and Minerva). The hill is made up of two lobes with a dip in the middle. The central dip is nowadays the
central square. In ancient times this part of the hill was called "Asylum" and according to mythology was regarded
as a sacred place where one was allowed refuge. The city dungeons were below the hill (under it) and may still be
visited. Amongst its more famous lodgers we have St. Peter.
Nowadays the city council sits in the wonderful renaissance style Palazzo Senatorio. It was here that in 1955 the
Treaty of Rome was signed to create the European Community.
The square and buildings around it was redesigned by Michaelangelo in the 15 th Century. He set the wonderful
ancient Roman statue of the bearded emperor Marcus Aurelius in the centre. The other buildings (Palazzo dei
Conservatori) contain the Capitoline Museums - well worth a visit. The front of the square looks down towards the
relatively modern Victor Emmanuel monument aka "the type-writer". Round the back (once used to be the front)
you look over the Forum. A balcony round the back was where the Seers would do their bird watching from and
foretell the future of the city.
b) The Vatican
Situated on the Vatican hill on the right bank of the river Tiber to the west of the city. Surface area: 0.5km2 +
territory of Lateran church, Cancelleria and Castelgandolfo summer residence. Circa 1500 inhabitants of which
approx 50% have Vatican passport and tax exemption. Own postal service, mint, radio Radio Maria and newspaper
Osservatore Romano.
This is a difficult subject to which we can hardly do any justice given that "The Vatican" embodies a whole state,
2000 years of power and endless involvement in the development of the western world.
The Vatican hill, across the river from what was Rome's original urban area was populated as part of a need to
control both banks of the river for defence purposes. In ancient times it's real claim to fame was Caligula's and later
Nero's circus. This happened to make it the site of a multitude of Christian martyrdoms and crucifixions. It is the
reputed site of St. Peter's (and his wife's) martyrdom. As a consequence of this St. Peter's basilica was constructed
on top of the circus during the latter part of the empire, some two or three hundred years after the saint's death.
Approximately a millennium later the basilica had been reworked several times over and eventually redesigned into
the "St. Peter's" we now know and love. Michaelangelo played his part in the redesign and construction as did a
number of other important architects. The vast resources which went into its construction also did its bit to generate
displeasure and add fuel to the schism and Protestant Reformation. It was at this time that the Vatican became the
official Papal residence rather than the Lateran.
It is suggested that the ancient Roman Pantheon had much to do with the inspiration behind the design of the façade
and interestingly, both buildings sported world-record breaking domes, but these are only the most obvious of the
parallels. More interesting similarities are to be found in their use for propaganda: both of these buildings performed
the function of home or site where a single ruler-person had a private and supreme hot-line to the heavens. The
domes presumably act as a metaphor of such heavens.
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The Vatican has undoubtedly been a highly significant centre of political power which in many ways shaped
European history. One of the earliest of these defining moments was on Christmas day of the year 800 when Pope
Leo Xth took it upon himself to crown Charlemagne "Holy Roman Emperor". This act had far reaching effects in
defining the Pope as a necessary intermediary to putting a wax seal of divine authority on the temporal power of
kings and emperors. Interestingly, the event was also the dawn of Papal power on earth as Charlemagne donated
vast lands in central Italy to the Vatican. These were subsequently justified through history as being part of Emperor
Constantine's will and inheritance (nowadays largely shown to be a bit of a tall story). Napoleon avoided the same
mistake by taking the crown and placing it on his own head. Not surprisingly Napoleon's lack of respect was the
beginning of the end for Papal temporal power.
The Vatican as a State: Papal power first came to the fore as a result of the Roman emperor's departure from Rome
and the shift of political power to the new capital at Constantinople (Istanbul). Given Rome had been largely
abandoned the clergy constituted the only remaining bureaucracy capable of somehow managing and governing the
city. Interestingly at this time the "Pontifex Maximus" was still the emperor (now thousands of miles away from
Rome) and it wasn't until some time later that the Pope took over "absolute" power and the P.M. title itself.
Papal power grew through time except the odd hic-cup here and there. The disarray of the Dark Ages left the church
to become the sole champion of international peace and learning, with Rome at its centre. The 17 th Century and the
Enlightenment was in a sense the downward turning point: economic prosperity, learning and "culture" shifted
northwards and out of the strict grasp and control of the church which nonetheless maintained a focus on artistic
embellishment of the city. The Napoleonic invasion was a prelude to the weakening position of the Pope's grasp of
power on earth, made definitive with the taking of Rome by Garibaldi's forces as Italy was reunited. The Pope
retreated to the Vatican in disgust as all else was confiscated. Something was clawed back and the Vatican declared
a state in its own right by Mussolini's government which was anxious to regain some of that divine approval.
A sense of all this embedded history can be gained from the major sites of the Vatican state. The most important of
these include the Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel, the Castel St. Angel fortress which was once Emperor
Hadrian's tomb and later converted to fortress and fearsome torture chambers and dungeons. Last but not least, St.
Peter's basilica, including the wonderful panoramic view across Rome from the top of the dome.
c) Villa Borghese parks and Villa Giulia
An area just outside the walls of ancient Rome at Porta del Popolo gate, to the north of the city. The noble families
of Rome had a number of palaces. Villa Borghese was built by Cardinal Camillo Borghese whilst Villa Giulia was
commissioned by Pope Julius III.
It goes without saying that both villas deserve a visit not only for the villas themselves but also for the precious
collections inside. Villa Giulia in particular is one of the greatest collections of the Etruscans. Villa Borghese is
particularly well known for its extensive park lands which are frequently enjoyed by Romans. Rickshaws, boating
on the lake, Rome's Zoo and numerous other activities for both young and older generations makes it a good Sunday
venue.
From here one can choose to go for a good walk towards the centre of town, passing the Museum of Modern Art and
on to the Pincio belvedere which overlooks the Piazza del Popolo.
The Borghese Villa was commissioned and built between 1613 and 1616 by Pope Paul V's megalomaniac nephew
Scipio on what used to be the family vineyards. The museum holds some superlative works of art on display.
Amongst these we have numerous paintings and sculptures which can hardly be done any justice by simple mention.
Napoleon's sister Paolina, married into the Borghese family is sculpted half naked as Venus. This sculpture by
Canova has come to symbolise Italian art although there are plenty of works by Caravaggio, Titian, Rafael, Bernini
etc etc etc.
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Villa Giulia, like Villa Borghese was built as a summer residence just outside the city walls to the north of Rome.
The villa was commissioned by Pope Julius III in 1550 and built by some of the best architects of the time: Vasari &
Vignola with Michaelangelo's advice as backup. Within five years an architectural work of art was complete and
quickly filled with the Pope's choice antiquities.
The villa was all but abandoned and pillaged after the Pope's death and it wasn't until some 300 years later that the
building was destined for use as the Etruscan Museum. The museum is extremely well stocked in Etruscan art,
jewelry and artifacts which sit well in the splendid architectural and frescoed setting.
d) Piazza del Popolo area (the north gate of ancient Rome)
The northern gates to the city. This is my favourite square in the city and a very good point to start any visit of the
city as it offers a choice of the best shopping or a menu of history subdivided by period: Ancient Rome, Renaissance
and Baroque. Just outside the gates we have the grand entrance to Villa Borghese. Just inside we have the Piazza del
Popolo square.
Much of the square was reworked during the period of Romanticism by an architect called Valadier (18/19th
Century). The gate itself is pretty interesting and has been reworked several times up to the 18 th century into the
image of ancient Roman triumphal arches, very apt to welcome pilgrims arriving by road from the north.
The centre of the square sports one of the largest obelisks in Rome (almost 24m or 70ft tall which with the pedestal
reaches some 36m) made of red granite. What is particularly interesting is that the obelisk belonged to Ramses II in
the 13Century BC - ie well well before the founding of Rome and was brought over to Rome by Emperor Augustus
around the year 0 to stand in the centre of the Circus Maximus.
Just to the left of the gate we have the lovely church of Santa Maria del Popolo which apart from containing
paintings by Caravaggio himself was also shrouded in myth and medieval superstition: apparently it was built over
the site where Emperor Nero's tomb once stood. The story has it that the emperor's spirit inhabited a tree which
stood on the site. Following a series of mysterious events the tree was cut down and burnt. The embers were thrown
in the Tiber and a chapel built over the site.
But there is more and more and more to this area. Standing with our backs to the gates, and looking high up to the
left we have the Pincio belvedere (you can probably see people looking down). To the front and right we have the
area known as the Campus Martius, field of Mars, which in ancient Roman times was the military training ground.
Now known as "Campo Marzio" this area is the site of Augustus' tomb (built according to his own astrological birth
stars) and the impressive Ara Pacis altar to peace. Not bad for shopping either.
Looking straight on we see a trident of streets leading into the city. The access to these streets from the square is set
off two (almost) twin churches. The urban development of this area was driven by the increasing influx of pilgrims
from the north and a need to channel them through the city to the Vatican without impinging on the increasingly
cramped conditions of Medieval Rome.
The rightmost street (Via di Ripetta) leads towards the Campo Marzio (more said below) and the river. Following
the river banks it is the most direct route to the Vatican.
The central street (Via del Corso) is perhaps the most important as it leads straight to the center of town: the Piazza
Venezia, the Victor Emmanuel monument - aka the Type-Writer - and the Capitoline hill. Go on and you cross the
Forums and reach the Colosseum.
The left street, called Via del Babbuino because of the ugly river god statue lying someway along it, leads you to
Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish steps. In the seventeenth century two of the greatest European powers: France and
Spain cut themselves a piece of town around this area. The Spaniards settled on the Piazza di Spagna square which
to this day has their name and embassy to the Vatican. The French built the steps up to a number of French interests
atop the Pincio hill, also including the Trinita' dei Monti church and Villa Medici. If I'm not wrong there was a
statue to the French king standing somewhere around here also.
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The Spanish and French then gave way to English tourists of the grand tour during the 18 th Century - the age of
Romanticism. This latter term refers to the foreign love for all things classical and Roman rather than any homegrown artistic movement. In fact the area became a favourite of international artists including the likes of poets such
as Byron, keats, Shelley and Goete. It continued to be a venue of painters, particularly French painters of the
Academy such as Ingres and later on many others we have since come to refer to as the Impressionists. The arts
brought the café culture along with them which still persists. Coffee bars such as Babbington's and the Antico Caffe'
Greco have been there for several centuries now (see section on Rome's coffee bars further on).
The back streets between Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Venezia have become a shopping heaven spiced with
jewelers and upper class antiques dealers. They're all here: Valentino, Ferragamo, Prada, Bulgari etc etc etc.
e) Pantheon area (around the ancient Roman Pantheon temple)
Hanging a right from the Via del Corso (the central street of the trident starting at Piazza del Popolo) we go towards
the Campo Marzio and one of the more ancient parts of town which then turned into Medieval Rome. We will hit
upon the Pantheon temple. This is the lowest part of the city as it is at only 13m above sea level and being so close
to the river it also happens to be the part of town that the remaining population retreated to during the early middle
ages (the Dark Ages). From here, across to Piazza Navona (which was a circus) and Campo De' Fiori we have a
perfect blend of ancient and medieval Rome.
This whole area was properly developed by Emperor Augustus over what used to be the military training grounds.
Part of the reason for the development project was political propaganda. For example the Pantheon was built over
the site where Romulus reputedly ascended to the heavens, Augustus' tomb was built here not far from the majestic
altar to peace. Augustus "turned a city of brick into a city of marble" as befitted the capital of the empire Rome had
become. Ever since then this area has remained a hot spot of political and commercial activity in Rome.
The Palazzo di Montecitorio, built at the end of the 17th century by Pope Innocent the XIIth was constructed over
what was supposedly the funeral area of the emperors. The building housed the Papal law courts and is now the
Italian government's Chamber of Deputies. Virtually all the buildings around here are dedicated to government and
political administration as well as to a number of banks. Rome's stock exchange is here also, housed in what used to
be Emperor Hadrian's temple (partly still visible at Piazza di Pietra so go and visit it, there's a great coffee bar at the
end of the square too.)
Just by Montecitorio we have the wonderful column of Marcus Aurelius (actually dedicated to Antoninus Pius)
which in the style of the more famous Trajan's column depicts detailed historical events. These columns were a
perfect symbiosis of propaganda, symbolism and historical
Facing the Pantheon and to the left you will find Piazza della Minerva, so called because of a temple which once
stood there. There's a very interesting elephant and Egyptian obelisk lovingly referred to as the "chick" (Pulcino).
The sculptor (following designs by Bernini) obviously lacked a direct visual reference of an Elephant for his
sculpture. The heavy decoration of the saddle was the consequence of a monk's insistence that the structure wouldn't
be able to support the weight of the Obelisk, contrary to Bernini's design which as shown at Piazza Navona's fontana
dei Quattro Fiumi would have stood perfectly well. The symbolism is interesting: the elephant represents the virtues
required of Christians to reach wisdom (the obelisk).
The church behind, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, is a must. Not only because it's the only Gothic church in Rome and
is extremely rich in works of art but also because it happens to be the place where the Holy Inquisition undertook its
proceedings. It was the head quarters to the Dominican monks (hatefully referred to as Domini Canes -the dogs of
god). Galileo fought his up-hill battle here (and lost). Saint Catherine of Siena and the painter/monk Beato Angelico
are buried here.
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Following the street to the right of the church we will bump into a huge marble foot. This is one of many remnants
of statues of gigantic proportions which the ancient Romans loved to populate their city and temples with. They
usually represented the emperor or gods or a mixture of the two (eg Caligula as Jupiter). The most famous such
statue standing some 35m high was of Nero and moved to stand by the Colosseum. It is since lost.
The church "Del Gesu'" should also be visited - it is the first Jesuit church and was highly influential, a landmark, in
the transformation of Renaissance architecture into the Baroque which is so pronounced in Rome.
The shopping in the Pantheon area is not bad and the night life is generally quite good, thanks to the many
restaurants, bars and quality café's.
f) Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori
From the Pantheon we move deeper into medieval Rome - closer to that bend in the river which provides both water
and a degree of security from attack.
This area of ancient Rome provided refuge to the remaining post-Empire population. As a consequence it is the
result of a continuous evolution from antiquity through to Medieval. The streets tend to be tight and narrow and the
buildings are natural extensions of the pre-existing Roman foundations.
The most notable example of this is Piazza Navona which by many is deemed to be "the most beautiful square in the
world". Certainly its one of the most interesting to visit and read about: The square still retains the shape of the
original Roman circus (Domitian's circus) which once lay here. The buildings have essentially developed from the
foundations of the public stands which in their hay-day seated as many as 33,000 spectators. Another example of
this may be found in the buildings around the Theatre of Marcellus (not far, towards the Tiber island): you will
notice how they & the road essentially follow the ancient theatre's curvature.
Back to the Piazza Navona, the ancient use as a Roman circus echoes on in several ways: often the public stands had
shops and other facilities below them. One of the more popular services was prostitution and it is said that the young
Saint Agnes was murdered in such a facility located under what is now the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone. Given
that it was unlawful to convict and kill a virgin the Romans thought well to have her sent to work in a brothel.
However the young saint developed repulsive hair all over her body. Her hirsute appearance was so repulsive that
she remained untainted. She was murdered.
The fountain in front of the church acts as a focal point to the square. The designer was the popular Bernini who's
design was slated by many at the time as being impossible and unstable. It still stands. The fountain depicts the four
known continents of the time and their great rivers. The Nile is blindfolded because its source was not known at the
time although popular myth has it that it expresses Bernini's disgust for the Sant'Agnese church which was designed
by his student and rival Borromini. The other rivers are the Danube, the Rio de la Plata (holding his hand up against
the falling church?) and the Ganges.
The whole square has a strong Baroque print to it and the top of the obelisk carries the dove with Olive sprig,
symbol of the Pamphilij Papal family which was responsible for much of the transformation during the 17 th Century.
The obelisk was taken from another ancient Roman circus: the Circus of Maxentius, which is the most complete in
Rome and may be seen along the old Appian way.
An added curiosity is that the square was regularly inundated during summer week-ends so that the local population
might go and freshen up. This was achieved by stopping up the outlets of the fountains.
The square is generally very lively at all seasons, especially so around summer and Christmas time, almost
impossibly so for the few residents. If you want a quick portrait this is the place.
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Although the square's popularity tends to overshadow the immediate vicinity there is much to be seen and had. For
example the French church of San Luigi dei Francesi contains some wonderful paintings (incl. 3 by Caravaggio),
then there's Sant' Andrea della Valle. Two Popes are buried here. There church features in the first scene of the
Opera Tosca. The dome is the second largest in Rome after St. Peter's. Santi'Ivo alla Sapienza is a must for its
exuberant architecture.
Seems boring but Chiesa Nuova is an important landmark of the Counter-Reformation (ie the Catholic reaction to
the Protestant Reform). The church was frescoed by Pietro da Cortona over the course of some 20 years. There are 3
paintings by Rubens. The founder of the church, Saint Filippo Neri, is buried here.
The apparently insignificant statue of Pasquino just off the square's south bend is remembered as one of the "talking
statues" which during the years of iron fisted Papal rule was used as a place where you might (secretly) affix your
less than complimentary poems against the Papal regime. Not far from here we have Via del Governo Vecchio "Old
Government Street". This street had the Palazzo del Governo Vecchio from which the Papal regime governed the
city.
On the subject of streets: Via dei Coronari is interesting to walk down. Many of the buildings along this street are
worth having a quick look at, some even have some history attached to them. The street follows an ancient Roman
street, the Via Recta - the straight street - which ran from the column of Marcus Aurelius to the Tiber. During the
Medieval period the street was heavily used by pilgrims on their way to the Ponte Sant' Angelo bridge to reach the
Vatican. Being so trafficked there was an intensive trade in religious artifacts and rosaries which have since
transformed into antiques dealers etc.
There's also a series of palaces to be seen:
Palazzo Madama has had a mixture of illustrious owners including the Medici's the Farnese not to mention their
spouses/husbands from the ruling families of Spain and France. It was also residence of two Medici Cardinals both
of whom became Popes. Since the unification of Italy the palace has been used as the Italian Senate (a sort of House
of Lords).
Palazzo Massimo is built over Domitian's theatre. The Massimo family claims its origins in the Roman general
Fabio Massimo who defeated Hannibal. The outside walls are frescoed in Renaissance style. Some ancient Roman
columns are still standing about as testimony of what was there before.
Palazzo Braschi was the last Papal palace built (18th century). It houses a museum of paintings, drawings and
artifacts of daily life during Medieval Rome.
Last but certainly not least there's Palazzo Altemps. It is part of the Museo Nazionale Romano and contains a few
landmarks in the history of art. The Ludovisi throne relief is here.
Also worth a visit are the Torre dell'Orologio designed by Bernini with his customary play of convex and concave
facades. The mosaic of the Virgin Mary is by the great artist Pietro da Cortona. The painting of the Virgin at the
corner held by sculptures of angels is in Bernini style (we're not sure of the actual author of this work).
Moving further south we come to the area dominated by the Campo de' Fiori square "the field of flowers". The area
is vibrant and since medieval times has been the site of a popular flower and vegetable market. The Medieval
buildings and housing seem to have time-warped into the present whilst the statue in the middle of the square is an
ominous reminder of the inquisition: the scientist Giordano Bruno was burned on the stake for heresy. Not
surprisingly this is the only square in Rome which hasn't got a church.
Around this square Medieval Rome gives way to the Renaissance. For example the Farnese Palace in Piazza Farnese
was designed by Michelangelo. It is now the French embassy. Palazzo Spada and other palaces-come-fortress testify
how this area was favoured by the powerful Roman families of the Renaissance. The palazzo della Cancelleria is
here also. It was used as the papal archive and still today constitutes part of Vatican state territory.
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Taking a quick walk we bump into the unexpected excavations at Piazza Argentina. These have brought to light four
temples which are amongst the most ancient brought to light. They date back to the Republican period ie. before
Julius Caesar and then Augustus turned the government of Rome's dominions into that of an Empire. The earliest of
the temples dates back to the third century BC. Another was used as the foundations of a medieval church, since
demolished.
Behind two of the temples we have a large stage made of heavy blocks. This was part of the Roman Senate during
the period of Pompey and Caesar. It seems this was the site where Caesar was so famously murdered on the ides of
March in 44BC by Republican activists. Few students have never heard the words "Et tu Brute".… This was the
place.
We have already mentioned how this area exhibits good examples of ancient Rome turned medieval turned modern.
One such example is the Theatre of Marcellus. Another is the Portico di Ottavia. The portico is the remain of a large
and important ancient Roman complex. Through time it has been variously used for various types of mercantile
trade.
The portico is also the northernmost limit of the small area known as the Jewish Ghetto - there has been an
extremely significant Jewish population in Rome ever since ancient Roman times right through to today. Initially
brought to work as slaves they soon showed their usefulness to Roman society as doctors and merchants.
Their relative freedom went on throughout the medieval period until persecutions picked up around the 16th century
which forced them to live in a limited area of town. They were only allowed out by day and on Sundays they were
forced to attend Christian sermons. This practice was only ended towards the middle of the 19 th century. The second
world war saw renewed persecutions and deportations by the hundreds.
The synagogue was built at the beginning of the 20th century and houses a museum of Jewish history in Rome. The
area is still characterised by textile merchants and great food, you can also get kosher, the pastries and cakes enjoy
quite a reputation.
Hopping across the river we have the Tiber Island with a curious history all of its own. Notice its vague shape as a
ship. Not surprisingly the ancient Romans went further than simple resemblance and intimately linked the island's
appearance to its function, but not quite as you might expect….
g) Quirinal hill
This hill is the highest of the original 7 hills of Rome and covers an area which starts from the top of Piazza di
Spagna across to the Stazione Termini. It is also accessed from the bottom of the Via Veneto/ Piazza Barberini. A
more impressive access is from the Trevi Fountain and up to the Piazza del Quirinale with its lovely Roman statues
of the Dioscuri twins, Castor and Pollux.
Before delving into the Quirinal hill itself this is a useful point to have a quick look at the Trevi fountain. It is the
most famous fountain in the whole city and probably one of, if not the most famous fountain in the world. It is the
largest in the city and possibly set in one of the smallest squares so that the disproportion tends to enhance the sense
of grandeur.
The fountain is actually a "Mostra": the show piece of where ancient Roman aqueducts actually handed their water
over to the city. The aqueduct in this case is the Aqua Vergine whose construction was initiated by Agripa: Emperor
Augustus' right hand man and builder of the Pantheon. The amazing show piece we see was actually created around
1750 by the Nicola Salvi with sculptures by other artists.
The central portion of the façade is inspired by the ancient Roman triumphal arches. The central niche has an image
of Ocean, the king of the seas, riding on a sea shell carriage drawn by sea horses. Ocean is flanked by images of
Health (left) and Abundance (right). The squares above narrate Agrippa giving the go-ahead for the aqueduct's
construction and the legend of the water's origins. Popular myth has it that you should throw a coin over your
shoulders and into the fountain in order to come back to Rome, two to get married and three to divorce.
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Antique prints dating to before the 1700's show the fountain as a simple bath on the back of a plain building, used by
washer women to do their laundry.
The Quirinal is less interesting from the point of view of shopping and dining and tends to be relatively quiet.
During the empire the hill tended to be an upper class residential area. The hill was pretty much abandoned after the
fall of the Empire and was only subject of urban planning from the 16 th Century onwards as powerful families began
to built their palaces there again.
The Quirinal palace and gardens was the summer residence of the Pope. It then became summer residence of the
Kings of Italy and is now the official residence of the President of the Italy.
The Palazzo Barberini is well worth a visit for its expetional art collection. The Barberini were a powerful family
which counted ruthless Cardinals and Pope's (Urban VIII) amongst its members: "The Barberini did what the
Barbarians failed to do" was the popular saying. For example, the central bronze baldachin over the alter in saint
peters and the cannons at castle St. Angelo were made with the bronze Pope Urban "pillaged" from the Pantheon.
The Quirinal hill also has its fair share of imposing Roman remains, particularly Diocletian's thermal baths (on
piazza della Repubblica) which Michaelangelo transformed into the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli.
As churches go San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane is a pearl of the Baroque (by the architect Borromini). Also within
this area is the Palazzo Massimo which contains the Roman museum.
h) Esquiline hill
On the eastern side of the city. From a tourist's point of view this is one of the areas with least attractions although
its main attraction, the very ancient basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, is an absolute must. Other minor churches in
the area are worth a visit too for their antiquity. San Pietro in Vincoli contains Michelangelo's famous sculpture of
Moses.
Even in ancient times much of this hill was one of the more populated and poorer areas of the city known as the
Suburra (a sort of Soho in London I suppose). Emperor Claudius' wife Messalina was said to sneak out of the palace
on the Palatine hill to come and enjoy her work as a prostitute here. The south eastern part of the hill, in itself a hill
called "Oppius" was the more residential and upper class area and the remains of Trajan's baths and Nero's Golden
House (the Domus Aurea) are still to be seen. PS: Nero's Domus Aurea may now be shut off to visitors, which is a
real shame.
A note of particular interest is that many of the very ancient churches which are found on the Esquiline hill stand on
the remains of ancient Roman houses. This is because until Christianity was legalised in ancient Rome the followers
of Jesus, St. Peter and St. Paul would meet in secret in each other's homes. Churches were later built over the more
important meeting places.
i) Caelius hill
The south eastern side of Rome from the Palatine and Forum to the city walls.
During the archaic period of Rome the hill used to be called "Mons Querculanus" due to the numerous oak trees
growing on it. The 6th king of Rome, an Etruscan called Mcstarna but referred to by the Romans as Servius Tullius,
renamed this hill Caelius. He did so in honour of his ally Caelius Vibenna: another Etruscan who had given his life
to assist Servius in escaping imprisonment and breaking the power of the Etruscan priesthood and nobility.
The major site is the church of San Giovanni in Laterano. This was the Papal residence before the move to Saint
Peter's and the Vatican and had been donated to the church by Emperor Constantine.
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j) Aventine hill
Extremely interesting and generally away from the hustle-and-bustle of the city. The southernmost hill of Rome,
flanking the river's left bank, this hill actually feels like a hill and affords some fascinating views especially over the
Circus Maximus. A popular view is from the keyhole at no.3 of the square of the Knights of Malta which looks
across the gardens of the Knights of Malta and perfectly frames a view of St. Peter's.
Although it is quiet and largely residential the Aventine has some of the most interesting sites of historical interest,
such as the very ancient Basilicas (churches in archaic style) such as Saint Sabina. Then there's the Mount Testaccio
to the south. It is 36m high and was created between 140BC and 250AC out of broken amphorae pieces called
"Testae" in latin -you have to see it to believe it. Testaccio's a lively place to go out.
Perhaps we get a greater surprise from the Pyramid of Caio Cestio (a real pyramid, used as a family tomb). The
pyramid butts against what is generally referred to as the Protestant Cemetary - very beautiful to visit and with a
number of special (non Catholic) guests such as Keats and Goethe's son Julius. Shelley's ashes are nearby.
Then there are the ancient churches of Santa Maria in Cosmedin which contains some excellent "Cosmatesque"
mosaics and the famous Mouth of Truth - actually a drain cover with a river god sculpted on it which supposedly bit
your hand off if you told lies - and San Giorgio in Velabro. The Velabro was the marshy part of river where
Romulus and Remus supposedly washed up in a basket to be found by a she-wolf/prostitute.
If you have a look at the map above you'll see that in antiquity the valley between the Aventine and the Palatine hills
was marshy. In fact the whole area was pretty marshy given the proximity to the sea (the tiber island is only between
15 and 20m above sea level)
The marsh was drained by the 5th king of Rome Lucius Tarquinius - the first of the Etruscan kings of Rome. The
Etruscans were experts in draining works as for several hundreds of years they had drained vast lands to the north of
Rome to render them fertile. Lucius Tarquinius used this knowledge to start the great drains of the city known as the
Cloaca Maxima, which is still functional to this day, and to bridge the gap between the hills. In this particular case
he drained the Murcia valley to be used as the site of the Circus Maximus. Wooden seating was set along the valley
walls. Lucius was also responsible for building and fortifying of the Capitol hill.
Back to the Aventine hill: to the north of the hill, just south of the Tiberina island the marshes were drained and
transformed into a port and cattle market known as the Forum Boarium (see below). The river side of the hill was
essentially dedicated to storage, mostly grain from Sicily and Africa. The nearby arch of Janus was a popular
meeting place where business men struck their cattle deals - remember that ancient civilisations regarded meat as a
particularly valuable commodity.
k) Palatine hill - Where the emperors built palaces and Romulus had his
hut.
The palatine hill lends its name to a number of words such as Palace and Paladin. The hill was traditionally the place
where the she wolf bred the twins Romulus and Remus in a cave. Romulus had his own hut here and successive
rulers and emperors built their palaces. Archaeologists have uncovered remains of archaic huts dating as far back as
the Iron Age (9th Century BC).
Augustus is said to have had a relatively modest villa. His wife Livia's house is also here and sports some wonderful
paintings well worth visiting. Other dwellers of this prestigious residential hill include the great lawyer Cicero and
the poet Catullus. Later emperors weren't quite as austere as Augustus and reached excesses. Commodus ran the
state treasury dry and made a bob or two by converting part of his palace into a casino.
Being right next to the Circus Maximus it is said that Caligula was particularly upset by the noise the rowdy
supporters were making as they queued up at early hours of the morning. He supposedly sent his guards down to
beat them and shut them up (no pun meant) injuring men women and children indiscriminately.
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There are some lovely formal gardens over part of the Palatine. These were planted by the Farnese family in the 16th
century. They grow over the remains of Emperor Tiberius' palace. Good views over the Forum.
l) The Forums: Roman, Imperial and Boarium. Markets and shopping
centres in "perfect" harmony with bureaucracy, politics and religion.
These were in the centre of town, running from the river and along the valleys between the hills. At first the forum
was no more than a market and meeting place. The first of these were the Roman Forum and the Forum Boarium.
The Forum Boarium has already been mentioned as a cattle trading market. It later also became a centre for money
changers and lenders.
The Roman Forum was possibly the most ancient and highly regarded. With time it became a sort of City of London
where all the big deals were done, high politics, the major temples and so on: a sort of institutional centre.
The forum was full of lawyers, businessmen, bankers and intermediaries, shopkeepers and prostitutes not to mention
bureaucrats of course (Rome has never ever been short of bureaucrats).
The city's expansion, particularly from the times of Julius Caesar and throughout the Empire required more forums
to be constructed, rather like shopping malls. The purpose of these new forums was a mixture of public necessity
and political propaganda - which often equated to religious temples and functions. Offices and other institutional
work would be undertaken in large multi-storey buildings called "Basilicas", which later lent themselves well to the
needs of large Christian congregations. A little like modern warehouses often lend themselves well to "Rave Parties"
(the new religion?).
Temples included those to Castor and Pollux, Saturn (acted as the state treasury or the Bank of England), temple of
Venus and Rome, temple of Vesta. The Vestals lived in their own quarters in the forum.
The major forums were that of Caesar, Augustus and Trajan although there were others (eg the forum of Nerva aka
the Foro Transitorio). Trajan's forum, obvious because of Trajan's column standing there, has generally been
regarded as shops, shops and more shops. The suggestion that these were actually office blocks full of civil servants
is becoming increasingly likely as there is little sign of useful access for large volumes of merchandise. The end of
Trajan's forum was marked by the amazing column which in itself is a feat of engineering and art + a public library
either side of the column. One side held books in Greek and the other for books in Latin.
The forum area was traversed by a street called the Via Sacra which ancient writers tell us was as traffic-packed and
impossible as modern Rome. Being a centre of public meeting numerous commemorative columns and triumphal
arches were erected in this area. The Rostra was here to be used by the likes of Mark Anthony to deliver his famous
Shakespearean speech "Friends, Romans, Countrymen…".
At the extreme end of the valley we have the Colosseum. A single building to which volumes and volumes of
literature have been dedicated. One theory would have it that the Colosseum constituted a sort of theatre where the
Roman people contained and controlled the brutality of the outside world. They would all dress up and sit according
to their social rank, jeering and cheering at the often (but not always) bloody spectacle which unfolded at their feet.
m) Trastevere & Janiculum hill. Trastevere has a reputation for bars and
restaurants.
The Trastevere (area across the tiber, hence the name) was never a particularly wealthy part of town. It does have a
wonderful square and church, Santa Maria in Trastevere. The area is a focus of Roman night life, particularly the
square of Santa Maria in Trastere. The whole are is full of restaurants and bars and in many ways the inhabitants of
this part of time regard themselves as the true Romans. The area's attractiveness is quickly erasing the more
characteristic features of the local culture.
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The Gianiculum affords great views over the city. It ows its name to the cult of the Roman god Janus which went on
here. There is plenty of religious activity up there, not to mention San Pietro in Montorio and the wonderful
"Tempietto" by Bramante said to be perfect in its classical conception and supposedly built over the spot where
Saint Peter was crucified upside down. A glass panel on the ground of the Tempietto affords a view onto a stump of
wood).
There is also the botanical gardens and a park with punch and judy shows. Another Mostra with views over the city
is worth a visit - a fountain like the Trevi fountain to show off the end of an aqueduct. In this case the fountain is not
quite as grand although it is, all told, pretty big and grand. The aqueduct in question is the Acqua Paola first built by
Emperor Trajan in 109AC and later fixed and reopened in the early 17 th century by Pope Paul V Borghese.
An absolute must is the Villa Farnesina, first built by a rich banker from Siena Agostino Chigi in the early 16 th
Century and decorated by the likes of Rafael. The paintings are both wonderful and entertaining with views of Rome
as it once was and decorations of mythical subjects. One in particular portrays the banker's lover-courtesan Imperia.
n) Via Veneto (famous for Fellini's film "La Dolce Vita")
This beautiful avenue was rendered famous in 1960 by a film called "La Dolce Vita" by Federico Fellini. It is worth
a visit more than anything for the relatively attractive chic bars, upper class hotels and a handful of shops. The
American embassy is also on this street.
In ancient Roman times this part of town was dedicated to exclusive aristocratic villas and their sumptuous gardens.
The most famous of these gardens was called the Horti Sallustiani, part of which was uncovered under Piazza
Sallustio square. The entire area was abandoned after the fall of Rome in the fifth century until the Barberini family
built their villa there in the 17th Century. As well as the paintings collection the villa is remarkable for the beautiful
frescoes by Pietro da Cortona. There was another villa called Villa Ludovisi which has long since been demolished
as a consequence of expropriations and exorbitant taxes.
Towards the bottom of the street there's a little surprise for lovers of Gothic and Noire: the Capucin monks have a
church (Santa Maria della Concezione) on the left hand side of the road with an annexed cemetery/crypt. The crypt
contains some four or five chambers full of polished (human) bones carefully laid out into artistic shapes, mounds of
skulls and chandeliers. The odd skeleton in monk's habit holds a bible and stares blankly at the visitors. The
decorative sense is striking to say the least. A sign at the end of the corridor says something along the lines of "What
we once were you now are, what we are now you will become."
The piazza Barberini at the bottom of Via Veneto used to be extremely beautiful. In our opinion its only remarkable
feature is the "Fontana del Tritone" fountain, sculpted by the highly accomplished Bernini. Remaining on the subject
of Bernini, it is worth visiting the church Santa Maria della Vittoria to see its altar. Bernini designed this as a theatre
complete with side boxes for the audience (congregation). Centre stage is devoted to Saint Teresa in ecstasy. It is
highly acclaimed and striking: the Saint's ecstasy is very realistic in appearance as she is repeatedly struck by an
arrow (Freud might have something to add) by an angel whose expression is loving or malevolent depending on the
spectator's angle of view.
o) Outside the city walls, including the Catacombs, old Appian way and a
multitude of other sites eg Saint Paul's basilica etc.
Clearly the choice of places to visit outside the city walls is almost endless. It is worth mentioning one particular
direction: south. You reach the majestic baths of Caracalla which until very recently were used to stage open air
Opera during the summer months. The baths are worth visiting nonetheless, not only for the mosaics but also for the
sense of "big". You wonder how many people might actually be using such a large complex of pools and
gymnasiums. The supply of water required was mind-boggling, and much of it was heated! Not to mention rest
rooms, massage parlors and a wide range of other services.
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Continuing southwards we reach the Old Appian way which gives us a great sense of what an ancient Roman road
was like: solid and lined either side by a vast assortment of tombs, fortified structures, statues and temples.
Along the Appian way we have a number of Catacombs. These are not the only Catacombs in the city of course but
some of the more interesting ones are here, such as Santa Priscilla and San Sebastiano. They are deep and long, they
keep more or less the same temperature throughout the year and are not advisable for the claustrophobic. They are
certainly an experience as you see rows and rows of burial chambers, meeting rooms, paintings and engravings
which have much to say of the lives led by the persecuted Christians.
My favourite are the Catacombs of San Sebastiano as they include an area where the Romans used to hold
traditional banquets in company of their (dead) loved ones. There are also a number of ancient Roman graffiti
scratched on the walls. It is said that the remains of St. Peter and St. Paul may have been hidden here during the
persecutions.
There are also a number of extremely interesting churches, such as Santa Costanza built during the Empire as tomb
for Emperor Constantine and his daughters Costanza and Helen. The circular architecture and the original mosaics
with a variety of decorations and scenes give it a very particular feel. There's severe doubt over the saintliness of
Costanza, possibly a mutation of the name Costantina - wife of the emperor and reported to have been rather less
than saintly. Her beautiful sarcophagus has been removed to the Vatican and a perfect copy left there in its stead.
Other methods of subdividing the city include:
 Geography, ie the river and hills. Eg Trastevere is called that because it is across the Tiber river (the "Tevere"):
Trans-Tevere.
 Administration: the 14 "Regionis" of ancient Rome which became the 22 "Rioni" of modern times.
2. Rome's Geography & the 7 Hills
Rome is famous for its 7 hills although in fact there are a few more hills than just 7. The city originally grew on the
left bank of the river Tiber and then made its way across the river to include Vatican and Gianniculum hills.
In the early days the hills were really hills, with time and continuous building works they've tended to blend in to
one another….To see a simplified map: www.mariamilani.com/rome_maps/ancient_rome_geography.htm.
The first two hills to be populated were the Palatine and Capitoline but the city soon extended to include the
Aventine, Caelius, Oppius, Viminalis and Quirinalis and others. Some of these were actually made up of a couple
hills each with their own name. A curious one is "Testaccio" which is actually a hill entirely made of broken
amphora pieces (the amphorae were the ceramic containers used for commerce).
3. Rome by Regions:
In ancient Roman times the city was subdivided into numbered units called "Regio". Augustus subdivided the city
into 14 units possibly according to his own astrological birth stars (Capricorn if you're interested).
After the empire we have the Dark Ages or early Medieval. The city's population shrank from millions to tens of
thousands who assembled near the river and literally abandoned the city around them. The 14 Regio were reduced to
12 but were then gradually increased and have become 22 "Rioni" as recently as the 20th Century as the population
has reached the size it once was so long ago.
During the 18th century a good number of attractive marble plaques with coats of arms were placed to show regional
limits and are still visible throughout the city. Look out for them. You may well notice a number of other plaques of
various sorts including coats of arms (Rome was always a feudal system), rubbish collectors plaques placed between
the 17th and 18th centuries, plaques showing the level reached during various floods of the city and a multitude of
various inscriptions.
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The major 14 regions are called Monti, Trevi, Colonna, Campo Marzio, Ponte, Parione, Regola, Saint Eustachio,
Pigna, Campitelli, Sant' Angelo, Ripa, Trastevere and Borgo. Each has its own coat of arms.
D. Walks and Things to See
Entire books have been written on the subject and it is almost impossible to do it justice in just few pages, or perhaps
that is just the way to do it justice: some indications and then off you go to discover its wonders. Here are some
suggestions and tips which are sure to serve you well….
Rome is obviously an intricate mass of different periods of history annexed and built over one another. Unless you
have an extremely clear knowledge of history it is therefore difficult to quite understand and place what you are
seeing into context.
Tip1 - Take with you the appropriate pages out of this guide including bits of the time-line attached at the end of the
document. You will then be able to place (almost) everything you see in terms of period and events.
Next, Tip2, If you want to ad lib as much as possible read just a little background:

Our Bluffer's Rome's history (a page: but not bad for a couple of thousand years)
www.mariamilani.com/Rome_history.htm

Bluffer's guide to Roman architecture - another page giving a quick idea of why Roman architecture was
great. A good key to understanding sites such as the Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon, St. Peter's, Trevi
Fountain and and and….
www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/roman_architecture.htm

The Bluffer's Baroque Rome - Rome's so full of churches you may as well try to understand why they
look the way they do - it's all to do with fighting those protesting Protestant reformers (and power of
course).
www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/baroque_rome.htm
Almost there, Tip3 is to plan each day out, even if just for a minute. Nothing's to say you can't change your mind
half way through - in fact if you do so much the better: something will have grabbed your undivided attention!
What's it to be? Soak up some Rome culture? Do a quick tour of the antiquities? Shops? Food and hanging out at the
Coffee Bars? See below for some planned tour suggestions.
Get some inspiration from the area descriptions in the chapter above, something might strike a chord of particular
interest around which you can generate a more entertaining tour for yourself rather than having to see the "must
see". Surely the most important objective is towards yourself and making sure you take away with you the memories
which you are most likely to hold dear in future. You can always come again to see more.
Last but not least, Tip4: Avoid going around with your nose stuck in a (guide) book. Better actually get to see
Rome. What's so wonderful about the "Eternal City" is the innumerable surprises lurking around each corner. You're
sure to miss them if you're staring into a book. Take a camera and possibly a notepad. Jot a couple of notes of what
you really appreciated and read about them in comfort whilst sipping a road-side Espresso at one of our suggested
Coffee Bars. The notes will also provide a pleasant memory.
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1. Touring Rome in a Day
For those intending to "do" Rome in a day the first tip would be to plan the day well before hand and to have an
extremely clear picture of what interests you most rather than what is most famous. You can't possibly do the city
justice in such a short period of time so better take a good appetizing flavour with you.
If you are able to walk outside in the open read on. A faster and slightly less exposed alternative follows below.
The areas concerned include Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Navona & Forums with a glimpse of Vatican across the
river. The area descriptions above include sites and notes of particular interest. Don't forget to take the shopping and
restaurants pages with you. A quick read of the Roman history and Roman architecture bluffer's guides mentioned
above are sure to serve you well.
Setting off: Start from the Piazza del Popolo and following Via del Babbuino to Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish
Steps. From there down Via Condotti. You might try a coffee at the Antico Caffe' Greco. Here's your chance to look
at the luxury designer shops and boutiques, not all of them are overly expensive.
We suggest brunch in (relatively inexpensive) style at the Caffettiera in Piazza di Pietra, between Via del Corso and
the Pantheon. Chance to see the side of a major Roman temple - to Hadrian's genius, now the stock exchange - and
then on to the Pantheon, Piazza Navona & Campo de' Fiori.
Get to the Tiber & view to St. Peter's. Actually going to St. Peter's would require quite a lot of energy if you're
considering the next part of the trip:
Up to Piazza Venezia, see the balcony of Palazzo Venezia from where Mussolini delivered his speeches. The "Type
Writer" monument to the unknown soldier & up the steps to the Capitoline Hill. Great view over the Forum from
around the back of the hill (go round the Palazzo Senatorio which faces the steps up to the hill).
Back down the steps and a good walk along the Via dei Fori Imperiali will allow you to see the Forums. The
Roman/Imperial forums on the right and Trajan's on the left, including the famous Trajan's column.
Get to the end of the street and you'll hit your nose against the Colosseum.
You should be pretty tired at this point. Clearly it all depends on a trade-off of speed versus quality time.
An alternative with less walking about: If you're intellectually inclined then you might do away with the shopping
side of things and go just for the Capitol, Pantheon and St. Peter's. Brunch as above.
The Capitol will afford the view over the Forum whilst a march to the top of St. Peter's dome will give you a great
view over the entire city.
There are important comparisons to be made between the Pantheon and St. Peter's which will reveal the ingredients
which made Rome the "eternal city". Some research into the two buildings, their history and uses will shed light a
perfect blend of engineering with architecture, religion with mysticism and politics with propaganda.
You can start to read around the subject at www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/The_Pantheon_St_Peters.htm
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2. Touring Rome in a Week End

Breakfast at Barcaccia coffee bar in Piazza di Spagna with view over the Spanish Steps.

Via Condotti, Via Frattina, Corso for shopping. Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina, Campo Marzio, Via del
Corso, Piazza Venezia. Capitoline hill, view over Forum

Lunch in Trattoria.
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Piazza del Panteon (Piazza della Rotonda) for coffee. (Caffe' Tazza d'Oro). Piazza Navona. Cross river to
Castel St. Angelo, see the bridge of Ponte St. Angelo. Up the river to St. Peter's and stop for tea at Hotel
Columbus (end of Via della Conciliazione which leads to St.Peter's itself). St. Peter's square and into the
Basilica. Chance to either go up to the top of the dome - access from outside - or under to see the treasury access from inside the basilica.

Evening out in Trastevere or romantic dinner at Bacaro restaurant (reserve before hand).

Day two: breakfast at Rosati in Piazza del Popolo. Up the hill to Villa Borghese. Walk through the gardens.
Here's a chance for a museum, Vatican museum requires at least half a day. Capitoline Museum is good.
Lunch at the museum. Quick cabby or even horse drawn carriage to the Colosseum and off home.
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3. If you have a week or so
1) Cut the chase and go to visit the church of San Clemente, not far from the Colosseum. It isn't the most famous
but it has the enormous advantage of containing various levels of history within it: the very bottom level is
Roman housing of Nero's age. Next level up is a temple to the god Mithras which believe it or not was the direct
competition to Christianity. The Christians smashed it up. Gives you a good eerie feel of ancient mysticism.
Next level up is the early "paleo-christian" church and the top-most level is a medieval church with baroque
elements (18th century). The art is well worth having a look at too. It'll be difficult to get a better feel of "Rome"
in a single place. You might be tempted to go "do" the Colosseum as it's nearby. Check it out on the timeline.
For a more in-depth idea read about it in the mariamilani.com website
(www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome.htm)
2) The next trick is to realise that various parts of Rome tend to have a bountiful supply of this or that period. So
start from the Piazza del Popolo (north gate) and choose:

Up the hill to the left for the Villa Borghese gardens

First road to the left of the trident, Via del Babbuino, for Romantic Rome and the Spanish Steps. High class
shopping too.

Central road, Via del Corso, to tackle some shopping followed by Ancient Rome, The Capitol, the Forum
and Colosseum.

The road to the right, Via di Ripetta, to go via the Campo Marzio, a little shopping, some antiquities and
through to the Vatican/Saint Peter's. Walk up to the top of the dome and get your breath back.

Via del Corso again and swing a right towards the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori. This is
Medieval Rome. Some good food and a little shopping too.

The Vatican Museums require a whole day unless you're pretty focused about what you want to see. Half a
day's do-able if you go for Rafael's rooms and the Sistine chapel. A little research ahead will allow you to
stop to pick up the real jems. Watch out for opening times, might be mornings only.

Half a day for the Via Veneto is more than enough. Visit the weird cemetary for that spooky note and then
up towards the Spanish Steps again (always a good place to gravitate). Take the opportunity to visit the
Caffe Greco.

Follow the river to the bottom of the Aventine hill. This is the Forum Boarium. Visit the Santa Maria in
Cosmedin and the Mouth of Truth. There are a couple of interesting Roman temples: a round one and a
rectangular one. If you read about them you may well find them pretty interesting. If not walk by and
straight up the Aventine hill, pleasant walk with good basilicas at the top and views down.

Sounds like not a lot so far but if you've got this far you quite likely sped through much of what you saw on
the way and have probably been in town for a week. You still haven't visited the Trevi Fountain, the
Capitoline Museums (on the Capitoline hill) and the old Appian way/Catacombs - these are quite resource
hungry because of the distance. Your feet are worn out and you realise how you've only just scratched the
surface. Have you seen the Lateran? Santa Maria Maggiore? There's loads more but I suggest you select
according to taste at this point rather than historical importance. Eg go for an ice cream or cup of tea in the
Jewish Ghetto (see section on Coffee Bars).

For a different angle at things you might go for a boat trip along the tiber. Requires a couple of hours.

My favorite spots: Piazza del Popolo, The Pantheon, Piazza Navona, San Clemente and the view from the
top of St. Peter's dome.
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4. Touring the squares of the 7 hills
Another idea is to pick a guiding theme like the Obelisks or squares around Rome.
The Obelisks were brought to Rome by the Emperors as bits of furnishing for the city, often placed in the central
spine, called "spina", of circuses. Later popes recovered them from where they lay abandoned and stood them
throughout the city to act as visible landmarks for the pilgrims to follow round the city. A few have since been
moved about but in any case you can be sure they still act as pretty good landmarks. You might add the two columns
of Trajan and Marcus Aurelius.
Following the Squares can be equally entertaining, especially as the "piazze" act as natural focus points throughout
the. Follow the tiny streets which run between the hills like streams and converge into the fountains of the many
remarkable "piazze". If we try to combine a tour of the seven hills with the more popular squares we obtain a pretty
complete tour (10 squares because I couldn't cut it down to 7!). A little more about each may be gained from the
area descriptions above.
So to the squares walk:
Piazza del Popolo (northern gate of Rome with Obelisk) - Piazza di Spagna (Spanish steps) - Trevi fountain - Piazza
del Quirinale - Campidoglio (the Capitoline hill)- Pantheon - Piazza Navona (ancient circus turned into an elongated
public square) - San Giovanni in Laterano (the square with Rome's cathedral - predecessor of St. Peter's basilica) Saint Peter's at the Vatican. Not strictly in this order…
Two more for a good coffee break: Sant'Eustachio and Piazza di Pietra. Two as part of the night life: Campo de'
Fiori and Santa Maria in Trastevere. (Campo de’ Fiori can be a little overly lively at times)
If you want to go into depth about any of the above you're quite likely to find it at
www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome.htm and run a search within the site. It should give you all references to that
particular subject. If not you can even email us.
5. Touring the Obelisks
Egypt fell into Roman hands at the time when the first Emperor, Augustus, heir of Julius Caesar, brought his rival
Mark Anthony and his lover Cleopatra to heel.
What isn't obvious is that the obelisks dotted around Rome were already ancient when the ancient Romans began to
bring them over to glorify their capital city. This serves to give an idea of the esteem the Romans held for the
ancient Egyptian culture, particularly with the regards to the "sciences".
Obelisks quite evidently hold symbolic meanings. In Egyptian times they represented rays of the sun and glorified
divinities. In Roman times this meaning largely persisted but doubled up to constitute first hand evidence of the
power of Rome, focused on the Emperor.
As the Empire gave way to the dark ages the obelisks fell off their pedestals but as fortunes picked up again with the
papacy so too did the obelisks. Around 1587 Pope Sixtus V gave orders for a number of them to be put to use. They
were unburied from their original spots, often in the central spina of the abandoned circuses and transferred with
great effort to behave as place markers for the Christian pilgrims to follow and wonder at: a constant reminder of the
brutal empire which Christianity had heroically survived.
As the small obelisk in Piazza della Minerva perfectly describes the Obelisks came to hold a new symbolic meaning:
wisdom. And more specifically, Christian wisdom.
The major obelisks of Rome (numbers in brackets are height/height with pedestal):
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Vatican - 25.37/40m moved in 1586 to the centre of St. Peter's square from where it lay nearby at Caligula's &
Nero's circus. It weighs 330 tons. No hieroglyphs.
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Esquiline hill - 14.75/25.53m. moved in 1587. North of Santa Maria Maggiore.
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Lateran - 32.18/45.7m. The tallest. Stands in front of San Giovanni in Laterano.
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Flaminio - 23.91/36.43m. Dates back to Ramses II about 1300 BC. It was brought to Rome by Augustus to
stand in the centre of the Circus Maximus. It was moved in 1589 to Piazza del Popolo to greet the Pilgrims
coming into Rome through the northern gate of the city.
-
Agonalis - 16.53/30.17m. Stands in the centre of Piazza Navona as part of Bernini's famous fountain of the four
rivers (1651). The Hieroglyphs were added about that time ie they're not original Egyptian but Baroque to
glorify the then Pamphilij pope (note the dove and olive sprig at the top). It originally stood in the middle of
Maxentius' circus on the old Appian way.
-
Minerva - 5.47/12.69m - small but striking. Now lovingly known as the "chick" (pulcino) because of the
unlikely looking elephant which holds it up on its back. Used to be known as the "piglet" (porcino) for obvious
reasons. Symbolises Christian wisdom gained through hard toil and strength of mind.
-
Quirinal - 14.63/28.94m - stands in the centre of the Piazza del Quirinale with the beautiful statues of the
Dioscuri twins (the same ones after whom the star sign is named). Moved 1786 from its original location in
front of Augustus' tomb (Piazza Augusto Imperatore).
-
Montecitorio - 21.19/33.97m. One of the most interesting. Stood in front of the Italian parliament on Piazza
Montecitorio in 1792, not far from where it once stood in the Campo Marzio since Augustus brought it over in
10BC. It acted as a sun dial designed, by Egyptian astronomers, to cast its shadow on the Ara Pacis altar to
peace (Piazza Augusto Imperatore) on the date and time of Augustus' birthday. It was found amongst Medieval
debris and its hieroglyphs were for a long time believed to hide arcane secrets regarding Adam and Eve.
-
Several others…. Eg at the top of Trinita dei Monti, overlooking the Spanish Steps & dotted around the city.
Another is that of Sallustius - 13.91/30.45m - Found and believed to have stood in the ancient and wonderful
gardens Horti Sallustianii. Re-erected 1789.
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Last but not least… Other interesting pieces of urban furnishing worth having a look at include:
the Pyramid of Caius Cestius (at Testaccio, south side of the city) and the two enormous columns of Trajan (in
Trajan's forum) and Marcus Aurelius (Piazza Colonna off Via del Corso). Entire studies have been dedicated to the
columns so better leave it to you to dig further.
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E. Visiting Rome with Children

If you've got children with you then a little strategy might be in order.
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Try visiting when it's not too hot, easier said than done given children's holidays!

You might go for an apartment out of town rather than a hotel. Preferably with pool. This will also give you
a chance to take a day or two out to visit a variety of places such as the beach…. It will also allow you to
balance your food quality and control your spend.

You might try allowing each family member in turn to be in charge of what you're going to do for each
given day. Rome's tight streets aren't ideal for walking around with children who aren't keen on being
dragged around. Let them drag you around a little.

The Villa Borghese park can be pretty good fun as there are a number of activities to be had there,
including hiring bikes, rickshaws, boating and visiting the Zoo (called Bioparco actually) . You can eat at
the Zoo too.

A picnic isn't a bad idea either, see our coffee bar article below there's one there which will actually prepare
you a proper picnic hamper! Ice creams are always a good favourite pick-me-up although you can't quite
make a day of eating ice-cream.

Pizza for lunch hardly requires introduction. Not a healthy staple diet but now and again…

Fast food – In fact “Fast food” was an ancient Roman invention but home from home might be a good way
of allowing the children feel back in control of the situation. A number of McDonald’s restaurants managed
to break into the city centre a handful of years ago although their signs have to be in keeping with the area’s
good appearance. Try the one near Piazza di Spagna. A further solution can be from the smaller food shops
called Alimentari: you can generally ask them to make you sandwiches panini there on the spot out of the
breads, cheeses and hams on display. It’s a good way of trying something new.

Depending on the children's interest you might find a suitable museum. There certainly isn't a lack of them.
The Vatican museum has a seriously good stash of ancient Egyptian mummies for example. The animal
sculptures room can also be interesting. A further possibility is going to see ancient Roman artillery and
weapons (a favourite of the boys).

The Auditorium: I'm told that the Auditorium has some special musical events for children and that it also
has some areas where children may be left whilst others attend the concerts….

There's a children's museum called "Explora" a few hundred meters straight out of the Piazza del Popolo
gate of Rome on the via Flaminia no.80. Contains fire engines, hospital stuff and mock supermarket, postal
service etc + a variety of children's climbing frames, swings and so on. The restaurant's not bad either.

There's punch and judy (or there should be) on the Gianicolo hill park.

Take the children shopping: eg Disney store near the Spanish steps.

Buy the children their own cameras. Even the throw-away ones will do. Perhaps if they had a specific
project, like collecting column and arch styles or seeing all the ancient circuses…
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F. Going Out for Music, Dance and Opera
As you might expect Rome has a good variety of music and shows to offer: Sacred music, chamber and orchestra,
Opera, contemporary music, ballet and dance. Clearly if you're trying to stick to what might be closest to Roman
culture then the sacred, the chamber, orchestra and Opera side of things is possibly to aim for.
The two major venues are: the Opera House Teatro dell'Opera in the centre of town and the recently constructed
Auditorio on the north side of Rome in the Flaminio area. Other worthwhile venues are the Teatro Olimpico and
Teatro del Vascello where you get more avant-gard dance displays.

- Auditorium (Parco della Musica) - Viale de Coubertin 30

- Teatro Olimpico - Piazza Gentile da Fabriano, 17

- Teatro dell'Opera - Piazza Beniamino Gigli, 1.
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- Teatro del Vascello - Via G. Carini 72
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G. Shopping & Romantic Gifts
Shopping in Rome is almost as huge a subject matter as its history. The difference is that the shopping, especially
that of clothing is heavily driven by changing fashions whilst the long history is an immutable presence throughout
the city. Other than a few exceptions there aren't a large number of shopping centres, malls or department stores.
Roman and indeed Italian taste is for a large number of specialised shops. The higher average pricing tends to be
balanced by a better service and variety of product. Clearly this suits the fashion-boutique approach Italy is
renowned for.
VAT is usually included within the price and non EU visitors can get their VAT removed for items above 160Euros
value in one of two ways: going to shops belonging to the "Euro Free Tax" association or alternatively by going
through a slightly boring bureaucratic procedure. It is probably well worth it on high luxury goods which carry as
much as 35% VAT! Take your passport with you to show the shop and make sure you get and keep the receipt.
Where to go: There is clearly little difficulty in finding places to shop till you drop throughout Rome’s centre. The
undoubted centre of fashion and leatherware shopping is to be found around the streets between Piazza del Popolo,
Piazza di Spagna, Piazza Venezia and the Pantheon. In particular Via Borgognona, Via Frattina, Via Condotti and
others in the direct vicinity. Via Nazionale (starts at Piazza della Repubblica near Termini) and Via Veneto also
provide a good array.
Fashion is not all, there is a wide choice for lovers of modern designerware, antiquities (you need a pretty deep
pocket) and traditional artefacts including ceramics, glass ware and so on.
Religious artefacts can be found in the Borgo between St. Peter’s and Castel St. Angelo. They used to be plentiful
along Via dei Coronari in the Piazza Navona/Campo de' Fiori area during hundreds of years. Pilgrims made their
way along it from Via del Corso to the Vatican. The Via dei Coronari shops have tended to become "high end"
antiques dealers nowadays. Great window shopping but highly dangerous for any budget.
Slightly off the tourist track but certainly not inaccessible is Via Cola di Rienzo in the district to the north side of the
Vatican. Good shops and fewer tourists to skew the pricing.
Opening times: Shops break their opening hours into morning (9am –1pm) and afternoon (3.30pm-7.30). Summer
afternoon opening times tend to shift half an hour later to avoid the hottest period of the day. The Italians aren’t
known for their punctuality so don't be overly surprised if you find a 15 minute shift either way. August tends to be
a worse month for shopping as most Italians take lengthy holidays at this time, so do the shopkeepers.
The department stores tend to be open for longer hours. The major ones include: Upim, Coin and Rinascente. Their
pricing is generally quite good thanks to their bulk purchasing power. There's one about half way along the Via del
Corso.
The Sales: the Saldi are generally held between July to September and after Christmas – March. The convenience of
the sales varies from shop to shop; don’t be downcast if you find that the sign was more an excuse and means of
pulling you into the shop, you'll have better luck elsewhere. Watch out for “Liquidazione” which can give good
deals as a shop rids itself of its entire stock.
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1. Open Air Markets:
There are plenty of open air markets too. Don't forget to bargain the price down…
Flowers, Fruit and Veg: Campo de’ Fiori square. Every morning except Sundays. This market started up several
centuries ago and still offers a wonderful experience.
Foods: The new markets at the Esquiline hill on Via Amedeo Principe. Recently moved into these more stable
premises. It offers a wide variety and generally good pricing. The housewives come here for their choice foods.
Closed Sundays.
Books old and new: Villa Borghese (Largo Fontanella Borghese) most days except Sun.
Via del Corso has a number of areas, including an underpass full of books near the Rinascente department store.
Every day except Sundays.
A good bookshop including books in English, music etc is the multi-storey “Feltrinelli” in the Alberto Sordi gallery
opposite the Piazza Colonna (on Via del Corso).
Around the Stazione Termini train station - bit of a tourist trap.
Flee market etc. at Porta Portese in the Trastevere area – this is the flee market par excellence in Rome. Even the
second hand items newspaper is called “Porta Portese”. Sunday mornings only.
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H. Restaurants, Coffee bars etc.
One of the high points of the city is undoubtedly its extremely wide range of food and drink which is ubiquitous
through the many coffee bars and restaurants. The primary objective might perhaps be finding what is most
“authentic”.
On the less authentic side you might look for drinks bars and pubs. Beer isn’t a typical drink and as such the beer
culture is largely imported from northern cultures. The word “Pub” has made its way into the Italian language and
there are a number of them around the city.
1. Fast food
I start with this least typical of solutions in order to get it out of the way. In fact “Fast food” was an ancient Roman
invention but coming back to reality home-from-home might be a good way of feeling back in control of the
situation. A number of McDonald’s restaurants managed to break into the city centre a handful of years ago
although their signs have to be in keeping with the area’s good appearance. Try the one near Piazza di Spagna. A
further solution can be from the smaller food shops called Alimentari where you can generally ask them to make
you sandwiches there on the spot out of the breads, cheeses and hams on display. It’s a good way of trying
something new.
2. Coffee bars
Coffee, be it Espresso, Caffè Moca, Caffè Corretto, Cappuccino or Latte Macchiato is ubiquitous in Rome. In fact it
is almost impossible to be in Rome and not be involved with a quick stop at one of the many "Bar" - even if it is for
a bite of a savoury "Tramezzino" sandwich or a refreshing Soda sitting by the road side. Don't leave Rome without
having tasted a "Granita di Caffe'" from Tazza d'Oro (see below).
Beware, sitting and waiter service often carry a surcharge. But it is well worthwhile if you enjoy the people
watching and street culture, especially at bars like Ciampini on the pedestrian Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina.
Last but not least, there is also such a thing as Croissant Bars: generally open (very) late at night to sell you freshly
baked Cornetti - the very same Croissants that you have a few hours later with your Cappuccino for breakfast. A
popular one is "Dolce di Notte" at Via San Francesco a Ripa, 1 in the Trastevere area. Open all night. There's an icecream parlour next door.
A quick tip: If you're trying to fit in with the Roman style then you'll keep your Cappuccino for the mornings only,
eg breakfast with a cornetto, crostata (jam tart) ciambella ("chambella" - doughnut) or other such pastry. Cappuccino
after 11am screams out "I'm a tourist!!!" but then again being noticed is also very Romano....
Some Suggestions
"La Caffettiera" - On Piazza di Pietra. Between the Pantheon and Via del Corso. Not far from the Montecitorio
Houses of Parliament and the Antonine Column. Given its position and being relatively hidden away it is often
populated with well dressed MPs and other locals. You may feel a little out of place in shorts and tea-shirt. Prices
are good as are their food, pies and cakes: all Neapolitan specialities. The coffee's good too, especially if
accompanied by a "Babbà". Great to sit, sip coffee and flip through the papers. A favourite of ours.
PS They have another bar at via Margutta no. 61, near Piazza del Popolo which is supposed to have wonderful
furnishings.
"La Barcaccia" - Across and to the left from the Spanish steps on Piazza di Spagna. Coffee bar on the ground floor,
restaurant with attractive views over the Piazza on the first floor. The service is good too and doesn't seem to have
deteriorated over the few years since it first opened. Not bad as a meeting point - especially if you then have to make
for the Villa Borghese car park or Metro to get back home.
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"Ciampini" (pronounced "Champeenee") - On the beautiful and historic Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina - just off the
Via del Corso on the Campo Marzio side (ie the side closest to the river Tiber). The church is worth a visit too: it is
built over what was one of the earliest Roman Christian churches. Aparently they still hold the original grill over
which Saint Lawrence was barbequed (see the Saint with a central role in Michaelangelo's last judgement). Anyhow,
a good place to stop at and rest with a chance to check out a shop or two on the square.
Tazza d'Oro - "The Golden Cup". Via Degli Orfani 84 - Basically on Piazza della Rotonda: at 2 o'clock if you have
the Pantheon behind you. One of the best, possibly the best coffee in town. They have their own coffee roasting
facilities within the shop. I once bought pure dried coffee beans to toast and grind myself. Recently I noticed you
could order their coffee through internet. Their "Granita di Caffè" is a must - a cold slush puppy made with pure
fresh Espresso coffee and topped off with whipped cream. Leaves a taste of coffee in your mouth which tastes just
like coffee smells - buonissimo! If you're a lover of Cappuccino then the "Monachella" might be for you.
"Bar della Pace" - towards Piazza Navona and close to the beautiful church of Santa Maria della Pace. A historic
bar with its original furnishings. Tables outside.
"Rosati" - On Piazza del Popolo. Very good food and service. Good open air seating on the piazza, possibly a little
trafficked but lovely position. I love the décor. My traditional stop for an aperitif after church on Christmas morning.
I'm looking out for a place called "Gina's" - www.ginaroma.com. Apparently a coffee bar with a difference. I'm told
they'll even prepare you a picnic hamper for those trips to the park or out of town.
Coffee Bars you will find in (almost) all the guide books
"Giolitti" - known for its ice creams but offers quite a lot more. In our opinion the ice-cream is good but possibly a
little over rated and over priced. Nonetheless it seems to have made its way into the hall of fame so our opinion is
clearly a matter of taste. The nearby "Piazza de Burro'" is well worth a look at, especially for lovers of architecture:
Burro' is dialect for Bureau (furniture). Breakfast is good and the opening hours are long - well into the middle of
the night, making it a good meeting place.
"Sant'Eustachio" - on the Piazza of the same name at no. 82, in the Pantheon area. VERY famous amongst the
Romans for its coffee and the fame is well deserved. The décor is also worth a quick glimpse: a little tatty at first
sight but then clearly a sound collection of coffee memorabilia which must be there since the bar was first started
some 70 years ago. Their special double Espresso with whipped cream will keep you going for a while.
The Via Veneto, made famous by the film "La Dolce Vita" has a number of famous coffee bars and in particular
"Doney" and "Cafè de Paris".
"Doney" is definitely well manicured and "chic". Even the road side tables and chairs have a closed off area of their
own and the tables are impeccably set. The morning breakfast Cappuccino and croissant ("Cornetto") is very good
and at affordable prices, especially given the décor you have the pleasure of sitting in. It seamlessly transforms into
a wine/cocktail bar during the evening. I guess they make up for the affordable Cappuccinos with rather heavier
pricing on the evening cocktails.
"Cafè de Paris" is equally as upmarket and attractive as Doney's. Good service and range of coffe, pastries and
snacks. I like to sit at the window and watch the shoppers along the Via Veneto.
Last but not least a worthwhile visit is The Russian Tea Room in the Jewish Ghetto area (on the river bank by the
Tiber Island, Via de' Falgnami,7). Exotic variety of teas in a wonderful setting, rather like a luxury hotel from
Russia's golden age. Cakes too. Good spot from which to take a walk around the ancient Jewish Ghetto - the area
offers good shopping and food.
And now for the famous two: "Caffè Greco" and "Babington's Tea Rooms" have probably managed to elevate
themselves from coffee bar status to being part-and-parcel of Rome's sites. Both were set up one or two possibly
three centuries ago (Greco was set up in the mid 1700s). Babington's is reputed as being responsible for the
introduction of Tea into Rome.
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"Babington's tea rooms" - Piazza di Spagna no.22. Well, I once went with my mother and perhaps it was their day
off. As mentioned above the tea rooms were opened some time in the 19th century (1890s). The décor is very
English, warm and welcoming and the style is traditional, perhaps with a touch of Italian pomposity as opposed to
English sobriety. A good sign is that it is still run by a descendant of the original founders, suggesting there have
been centuries of satisfied customers.
The variety of teas on offer is very extensive and inevitably includes some specialist blends. Interestingly you can
even have a bite of England with their brunch. They've even got Shepherd's pie!!!!! I've never tried it so I couldn’t
vouch for it's authenticity but we were very pleased to see it on the menu.
"Antico Caffè Greco" - Situated on via dei Condotti (Conduit street) leading face-on to the Spanish steps and
Piazza di Spagna to Via del Corso. The coffee's still good in spite of the hordes of tourists. The interior décor hasn't
changed in a few hundred years. Many artworks.
A couple of hundred years back this part of Rome was relatively peripheral and becoming a centre for travellers and
artists coming through the city on the "Grand Tour". Hence the huge collection of artworks and paintings hung on
the walls. The quality of the products is good and you can even buy some souvenir crockery. Sitting down can be a
little expensive but a worthwhile experience for those who like to be submerged in history and romanticism.
The Caffe Greco is also a place of anecdotes: Personally, I'll never forget admiring a rather large flat-footed waiter
battling on in the middle of the severe August heat as he stubbornly wore his tails and bow tie (no air-con in those
days). He just kept going.
Somewhat more impressively; I read somewhere, perhaps a newspaper, of one of the oldest waiters having had the
honour of serving three kings at the same table and being embarrassed over which to serve first.
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3. Restaurants
As you might expect of any capital city there are a wide range of restaurants to satisfy almost any taste. A little
inquisitiveness will quickly show that the

Citizens of Rome tend to be extremely critical of food and the way in which different dishes are prepared
and served. If you manage to frequent the places full of locals you will tend to get a pretty good balance of
quality:price. I would tend to avoid places with photographs of the dishes on display or in the menu, but
that's personal inclination.

Citizens of Rome are generally shy of trying anything outside their own traditional cuisine. This attitude
lies somewhere between distrust of foreign food and an inbred conviction that there can be nothing better
and more delicious than their own cuisine – cucina Romana pronounced “coocheena Romana”.
I have witnessed this distrust over and over watching a good number of cookery competitions on the local telly
where the spectators vote for the dish they prefer. The overwhelming preference is almost exclusively for a
good plate of nutritious food rather than an alternative of refined cuisine made to look good but potentially
insubstantial and expensive.

Chinese and other restaurants are a relatively recent trend of the last 15 years or so, particularly supported
by the younger generations. An exception to the rule might be the Jewish contribution thanks to the
community which has been present in the city since ancient Roman times. You would have to go to the
Ghetto area by the Tiber Island to find it at its best.
Within the Cucina Romana/Italiana category there are different types of restaurants and food to be had. By and
large we can say that

fish – pesce - is generally regarded as an expensive luxury food.

cakes are not a forte of Roman cucina, better stick to the fresh fruit or fruit salad Macedonia. Panna Cotta
isn’t bad - a sort of white creamy crème caramel covered in runny chocolate or syrup. Another local cake is
- crostata – a jam tart and more interestingly the torta di ricotta, which is a tart made with ricotta cheese as
one of the leading ingredients. Tiramisu’ is world famous but best if home-made.

the Trattoria tends to be cheaper, more relaxed and possibly closer to home cooking than the Ristorante.

Pizzeria is the cheapest extreme and often offers a variety of Trattoria type of food also.

An Italian will like his pasta “al dente” which to any non-Italian will equate to a little hard. Whilst we’re
talking about pasta: Carbonara is a very Roman dish and it does not include cream.
Street food: Coffee bars will often offer a variety of foods and sandwiches. Pizza Romana is a sort of white
pizza base with ham and cheese, best served slightly toasted. Then there are Arancini or Suppli’: variations on a
rice ball with tomato sauce and cheese fried in bread crumbs. Yum yum. Tramezzini are a good option for
elevenses: triangular sandwiches to be had with a coffee or other drink. The fillings can be quite varied. A
favourite of mine is made with Rughetta salad, Parmesan and Bresaola ham. See the coffee bars section for our
favourites.
How meals work: With regards to meals, and layout of menus, it is customary to have a starter Antipasto followed
by a pasta, rice or soup dish Primo and a meat or fish Secondo. The meat or fish secondo will generally require a
vegetable side dish Contorno. Dolci deserts follow up with Caffe’ and possibly an Amaro digestive (alcoholic). You
won’t ever ever ever catch an Italian having a Cappuccino after 11am and certainly not as part of a meal.
A grown adult will feel pretty full up with the whole shebang. Something to watch out for is that unless you
otherwise specify you are quite likely to have the Secondi brought only after the Primi have been finished. This
means that if some people round the table have opted to jump the Primi they might find themselves watching
everyone else eat before they get a bite.
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Half portions: Also it is not unnusual to ask for half a plate or portion of something, especially when children are
concerned, so don’t be afraid to ask. This might be one way of getting through the whole routine without requiring
assistance to roll you out of the restaurant afterwards. Don’t expect to pay exactly half price for the half dish. An
alternative is to ask for a full portion and then, discretely, for an extra plate.
Vegetarian food: “Vegetarianism” is a relatively recent concept in Italy. Luckily Italian and Roman cucina includes
a great variety of non meat dishes (thanks to the plentiful supply of fresh vegetables and fruit I guess).
Drinks: Water can be still, fizzy or naturally fizzy (ie a touch of the sparkle). This translates to Liscia, Gassata or
Gassata Naturale. As regards wine it is also possible to ask for a half or quarter litre (not always available). A
Quartino della Casa wouldn’t be out of order at the Trattoria and sufficient to provide three or four glasses of drink.
As for good wine: It seems the Italian wine trade is overtaking that of France certainly by volume and neck-andneck in terms of quality. If you’re a wine buff there’s no lack of choice a little gemming up on the more popular
choice of quality might be worth your wile (eg Brunello di Montalcino…). There are also a number of wines from
the Lazio region and Rome. The Alban hills and Castelli Romani have produced wine since the earliest of times,
particularly whites.
Booking ahead and closing times: Many restaurants are shut on Mondays, some on Sunday evenings. Booking ahead
isn’t essential but advisable, particularly on Saturday evenings and Sunday lunch times.
Disabled access: Rome wasn’t exactly designed with the disabled in mind although things are getting better by the
day. Ditto the situation with access to restaurants although street-side in good weather tends to pose few problems.
A call ahead might be a good idea.
Some Suggestions

La Terrazza – Via Ludovisi, 49. Quality & pricey. Situated in the gardens of the Hotel Eden between
Piazza di Spagna and Via Veneto the restaurant affords wonderful views of the city.

Sora Lella – Via di Ponte Quattro Capi, 16. Typical Cucina Romana on the Tiberina island. Founded by a
famous Roman actress and now run by her son. A variety of vegetarian dishes also available.

Sor’Eva – Lungotevere Gianicolense. A Trattoria just across the road on the Vatican side of the river.
Offers something akin to home cooking. I like the side room with the telly on. We sometimes go with the
children or amongst friends to eat well and enjoy a little relaxation.

Il Bacaro – Via degli Spagnoli, 27. Slightly pricey but good quality. Good range and the deserts are good
too. Hidden in medieval Rome’s tiny streets near the Pantheon. Great for a candle-lit romantic evening

Il Giardino (can't remember the full name!), Via Zucchelli, Near the Via Veneto, Via Sistina and Piazza
Barberini.

Monserrato. Via Monserrato 96. Campo de Fiori area. One of the best bets in town. You pay for the
quality.
If you’re wanting a little adventure and prefer to walk the streets a little in search of a place to sit and eat then the
best bet will be in the Trastevere area (see description above). This area is a favourite of the romans themselves.
Havind said that, Medieval Rome between the Tiber island and the Pantheon also tends to have a good variety and
plenty of atmosphere.
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I. Useful numbers and contacts
A handful of useful numbers and addresses can be useful to keep in your back pocket:
Carabinieri police force112
Police 113
Firemen 115
Emergency health service 118
To find the closest open Farmacy
06 228941
LU.SI Medical - 24hr medical service + home visit
06 79326203
It's a private service, set up around 2003
Radio Taxi (may well be charged the fare to come to 06 4494 / 06 3570 / 06 5551
pick you up + the fare to take you to destination)
Rome Tourism & Promotion
06 48899253
Tourist Offices - Maps and leaflets of events. Open 9.30 am - 7.30 pm.
Largo Goldoni (off Via del Corso)
Via Minghetti (Via del Corso)
Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano
Via Nazionale (at the Palazzo Esposizioni, good coffee bar here too)
Piazza Cinque Lune (lovely square)
Castel Sant'Angelo
Piazza Tempio della Pace (Forum)
Via dell'Olmata (Santa Maria Maggiore)
Piazza dei Cinquecento (Termini Train Station)
Termini Train Station, platform 4.
J. Always Remember

Watch wallets and handbags at all times, especially around Termini station and tourist traps.

Best wear handbags away from the street side of the pavement. There was an amusing story in the papers of
a Japanese lady who was taking a photograph of her friends. Moped whizzes by with two youngsters who
snatch a handbag from them. The robbers didn't realise they were part of the photograph, face, numberplate and all. Cheese :D Shame it doesn't always work out that well.

You should always carry ID with you. You might even be asked to leave it in hostage if you hire a boat,
bike or rickshaw at the parks.

Water and drinks can be super expensive if purchased on a street side by major monuments such as the
Colosseum. When you purchase water you will generally be asked if you wish to have still, fizzy or
naturally fizzy (just a little fizz). "Liscia, Gassata, Gassata Naturale"

If you get caught purchasing a fake designer handbag on the street-side you could be hit with an amazingly
huge fine - sufficient to purchase the original bag twice over in many cases. Not a regular occurrence but
has been known to happen.

Transport tickets are purchased at newsagents and tobacconists. Stamp them in the machine before as you
get on. They're valid for something in the region of 75 mins.

Taxis. There's a fixed fare to take you from Rome centre to the Airports. Make sure you use a licensed taxi
with the appropriate TAXI sign above it. The car should be white. Make sure he's got his meter on and
don't be afraid to discuss the fare before you get in. Traffic will obviously play its part in time required and
final fare.
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K. Timeline of Rome's history
Time-line &
Notes
1000-800BC
Rulers
State affairs
Other Events
Prominent persons
ROME: Art and
Architecture





Fall of Troy.

Aeneas escapes for Italy and founds Lavinium.

Aeneas' son Ascanius founds Alba Longa at a site near the future Rome.
 10 generations after Ascanius, Amulius steals the kingdom from his brother Numitor
and forces Numitor's daughter Rhea Silvia, future mother of Romulus and Remus, to
become a Vestal Virgin.
Rhea Silvia hides the boys in a basket and sends it down the Tiber river where they are
found by a She Wolf (probably a prostitute actually) and a shepherd called Faustulus.

21st or 24th of
April 753BC ?
Romulus and Remus avenge their uncle and mother and leave Alba Longa to
found their own city - Rome.
Romulus
(753-715BC)
Rome founded
by Romulus.
Class structure
of the
population.
Ruling structure
was King,
Senate,
Citizens.
 Remains of
shepherd huts and
settlements found
around the Palatine
and Capitoline hills
dating back to the
10th century BC.
Founder and first
King of Rome
Citizens of Rome
divided into
Patricians, Clients,
Slaves and
Plebeians
Elders of Patrician
families (the nobility)
are Senators (from
"senex", meaning
"old").
 Rome
founded "Ab
Urbe Condita".
 Romulus
invites all who
wish to come to
become citizens.
 Women
taken from the
nearby Sabines
(probably alluding
to taking of the
salt trade).
 Peace made
with the Sabines
who settle on the
Palatine.
 The "first"
families are the
nobles or
Patricians. Only
they have Roman
citizenship.
 Romulus kills
his brother Remus
in a fight as they
plough the sacred
furrow
(Pomoerium)
round the city.
Romulus remains
sole ruler of the
new city.

Homer, poet
(800BC).
Writer of the Iliad
and Odissey: the
roots of western
literature.
 Hut on the
Palatine hill
 Tomb of
Romulus - "Lapis
Niger" plaque
placed by Julius
Caesar in the Forum
 Tarpeian Rock
on the Palatine
reminds us of
Tarpeia's treachery.
 Treachery of
Tarpeia allows the
Sabines to enter
the city but the
Sabine women
force peace.
 715 BC
Romulus dies. He
appears in a
vision predicting
that Rome will be
capital of the
world.
700BC Six kings of Rome after Romulus:
Debut of the
gods Jupiter,
Mars, Janus
and Terminus.
Numa Pompilius
 43 years of
peace.
(715-673BC)
A Sabine elected by the
Romans
 Temple of
Janus on Capitol
with doors closed
in times of peace.
 Set the
foundations of
Worship of the
gods and
cultivation of the
land. Land is
subdivided.
 Creation of
the religious
figurehead and
title "Pontifex
Maximus" now
held by the Pope.
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 Became ruler
of Alba Longa
also.
A belligerant soand-so who
taught his
subjects the art
of war but forgot
to worship the
gods.
Tullus Hostilius.
3rd King of Rome
 Alba Longa
destroyed and
citizens moved to
Rome.
650 BC
Ancus Martius
 Was pious
and fortified the
city.
(673-642BCC)
(642-617BC)
4th King of Rome Grandson of Numa
Pompilius (2nd King).
Made the Etruscan
Tarquinius Priscus tutor
of his sons.
600 BC
First of the
Estruscan kings
of Rome.
Lucius Tarquinius
Priscus
(616-579BC) - an
Etruscan who came
from the north and
settled in Rome.
Father of Lucius
Tarquinius (Superbus)
550 BC
Servius Tullius
Good king
Servius - never
forgot his
humble origins.
(579-535BC) - a slave
adopted by Tarquinius
Priscus. Took power
when Tarquinius was
murdered by one of
Ancus Martius' sons.
 City of Ostia
founded at the
Tiber's mouth to
the
Mediterranean.

Tarquinius Superbus
(Tarquin the Proud) Tyrant -
Tarquinius
Superbus
expelled by his
nephew Lucius
Brutus.
(535-509BC) Etruscan. Together
with Servius' daughter
he plotted and
murdered Servius
Tullius in the Forum.
 Tablets
published with
rules of proper
worship.
 Opening of
trade routes by
sea
 First bridge
across the Tiber

 Overcame
the Etruscans and
conquered other
surrounding tribes.

 Urban
development:
- The Capitol
- The city sewers
- Circus Maximus
 Reform of the
army. Landowners
forced to join the
army.
 Class
structure divided
into 5 levels of
land ownership
 Formed
Comitia Centuriata
 Division of
the city into four
areas.
 Tarquinius'
love for war and
alliance with his
three sons brought
many surrounding
tribes to heel
through force and
trickery.
 The mouth of
truth (bocca della
verita') is a very
famous drain cover.
 509
Tarquinius allies
with Rome's
enemies to win his
throne back.
Roman troops
become battle
 The Circus
Maximus
 Servian walls
around the city
(parts still visible in
various points such
as by Termini
station).
 Campus
Martius area for
military training.
 Established a
census.
 Purchase of
the sacred
Sybilline books
foretelling Rome's
future.
 The Etruscan
king Porsenna
threatens invasion
(probably actually
succeeded to take
the city).
The Capitol
 The Cloaca
Maxima sewers
 Took the
Etruscan symbols
of power including
the purple robe
and bundles of
rods with axe.
 Fortified
Rome's defences.
End of the
Kings of Rome.
 Picked a war
with Alba Longa.
The victor was
decided by a fight
between the
Horatii and
Curiatii brothers.
 Sybil of
Cumae, seer who
wrote the Sybilline
books held sacred
by all Romans
hence forth
especially when
the city was in
danger.
 Villages of
Sutri and Tuscania
to the north of
Rome. These were
Etruscan towns
which participated in
the Tarquinius
Superbus affair.
 Peace is
eventually struck
when Porsenna is
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hardened.
overawed by
Roman courage.
509BC - Rome becomes a republic
509BC - ?
Period of
adjustment as
nobles fight for
power.
500-400BC
Constant war
and conquest of
Italy
Lucius Brutus - a
quasi King - Consul

 Economic
development
during the
Etruscan epoch
brought
merchants,
nobles and other
free men of
various extractions
to the city.
"Clients"
It is unlikely that a
clear system emerged
imideately to replace
the king. A "Magister
Populi" or "Praetor"
probably took over for
set mandates.
Two Consuls are
periodically elected
out of the "Patricians"
(aristocracy) to rule
jointly.
 Rich
becoming richer
and poor
becoming poorer.
In times of war and
danger a Dictator is
elected for a fixed
term of 6 months .
Social struggles
continue
between nobles
and
commoners.
 Tribunes
created to represent
Plebeian rights and
counter-balance
power of the nobility
(Patricians)
 Position of
"Aedile" created to
assist the Tribunes
(Julius Caesar was to
become aedile 400
years later)
390BC Records
and "authentic"
history of Rome
begins.
All previous
written records
were destroyed
by the Gauls
who invaded the
city in 390.

450 Brief rule of
the Decemvirs
(ten men).

Consular power
continues

Deeds of
Cincinnatus who
was called to
leave his work as
farmer to serve
as Dictator. He
defeated the
Aequians and
then returned to
work his small
 Unrest as
the plebeians
demand land and
rights in
exchange for
their efforts at
war.
 The
Plebeians threaten
to leave Rome to
found their own
city.
 Deeds of
Coriolanus
 Wars of
Camillus against
the Etruscans.
 391
Etruscan city of
Veii just to the
north of Rome is
sieged and taken.

 First written
laws of Rome.
Published on 12
bronze tablets.
 Socrates,
philosopher (469399BC)
 Election of
Tribunes granted
to the assembly of
(Plebeian)
"Tribes".
 The ValerioHoratian laws
give Tribunes the
right to sit & listen
at the Senate and
Veto measures
they did not
approve.
 Plebeians
gain right to a
position close to
that of a Consul:
"Military Tribune
with Consular
Powers"
 "Capitoline
Wolf", bronze statue
of Etruscan
manufacture in the
Capitoline Museum.
It represents the
She-wolf and
Romulus and
Remus. The twins
were added during
the Renaissance.
The archetypal
symbol of Rome.
 Aristoteles,
philosopher. 384322 BC. Student
of Plato and Tutor
to Alexander the
Great. As a
philosopher he
established the
bases of the
scientific
disciplines.

A prophecy
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farm.
announced that
the taking a Veii
would precede the
taking of Rome….
390 Rome taken
by the Gauls.
350-300 BC
Patricians and
Plebeians
achieve equal
rights in the
state.


Government of
Rome still held by
2 elected
Consuls.
At least one
Consul must be
Plebeian.
 Romans and
Etruscans allies
 343-290
Wars against the
Samnites and
Latins (powerful
Italian tribes).
 Roman
treaties with Latin
cities.
 295 Roman
victory at
Sentinum against
Gauls, Etruscans
and Samnites.
250
Conquest of
Italy brings
Rome face to
face with
Carthage as
war for
dominance of
the
Mediterranean
seas

 "Capitoline
Brutus", very rare
bronze portrait bust
held in the
Capitoline Museum.
Myth has it that it is
of Lucius Brutus the first Consul after
the kingdom.

 211
Archimedes killed

 123-121
Caius Gracchus
proposes his
social laws
(redistribution of
land and cheap
corn for the poor).
 Gracchi
brothers,
politicians of
socialist ideals.
Forefathers and
inspiration to all
future
revolutionaries.

 The
Patricians (nobles)
create a new
position to assist
the Consuls:
"Censor"
 Law passed
to impose at least
1 plebeian Consul
to govern.
 281-275 War
with Pyrrhus
 264-241 First
Punic War
(against the very
powerful north
African city of
Carthage)
 216 Terrible
defeat of the
Romans by
Hannibal at
Cannae
 218-202
Second Punic
War
 202
Hannibal
defeated
100
81-79 General Sulla
Dictator
 149-146
Third and last
Punic War
60 Caesar, Pompey
and Crassus - First
Triumvirate (division of
rule of Rome by three
men)
 146 Fall of
Carthage at the
hands of Scipio
Africanus
48 Julius Caesar
Dictator
 133 Spain
becomes a Roman
province.

108-101
 Beginning of
the Social
Revolts.
 73-71 Revolt
of the Gladiators
 Julius
Caesar, great
military leader,
dictator of Rome.
(100-44BC)
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Northern
barbarians move
south and threaten
Italy - defeated by
the great general
Marius.
led by Spartacus
 88-82 Bloody
civil war between
generals Marius
and Sulla.
 63 Cicero
Consul &
suppression of the
Catiline conspiracy
against the
senate.
 58-49
Caesar's
campaigns in
Gaul & First
expeditions to
Britain
50 BC
End of the
Roman
Republic
43 Mark-Anthony,
Lepidus & Octavianus
(Augustus Caesar)
form second
Triumvirate
 49-48 Civil
war between
Caesar and
Pompey
 67 Pirates of
the Mediterranean
suppressed by
general Pompey

Vitruvius
"The first
architect". Maker
of war machines
for Caesar and
Augustus. Wrote
ten books which
hand down
Roman technology
and architecture.

 42 Death of
Brutus at battle of
Philippi
 31BC Death
of Mark-Anthony
and Cleopatra.
 Cicero
(Marcus Tullius
Cicero)
106BC-43BC,
Orator, Writer and
Lawyer. His
politics were
generally opposed
to those of Julius
Caesar.


 29BC
Mausoleum (tomb)
of Augustus and
family.
Beginning of the Roman Empire.
Year 0
Augustus
Emperor and
Pontifex
Maximus
(religious
leader)
(27BC-14AD)
4BC Birth of
Jesus Christ.
25
29AD Jesus
Christ
Crucified
50
End of the JulioClaudian line of
emperors
(aka Octavianus)
* IMP CAESAR
AUGUSTUS *
 31BC Victory
of Augustus over
Mark-Anthony &
Cleopatra at
Actium
 27BC
Emperor Octavian
is renamed
Augustus "The
Great One".
 16-9 BC
Annex of Gaul and
Germany into the
empire
 29BC Doors
to the temple of
Janus on the
Capitol are closed
(=peace).
 4AD
Augustus adopts
Tiberius.
Tiberius (14-37)
Became a Tyrant.
 14-16
German military
campaign
 14 AD
Emperor Augustus
deified.

Horace (658BC), poet.

Livy (59-BC17AD),
historian
Nero (54-68) - wanted
to be an artist and
 43 Claudius
conquers
southern Britain
 62 Nero's
period of madness
begins when he
does away with his
meddling mother
 64 Great fire
of Rome
 64 Nero's
persecution of
the Christians.

67 AD
 9BC
Ara Pacis altar to
peace.
 2BC Forum of
Augustus
 Pantheon built
by Agrippa in honor
of Augustus.

Virgil (7019BC), poet.

Ovid (43BC18AD), poet.
Generally
regarded as
an equal to
Virgil.
 45AD Ostia
port built
Seneca
(3BC-65AD),
philosopher
and tutor to
Nero.
 64 Nero's
Domus Aurea (the
Golden House).
Included a colossal
statue of Nero
which years later
was moved to the
Colosseum (the
"Flavian
Caligula (37-41) Had
some health problem
which led to brain
disorder/madness
Claudius (41-54) Good guy with a
stutter. Poisoned with
a plate of mushrooms
by his wife, mother of
Nero.
Agrippa (6312BC),
brother in law
of Augustus.
Built the
Pantheon.

He spent a period
as coadministrator of
 52AD Claudian
acqueduct & Porta
Maggiore gate of
Rome
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went a little crazy
under the strain of
politics.
and wife.
St.Peter crucified
the empire during
which time the
empire lived a
period of
splendour.
Amphitheatre") and
hence gave it its
common name of
"Colosseum"
 79 Vesuvius'
eruption buries
Pompeii and
Herculaneum.

Pliny the
Elder (2479), writer.
 80 AD The
Colosseum (Flavian
Amphitheatre) was
built.
 96 Domitian
claims "God and
Master" as a living
god & precipitates
his own murder.

Quintilian
(35-95),
orator.
 81AD Arch of
Titus

Tacitus (55118). Great
Roman
historian.
 81AD Domus
Flavia and Domus
Augustana on the
Palatine
 96 Nerva
chosen as
emperor by the
Senate.

Plutarc (46120)
Historian and
Philosopher.
 97 Forum of
Nerva
 Nerva adopts
the Spaniard
Trajan - the first
emperor from the
provinces.

Pliny the
Younger (62113)

Juvenal (68128), poet
 Hadrian
journeys
throughout the
empire (see
Yourcenar "Hadrian's
memoirs").

Apolodorus
of
Damascus,
Architect
 and St. Paul
decapitated.
 68 Nero's
suicide
75
Domitian is a
plebeian.
Start of the
Flavian line of
emperors
100
Start of the
"Adoptive
emperors" Five good
emperors
125
69 - Year of the four
emperors followed
by….
 70 Titus
takes and loots
Jerusalem
Vespasian (69-79) Pragmatic soldier.
 80 Dominions
in Britain extended
to Scotland.
Titus (79-81) - Good
and idealistic
Domitian (81-96)
 85 War
against the
Dacians.
Nerva (96-98) - A
good senator not cut
out to be Emperor
 101 War
against the
Dacians.
Trajan (98-117) Great
 The Empire
reaches its
greatest size.
Hadrian (117-138) Fabulous. Went a little
quiet when his lover
died.
 Peace of the
empire through
border
fortifications.
 Hadrian's
wall in Britannia.
 Birth of
bureaucrats.
150
Antonine line of
emperors.
End of "Pax
Romana"
Antoninus Pius (138161). Pious as his
name suggests.
Marcus Aurelius
(161-180). A
philosopher-emperor.
Last of the "5 good
emperors".
 Antoninus the
Pius brings the
greatest period
of peace.
 164 War
against the
Parthians (see
column of Marcus
Aurelius)
Lucius Verus
 165-180
Black death
(Plague) epidemic
throughout the
empire.
 Commodus
restarts
succession by
birth.

Suetonius
(70-130),
writerhistorian
(Biography of
the Caesars).
 107-113
Trajan's Forum,
Markets and
Column
 117 Hadrian's
villa in Tivoli
 118 Pantheon
burnt down and
rebuilt to current
form.
 134 Hadrian's
mausoleum (then
transformed into
Castel St. Angelo)
 141 Temple of
Antonino Pio and
Faustina in the
Forum.
 145 Temple of
Hadrian (on Piazza
di Pietra square).
 176 Equestrian
statue of Marcus
Aurelius
(161-169)
Commodus (176-192)
- Mad on Gladiatorial
fights. Died strangled
 Column of
Marcus Aurelius
"Colonna Antonina"

Amazing
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portrait bust of
Commodus as
Hercules in the
Capitoline Museum
by a fighter.
200
Start of Severus
line of emperors
Septimius Severus
(193-211)
Caracalla (198-217) Killed his brother and
rubbed his name out.
 208-211 War
against the
Britons.
 Caracalla
murders his
brother.
 All free
persons of the
empire are
granted Roman
Citizenship
("Constitutio
Antoniana")

205-270
Plotinus ,
Philisopher
 204 Arch of
the Argentari
(money changers)
 216 Caracalla
thermal baths
 Victory
against Persians,
Rome's worst
enemy.

Continuous wars
and rebellion
across the empire.
225
 The Sirian
sun god is
adopted as state
religion.
Macrius (217)
Heliogabalus (218222)
250
(222-269):
Severus/Alexander/
Maximin/Thrax,
Gordian I, II, III, Philip
and others, Decius
and others, Gallienus
and others, Claudius II
 The empire's
borders are
threatened on all
sides.
 Germanic
barbarians
suppressed as
they push into
northern Italy.
 203 Arch of
Septimius Severus

Calixtus I
(217-222)
underlines
the position
of "Bishop of
Rome" as
head of the
church.

Diogenes,
History of
Philisophy.
3rd-4th centuries
Catacombs of
St. Callisto
 Military rule
of Rome and
continuous
instability and
assassinations.
 248
Celebration of
Rome's first
Millennium.
 Repeated
persecutions of
the Christians.
 Economic
crises of the
Empire.
 Edict of
Christian
tolerance.
275
Aurelian
(270-275) a good
emperor to give the
long line of bad ones a
breather.
 272 Empress
Zenobia of Palmira
subdued and
transferred to
Rome.
 274 Gaul
retaken and
empire reunited.
 Reform of the
army.
 Introduction
of cult of the
emperor joint with
cult of sun - "Sol
Invictus"
 270 Building of
the Aurelian
defence walls
around Rome.
 270 Gate of
Saint Sebastian
onto the Appian
way.
(275-284): Tacitus,
Probus, Carus,
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Carinus, Numerian
300
Tetrarchy (four
rulers sharing)
power).
Empire split into
East and West.
Diocletian (284-305).
Generally a good
emperor. Realized the
need for heavy
reforms but also
persecuted the
Christians.
Hats off to him for
resigning his post
according to selfimposed mandate.
Enjoyed his vegetable
garden thereafter.
 293
Significant reforms
of the empire and
institutions.
Tetrarchy.
 297 Division
of the empire into
manageable units.
Acceptance of
Christianity.
(306-337)
Every bit as great as
his name suggests.
Shift of power to
Constantinople,
protecting the
West from the
East.
350
He definitely shaped
the future of the West.
(337-361)
Constantine II,
Constans, Constantius
II,
Eusebius,
History of the
Church
 300 Temple
and altar to Mithras
under San Clemente
church.
 300 Thermal
baths of Diocletian
 Oriental style
absolute monarch.
 303
Decennalia column
base.
 306 Basilica of
Maxentius in the
Forum.
 Heavy
persecution of the
Christians.
Maximian, Constantius
Chlorus, Galerius,
Flavius Severus,
Licinus
Constantine the
Great

 Suppression
of revolts and
security of
borders.
(305-324)
325
 Tetrarchy
introduced as a
means of
preventing the
continuous military
coups d'etat.
 306 Maxentius'
circus on the Appian
way
 312 Victory of
general
Constantine over
general
Maxentius.
 324
Constantine sole
emperor.
 330
Bizantium called
Constantinople &
proclaimed "New
Rome".
 Tetrarchy
fails.
 312 Arch of
Constantine
 Edict of
Christian
tolerance.
 313 Colossal
head & hand of
Constantine in the
Capitoline Museum
 337 Emperor
Constantine
converted to
Christianity and
baptised on his
death bed.
 313 Church of
San Giovanni in
Laterano.
 319 St. Peter's
basilica
(subsequently
knocked down and
rebuilt in its current
glory). Some doors
are still originals).
 Arch of Janus
in the Forum
Boarium. A focus for
meat trading and
finance.
 Constantine
divides the empire
across his three
sons (who fight
anyway).
Attempts to
reinstate pagan
gods.
Julian "the
Apostate" (361-363)
 Paganism
makes a final but
brief reappearance.
375
Valentinian (364-375)
Valentinian and
successors
Valens, Gratian,
Valentinian II
 375
Barbarian
invasions begin
and last through
the Middle Ages.
Abolition of
Theodosius I,

The Spaniard
 Attempt to
introduce Mithras
as state religion.
 Pope
Damasus I (366384) establishes
Papal doctrinal
authority on basis
of succession to
St. Peter.

391
 380 Bizantine
mosaics of St
Constanza and St
Pudenziana
churches.

Saint Paul's
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pagan cults
400
Maximus, Eugenius
Theodosius is
emperor of the
Eastern Empire
and manages to
reunite East and
Western empire.
The empire is redivided on his
death.
 General
Stilicho, himself a
German defends
Rome from
barbarian Alaric.
Honorius
(395-423)
Christianity
becomes the
official state
religion.
outside the walls.
 The supreme
authority of the
Pope is
recognised.
 St. Augustin
(354-430).
Reconciles
Christianity and
Greek philosophy
of Plato.
 Stilicho
eliminated by
Honorius as a
threat to his own
throne. Alaric
marches into Italy.
425
Valentinian III (425455)
450
 Pope
Celestine I (422432). The third
council of Efesus
establishes the
cult of Mary,
mother of God.
 430 Wooden
paneled doors of
St. Sabina basilica.
 Pope Leo
the Great (440461)
 Basilica of
Santa Sabina
overlooking circus
Maximus on
Aventine hill.
 Pope
recognised by
emperor
Valentinian III as
religious head for
empire of the
West.
 438 Mosaics
in Santa Maria
Maggiore church
 Wooden portal
of St. Sabina has
most ancient
image of the
crucifixion.
 First "Pope"
as we know
them.
475 AD
Last Roman
Emperor of the
West
Romulus Augustulus
 475 The boy
emperor Romulus
Augustulus is
deposed.
Formal end of the Roman Empire of the West .
500
 Pope Felix IV
(526-530)
 The
Benedictine
order is
established.
 526 Church of
Saints Cosma and
Damiano in the
forum. Mosaics.
 579 Mosaic on
the triumphal arch
of St. Lawrence
outside the walls
(church of San
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Lorenzo).
 Pope
Gregory the
Great (590-604).
Sets foundations
for secular power
of the church.
600
 625 Church of
Saint Agnes outside
the walls
(Sant'Agnese fuori le
mura)
 First missions
to northern Europe
and England.
 Pope
Stephen II (752757).
700
Pope Stephen
justifies secular
power over
territories
through
emperor
Constantine's
supposed
inheritance.
 Church of
Santa Maria in
Cosmedin on the
Forum Boarium.
 Alliance with
the Frankish kings.
Their conversion
from Arianism to
church of Rome.
 Franks leave
territorial rule over
central Italy to the
Pope.
 Pope
Hadrian II (772795)
800
Leo IV:
Affirmation of
secular and
spiritual power
of the Pope.
"Papa Caput
Totius Orbis".
Pope head of
the whole world.
 Coup by Leo
III who crowns
Charlemagne by
surprise on
Christmas day
"Emperor of the
Holy Roman
Empire" and
establishes Papal
(divine) right to
crown (or not)
900
Popes
subjected to the
(immoral)
influence of
their lovers.
1000
GREAT
SCHISM OF
THE CHURCH.
 1077 The
Normans loot
Rome.
 1088-1099
Pope Urban II
896 Bizarre
Council of the
Cadaver - Pope
Formosus' body (9
months long dead)
is hauled into St.
Peter's to defend
"himself" against
accusations of
ambition, vanity,
insubordination to
Pope John VIII
and failure to keep
faith to oath.
 Charlemagn
e,
Holy Roman
Emperor
(742-814)
 Otho 1st
Emperor of the
HRE of Germany
establishes
emperor's right to
participate in
Papal elections.
 Pope John
XII (955-964)
 Leo III (795816)
 Churches built:
St. Praxedes,
St. Cecilia in
Trastevere
St. Maria in
Domnica.
 Fortification of
the urban areas
around the Vatican.
 Frescoes of
the lower church at
San Clemente
(under Leo IV)
 Church of St.
Bartholomew (San
Bartolomeo).
 Abbey of
Cluny founded in
France.
 Pope
Gregory V (996999). First German
Pope. Placed on
seat of Peter by
his cousin Otho
3rd. Crowns Otho
3rd Emperor.
 Henry IV
excommunicated.
 Leo IX (10491054)

Top level of
San Clemente
 Affirmation of
Papal power over
 First of many
fights against the
sale of positions in

Church of
Santi Quattro
Coronati (the
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supports the First
Crusade and
conquest of
Jerusalem.
Extreme hunger
drove many
crusaders to
cannibalism.
(Still going on).
secular.
the church.
four crowned
saints).
Named after
the manner of
their
martyrdom:
Iron crowns of
thorns nailed
into their sculls.
 1054AD
GREAT SCHISM
of east and west.
Orthodox and
Catholic churches
separate.
 Celibacy of
the clergy
imposed.
1100
Treaty which
recognises
Papal secular
power in Rome.
Pope Clement III
(1187-1191).
The Pope is
recognised by the
citizens of Rome as
lord of the city.
 1146 Arnoldo
da Brescia rebels
against Papal
power over Rome
and proclaims a
Roman republic.
 1155 Arnoldo
dB is executed.

Pope and
Henry IV
reconciled.
 Pope
Calixtus II (11191124).
 The Lateran
Council declares
independence of
the church from
secular powers.

Church of
Santa Maria in
Cosmedin

Santa Maria in
Trastevere

1150 Basilica
of San Saba

1200 San
Lorenzo fuori le
mura (Saint
Lawrence
outside the
walls)

Bronze statue
of St. Peter in
St. Peter's
basilica.

1280
Dominican
Church of
Santa Maria
sopra
Minerva.
Galileo's
inquisition was
here.

Lowest ebb in
art and culture
in Rome

Mosaics in
Santa Maria
Maggiore

Frescoes in
Santa Maria in
Trastevere

Giotto (Vatican
museums)
 1148-51,
1189-92 Second
& third Crusades
1200
Innocent III (11981216)
 1202-70 4th,
5th, 6th, 7th and 8th
Crusades

1220 - 1223
Dominican
and
Franciscan
orders
established.

1232
Inquisition
commences
and handed
to the
Dominicans
to execute.
Honorius III (12161227)
Gregory IX
(1127-1241)
1294 Celestine V
(abdicates and dies
prisoner)
 Papal earthly
power reaches a
peak:
The Pope is
considered
God's right-handman who grants
rulers their earthly
powers.

Boniface VIII
Jews closed
in Gettos

St Thomas
Aquinas,
Theologian
and
philosopher
(1224-1274).
Marries philosophy
of the ancients,
particularly
Aristotle, and
Christian theology
so they work
together in
harmony.
(1294-1303)
1300
French king
Philip IV holds
Popes captive
at Avignon.
Clement V (13051314).
Gregory XI (13471378)
1378: Urban VI vs.
Clement VIII

Lowest ebb
in influence
of Rome.

Lowest ebb
in art and
culture also.
Two Popes
elected in 1378.
 1300 First
Holy Year

Dante, poet
(1265-1321)
 Clement V
recognises clerical
dependency on
France and moves
to Avignon.

Giotto, artist
(1267-1337)
 1378-1418
Great schism of
the church.
Pope and antiPope.
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Rome enters the Renaissance and makes it its own
1400
Pope returns to
Rome.
Martin V
(1417-1431)
Renewed
Papal
authority over
central Italy.

Reconstructio
n of Rome.
Nicolas V (14471455)
Sixtus IV (1471-1484)
Rome centre of
the
Renaissance.


Nepotism
and moral
decadence.

Pope Nicolas
attracts men
of learning,
art and
science to
Rome.
Alexander VI (14921503) 
Borgia Pope
1500
Julius II (1503-1513)
Protestant
reform.
Leo X (1513-1521) de Medici

1527 Rome
is looted and
pillaged by
Charles V.
1500 Holy
Year

Pope Leo
collects
money
through
indulgences
to build St.
Peter's.
Catholic
Counter
Reformation
Paul III (1534-1549) Farnese family

1534 Birth of
the Jesuit
order

1545 Council
of Trent and
the Counter
Reformation
(against the
Protestant
reform)
1550
Pius V (1566-1572)
Renaissance
becomes
Baroque
Gregorius XIII (15721585)
Clement VIII (15921605)
Inquisition
continues.

Strong action
against sale
of clerical
positions.

1582
Introduction
of the
Gregorian
calendar
(which we

Rome
becomes
center of the
Renaissance.

Bronze doors
of St. Peter's
by Filarete.

Sistine chapel
(1473) &

Pieta' statue
(1498) by
Michelangelo

Palazzo della
Cancelleria
(Papal
Archives)

Church of
Santa Maria
del Popolo

Borromini's
Tempietto on
the Janiculum

Tomb of
Julius II by
Michelangelo

Rebuilding of
St. Peters

Raphael
frescoes in the
Vatican
apartments

Last
Judgement by
Michelangelo
in Sistine
chapel.

1550 Villa
Giulia (now the
Etruscan
museum)

St. Peters
dome.

Church of Il
Gesu'
Died in Rome.

Bramante
architect
(1444-1514).
A founder of
the mature
Italian
Renaissance.

Leonardo da
Vinci
(1452-1519)

Michelangel
o (14751564)

Rafael
(1483-1520)

Martin
Luther
started the
Protestant
reform.

Holy Inquisition
Rome continues
as centre of the
Renaissance
Fra Angelico,
avant guard
renaissance
painter
(monk)
1395-1455.
Pope Sixtus
starts the
great art
collections
(1471)

Clement VII (15231534) - de Medici

1491-1556
St. Ignatius
Loyola.
Founder of
the Jesuit
order ("The
Society of
Jesus").
The strong political
influence of the
Jesuits led to
suppression of the
order in 1773.

Giordano
Bruno,
Philosopher.
1548-1600
Burned at the
stake at Campo
de Fiori square.
A Dominican
monk who
perfected
Copernican
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use today!)
theory (the sun
as centre of the
solar system).
Introduction of
the modern
calendar.

Urban VIII (16231644)
1600
Innocent X
Inquisition
continues &
Galileo brought
to trial.
(1644-1655)
Innocent XI (16761689)

Innocent XII (16911700)
Wars against
the infidel
Turks.

Height of
Baroque period.
Urban VIII
supports
France in the
30 years war
against
Germany and
Spain.

Caravaggio,
painter.
1571-1610.

Gianlorenzo
Bernini,
sculptor
1598-1680.
Baroque
sculptor and
architect.
Directed the
works on St.
Peters.
1631
Astrology
and
Astronomy
condemned.
Innocent XI
supports
Austria,
Poland and
Venice
against the
Turks.

Francesco
Borromini,
sculptor and
architect.
1599-1667

Galileo
Galilei
delivered to
the Holy
Inquisition
and forced to
repent.

Lateran palace

1589 Piazza
del Popolo

Carracci
frescoes in
Farnese
Palace

1600
Caravaggio's
paintings in
Santa Maria
del Popolo
church

1630 Bernini's
awning ifor
the altar at St.
Peter's &

St. Peter's
square (1656)

1634
Borromini's
church of San
Carlo alle
Quattro
Fontane
Loss of Power of the Church. European Cultural and Artistic development moves Northwards.
1700
Baroque fades
to NeoClacissism,
Rococo.
Clement XII (17301740)

Clement XIV (17691774)
Pius VI
Romanticism is
inspired by
Rome's glories
of the past.
1800
War against
(1775-1799)
Pius VII (1800-1823)


1789-1799
Proclamation
of the Roman
Republic in
the wake of
the French
revolution.

1798-1801
War with
France. The
Pope is made
prisoner.
1808-1811
Rome is part
of the French

1773 The
Jesuit order
is disbanded
for its
excessive
political
influence
having
already been
prohibited by
various
European
states.
End of the
Holy Roman
Germanic


Goethe,
Turner,
Shelley,
Keats, Byron
& the "Grand
Tour" make
Rome a
center of
inspiration for
European
Romanticism.
Giuseppe
Garibaldi,
mercenary

1701
Capitoline
Museum
founded by
Pope Clement

1726 Spanish
steps

1762 Trevi
Fountain

1790 Canova's
tomb for
Clement XIII

First
excavations of
the Forum by
Pius VI.

Pincio
Gardens by
Giovanni
44
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VADE-MECUM
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Garibaldi and
unification of
Italy.
Dogma of Papal
Infallibility

King Victor Emanuel King of unified Italy.
Rome capital of
Italy.


1900
King Victor Emanuel
The church is
recognised as
an independent
state.
Benito Mussolini +
King VE
Italian post-war
politics develop
Bizantine
complexity and
instability. All
focused on
keeping
Communism out
of power. Power
sharing leads to
general
corruption.
empire.
Pius IX (1846-1878)
Various Presidents
(post war)
Current President:
Ciampi (pronounced
"Champee")


Empire after
1000 years.
The Pope is
Napoleon's
prisoner.

1814 Treaty
of Vienna.
The Papal
state is
restored.
1854 Dogma
of the
Immaculate
Conception

1870 Dogma
of Papal
Infallibility
Garibaldi's
annex of
Rome to Italy
is resisted
with aid of
the French
but
eventually
lost when
France pulls
out (FrancoPrussian
war).

1870 End of
the Vatican
state and
dominions.

1871 The
Pope retires
behind the
Vatican walls.
1922 The
Lateran
Treaty
recognises
Vatican state
independenc
e and awards
indemnity for
its lost
possessions.

Paul VI puts
an end to the
"Holy
Inquisition"
and changes
the name of
its chief
organs to
"Congregatio
n for the
doctrine of
the faith"
1965 The
Second
Vatican
council
proposes
efforts to reunite
Christian
faiths.

1981
Assassinatio
n attempt on
Pope John
Paul II
fighter.
Leader of the
"Red Shirts"
who played a
fundamental
role in the
expulsion of
the Austrians
and
unification of
Italy (18071882)

Benito
Mussolini.
Politician
and Dictator
(1883-1945)

Pius XI
(1922-1939)

Paul VI
(1963-1978)

John XXIII
(1958-1963)

John Paul II
(1978-2005).
First nonItalian Pope
in 400 years.

Pope
Benedict XVI
(2005-)
Valadier

1887 Piazza
della
Republica
following
contour of an
exedra in
Nero's garden

1899 The
imposing
Palazzo di
Giustizia (Law
courts)

1885-1901
Altare della
Patria (the
"Wedding
Cake" altar to
unknown
soldiers)

Foro Italico
(1936)

EUR
development of
Rome (193958)

Restoration of
the Sistine
Chapel (1994)

Tombs of the
Kings of Italy
in the
Pantheon
45
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