When one air company announced the sale of an airline tickets, we both used the opportunity to fly to Rome for the price of a bus ticket for one person.

A ticket for a roundtrip with an airline fares included cost only 100 Eur. Almost all the hotels of Rome had twice reduced the prices  and 4 star hotel in the main street Nazionale we managed to get for 100 Eur per night. A four-day trip for two person cost 350 -400 Eur

The first breaks of clouds we saw in Apennines peninsular, on the tops of hills and mountains, where we also saw the first villages. The front of clouds stopped just before the lake Braciano, it seemed that Rome will meet us sunny and warm. The contrast was unbelievable - green fields, near the way of an airplane landing there was green grass. We had to unbutton the linings of our jackets, because there were just hot in Rome - it was more than 10 degrees of warmth.

The most convenient way to get from Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) airport, where we landed to the centre of Rome was using Termini express. There were several hundreds of meters in an underground crossing to get to the train terminal.

 Terminal of Fiumicini railway station

You can also buy in advance Rome Pass to save money if you are also travelling with public transport or visiting the museums.  To get to Rome by express costs 11 Euros for one person, in a half an hour the train takes you to Termini station where you can catch Metro or a bus to get to any part of the city.

There are a plenty of various levels' hotels around the railway station. We chose the hotel, which we could easily reach going on foot. Through the square of Republic, going by the street Nazionale we reached the hotel, which we had booked via internet "Eurostars internacionale".

The fountain of Naiades in the Republic square...

Street Nazionale reaches Venetian palace (beyond).

Affection of the city

We got to hotel already at noon, so we had all the day left for us. Our experience says, that it is needed to connect to the object first, to feel affection to it. In a big city it is better to visit the most famous and the biggest objects. The best method is an excursion in a city going by a two-storied bus with an open top. The beginning of excursion is Termini station. This railway station stands in the place of ancient Rome thermaes (bathhouses), alongside there is a National Museum Diocletian - the thermaes are being restored in it, so unfortunately the visitors can not see them.  The first object is a square of Republic with the fountains, in front of it stands the house of Opera, also the church, which was rebuild by Michelangelo from one block of a thermae. We visited the palace of the President (...), the first impressive monument in this square was of Castor and Pollux. The heroes showed up on the white horses during a battle and helped Romans to win.  After a battle they took a delighted new to the city, watered down their horses in a source and disappeared the same mystically as they had appeared. You can see a great panoramic view to Rome from the square. There you have only a couple of minutes to get to the fountain of Trevi.

The monument of Castor and Pollux in the square of Kvirinale

We are visiting the square of Venice. From the pompous palace, which Romans calls in jest the organs, someday the war leader Mussolini was giving his speeches. There is a Capitoline hill over the Venice square, the Michelangelo staircase, called Cordonata leads to the hill. The solders used to march through ancient Rome in the march of triumph to Capitolius. Nowadays there is a residence of Rome mayor and municipality here.

There is a rich collection of the antique sculptures made from marble in Capitoline museum: dying Gallus, Amour and Psyche, Satyr having a rest, Capitoline Venus, a girl with a pigeon.

Venetian palace

 

Michelangelo staircase

Further through the palace of emperor we had to reach Capitolius, but, obviously the traffic jams made our bus to turn back.

The palace of emperor

We are crossing Tibr for the first time. We are going through Victor Emanuel II bridge, leaving Saint Angel's castle on the right.  Someday the background of this fortress was Adriano's mausoleum, which was the greatest Roman architecture masterpiece. Emperors of Rome and their families' members had been buried in mausoleum, later this building was redone to a defence construction and a prison. The famous count Kaliostro was in this prison. The name of the fortress Saint Angel derives from a 6 A.D. legend when an angel landed on the fortress and put his sword to the case like a sign that the mercy of God was graced and a terrible epidemic of a plague ended.

Saint Angel's castle

We are going through Saint Peter's cathedral. The cupola made by Michelangelo is seen from almost all the places of Rome, it is the best landmark. But it is the destination of an absolutely separate excursion. We are passing the palace of Justitia, a square of Popolo and in the end of our excursion we come out near the fountain of Trevi. We have to work for 10 minutes on foot to reach our hotel.

 

Popolo square

Trevi fountain in daytime

Rome out of the season

There are not so many tourists in Rome when it is not the hot season.  You cannot see the crowds of people near Trevi fountain anymore.  Cafeterias and restaurants are half-empty, you won't find the rows to the museums. But the weather is wonderful - sunny, it green all around, the trees are full of tangerines and oranges.

There are sales in the clothes shops - t

he discounts almost everywhere are for 50 percent of the prices. Unfortunately, a lot of smaller cafeterias react to the decreased flow of the tourists - we wanted to eat out about 4 p.m., but we managed to this only near Pantheon.

Usual sales in the shops

 

 

Rome at night

I have a feeling that tourists come out to streets of Rome in the evenings. Rome is really worth to sea at night. The first visit at night, we almost demand, should be to Pantheon. It is definitely worth to visit - a view inside surpass even the expectation got in Saint Peter's basilica.

Unfortunately you cannot put this impression on the photograph. Rafael, Victor Emanuel II are buried in Pantheon. This building was built in 27^th year before our era, the record on the façade still remains till nowadays.  The inside diameter of the Pantheon consists of 43 meters, the same as its height. The other object - fountain of Trevi - there are more tourists near it. There is lots of still working cafeterias and shops of clothes around the fountain.

Pantheon

Trevi

In the second evening we go to the park of Pincio. There is a tiny platform just above the square of Popolo , a great view to Rome can be seen from it. Later, crossing the square of Popolo you can walk to the direction of Trevi fountain, there is an active nightlife in this district.

Trevi at night

Ancient monuments in  Rome

There is a way of about 20 minutes on foot from our hotel to Coliseum. Coliseum is undoubtedly the symbol of Rome - it is said about it "as long as the Coliseum will stand, all Rome will stand, but if Coliseum will disappear, Rome will disappear too, and if Rome falls, the entire world falls ". The actual name is "amphitheatre of Flavius" , but Romans called it Coliseum probably because of the proximity of Neron colossus.

Coliseum

There are a lot of people who want to get to Coliseum - even in winter there stands a long row of tourists.  An entrance together with the later ticket to Palatino costs 11 Euros. We entered with Rome Pass out of turn, through the different entrance and we didn't need to pay anything. The biggest impression derives from the second level.

Arch of Constantine

It is worth to go from Coliseum to Palatino (the palace of emperor) and Rome forum. There is a lift to Palatino hill near the arch of Titus.

 

On Palatino Hill

On Palatino Hill

Rome was born exactly in this place. According to a legend, Romulo ploughed the first trench here. Palatino hill was the living place of the kings, Caesar, emperors. Even now the walking in the ruins of an old palace leaves an unforgettable impression: spectacular views show up to Coliseum, entire Rome, to all forum of Rome.

Rome Forum

Vatican

Vatican was the residence of the popes for almost six ages. There was no such a pope, who wouldn't settle down on this hill. The most impressive object in Vatican is Saint Peter's square and Vatican basilica. The background of this basilica was Saint Constantine's church built in the place where Saint Peter died. This miracle of our days was being built even for 176 years. The initial project of the basilica was committed to an architect Bramante, later it was supplemented by Rafael, Sangallo, Michelangelo, Maderno. There is an impressive hall of 186 meters length in it decorated with sculptures, frescos, paintings, there is the famous Pieta on the right. After an excursion inside the basilica, you can descend to the catacombs, where the popes are buried, or you can ascend to the cupola and enjoy the panoramic view of Rome. You can reach the half way of the cupola with an elevator for the additional 5 Euros, or you can also go on foot.

Rome Saint Peter's square

 

 

Vatican museum left us an unforgettable impression. The cultural objects that we saw in our textbooks, in the books about the masterpieces, will be so close, that could almost reach and touch them with your hand. We saw the collection of antique sculptures, after which everything else in other museums don't make any sense. The magnificent objects are Sistine chapel, Rafael's "taking to the heaven" and the school of Athens. There are several routs of visiting the Sistine chapel going through the halls full of marble sculptures, the paintings of the famous artists.

There are also Roman and Greek, Etruscan art halls where you can admire an incredible precision works. The smallest details had been hollowed out in marble.

Also it is necessary to visit the Pinakothek.

You can undoubtedly have all day for this excursion. In the evening we had no power to visit anything else except the church of Saint Maria Madziore, one of four biggest churches in Rome.

Church of Saint Maria Madziore in Rome

Traffic in Rome

The old town of Rome is not big. Less than in an hour you can go from Vatican to Termini station. But you can use Metro or a bus. There are no jams at least in winter and you do not have to pay anything additional, if you travel with Rome Pass. Taxi is quite expensive (4 Euros for entering and 1,5 Euros for each kilometre), and unfortunately our unlucky experience showed, that Taxi drives do not know the city well.

Shopping

Because we didn't find anything interesting in sales, we brought home only food products: cheese, prosciutto. More interesting examples we found at the market of Mercato esquilino. It is located between Victor Emanuel Metro and Termini station. We had never seen such an assortment of seafood, and the prices were even lower than in Lithuania. A wonderful meat costs 2-3 Euros, mussels costs 4 Euros, lobster is for 25 Euros, not cut prosciutto of Parma is for 10 Euros (cut pieces costs already for 20 Euros), large fresh shrimps cost 6-14 Euros, dorada 14 Euros, and big see bass is for 14 Euros. The other morning we will have a wish to take in hotel the apartments with a large kitchen and enjoy this superfluity.

Sea food in Rome Market

Fish in Rome Fish Market

Traditional Italian Meat Products in Rome Market

Near the food market you can find a big market of the products from leather and hosiery.

 
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