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Ancient Ostia (Ostia Antica), Rome, Italy
Ostia is ancient port city of Rome which lies twenty miles from Rome,
in the meadows between the Tiber River and the Tyrrhenian Sea. It was
founded in the 4th century BC, as a military colony to guard the river
mouth against invasions through sea. By the 2nd century AD, it had become
a flourishing commercial center. The apartment buildings, taverns, and
grocery shops are still intact.
You can easily get there using Rome's transit system.
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Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy
The remains of the Circus Domitianus lie under
the buildings that surround Piazza Navona. You can see a part of this
from turning left after the north exit. The piazza also marks the area for
the races in the stadium. It features many old buildings, a beautiful
church and three stunning fountains. It was in the arena that the twelve-year-old
Christian, Agnes, refused to marry a pagan and was thus martyred on the
spot where the church of Sant'Agnese is located. In ancient times the
stadium was the site of the Agonal games, from which the present piazza
takes its name. At the centre of piazza lies Bernini's most spectacular
fountain, la Fontana dei Fiumi erected in 1651. It features a central
rocky structure that supports an obelisk that was an ancient Roman imitation
of the Egyptian form. Around this structure are four giant statues by
Bernini's pupils following his designs representing the Nile, the Danube,
the Ganges, and the Rio del la Plata, each representing one of the four
quarters of the world. To the western side of the piazza stands the delightful
church of Sant'Angese in Agone. It was in this location that Agnese was
exposed naked, but miraculously covered by the prodigious growth of her
hair. The church was commissioned by Pope Innocent X in 1652.. Not long
after the project was initiated Francesco Borromini took control of it
and was responsible for the completion of the dome and building the twin
bell towers. The concave facade was also his design. It is believed that
one of the statues in Bernini's fontana dei fiumi is covering his face
so as not to look at the church, because
of an intense rivalry between the two artists. However, the dates of the
construction of each shows that the fountain was built first. Strangely,
there is a solitary statue above the facade of the church that is looking
away, when it would be normal for it to be facing the fountain. At the
northern end is the fontana di Nettuno , Neptune, the basin of which was
by Giacomo della Porta (1576) and the statues of Neptune and the Nereids
were from last century. And at the southern end is the fontana del Moro,
which was also designed by Bernini and features the statue of a Moor fighting
with a dolphin.
Piazza del Popolo, Rome, Italy
Considered as one of the best urban works in Rome, it was planned by Valadier
at the beginning of the 19th century. Via Faminia also started here, which
linked Rome with the main cities of the State of the Church.
A good tour for all of Rome:
Rome Shuttle Hop On Hop Off Tour
San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome, Italy
San Giovanni is the oldest church in the world. It is Rome's cathedral, founded
by Constantine in the IV century. It was destroyed and reconstructed many
times. For the 1650 Jubilee, Borromini created the current appearance.
There are colored marble niches and statutes of the apostles around the
inside. In 1735, Alessandro Galilei added 15 more statues to the church
to make it look like what it does today. The basilica's actual shape dates
back to the XII century.
Address: Piazza S. Giovanni in Laterano Rome, 00184 Italy 06 669 8643
Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome,Italy
This 5th-century church features Michelangelo's sculpture of Moses that
adorns the incomplete tomb of Pope Julius II. The present day basilica
was built under Pope Innocentius II (1138-1148), out of materials plundered
from the Baths of Caracalla. The first church on this site dates back
to Pope Julius I (the middle of the 4th century AD). Beautiful marbles
and sculptures can be admired in the portico, as well as inscriptions
which originate from inside the basilica or from the catacombs. In the
evenings, everyone comes out to talk and eat gelato (Italian ice cream) around the fountain.
Trastevere Rome, Italy
This busy and lively neighborhood has the look and feel of a traditional
small Italian town, with people shopping, chatting, drinking espresso
and going about their daily business. It was originally built to be a warehouse
for storage. It was later changed into very desirable residential
quarter. There are still some well-preserved medieval houses and on some
of the walls of the buildings you can see the graffiti the soldiers wrote
while they were on guard for the emperor. The Trastevere quarter in Rome
is extremely popular with both Romans and tourists to Italy. Trastevere
is an ideal area for exploring the historical parts of Rome on foot. Saint
Peter's is about twenty minutes away and upon crossing the Tiber river
you get to Campo dei Fiori, Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, the Roman
Forum, and many other sights. On Sunday mornings, there is a nice flea
market in Trastevere: Porta Portese market. Open: 7am -1pm best entrance;
viale di Trastevere & via Ippolito Nievo
Villa Borghese Rome, Italy
This villa was constructed at the beginning of the 17th century for Cardinal
Scipione Caffarelli Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V. The paintings and
sculptures of villa are spectacular. It is surrounded by one of the largest
and most beautiful public parks in Rome. It is not very big and tours
are restricted to number of people and time allowed, which makes the walk
through Villa Borghese very comfortable. You might want to take an audio
guide.
The Obelisks in Rome
Rome's 15 obelisks were stolen or "permanently borrowed" by its emperors
from Egypt or the Levant. The obelisks stand on often-ornate pediments and
decorate squares or piazzas throughout the city. They are very
charming, pay attention to them in your walks in the various squares of
Rome.
Pompeii
The site of Pompeii is located close to Rome in Campania, near the
Bay of Naples. This ancient city has seen many wars and earthquakes in its
history. In 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted and obliterated Pompeii and
Herculaneum. Beneath the lava ruins rests a freeze - frame of high style
Roman living, thanks in part to the plumberium, workers of lead.
Since 1758 when excavation began in Pompeii, palaces of the Caesars and
private homes of the nouveau riche merchants and court hangers-on
have emerged along with theaters, dance halls and circuses. In addition,
grand-style temples and amphitheaters were uncovered, along with elaborate
public baths for hundreds of people, and a water supply system for both
private and public needs.
If you have a day in Rome and would like to
get out of the city, this is an excellent destination. We recommend the
full day Naples and Pompeii tour if you want to see this magnificent
ancient city
Go to
Sightseeing 1
Sightseeing 2
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Accommodation & Travel Guide Rome, Italy
