Take a bus tour around Rome
by Laura_Mexico
Take a bus tour around Rome!! Whether you're gonna stay in Rome for a long time or only for a couple of days, I strongly recommend that you take a bus tour around the city. It enables you to see the main attractions in no time, make some pictures, and this is very good when you don't have enough time to visit every single place on your own. If you're planning to stay in Rome for a long time, it enables you to get a general idea of what the town looks like, where the different attractions are located, and even project your future visits to all the different places. Of course you can't see everything while riding the bus, but I could make some gorgeous pictures while touring the town this way and it gave me a broad panorama of what Rome was. Plus, these tours aren't expensive and it only takes you a couple of hours to tour the city, and besides you have the possibility of getting on and off the bus as many times as you want along the day, in case you want to stop at a specific place for a while.
These tours depart from the Termini train station (right in front of it) and you can purchase the tickets there, in Piazza dei Cinquecento. You can see beautiful places & monuments such as the one on this picture (which was taken FROM THE BUS!), called the Vittoriano and which I think is my favorite monument in all Rome!
Fontana Delle Tartarughe - The Turtle Fountain
by Lacristina
You found the Fountain of the Turtles! Congratulations! It must mean you've been wandering Rome, as it's not on the well beaten path. It was designed by Giacomo della Porta (but Bernini added the turtles). Della Porta was an important sculptor and architect who finished Michelangelo's Dome of St. Peter's.
If you go to see the three famous Carravaggio paintings on the life of St. Matthew at the church San Luigi dei Francesi (St. Louis of the French), you'll be in another della Porta building - well, the facade anyway.
This fountain was completed in 1585 and the water comes from the Acqua Vergine, said to contain the best water of all the aquaducts. It is so charming, it always makes me smile when I see it.
UPDATE, MARCH 5, 2006: VT member Baronedivandastad had been torturing me for months....he knew a secret about the fountain, but he wouldn't tell me until we met for dinner in Rome. We finally met and with great fanfare, he disclosed the secret at a wonderful VT dinner in Testaccio. I think I'll keep the tradition. No telling of the secret unless we have dinner together in Rome!
If you want to look for the Fontana delle Tartarughe, see my directions below, but PROMISE me, you'll wander after you find it. The neighborhood is great for wandering. You're close to the Jewish Ghetto, a perfect excuse to stop for some artichokes fried in the Roman Jewish tradition. Or kosher pizza - yes, really.
The fountain is in Piazza Mattei. Find "Largo Argentina," the excavated Roman site, which is is on the south side of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II (just to the west of Piazza Venezia ). Piazza Mattei is just south of that.
Transportation to Rome from Da Vinci airport
by FieryRedhead
We arrived at Leonardo Da Vinci airport and took the train to Termini Station for 9,50 euro each. We had very heavy luggage which made it a bit difficult to walk with but the train was fast and comfortable. Once we got to Termini we were exhausted and took a cab to our hotel. The rest of the stay we only used public transportation with no taxis and both thought that the transportation in Rome is amazing. We never waited more than 10 minutes for anything and could get anywhere in the city.
Rural Atmosphere
by OttoMarzo about Al Contadino Non Far Sapere Quanto E' Buono...
Al Contadino Non Far Sapere Quanto E' Buono Il Formaggio Con Le Pere is a great example of roman pizzeria. You can have other italian food too, but they make a wondeful pizza. People are nice, the place is like a country house... A fantastic chance to have amazing food and a good evening at the same time. Any kind of pizza. At the beginning they will provide everyone with pears and cheese slices with honey. To Try!
St Peter's Cathedral is beyond words
by stressball
This has to be the most beautiful cathedral I have ever seen. Words cannot express the awe that I felt when looking at the beauty and immensity of St Peters. Of course, you can see one of Michaelangelo's 'Pieta', relics of the cross, Bernini's canopy, St Peter's chair...and so much more!!!
Something that I found amazing is that Pope Urban VIII had the bronze stipped from the Pantheon in order to make Bernini's canopy...I don't think he realized at that time that the Pantheon would go down in history also!
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Sant' Agnese in Agone
Fireworks at Piazza del Popolo
Spanish Steps
A beautiful fountain at Piazza Navona
