| Roman holiday By Steve MacNaull |
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| Sure, Rome
is home to such monumentally-famous sites as the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Forum,
Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps.
And naturally my wife and I took them all in on a recent trip to the Italian capital. But, in all honesty, we enjoyed the Eternal City’s sidewalk café culture just as much – or more – than the must-see tourist attractions. There’s something to be said for how romantic and relaxing it is to stroll through ancient cobble-stoned streets and eye-popping architecture. Of course, one has to stop frequently at outdoor restaurants, bars, cafes and gelaterias for regular fixes of cappuccino and biscotti, gelato, cheap wine and authentic panini, pizza and pasta. It was a very adult getaway of romance, sightseeing, shopping, eating and drinking. Rome’s dazzling network of piazzas, piazzales and public squares are populated by stylish people and outdoor eating. There’s no chintzy plastic tables and chairs in central Rome. Restaurants pay as much attention to their sidewalk seating as they do their indoor spaces, so alfresco dining includes white tablecloths and candles. We tried posh – and cheap - eating in Rome and preferred the cheap. The expensive places tend to be in tony hotels and rooftop locations, but weren’t worth it in our opinion. For instance, the palm treed courtyard of the Hotel Russie is beautiful and is touted as the place where visiting Hollywood stars can be spotted. But we didn’t see any celebrities and the 11 euro ($16) glasses of wine were overpriced.
Our favourite dinner was at Pummarola on the Via della Maddalena a half a block from the Pantheon. It was in the midst of a bunch or restaurants that all had tables on the street creating a lovely ambience of music, conversation and light. The 2 euros ($3) Frascati wine was cold and the 5 euro ($7.35) pizza and pasta were delissio. What we were experiencing was that overall la dolce vita Italian feeling that tourists come to Rome for, according to Federica Limiti, a front desk clerk at the well-located Valadier Hotel where we stayed. Between stints at sidewalk cafes we trolled Central Rome’s three main shopping streets - Via di Ripetta, Via del Corso and Bia dei Babuino, which radiate out of the Piazza del Popola like spokes. Stores in centuries old buildings run the gamut from high-end Gucci, Chanel and Prada boutiques to affordable clothes and leather shops. Central Rome is compact, making all the highlights walkable. The Colosseum is easily the most impressive.
Seeing this ancient amphitheatre in person you instantly understand why it’s been named one of the new seven wonders of the world. Built 2,000 years ago it is still pretty well in tact and can be toured inside and out. Every other day in ancient Rome, 65,000 crammed the Colosseum to watch gladiators fight and Christians fed to the lions. The nearby Forum is much more crumbly than the Colosseum. However, it’s worth a look to see the remains of 2,000 year old temples, law courts, monuments and public market. The Pantheon, finished in 125 AD, is considered the best preserved building in the world. The most beautiful feature of this church is the skylight (oculus) at the top of the 141 foot tall dome that lets in a magical shaft of sun. Trevi Fountain is a statue-filled 250-year-old spectacle that attracts hordes of picture-taking tourists, especially at night when it is lit up. The Spanish Steps start in the expanse of the horse-and-carriage Scalinata di Piazza di Spagna. The 12 curving flights of the steps lead up to a high terrace where the view of the city is awe-inspiring. Like the Trevi it attracts crowds, particularly at night when illuminated.
Just across the Tiber River is The Vatican, which some say is more of a tourist draw and historic gem than the Colosseum, Forum and Pantheon combined. The approach to the Catholic Church’s headquarters is impressive up the palm tree-lined Via della Conciliazione and through the oval Piazza San Pietro. The unmistakable dome of St. Peter’s Basilica dominates the skyline. The church itself is a display of opulence with everything made of gold, marble, bronze or dark wood. There are frescos everywhere, including works by Michelangelo. The adjacent Sistine Chapel has more of Michelangelo’s restored frescoes. The Vatican Museums are the richest in the world packed with masterpieces of paintings, sculpture, frescoes and maps. There’s no charge to hang out in the Piazza San Pietro or visit St. Peter’s, but it costs 13 euros ($19) to get into the museums and the Sistine Chapel.
If a holiday isn’t complete without the beach, then follow the Romans with their weekend bags to Ostia on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The resort town is just a half-hour, 4 euro ($5.50) train ride from Central Rome. Access to the sea is through private beach clubs that charge 10 euro ($14.70) admission for the day. We chose the Venezia complex, which has pools and loungers and umbrellas on the black sand beach, restaurants and beach volleyball. If you go: There are non-stop flights to Rome from Toronto and Montreal. Western Canadian travelers need to connect through those cities or fly to a European hub and make their way to Rome. Central Rome hotels are
expensive and the average price per night for anything half decent tends to be
200 euros ($294) a night or more. |
