Entries from March 2008 ↓

There is one place in Rome whose history predates that of the city itself. It is famous for its architecture, historical significance and sightseeing attractions.

The Palatine Hill – Place in History

Palatine Hill is the centermost of the famous Seven Hills of Rome. Technically speaking, the Palatine Hill is an archeological excavation site containing the ruins of several large villas that belonged to wealthy Roman families. Archaeological evidence suggests traces of inhabitation from the tenth century onwards. It is believed that this hill is the birth place of the glorious Roman Empire. Evidence argues that the twins Romulus and Remus were found in the Lupercal Cave by their four-legged shepherd mother, who raised them. Later, Romulus decided to build the city.

During the Republican era, Palatine Hill became the fashionable place to live. The hill offers splendid views. It rises to an incredible height of 230 feet towering the city. Great warriors, emperors and nobles built their palaces there. It is said that Roman noblemen such as Augustus, Cicero, and Marc Antony resided on the hill. During the Middle Ages, churches and convents were built on Palatine Hill. Later, the hill became home to Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, who also created an ornate botanical garden on top of the ruins.

Major Attractions

Palatine Hill houses ruins of ancient palaces and other buildings. The southern end of the hill contains the remains of the palace of the Roman emperor, Septimius Severus between 193 and 211AD. Close to the Palace lie the huge bath ruins of the emperor. The north section of the palace of Septimius Severus houses the stadium. This stadium was built together with the adjacent palace of Domitian. Domitian’s palace forms the largest, oldest and most domineering tourist attraction in the whole of the Palatine hill site. The palace was built in 81AD — between two crests after the tall crest called the Palatium was leveled and the ground used to level the hilltop. The palace consisted of two wings, a private one called the Domus Augustana and the public Domus Flavia. The house of Augustus, the Temple of Apollo and the temple of Cybele also form major hill attractions. The Farnese Garden was built by Cardinal Allessandro Farnese in 1550 by filling in the ruins of the palace of Tiberuis. It is the first-ever botanical garden of Rome.

Location of the hill

The Palatine hill is conveniently located between two of the city’s largest and most impressive tourist attractions of the Roman Forum and the Colessum. You can take advantage of this location site by purchasing a joint travel and fee ticket for the Colessum and the Palatine Hill at 11 euro. There is also another option. If you a leisurely tourist interested in art and architecture, you can now buy the 22 euro weekly pass for the Colessum and the Palatine Hill.  You get to spend the entire weekend exploring and traversing the two sites. It is better to navigate and see the various vivid attractions on foot using an audio guide.

Visiting the site

Though the hill is open to visitors at all times, tourists generally prefer the cool months of
autumn. It serves a tourist well to stroll on foot enjoying the various sights. Getting there by bus and then walking about is cheaper. It also provides you with the opportunity to savor the hustle and bustle of modern Rome. The hill has been fitted with convenient facilities for disabled elderly tourists allowing them to enjoy the uphill tour at a relaxed pace.

Eating at the Palatine Hill

Roadside eating is recommended. Closeted between the forum and the Colessum, the hill offers solace to many eateries spec aliasing in Italian cuisine. This can either be vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Prices are cheap and you get to embrace the ambience of historic Rome on a cool day. The hill’s ancient stadium now hosts many modern cultural events of plays and book review meetings.

Rome is a multifaceted city with fine dining, shopping and sightseeing opportunities. On a tour, you have to visit the old harbor city of Ostia Antica. It is impossible to miss it or bypass it as it lies right in the center of the city.

The what and why of Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica is an ancient port town. It is a fascinating but under-visited archaeological site. Ostia Antica was originally developed as a sea port, prior to the silting up of River Tiber’s estuary. Ostia increased in importance from the fourth century BC, becoming a major naval and trading base. As Rome’s port, the town had commercial significance and expanded in size and grandeur to match this position. However, during the third century AD, its place was taken by a new port at Fiumicino. Within the next couple of centuries Ostia had begun its decline. The ancient Roman city of Ostia was originally situated at the mouth of the river Tiber, some 30 kilometers to the west of Rome. The inward shift of the shoreline in the middle Ages also saw the city moving inland. Today, it lies somewhat four km inward to Rome. Ostia is the Latin word for ‘mouth’ and it was the mouth or center of salt deposits during the Middle and Bronze Ages. The city is also famous for its imprint of slavery and immigration on history rolls.

Historical Attractions

Much of the town stands in ruins and is heavily excavated. Major tourism sites include the Roman theatre which hosts summer plays nowadays, the spectacular Forum, a large baths complex and more than one Mithraeum. It also has impressive mosaics and columns everywhere. The statues of the ancient city have been taken way for safekeeping purposes. Other tourist highlights include the smaller domestic detail — the fishmonger’s marble slab, the bar with its wares illustrated on the wall, the communal public toilets, the residential villas with peaceful courtyards.

Getting there

Traveling to Ostia Antica is easy owing to the location of the ancient city. Ostia has its own station which makes it convenient for tourists. You have to board the suburban train line to Ostia from Piramide Station which lies on Metro Line B. You can use your normal Rome travel ticket. The Ostia Antica station is about twenty minutes from Rome. After coming out of the station, most tourists opt to traverse the port city on foot at leisure. There are neither entrance fees nor any schedule times which makes it fun for all tourists including children and disabled tourists. You merely need a street plan of the city which can be obtained on the train from the ticket kiosk.

Navigating through the city

Have a street map in hand and plan how you are going to tour the ancient port city. You have to enter the city by the Roman Gate. This can be described as a metal fence protecting the scant remains of a city gate. The city gates and city wall were built in the first century BC by orator Marcus Tullius Cicero and completed by Publius Clodius Pulcher. Now you have entered the city. After passing through the gate you are on the main street of Ostia. The main street is known as ‘the Decumanus Maximus.’ The street is paved with basalt blocks. A few shallow wheel-ruts can be seen between the gate and the theatre. This indicates that the transportation of goods was done by slaves or pack-animals, not with wagons. Behind the gate lies the city square. In ancient times the square was adorned by a statue. Today, only a plastic mould of the statue decorates the square. Two identical dedicatory inscriptions also decorate the gate.
Having fun at Ostia

This ancient city is suited to the whims of every tourist. Conveniently located with plenty of transport options, it lures many tourists to spend entire weekends. It has a large number of restaurants serving both fast foods, traditional and non-vegetarian fare. Camping and outdoor sort activity form a favorite past time of the young adventurous tourist folk. The city also has a wide collection of books and antiques. Your tour of Rome comes to an end with a proper and leisurely tour of Ostia.

The city of Rome is the architectural wonder city of the world hosting some of the most famous and historic monuments and locales. It is also known as the ‘eternal city’ of the world drawing hordes of tourists every year.

The Roman Forum: History and Background

Originally a marsh land, the Roman Forum lies in a valley situated between the Palatine hill and the Capitoline hill. In the heyday of the Roman Empire, it was the seat of power. The Forum was the center of political and social activity.  The Forum was the marketplace of Rome and also the business district and civic center. The original Forum structure included temples, a senate house and law courts. However, the Roman Forum was razed to the ground falling to ruins after the fall of the Roman Empire. It was later used as a pasture house and ground for cattle during the Middle ages.

Today, much of the Forum stands destroyed. Much of its grandeur and precisely structured stone blocks have been used to construct other buildings in Rome. Its columns and temples echo faded glory.

Attractions of Roman Forum

The Roman Forum through its sheer size and historic significance commands respect inciting many tourists to flock its ruined gateways. But, it boasts of two major attractions of the arch of Titus and the arch of Septimius Severus. Tourists get to admire and appreciate these architectural marvels as they have stood the test of time. They bear testimony to the great knowledge and power of the Roman Empire.

Getting there and Seeing it

Traveling to the capital of Italy poses no problems for the amateur and seasoned tourist. You can descend on the city of Rome either by plane or by train. Once inside, you can sightsee by means of bus, tram or taxi. You have 24-hour passes which allow you to travel anywhere inside the city. This is perhaps the cheapest and most convenient way to sightsee. Tourist train tickets called BIT and CIS also prove good for unlimited rides. BIT or the “Biglietto Turistico Integrato” is a 3-day ticket, valid until midnight of the third day on which the ticket is validated, while the CIS is the “Carta Integrata Settimanale” weekly ticket. Thus, these two tickets grant you unlimited rides on Atac or Cotral buses, subways and some local trains.But the best possible way to see the Roman Forum is by foot.

You can get to the Forum by bus and then circle the forum by foot. It is safe and convenient allowing you to devote as much time as possible to any particular sections. Buses and trams run on a schedule and often do not carry special facilities for disabled people. Admission is free but it is better to be armed with a map and audio guide to traverse the Roman Forum.

Entertaining in Roman Forum

The Roman Forum is usually not preferred by the adventurous tourists including the family oriented travelers. Unless well-acquainted with history to understand the importance of the stone walls, you could end up getting easily bored. In other words, if you have children you might want to engage them elsewhere before embarking to the Forum. The Forum is not open to visitors all the year round. August forms the peak season of national tourism when hordes of native descend upon the city. The summer months see many international visitors strolling around the Forum snapping photos. The forum is surrounded by shops selling designer clothes and other ware. In addition internet cafes and other dining spots also help to increase the attraction of the site.

Sleeping in the city

Exploring Rome and its myriad attractions requires you to have a plan, a map and lots of willpower. You need to get settled in quickly before actually walking about to see the attractions. Getting to the Roman Forum can prove a daunting task if you set up room in a hotel next to one of the airports. You need to find a hotel or an inn which lie east of the Tiber River and west of Station Termini. It is necessary to be aware that distances on a map might not be as close as they appear. This could mean wasting traveling time in getting to the bus terminal. It could mean getting bogged down by traffic when on for to the Roman Forum.

Rome is a religious and historical tourist city. Tourism forms an integral part of its income.
And in between all these monuments, the market place of Trajan seems to get lost. But as a tourist, your sightseeing remains incomplete without a visit to the Trajan’s market.

Timeline and location of Trajan Market

This ancient market area is a large complex of warehouses, shops and offices where the Romans would gather to purchase goods and conduct business. The market area was built between 107 and 110 AD by Apollodorus of Damascus during Emperor Trajan’s reign. It lies at the side of Quirinal Hill. Trajan’s market borders the Roman Forum serving tourists a double pleasure. The market has a large monumental facade consisting of a half exedra bordered by a row of columns. It lies at the opposite end of the Colesseum. The geographical structure is huge with floors. The upper floors of this market were used to sell oil, wine seafood and groceries. Trajan’s market area also used to house a convent which was later demolished in the 20th century. The entire structure was built in concrete and brick with a roof composed of a concrete vault supported by piers.

Historical Importance of Trajan’s market

Recent excavations have opened the commercial world of the Roman Empire. The market area bears testimony to the clothing, lifestyle and trading systems of the ancient Romans. Auditions and auctions were the common mode to sell and purchase wines. Oil and fruit were the main wares sold in the market. The market structure was divided into two floors which were further divided into miniature floors and cubicles.

Historical Attractions

Located in the center of the city, the market is not only a trading and historical site for tourists. It is an architectural relic with a large balcony on the top floor offering a spectacular view of the entire city. The ‘tabernae’ can be described as shops shaped as barrel-vaulted cubicles with small windows and a large opening to the street. They were decorated with mosaics depicting the wares in the shop. These tabernaes were located in the upper wing or level of the market. Another architectural facet is the small but charming cubicles located in the lower level of the market area. The cubicles and the halls used to host concerts, speeches or education. The roof of the market was meant to create light and space. It is fashioned as an arched concrete vault held by piers to allow sunlight to seep through into the shops while still protecting the shoppers from the unpredictable weather. In short, the Trajan market serves as a fine example of urban Roam architecture.

Getting to it

Being a city for the walking tourist, people prefer to stroll down the street to the Roman Forum and the Trajan market. But, some tourists opt for the transport means of the tram. The Tram routes mostly skirt the historic center, but there are stops convenient for the Vatican, the Colosseum, and the Trastevere area. Tourists planning to visit the market usually get down at the Colessum and walk over to the Trajan’s market area. Hence, they get to view three historical sights in one go. Another growing means of transport is the metro service. Line B known as the Blue Line’ runs southwest past the Colosseum,

Eventful Trajan market

Decorated with bright lights at night, the market are hosts many diverse cultural events with tne dinning experiences. It affords a great fun attraction for children and disabled people. Though inaccessible to its interior, disabled tourists are able to traverse the frontal market areas at leisure. Trajan market runs two public events of the Roman Summer festival from late June through early September offers various musical events of jazz, rock, and classical music, and film, sport, theater and children’s fun. The market is is an open public tourism spot open hroughout the year. But, tourists seem to throng the place particularly in the summer months of May, June and July. The market also plays host to various modern internet cafés and restaurants.

Rome is by far one of the most interesting cities I have ever been to. The chaos of the place certainly adds to the charm. However if you want to visit Rome when it is not too overcrowded it is always best to avoid the peak travel times in Rome which is during Spring and Fall. The reason that these are peak travel times is because the city is not too hot for many people so the more comfortable air temperature provides for a better experience when viewing the historic sites which of course are outside. Since I have lived in Florida for nearly a decade I do not find the summers in Rome to be terribly hot so if you come from a hotter climate you can visit Rome when you feel the most comfortable and therefore save some money by visiting during off peak travel times.

Perhaps it is not the weather that is your biggest concern when traveling to Rome. For many budget travelers they are more conscious of saving some money then the climate or the crowds. Visiting during off peak times then is the best time to go as you will most certainly save some money.

If you are visiting with family and friends then the best time to go is when you are with them. While you may not be able to save a lot of money at least you will be with people you enjoy and therefore have a better time then if you were alone.

So basically the best time to visit Rome is when you are ready to enjoy the city the most. It all depends upon what your personal circumstances are. However if you want to avoid the crowds then visit during off peak travel times which I guess would be in Winter and Summer as Fall and Spring seem to attract the most amount of tourists.