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The Capitoline is the most sacred, famous, and highest hill amongst the Seven Hills of Rome. It is located between the Roman Forum and Campus Martius. The hill consists of the sacred temples of Jupiter and the Capitoline Triad. Presently, the medieval palaces have been turned into a museum. The museum consists of Roman artifacts. The Tabularium (hall of records), which was a reserved place for the city’s archives, has now been turned into the Palazzo Senatorio, and a major tourist attraction.

History

The great temples of Jupiter and Capitoline were built under the reign of Rome’s last emperor Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. It got destroyed three times by fire and was rebuilt by Emperor Domitian. Michelangelo on the order of Pope III in1536 designed the present structure.

The magnificent grandeur of the hill was re-established and re-worked in order to welcome and create memorable impression on Charles V. The pavement, staircase ramp, buildings, and facades on the three sides of the hill were refurbished and the Capitoline hill returned to its former mesmerizing visual appeal.

Attractions for Tourists

A tourist visiting the Capitoline hill can view a number of collections of the Roman period, most of which have been carved or built by the great Michelangelo.  The main attraction for tourists visiting Capitoline hill is the Capitoline museum in Piazza del Campidoglio. The museum consists of three palaces, which are surrounded by a trapezoidal piazza. These three places are the Palazzo Senatorio, Palazzo dei Conservatori, and Palazzo Nuovo.

The museum collection consists of ancient Roman statues, medieval art, renaissance art, nscriptions, artifacts, jewels, and coins. Various other attractions for tourists at the Capitoline hill also includes the statue of Marcus Aurelius, council halls, treasures of classic art, and the monuments of Roman emperors.

Visiting the Site

The archeological museums of Capitoline hill are a must visit for tourists visiting Rome. They consist of Roman sculptures, art galleries, frescoes, and Greek sculptures. Tourists just need to buy one ticket, which is valid for visiting the two famous museums of Palazzo Nuovo and Palazzo dei Conservatori. There is no entry fee levied on the last Sunday of the month. The museums are closed on Mondays.
There are numerous modes of transport in Rome which tourists can use to visit the Capitoline hill. Some of these are trains, trams, buses, taxis, metro, and bikes. These modes of transport help the tourists in visiting the magnificent sculptures and monuments of Rome.
Facilities for the Handicapped any manual and electric wheelchairs are available and constantly used in Rome, for the benefit of the physically challenged. This allows these people to visit and enjoy the various ancient tourist attractions of Rome. In Capitoline hill, handicapped visitors can visit Piazza del Campidoglio through the steep winding path to the right of Michelangelo’s Cordonata staircase. Palazzo dei Conservatori also has access for the handicapped through a path, which leads to an elevator. Palazzo Nuovo also consists of stair lifts for the convenience of visitors.
Best Season to Visit

The best season to visit Rome is spring and autumn with sunny skies and mild temperature. These seasons see the highest turnout of tourists. Tourists also come from different parts of the world for Easter week celebrations. July and August are relatively hot and in these months, the residents of Rome also leave for a vacation trip to various colder destinations to beat the heat. The best time of the day to visit Capitoline hill is before sunset in spring and summers when the sun shines right on the square.
The Capitoline hill is a fine example of the rich architectural history of Rome. The sculptures and art galleries of the museums are unmatched in their beauty and you will not see this kind of architecture anywhere in the world.

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.

The Coliseum was the largest amphitheatre in Rome. The construction of the Coliseum started under the reign of Emperor Vespasian in around 70-70 AD and completed under the reign of Titus in 80 AD. The Coliseum was further customized and modified under the emperor Domitian. This was the first permanent amphitheatre to be built in Rome between the Esquiline, Caelian, and Palatine Hills.

An Iconic Symbol

The Coliseum is seen as an iconic symbol of imperial Rome. It held the capacity to accommodate about 50,000 spectators and has eight entrances. The amphitheatre is 50 meters high and 185 meters long. The Coliseum was built for gladiatorial contests and various public spectacles like, classical dramas, mock sea battles, and animal hunts till the early medieval period. Later, it was used for other purposes like a Christian shrine, a fortress, for housing, and for conducting workshops. Presently, the building has suffered damages as a result of earthquakes and the work stone robbers but it is still among the most famous tourist attractions in Rome and arguably the whole world.

Major Tourist Attraction

The Coliseum is known for its great works of architecture and engineering. It also reflects the grandeur and cruelty of the Roman World. The monument is famous for its grand size and the efficient organization of a large crowd viewing the different spectacles. This makes it one of the greatest works of the Roman period. Tourists from all over the world visit it. A museum is also built on the upper floor of the outer wall building, which is dedicated to Eros. The Coliseum also has a lift to the first floor. This makes the monument easily accessible to people with a handicap and children. Other facilities at the site are toilets, bookshop, and souvenir shops.

Tickets, Cards, and Passes

The tickets for the Coliseum can be bought at the site, online, or also booked through a telephone. The normal price of a ticket is 9 Euros (liable to change). The entry is free for EU citizens who are under-18 years and over 65 years. An archeologia-card is also available for 20 Euros, which is valid for a period 7 days for visiting 9 sites in Rome including the Coliseum. A Roma pass is also valid for a period of 3 days for visiting the Coliseum and other famous museums and archaeological sites of the city. The price of the ticket, card and pass may vary during Coliseum exhibitions. One can also book a guided tour conducted by professional guides.

How to get there

The Coliseum is located in the center of Rome. The monument can be reached using a bus, taxi, shuttle, trams or trains. It is located near Piazza Venezia and is close to the Forums. Another rapid form of transportation that you can use is the Metro. After reaching the Metro station, one can get a taxi parking and bike rental outside the station. On Sundays, bicycles and stroller are also allowed on roads as a means of transportation.

Best Time for Visiting
There are few months in a year, which are best suited for your Rome visit. These are –
1.    October- This is the best month of the year to visit. The temperature in this month is very pleasant.
2.    January- After the New Year, there is a gradual fall in the tourists visiting here. This is a suitable time for tourists who want to avoid crowds.
3.    Easter Week- This week may fall between mid-March or mid-April and the city is overcrowded with pilgrims and tourists.
4.    July and August- These are the peak months for tourist’s season. These seasons have comparatively less rain and are a bit humid.
The Coliseum was the only stone structured amphitheater built during the grandeur days of the Roman Empire.

Today, the Coliseum is partially in a ruined state but still remains one of the most renowned architectural monuments of the Roman period. The monument still holds the same brand integrity and respect after so many years of its construction.

Finding the best restaurant in any city is certainly a passion of mine. I have a certain affinity for the pizza as well. It is one of the best street foods that Italy has ever invented. Originally created from a small restaurant in Naples, Italy this dish rapidly spread throughout the country and the rumor has it that a full one quarter of the restaurants in the country are pizzerias. Since there are so many pizzerias in the country it is important to eat at the better pizza restaurants if not the best pizza restaurants in the country. But how do you find these places? By asking friends or family that live in the area. That way you will get the best advice. If that is not available for you then it is vital to visit some well trusted travel forums that give unbiased advice.

Fortunately for my readers I have already scoured the travel forums and asked some of my friends in Rome as to what is the best pizza restaurant in Rome. For many the choice was unanimous to be Remo which is in the Testaccio district of Rome.

Since this restaurant is known all around to be the best it is always best to be early when eating here. Otherwise you will most likely have to wait in line. This place offers some outdoor eating and captures the spirit of the city through the dishes, people and of course food. There is one major drawback however as this restaurant is closed during all through the month of August. So if you are visiting the city during this time I am sorry but you will be out of luck.

Below you can find the details about this restaurant.

Remo
Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice 44
Rome, Italy
Tel: 06-5746270

Open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 pm to 1 am.

Rome is a great city to visit but not so great if you are on a tight budget. Certainly not as expensive as Venice Italy but this city does rank up there as one of the more expensive places to stay in Europe. If you are a college student then this can seem a bit daunting as your budget is probably tighter then most. So therefore you need the best resources to find a cheap hotel and fortunately I have scoured the web to find you the best resources when looking for a budget hotel in Rome.

The first and best resource I would recommend would be nycerome.com as this has the best selection of 3 star hotels that I have ever encountered. It is a great selection of hotels that makes or breaks a site for me and this site is as comprehensive as you can get. I am most impressed by the range of hotels that this website offers. Not only does this website offer hotel listings but it also offers apartments for short or long term rent so that will go along way in helping those that wish to stay a bit longer in this wonderful city.

The close second website I would recommend would be to check out holidaycityeurope.com as they have also a great selection of hotels. What makes this website more unique then the previous one mentioned is the fact that they break down each hotel by price range. I think it is needless to say that this feature is a boon to many budget travelers and those that can spend just a bit more.

Another favorite of mine is Europe-cities.com which is another great website to check out if you are hunting for that elusive deal on your stay ni Rome. This website claims to have more than 2100 hotels listed just for the city of Rome and like the previous website mentioned they also have apartment listings as well.

Whether you are staying for a short period of time or a longer time period these website are the cream of the crop in my opinion to finding the best deal on any hotel in Rome. Even if you are looking for a short term  apartment stay these websites will be able to help you out as well. Hopefully you will also find these resources as useful as I do but if you do not be sure to tell me about it because I would like to keep only the best websites listed on this blog so as to better serve my audience.