The city of Rome has to be slowly savored and cherished like a glass of wine – you need to plan and organize your touring activities before embarking on touring Rome. Choose the most popular and crowded tourist attraction first and begin your tour from there. This will give you time to enjoy the pace of the city which is an integral part of every tourist experience and the freedom to lounge and enjoy your tour.

Piazza Navona: Discovering the history

Technically speaking, Piazza Navona is a long shaped square ringed by steps and houses. In the glorious days of the Roman Empire, the Piazza used to serve as a stadium. It was called the ‘Circus Agonalis’ which stands for the literal translation of competition area. In the 15th century, the Piazza became the center of the city’s thriving market center and later came to be reputed as the Baroque architectural center.

Architectural and historical marvels

The Piazza market place was moved in 1869 and henceforth, the Piazza became the hosting site for Sunday feats, theatrical shows and horse races. The Piazza has three major manmade water attractions of an artificial lake and two impressive foundations sculpted by Giacomo della Porta. The fountains are called the Fontana di Nettuno built in 1574 and, the Fontana del Moro built in 1576. Originally designed by Bernini, the Piazza also has beautiful sculptures by Girolamo Rainaldi and by Bernini himself. It also holds a church designed by Pietro da Cortona.

Traveling and Sightseeing

Getting to the heart of the city, i.e. the Piazza Navona is usually by foot. As the Piazza is undergoing heavy restorations of its building and churches, admittance is free. Your best mode of traveling is getting to the street opposite the Piazza by bus or by train. People with disabilities prefer traveling by bus. Certain routed buses offer a one euro pass. The pass allows you to travel that entire day without any worry of travel cost. The area is always crowded with tourists all year round but international tourists prefer the seasonal time of late autumn in early October. A tourist is advised to dress appropriately – shorts and sleeveless clothing are frowned upon inside the Piazza churches.

Stay and have fun

Tourists usually view the Piazza as a fun area. It is considered romantic and adventurous. But one has to beware of pickpockets and, always travel in groups. As a tourist you will prefer to live in a nearby inn and prefer roadside eating. The area is dotted with many eateries and cyber cafes. Head for a Pizzeria and treat yourself to Italian food delights of kosher, ice cream, pizza and trippa. The Piazza also boasts of some vegetarian restaurants and wine shops. Bargaining forms the best possible method to buy any type of item in the Piazza. The Piazza has something for everyone. Piazza Navona is an extremely lively place with open air cafes around it. During the summer there are numerous artists who draw or paint members of the public for a fee. The place is crowded each day and there are often buskers and sometimes mimes to entertain. At Christmas time the piazza is filled with stalls selling figurines of all sizes and forms for cribs. It is an adequate spot for picnickers with safe drinking water from the fountains. The fountain water is safe fresh spring water. The fountains at Piazza run constantly offering you drinking water all round the clock.

Accommodation

Tourists who choose the Piazza as their first tourist stop usually look to stay near the sea. It provides the sounds of the exotic old world charm as well the hustle and bustle of the Piazza. Hotel Belvedere Century and Hotel Ping Pong provide modern and traditional facilities. Another option for the more daring and adventurous tourist would be camping. This is a cheap option and gives you freedom to choose your mode of sightseeing at your own pace. Happy Valley and Camping Tiber form the two popular camping sites of the city. Sightseeing in Rome is incomplete if you have not toured the Piazza on foot.