Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
AlmosteveryemperorwhoeverruledRomebuiltapalaceorexpandedupononethatwasalreadythere.AugustusthefirstRomanemperorbuilthispalaceonPalantineHillasdidmanyotherssoyoudontwanttostayinahotelthatistoofarawayfromthisareaofthecity.TheemperorNerolaterburneddownmuchofRomesohecouldexpandhisalreadyenormouspalaceandgardensknownastheGoldenHouse.Youllneedsimilarlyroyalaccommodationstogetinthespiritofthings.IfyouwanttolivelikeanemperorIsuggestyoubookaroomintheexclusiveArtemideHotelhotelartemide.itfilledwithartnouveaudcorandlocatedclosetoallthesightsyouintendtovisitduringyourdaysinRome.Ofcoursedrinksintheminibararecomplimentaryasisthehugegourmetbreakfastbuffetthatwillenergizeyoueachmorning.CanyouimagineanemperorhavingtopayforsuchthingsIntheeveningrelaxandunwindwithadrinkunderneaththeenormousglassdomeofthepalatiallobbyandseeifitremindsyoualittleoftheceilinginthePantheontheancientmonolithyouundoubtedlyvisitedduringyourbusyday.TheemperorHadrianhaditbuilt2000yearsagobutImguessinghecouldnthaveknownthatitwouldstillbestandingtodayorthatitwouldbesurroundedbyseveralexcellentgelatoshops.ConsideredtobethebestgelatoshopinthecityGiolittiisjustafewblocksnorthonViadegliUfficiDelVicario.AlthoughyouwillwanttovisitthePantheonasearlyaspossiblebeforethehordesoftouristsarrivereturnlaterintheeveningtoenjoytheambienceanddinneratoneofthebetterrestaurantsinthecity.WalkpastthecrowdedeateriesoverlookingthePiazzadellaRotundainfrontofthePantheonandgetatableatoneofthebestseafoodrestaurantsyoulleverfindLaRosettajustafewyardsawayonViadellaRotunda.Oneofeasiestandbestwaystovisitasmanyneighborhoodsaspossibleistoventureoutonyourowninsearchofthemajorfountainsthroughoutthecity.Fromtherewanderthroughthesurroundingneighborhoodsandduckintointerestingshopsandcafesasthemoodstrikesyou.Itsnotdifficulttofindthefountainsastheyarequitewell-knownandthelocalswillbedelightedtoguideyouifyougetofftrack.YoudontevenneedtospeakItalian.Justmentionthenameofthefountainorthepiazzainwhichitislocatedandlookconfused.Youmightevenmakeanewfriend.AlthoughthefountainsyoumarvelattodaywerebuiltwellaftertheperiodofthegreatemperorsyoucanthankseveralofthemformakingsureRomehadanadequatesupplyofwaterviaasystemofaqueductsthatisstillinusetoday.ThemostfamousfountaininRomeifnottheworldistheTreviFountain.EndlessriversofsparklingwaterflowoutfrommarblestatuesofwingedhorsesandOceanusthegodofwaterintoalargereflectingpool.Ifyouwanttotakebetterphotographsvisitearlyinthemorning.Ifyouwantamoreromanticambiencevisitverylateatnight.OtherfountainsthatwillenthrallyouandgiveyouacentralbasefromwhichtowanderincludetheFourRiversFountaininPiazzaNavonatheFontanadelTritoneinPiazzaBarberinitheFontanadellaBarcacciajustbelowtheSpanishStepsandthethreefountainsinthePiazzadelPopelo.InotonlylovethesefountainsandthegreatpublicsquarestheyoccupybutalsothesurroundingalleysandnarrowstreetsthatleadawayfromthesouvenirstandsandintotheneighborhoodswherethereallifeofRometakesplace.TheFontanadelleNaiadiortheFountainoftheNymphsisperhapsthemostsensualfountain.ItdecoratesthePiazzadellaRepubblicaandfeaturesacentralpoolonwhichGlaucusawatergodisperchedandsurroundedbyfournymphsthatrepresentthefourtypesofwaterriversoceanslakesandundergroundwaters.Dontjustsnapaphotoandruntothenextsight.Approacheachfountainasifitisaworkofart.Lingergazeandcontemplate.Letthesculpturesandtherushingwaterinspireyou.AndasyoufillyourwaterbottleatanyofthefountainsyoumaywanttoknowthatRomesfirstemperorAugustushadthecitysfouroriginalaqueductsrepairedandrenewed2000yearsagoafterbeingdamagedbyslaveriotswarsandyearsofneglect.HadthoserepairsnotbeendoneyoumightbefillingyourbottleswiththepollutedwaterofthenearbyTiberRiver.Romeisalsoafuncityforshopping.TheViadeiCondottineartheSpanishStepsisoneofthericheststreetsinItalyandoneofthebestforshopping.ItishometoItalystopdesignerstoresincludingArmaniPradaVersaceDolceandGabbanaandGucci.Rejoicethattheshopschangedtheirpolicyofchargingcustomersforsimplywalkinginandtodayeveryoneiswelcomewithoutanyobligationtobuy.Itsalsoentertainingintheeveningstowatchasthecitysmainstreettraffic-filledViadelCorsotransformsintoabustlingpedestrianpromenadebetweenPiazzadelPopoloandPiazzaVenezia.Youcanfearlesslywalkdownthemiddleofthesamestreetwhereyouwerenearlyrunoverafewshorthoursearlier.IcanimaginethatifemperorElagabaluswasalivetodayhecouldbefoundherebuyingafewhundredoutfitsanddozensofpairsofshoes.Helovedclothesandwasfondofappearinginpublicwearingwomensclothingjewelryandmake-up.Strollingupanddowntheaction-filledViadelCorsoinyourbestclothesispopularwithlocalsandtouristsalikebutIprefertoparkmyselfatacafandenjoyaglassofwine.WinemakinghasbeenapartoflifeinthisareasincelongbeforethecityofRomewasestablished.AlthoughtheRomanEmpirecanbecreditedwithspreadingitswinemakingknow-howtoFranceGermanyandSpainthejuiceofthegrapehasbeenmakingpeoplehappyhereasfarbackas800BCduringthetimeoftheGreeksandEtruscans.AfterseveralthousandyearsofpracticeIthinktheyhaveitdownprettywell.NotriptoRomeiscompletewithoutvisitingtheVaticanMuseumandSt.PetersBasilicatherichestandmostimpressivechurchonearth.Makesureyouarenotdressedtoosexyasyouwillnotbepermittedtoenterinmini-skirtsshortsorsleevelessshirts.TheatriumitselfislargerthanmostchurchesandthegeniusofMichelangelosdesignmakesagreatsettingforBerninisgiant70foot-tallbronzecanopythatstandsoverSt.Peterstomb.Everycornerhassomethingtoseeanastoundinglargerthanlifesculptureadazzlingarchitecturalfeatureoranenormouscolumn.Anditgoesonandonandon.Thesheersizeofitallisastonishing.MostoftheemperorseitherhadnothingtodowithChristianityortheytookpleasureinpersecutingChristians.ItwasthefirstChristianemperorConstantinewhoisresponsibleforthespectacleofSt.PetersBasilica.HeordereditsconstructiononthehistoricalsiteoftheCircusofNero.AfterhisruleChristianitygrewandeventuallybecamethedominantreligionintheempire.Asyouroamthecityanddiscoverthesmallerchurchesyoumaybefascinatedbythemaswell.Abonusisthattypicallyyouwillnothavetosharethemwithhundredsofothervisitors.OneofthebestisSanPietroinVincolialsoknownasSt.PeterinChains.ItholdsthechainsthoughttohavebeenwornbySt.PeteraswellasamagnificentstatueofMosesbyMichelangelo.WhenIvisitedinthemiddleofthedaytherewereonlythreeotherpeopleinside.Thereareseveralothersworthseeingevenifyouarenotthechurchgoingtype.ThebeautifulBaroquestyleHolyCrossinJerusalemChurchisoneofRomespopularpilgrimagechurchesandwhichisknownforitscollectionofrelics.TheresalsoareplicaoftheShroudofTurintheshrineofayounggirlbeingconsideredforsainthoodand15thcenturyfrescoesintheapse.SantaMariaMaggioreisaprettychurchwithbeautiful5thcenturyBiblicalmosaics.Itdisplaysalargemedievalmarblefloorbelltoweranddetailedmosaicsonthetriumphalarchandintheloggia.ThesoaringceilingissaidtobedecoratedwithgoldthatColumbusbroughtbackfromthenewworld.TheChurchofSaintJohnisRomescathedralandthefirstchurchofthepopes.ThepopesresidencewasintheadjoiningLateranPalace.ThislocationisthesiteofthefirstChristianchurcheverbuiltinRome.ThecurrentchurchisintheBaroquestyleandhasamuseum.NoneofthesesmallerchurchescancomparetotheartandarchitectureoftheSt.Petersbuttheyarefilledwithhistoryanduniqueworksofartalltheirown.NomatterhowyouspendyourtimeinRomethinkbackifonlyforamomenthowtheinfluenceandimpactofpeoplethousandsofyearsagocanstillbefeltinthepresent.Someoftheemperorsweretyrants.Somewereheroes.AllofthemcontributedtotheRomeyouexperiencetoday.ViaNazionale2200184RomaItalia3906489911hotelartemide.itWhenInRomePalatiumRiccioliCafRoscioliSeptember2011RoaminthePathofEmperorsbyontheViaFrattinaneartheSpanishSteps.TheyspecializeinlocalLazioRegionwines.justoffthePiazzadelleCoppelle.ItisrunbythechefatLaRosettawithmorethan300winesfromwhichtochoose.onViadeiGiubbonarinearCampodeiFiori.Itisalwayscrowdedandoffersplentyofdeliciousfoodtoo.4TRAVELForthebestwineinRometryoneofthesewinebarsMATTSIMSRomeisfulloftourists.TheyshufflefromoneinterestingsighttoanotherintourbusesandtrailaftertourguidesbeforebeingunleasheduponmediocrerestaurantswhichpretendtoofferauthenticItaliancuisine.IfyoufollowthemyouwillseethemajorsightsandreturnhomesafelywithacamerafullofphotoscrowdedwithstrangersbutyouwillnotexperienceRome.IfyoureallywanttoknowwhatthisincrediblecityhastooffertakeafewlessonsfromRomesformeremperors.HotelArtemide