Sprawling and noisy, Rome
wears its incredible imperial
past on its sleeve. There’s no
need to visit museums to see
ancient relics and architecture
– a wander through the
streets and you’ll step back
thousands of years to a time
when the Roman Empire ruled
Europe and beyond. Romans
today are fashionable, family-
oriented and proud of their
glorious city.
BEAUTIFUL VIEW
For a picture-perfect view,
local Romans peep through the
keyhole at the front of the Priory
of the Knights of Malta. They
are rewarded with the sight of
St Peter’s Basilica in the nearby
Vatican City. St Peter’s dome rises
majestically above terracotta
buildings and distinctive
umbrella pine trees.
COLOSSEUM
This is Rome’s tourist hot spot. Four million people
a year come to gaze at the ancient amphitheatre
and imagine the wild animal hunts, bloody gladiator
bouts, ceremonies and shows that once took place
inside. Romans viewed the sacrifice of humans
and animals as entertainment. During the show
celebrating the opening of the Colosseum in
80 AD, more than 5,000 animals were killed.
The sand in the arena was often dyed red
to disguise the blood stains.
ALL ROADS
LEAD TO ROME
Romans love to buzz around
their beautiful city on scooters.
Navigating the car-clogged roads
on two wheels can be risky. But
then again, Romans take their cars
and scooters to church each year to
be blessed. In March, they zoom
to the Festa di Santa Francesca
Romana to celebrate the patron
saint of drivers.
NO FIBBING!
La Bocca della Verità
(the Mouth of Truth),
carved in stone in the porch of the church of
Santa Maria in Cosmedin, is no ordinary sculpture.
Since the 17th century, the wild-haired face has
earned a reputation as a lie detector. Tell a lie
while your hand is placed in its mouth and
you risk having it bitten off.
TREVI FOUNTAIN
Rome has over 2,000 stunning fountains, but the magnificent
Trevi sculpture in travertine stone is definitely the most famous. Oceanus
is shown riding a shell-shaped chariot led by Tritons and two sea horses.
Visitors who love Rome should turn their back to the fountain and throw
a coin over their left shoulder into the water, to ensure their return to
the city. People say an average of £2,100 gets chucked in daily.
WHEN IN ROME...
…do as the Romans do and eat both
heartily and healthily. Local cuisine
features simple ingredients such
as lamb, cod and vegetables
flavoured with pork fat, garlic
and herbs. Specialities include
bucatini all’amatriciana
(hollow pasta in a tomato and
pork cheek sauce) and carciofi
alla romana
(stuffed artichokes).
SPOOKY RECYCLING
Capuchin monks had an interesting take on interior design.
They kitted out a cemetery in the crypt of their church,
Convento dei Cappuccini, with bones! They used femurs for
chandeliers, skulls to build archways and the bones of 4,000 of
their departed brothers to deck out the macabre monument to
death. Some skeletons they left whole – and dressed.
DUMPED AT BIRTH
Everywhere in Rome you can spot images and souvenirs
featuring a she-wolf suckling two little boys. These are the
twins Romulus and Remus. Legend says that they were
abandoned at birth and left to drift in a basket on the River
Tiber. But they were saved by a she-wolf. Once grown-up,
they decided to build a city on the spot where the wolf
had found them. Unfortunately the brothers quarrelled and
Romulus killed Remus, naming the city Rome after himself.