The historic city is often described as "one of the most romantic cities on Earth". From the old quarter and its historic buildings to the modern and dynamic architecture of the newer districts there are amazing sites and sounds to behold.
Although the city is busy and full of hustle and bustle there are numerous quiet courtyards and piazzas where you can relax and enjoy the romantic atmosphere.
Considered by many as the “global focal point of architecture, art and history” it is one of the most exciting, fast paced, yet relaxing cities on the face of the Earth.
Although highly enjoyable, a weekend break or short vacation here will not give you anywhere near enough time in which to attempt to see the most popular sites that you can find here. To get the full experience of this resort you need to take numerous vacations here, which is what many travellers decide to do once they have enjoyed their first holiday here.
The resort acted as the centre of theRoman Empirefor more than one thousand years and this is present throughout the area in the architecture and design of the old quarter.
You can see this more clearly when you begin to uncover the many monuments for which the resort is famous for.
Artists such as Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci and Raphael used places such as the Pantheon, the Castel Sant´Angelo, the Colosseum and the Baths of Caracalla as influences to their works and this influence remains strong here to the present day and can be experienced first hand in places such as the National Gallery of Modern Art and the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City, which are both a “must” if you are planning to take a vacation here in the future.
The centre of the resort can be divided into different districts. The Modern Centre, the Old Quarter,Vatican, Colosseo, North Centre, Trastevere, Aventino-Testaccio, Esquilino-San Giovanni and Nomentano all compose the centre of the resort.
The modern centre is where many of the shopping areas, restaurants and eateries and hotels are located alongside and around the famous Via Veneto.
The Old Quarter, here you can find the Pantheon and many beautiful cathedrals, squares and piazzas. This area is also very popular with diners and there are restaurants here to suit all tastes and budgets.
ThePapalCityStateotherwise known as theVaticanis a site seers delight. There is a multitude of museums, relics and sites for you to marvel at. This area is also home to the Italian neighbourhood.
The Colosseo is considered to be the “heart of ancientRome” , here you can find historic sites and buildings such as the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, theCapitolineand the Forum of Augustus.
The neighbourhoods of Parioli and Salario in addition to the Spanish Steps and Villa Borghese make up the Northen Centre of the capital.
The Trastevere is located on the western bank of the River Tiber to the south of theVatican. This area is made up of a maze of ancient cobbled streets, plazas and piazzas which have all served as inspiration for some of the most famous artists to come from the cities streets. In fact the area is now popular with the latest crop of aspiring Roman artists.
Aventino-Testaccio is a fantastic place for travelling gastronomes. The area is somewhat off the beaten track for the majority of tourists who chose to take a vacation here, but don´t let this put you off. The more relaxed and less crowded atmosphere of the area gives way to cheaper priced meals without any drop in quality.
Esquilino-San Giovanni is a short distance south of Termini. Here you can see the beautiful Piazza Vittorio Emanuele and the magnificent Cathedral of Rome Saint John in Lateran and browse for holiday souvenirs in the large covered market.
For partygoers the district of Nomentano is a must. There are many popular bars, nightclubs and discos to be found in the San Lorenozo area which is located behind the main train station.
This destination is easily accessible from theUKandIreland. Many of the international airports in theUKandIrelandfly here on a daily basis. The average flight time fromLondonbased airports is around two and a half hours in total.
There are two main airports which serve this resort. Leonardo da Vinci/Fiumicino International Airport is the main airport of the capital and which is well connected to the centre by both road and rail.
The other airport,CiampinoInternationalAirportis located to the south west of the centre and this airport is the preffered airport for budget passenger carriers such as Ryanair and Easyjet.
As with most other European destinations, spring and summer are the best times (weather wise) to visit. That is not to say that you should not travel here during autumn and winter, it will just be colder, but there are still just as many things to see and do.
In the summer months temperatures can rise to in excess of 30ºC however the average for the months of June, July and August is around the 28ºC mark.
The resort is at its most quiet between November and February and there may be some rain during this period. So if you fancy doing some Christmas shopping in November and December then make sure that you travel with adequate clothing such as a good pair of boots, hat, umbrella and a waterproof and warm jacket.
Although the resort may be quieter during the winter months driving throughout the centre is to be avoided. It is far better to take advantage of the good public transportation system that is in place to get yourself around. A network of trams, a metro, trains and buses afford easy access to all the different areas of the resort and at a very economical price. However taxis may seem like an “easy option” but they can be very expensive and should be used with caution.
All in all this fantastic resort really does have something to offer the modern day traveller, so give it serious consideration the next time you are planning a well earned vacation.