Roman One-Day Holiday

You can’t come to Italy and not see Rome. After all, all roads lead there. So on Thursday, March 29, Chip and I boarded a train to follow one of those roads to this famous city. We wanted to have our own Roman holiday, à la Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck; fortunately, we had a little more time in Rome than they had, a little more than a day.

Rome is about one-and-a-half hours by train from Florence, making it convenient to visit. We arrived at the Roma Termini station at 9:55 a.m. and booked a room at the Hotel Giuliana, which is within walking distance. After we checked in, we left immediately. After all, we had a lot of ground to cover in a very limited amount of time.

We started out in the general direction of the Colosseo (Coliseum) and soon learned one thing: all roads might lead to Rome, but the roads within Rome are extremely difficult to follow. Even with our detailed map, we felt hopelessly lost. It’s clear that the streets were laid out with no definite plan over the years; they twist and turn in every direction. This actually makes navigation quite challenging, but interesting nonetheless as you never quite know where you’ll end up.

Somehow, though, we did end up at the Coliseum, Rome’s greatest amphitheater, commissioned in the year 72. It was within these walls that gladiators battled and wild animals fought, all to the chants and cheers of boisterous crowds of up to 55,000 people. It is said that during the inaugural games, which were held in the year 80, that over 9,000 wild animals were killed. I can’t even imagine how many total were slaughtered over the years. Rather appalling, don’t you think?

Despite that, we would have loved to have seen the inside, but no such luck. That’s because the crowds were thick and the lines were long. There was no way we were going to spend our valuable time in Rome standing in line. So we made our way through the throngs of tourists, vendors, and scam artists, in desperate search of someplace a little less crowded. But, alas, there was nowhere like that to be found in Rome, at least that we could immediately find.

Perhaps I’ve gotten used to the peaceful life in Florence, but I felt overwhelmed by Rome. In fact, both of us did. It was crowded, loud, dirty. Cars, trucks, and Vespas whipped by everywhere, filling the air with soot and exhaust. Graffiti covered the walls everywhere we looked. We saw two people shooting up on one of the bridges over the Tiber. We thought to ourselves, “What are we doing here?” Certainly there was more to Rome than this, so we set off in search of it.

We first stopped at the Palatino (Palatine), the hill on which Rome was founded and once the home to the wealthy aristocrats of Rome. Archaeologists have located mud huts here dating back to the 8th century BC. Amazing! We were most excited to see the House of Livia, where Augustus is believed to have lived with his wife Livia. The house is supposed to be amazingly well-preserved, with even some of the original paintings intact on the walls. Guess what? Yes, we arrived to find that the House of Livia was closed for maintenance, bringing back memories of Venice.

So instead of paying to enter the Palatine, we decided to walk through the Circo Massimo (Circus Maximus), the long expanse of grass (1,1875 feet long and 600 feet wide) that was the location of the infamous chariot races, dating back to 600 BC. Today it’s a park, but it’s easy to visualize what it was like in the days of the Romans. Charioteers would perform before audiences of up to 385,000 people. On race days, the grandstands were lined with places to eat, drink ,and shop, not to mention the stalls operated by prostitutes and gamblers. Those Romans were wild, crazy people, and it is said that they were loud, boisterous, and blood-thirsty. Yes, things are much calmer these days, and Chip couldn’t resist the temptation to run down the center, in the tracks of the chariots.

After crossing through the Circus Maximum, we climbed Via di Monte Caprino for some excellent views of the Roman Forum (which we would eventually visit the next day). We then walked by the Teatro Marcello (Theatre of Marcellus), a theatre built by Augustus in 11 BC. All these centuries later, the theatre still serves its original purpose. During the summer concert-goers can enjoy music under the stars. That would be magical and, dare I say, peaceful.

Our path then led us over the Ponte Fabricio to Isola Tiberina (Tiberina Island), an island in the Fiume Tevere (Tiber River). Here is located a city hospital. Interestingly, this island has been dedicated to healing since 291 BC. Amazing! But crossing the Tiber, we both remarked that it’s not nearly as pretty as the Arno in Florence. Have we been completely spoiled?

We continued our walk along the Tiber toward the northern part of Rome, stopping for lunch along the way on a small side street near Campo de’Fiori (Field of Flowers), one of Rome’s bustling fresh food marketplaces. The street we found was lined with antique shops, and, although the location was actually quiet and peaceful, the lunch itself was pretty subpar, with poor service to boot. Ah, Rome!

Our next stop was Piazza Navona, which in the first century was the home of a stadium where chariot races were held. It began being used as a piazza in the 17th century, during which time Bernini built the magnificent fountain that still serves as the centerpiece for the piazza. The fountain, entitled Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (the Fountain of the Four Rivers), contains statues of the four great rivers of that time (the Nile, the Plate, the Ganges, and the Danube). I have often seen this fountain in pictures and films. What a thrill it was to see this masterpiece in person. Were things finally looking up?

Yes, they most certainly were. Next we walked over to the Pantheon, the Roman “temple of all the Gods,” and the most well-preserved ancient building in Rome. The first building on this site dates back to 27 BC, and the current structure was built in the year 118. We were excited to learn that entry to the Pantheon was free, and were even more excited to find that the interior wasn’t overly crowded, even with no admission fee. The dome inside the Pantheon is amazing to see. Its circular opening (called the oculus, representing the “all-seeing eye of heaven”) provides the only source of light. The dome itself is massive; in fact, until 1960, it was the largest ever built (I’ll have to do some research to find out what has surpassed it). Another amazing thing about the Pantheon is that it still has its original bronze doors, which are over 1,800 years old. They knew how to build things in those days!

After admiring the Pantheon, we continued our wanders through the maze of streets. And then, suddenly, we turned a corner and that was the Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain). What a complete joy it was to come up on this with no warning whatsoever! Nicola Salvi designed this fountain, which was completed in 1762. It provides a whimsical look at sea mythology. The statue features Neptune surrounded by two Tritons. It's probably one of the best-known and best-loved sights in Rome, having been featured in the 1954 film Three Coins in the Fountain and, most famously, in Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. Today it’s possibly the world’s most famous wishing well. You see, legend has it that if you throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain, that you will return to Rome one day. We both gave it a try!

By now we were absolutely exhausted, feeling as if we had walked miles. We went back to the hotel to rest up before our evening explorations began. When we felt refreshed, we went back out, this time heading for the Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps. Both take their name from the Spanish Embassy to the Vatican, which is located on the piazza. The steps were built in 1723. At the foot of the steps is Bernini’s Fontana dell Barcaccia (the Fountain of the Old Boat). The steps then rise up to the top of the hill, on which is located the Trinità dei Monti (Trinity of the Mount), interestingly a French church. The streets surrounding the piazza and steps make up one of the most exclusive areas of Rome. They are lined with designer shops and expensive restaurants and cafés. The area has long attracted the rich and famous and was one of the must-see stops on the Grand Tour. For centuries artists, writers, and composers have come here for inspiration, including Dickens, Stendhal, Balzac, Thackeray, Edith Wharton, and Byron. And John Keats lived in a house right at the foot of the steps (more on that later).

And, of course, the Spanish Steps were made even more famous by the film Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. It was here that the princess enjoyed her first gelato after getting her hair freshly cut to avoid detection. If you haven’t yet seen this film, you should add it to your must-see list. It’s a classic.

We climbed the Spanish Steps, 136 in all, and were rewarded with wonderful views of Rome. We continued along the road, high above Rome, toward the Piazza del Popolo, one of the largest in Rome. Although the piazza was designed in the early 1800s, the obelisk in the middle is 3,000 years old. As we got closer to the piazza, we noticed that it was filled with some type of sculpture, hundreds of them, all standing in perfect lines. As we got even closer, I said, “Chip, I think they’re made of trash.” And sure enough, that’s exactly what they were: Trash People.

This amazing exhibit has been making the rounds throughout the world, and this happened to be the last night in Rome. How fortunate we were to stumble upon it like this! German artist Ha Schult created these 1,000 life-sized statues completely out of recycled trash, everything from Coke cans to keyboards. The Rome mayor, Walter Veltroni, was quoted as saying, “This exhibition invites people to reflect on the importance of our ecosystem for our quality of life,” Indeed it does. This was the exhibit’s first trip to Italy; it has also been displayed by the Great Wall of China, next to the Egyptian pyramids, and in Moscow’s Red Square, among other places. The reason that it was in Rome at this time was to mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which was the document that formed the European Union. It truly is an incredible, inspiring thing to see.

But now it was time for dinner. We selected the Trattoria Otello alla Concordia for our only dinner in Rome, and it turned out to be an excellent choice. This charming restaurant is located off Via della Croce in a cobbled courtyard. The main dining room contains a wonderful cornucopia fountain. The author Barbara Grizzuti Harrison described this fountain in her book Italian Days as “an emblem of Italy’s generosity of spirit.” How could we have chosen anywhere else to go?

Yes, things in Rome definitely improved as the day went on. And Friday turned out to be even better, even though we had just half a day to spend there. Part of the reason is that we got up early and were able to return to the ancient center of Rome before all of the tour buses arrived. What a difference! We were actually able to wander around the Roman Forum alone. This is really the only way to experience the grandeur of what the Romans were able to create so long ago. In Roman days the Forum was filled with food stalls, brothels, temples, and the Senate House. Later in the 2nd century BC, business centers and law courts moved in, making the area more respectable. Today you can walk through the ruins, admiring what has survived of these ancient buildings. Words just can’t describe the feelings these amazing structures evoke.

Our next destination was Santa Maria in Cosmedi, the 6th-century church that houses the famous Bocca dell Verità (Mouth of Truth) in its portico. This huge round marble face is thought to have been an ancient drain cover. A legend dating back to Medieval times says that the jaws will snap shut and if a liar places his or her hand in the mouth. This legend was made even more famous by the film Roman Holiday. In fact, this is perhaps my favorite scene in the film. Both Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck are lying to each other about their true identities. Seeing their facial expressions and reactions when they place their hands in the mouth is priceless. Audrey does it nervously, and Gregory manages to get his hand inside his jacket sleeve so that when he removes it, it looks as if the statue has indeed bitten off his hand. Audrey shrieks when he does this, followed by laughter. (I saw an interview with Gregory Peck once in which he said that this was not in the script; he came up with it on his own. So when he removed his arm, Audrey’s shriek was genuine.) Of course, Chip couldn’t resist playing Gregory for a day! Fortunately, we both walked away with our hands intact.

After testing our honesty, we walked over to Piazza el Campidoglio. This stately piazza was designed by Michelangelo in the 16th century, and it is indeed stunning. The piazza is surrounded by the Capitoline Museums, which unfortunately we didn’t have time to visit. But we did have time to enjoy the magnificent views over the Roman Forum. We also loved seeing the bronze statue depicting the twins Romulus and Remus nursing on a wolf. You see, legend has it that these twins were abandoned and raised by a wolf on the Palatine. At some point, Romulus killed his brother, after which he founded the village that became Rome. It’s quite a legend, but believed by many to be true.

Next, we walked back to the Spanish Steps, clear across the city. It’s amazing how much shorter a distance seems after you’ve done it once. Our reason for returning was to visit the Keats Shelley Memorial House at the foot of the steps. We arrived minutes before a school group was due for a guided tour, and the young many leading the tour invited us to join along. We learned that Keats lived in this house for a short time, until his death there in 1821 at the age of 25. In his very short life, he managed to produce a body of work that makes him one of the world’s most famous Romantic poets. His home is now a museum dedicated to Romantic poets, including his contemporary Percy Bysshe Shelley. The tour was wonderful and very informative and included a reading of Keats work in both English and Italian. Delightful!

Our last stop for the day continued with the literary theme. Caffè Greco is located on Via Condotti, just off the Piazza di Spagna. It was here that many famous foreign tourists gathered, including Keats, Shelley, Goethe, Stendhall, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Thackeray, Leopardi, and Twain. Today it’s a national monument, but it still serves up food a drink to foreign tourists, and the walls are lined with photographs of its famous customers. What a perfect way to end our day in Rome, which turned out to be a pretty wonderful holiday after all.