'''Old Rome''' is the historic medieval and renaissance center of Rome. While the oldest section of Rome is at the Forum, and the Modern Center has shifted to the Via Veneto, Old Rome remains the city's most charming district, with lovely piazzas (squares) and streets to wander and find small cafes and restaurants. Old Rome includes the neighborhoods of Navona, Campo de' Fiori, Pantheon, and the Ghetto.
Get in
See
Chiesa Il Gesu. ia degli Astalli, 16. iazza del Gesu; not far from Piazza Venezia towards Largo di Torre Argentina.. 39 06 69 70 01. This is the Jesuits church in Rome. The interior is Baroque art on steroids. Simply astounding.
Largo di Torre Argentina. Not, as commonly believed, named after the country but after a tower that used to stand in the area. Four Roman Republican-era temples, Pompey's theater and a Roman public toilet have been excavated. The largo is also home to a large number of cats which are tended by the local animal rights organization. (Purportedly a jab at Mussolini who excavated the area and is said to have hated cats.)
Piazza Colonna. Where there is the building of the Italian Government, Palazzo Chigi. Also there is a marvelous carved column (hence the name) dating back to Imperial Rome.
Piazza della Minerva'. A small piazza just behind the Pantheon. The centerpiece is a statue of an elephant by Bernini with an ancient obelisk on its back.
Santa Minerva. iazza della Minerva 1. ww.basilicaminerva.it. aria. lla. This church is literally right behind the Pantheon. It is Rome's only Gothic church, and well worth seeing, although its plain square facade makes it look inconspicuous.
Piazza di Sant'Ignazio. Small and attractive piazza tucked away in a neighborhood near Pantheon.
Sant'Ivo della Sapienza. orso del Rinascimento, 40. This little church is hard to find but well worth the extra effort although it is often closed when you get there. Bellini's masterpiece. It is located only a block from Piazza Navona, but not usually visible from the street, as one must enter the courtyard of an old palazzo to reach the church. Sant'Ivo is a small church shaped like the Star of David, with an amazing star-shaped dome and whimsical steeple.
Piazza Montecitorio. Where you can find the building of the House of Representatives.
San Luigi dei Francesi. iazza San Luigi dei Francesi, 5. This church is roughly halfway between Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. It is most notable for a side chapel which contains three Caravaggio masterworks: "The Calling of St. Matthew", "St. Matthew and the Angel" and "Martyrdom of St. Matthew".
Sant'Ignazio. A Via del Caravita. Not far from the Pantheon. A stunning example of Baroque art. The ceiling frescoes are especially fine, including a trompe l'oeuil dome by the master Andrea Pozzo.
Historical buildings
Palazzo della Cancelleria. orso Vittorio Emanuele II. iazza della Cancelleria . This remarkable building served as the site of the Apostle Chancellory, or offices of the Pope, for centuries, and now houses a vatican court.
Palazzo Farnese. iazza Farnese 67. 39 06 68892818. hone for opening times. Since 1871 this has been the French Embassy. This sixteenth century palace houses a library of collections by the French school in Rome, particularly on Roman archaeology. Note the two beautiful fountains in the piazza.
Palazzo della Sapienza. orso Rinascimento 9. us 70 81, 87, 492; Close to Navona square. 39 06 686 4987. This building housed the University of Rome since the middle of the 15th century until 1935. The splendid interior courtyard was created by Giacomo della Porta. The inside church of St Ivo is one of the masterpieces of Architect Borromini.
Palazzo Altemps. ranch of the Roman National Museum. ia Sant' Apollinare 8. us 70, 81, 87, 492. 39 06 6897091. ttp://www.roma2000.it/zmunaro.html. Simple and elegant lines make up this building, whose construction began in 1480 for Count Girolamo Riario, nephew of Papa Sisto IV and was taken up by architect Martino Longhi for the new owner, Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps. Today it houses one of the branches of the National Museum of Rome, showcasing Renaissance Sculptures and the museums Egyptian collection.
Palazzo Taverna. ia di Monte Giordano. The building is located in one of the most hidden corners of the city center among the Navona square and Castel Sant Angelo. It served as residence for the Orsini Family. Nowadays it is private property and one can only glance at the courtyard and the amazing fountain inside, erected in 1618 by architect Antonio Casoni. However, the brief moment is worth it.
Palazzo Crivelli. ia dei Banchi vecchi 22. This building also known as the Doll House was built in the 16th century. It is unique for the quantity and quality of the decorations - lions heads, satyrs and disfigured heads that adorn the facade attributed to the sculptor Giulio Mazzoni.
Palazzo Spada. iazza Capo di Ferro. This building was erected in the 16th century by Giulio Merisi Caravaggio for Cardinal Capodiferro. One century later it was acquired by another powerful Cardinal, Bernardino Spada and was restored by Borromini.
Campo de' Fiori
If it is sunny, you'll catch a few young people and older gentlemen sitting at the base of a statue in the middle of the open space The statute is a brooding, hooded Giordano Bruno - an excommunicated Dominican monk burnt at the stake for heresy on this spot on 17 Feb. 1600. The piazza is used as a marketplace during the day, and party central for college students and tourists at night.
When the sky gets dark and the street lamps go on, the Campo de' Fiori fills with people and lovers wander arm in arm in the crowd. Over the buzzing of conversation and the occasional burst of laughter you may hear a young vocalist belt out ''O Sole Mio'' at the top of his lungs as change plunks into his accordion case. In nearby ''via dei Giubbonari'' the ''Salumeria Roscioli'' is worth checking out.
Piazza Navona
The Piazza Navona, the pride of Baroque Rome, was established towards the end of the 15th century, and preserves the shape of the ancient Stadium of Domitian. The buildings surrounding the square stand where the spectators once sat, watching the murderous spectacle of the Roman games. The square remains completely unspoilt by traffic and modern buildings. Today, the square is an immensely popular place to sip a cappuccino, shop, and watch street performers. Behind the piazza at the northern end, you can still see remains of the chariot racing stadium well below the current ground level. Amongst the various monuments of the square monuments, look especially for the two Baroque masterpieces by Bernini and Borromini.
'''Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi''' (Fountain of the Four Rivers) - by Bernini, in the very centre of the square, incorporates an Egyptian obelisk and symbolises four of the world's great rivers (the Ganges, the Nile, the Danube and the Plata), representing the four continents known at the time.
Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone. by Borromini, reputed to be on the spot where St. Agnes was martyred in the fourth century A.D.
Fontana del Moro. ountain of the Moor. At the southern end of the Piazza, designed by Bernini but the main statue of the Moor was done by Giacomo della Porta and the other statues are 19th-century copies of the originals.
Fontano di Nettuno. ountain of Neptune. a 19th century addition to the square, made to balance the Fontana del Moro
Sant'Agnese in Agone. ia di Santa Maria dell' Anima 30 . t Piazza Navona. This lovely basilica church is small with an almost circular interior. It is undergoing rehabilitation and the facade and dome are hidden in scaffolding. It seems to be open only until noon.
Piazza Pasquino. Piazza about 20m from Piazza Navona. There is a statue here named "Pasquino", apparently named after a tailor working nearby who had a reputation for complaining. The statue is now used as a place to hang messages, complaints and other opinions which has to be shared with the world. The piazza is also home to Cul de Sac, one of the best enoteca in Rome.
Pantheon
The Pantheon. iazza della Rotonda. Originally built in 27 BCE, by emperor Hadrian (AD 125-128), is a marvel of ancient architecture, the ancient temple is celebrated for its large dome, was as a temple to all the gods of the Roman state religion, but has served as a Christian church since the 7th century. It is the only building from the Graeco-Roman world which has remained substantially intact and in continuous use throughout to the present day, and as it is still a functioning church, silence is requested during your visit. From inside the Pantheon, you'll see traces of the former bronze ceiling, melted down during the reign of Pope Urban VIII to make bombards to for the fortification of the Castel Sant' Angelo. The hole in the center of the ceiling, though, is an original feature designed for architectural reasons (the dome would collapse without it.) Guides will tell you the spectacular doors are original, but the original bronze doors were also melted down by Pope Urban and might have been used to create Borromini and Bernini's Baldacchino in Saint Peter's. The dome is now the third largest masonry dome in the world. The first is at St. Peter's and the second is at Haggia Sophia.<br><br>
The site surrounding the Pantheon offers a lesson in archaeological stratigraphy. The building now appears to be built in a recess at the edge of a hill, but this is not the original appearance. The street level at the sides and rear has risen about 10 meters since the original construction due to the accumulation of debris from 2,000 years of settlement. This has necessitated the maintenance of the deep trench that keeps the building from being buried.<br><br>
If you're in Rome and it happens to be '''raining''', you should definitely go to the Pantheon to see the rain pouring into the building through the hole in the ceiling, and that's a rather unique view. When it starts raining the center of the Pantheon is separated by a rope but you can walk around the drops falling in the middle of the building. There are holes in the ground that drain the water.
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Do
Wander the stalls of the Campo de' Fiori market. From farm fresh vegetables to spices to kitchen implements - it is a colorful and busy place.
Buy
Campo de' Fiori is one of the oldest open air markets in Rome. The day starts as early as 3:30 AM, when the first "fruttivendolo" drive up, and by 8 AM, under wide umbrellas, tables overflow with an abundance of brightly colored fruit and vegetables. Organically home-grown by people who have, more often than not, been farming for generations. At East end, near one of the best sandwich shops in all of Rome, is the flower stand absolutely bursting in color and fragrance. The "Campo" is filled with tourists, locals, families, school groups and musicians until 3 PM, when the booths are taken down, packed in to cars, carts and trucks with the produce and driven away, and a loud, white, behemoth of a street cleaner sweeps through the square, cleaning up left over greens, wrappers and trash.
Eat
'''Cooking for yourself'''. In Campo de' Fiori you won't have any trouble finding local food shops and there's also a food market right in the square in the morning. Cooking at home is cheap.
Aristocampo. n the closest corner opposite the Drunken Ship. Offers delicious sandwiches.
Chagat at 66th. osher Fast food. ia S. Maria del Pianto 66. ewish ghetto. 397(0)6/6861267. 0:00am-10:30 pm. euros shwarma. Kosher fast food Known as the orange fastfood in the heart of the Jewish Ghetto
Cul de Sac. iazza Pasquino 73. ear Piazza Navona. 6-68801094. itchen works until 1am. In Aug, closed for 2 weeks. One of the best enoteca in Rome, serving a wide range of small dishes. The pate selection is a must-try.
Della Palma. Located just a couple blocks away from the Pantheon, this is an excellent gelateria with 140 different flavors. Prices are very reasonable.
Forno di Campo de' Fiori. ampo de' Fiori. For lunch in try the Forno , a traditional bread shop that makes one of the best kinds of pizza bread in Rome. With your back to the Giordano Bruno statue in the middle of the square, the Forno is at the bottom of the square to the left.
Gelateria Giolitti. ia degli Uffici del Vicario 40. Originally opened in 1800, very popular amongst locals, tourists, and the late Pope John Paul II was known to be a regular customer. Arguably the best ice cream in Rome. About 4 Euro for a large cup and 2 euros for a regular cone.
Il Bacaro. ia degli Spagnoli 27. 39.06.6872554. ttp://www.ilbacaro.com. You_fd never know that you are three minutes walk from Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. Via degli Spagnoli is tiny, leafy and quiet. Il Bacaro seats about 24 inside and even fewer outside under the shade of an ancient vine. Great selection of wine. In general a great stop for a romantic meal in the Eternal City.
Il Portico. ia del Portico di Ottavia, 1/E. n the Jewish Ghetto. Small indoor/outdoor restaurant with local cuisine. Must tries include the Roman specialty "trippa", tripe simmered in a light tomato sauce and sprinkled generously with parmasean. Risotto is also fantastic. The staff is warm and friendly, if not with a full grasp of the English language.
La Taverna Del Ghetto. ia Portico d'Ottavia 8. 6.688.09.771. ttp://www.latavernadelghetto.com. Meat restaurant, excellent lamb dishes.
McDonalds . With what must be the best view in the city - across the Piazza to the Pantheon and rotunda.
Pizzeria da Baffetto. ia del Governo Vecchio, 114. 39.06.6861617. Old-fashioned, family feel pizzeria near Piazza Navona & the Pantheon, unarguably serving some of the best pizzas in Rome. Usually crowded but well-worth the occasional queuing.
Pyramid. n a side lane past the Drunken Ship towards Piazza Farnese. Egyptian-owned, has nice felafel, kebab and shishtaouk sandwiches.
Supperclub. ia de'Nari, 14 (Pantheon). 6 6880 7207. ttp://www.supperclub.com/. Don't come to supperclub if you're in search of a traditional restaurant, have lazy taste buds or are scared of new experiences. However, if you're looking for an unusual dinner experience in an unexpected place and are not afraid to discover the creative corners of your personality, then knock on supperclub's door. Have fun, eat, listen, dance and enjoy your evening.
Tapa Loca. ia di Tor Millina 5. ear Piazza Navona. 6 68 32 266. Spanish food.
Drink
Among the two most popular bars in Campo de' Fiori, particularly for American backpackers and exchange students, are Sloppy Sam's and the Drunken Ship. Both are nice for a quiet afternoon drink but are usually quite noisy at night, with specials most nights to encourage business.
Caffe Novecento. ia del Governo Vecchio 12. ehind the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. 66865242. loses at 10 PM. Offers a very good variety of cakes, sweets, coffee and tea. The furnishing are nice, with couches as seats at some tables. Prices are mid-high range but worth every single cent.
Sleep
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Al Centro di Roma B&B. l Centro di Roma. iazza Sant'Andrea della Valle, 3. iazza Navona. 393407936216. ttp://www.bbalcentrodiroma.com/. rom ?90. Bed and Breakfast in the center of Rome, between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.
BEST Pantheon. . Vittorio Emanuele II, 21 (Piazza Navona). 393358714840. ttp://www.bestbb.it. oubles: ?120-200. A relatively new B&B with very modern decor. Four rooms with A/C, satellite TV, and DVD players + movies.
Hotel Raphael. argo Febo, 2. 39 06 682831. eservation@hotelraphael.it. 39 06 6878993. ttp://www.raphaelhotel.com/. 200-350. The Hotel Raphael resides in an aesthetic space impressive even for Rome. The first floor houses a collection of Mayan art and original ceramics by Picasso; the third floor and its rooms were designed by Richard Meier. The location behind an ivy-covered facade on a narrow side street behind the Piazza Navona is no less charming. The restaurant is ''expensive'' but of very high quality. Don't waste your time and money though on the run-of-the-mill breakfast. The (also expensive) rooftop terrace and bar is beautiful and has excellent views over the city, particularly of the Vatican.
La Piccola Maison. a Piccola Maison. ia dei Cappuccini, 30. etro stop Barberini. 39 0642016331. ttp://www.lapiccolamaison.com. 1:00. 3:00. 70-200. La Piccola Maison is located in renovated historical building. Private rooms equipped with bathroom, air conditioning, flat TV, mini fridge and welcome kit. Wood floor and Venetian glass lights. 100 metres from metro "Barberini". On the second floor, but there is a goods elevator for heavy luggage. 10 minutes from the railway station "Termini".
Moses Fountain Guest House Rome. oses Fountain Guest House Rome. ia 20 Settembre 98L. ttp://www.mosesfountainguesthouse.com/. 4:00. 2:00. rom ?180. A modern luxury guest house located in the historical city centre. All rooms have jacuzzi bathrooms.
Residenza Frattina Rome. own House Hotel in Rome. ia Frattina 107, Rome. 39 066783553. ttp://www.residenzafrattina.it/. p to ?300. Town House Hotel in the city centre of Rome, very near the Vatican. Features 9 individual rooms with private bathroom. Decorated in classic Roman style, and equipped with tea and coffee maker, wi-fi internet connection, air conditioning, flat satellite TV and amenities.
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