A Rome-antic City
Updated: Jul 2, 2021
Rome is one of the most iconic cities in the world, an open museum and a sanctuary for history buffs - a sprawling playground of state-of-the-art monuments, ruins, awe-inspiring art and not to mention inventive cuisine.
With the sheer amount of interesting things to do and see in this city crafting a terrific itinerary can be overwhelming. Here is a sample that will help you create an epic Rome bucket list;
1. Vicus Caprarius – City of Water
Imagine having a consistent leak at your house, and when you finally get around to addressing the problem you dig and dig some more, and suddenly you find……A building complex from the imperial age! Yep, right down under the ground.
This is exactly what happened in Rome, just steps away from the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Cinema had been experiencing a lot of water infiltration over the years. In 1999 when they began to renovate and address the leaking, they discovered the Vicus Caprarius. (Which is the water supply for the Trevi Fountain)
Vicus Caprarius is a fascinating archaeological building complex from the imperial age, and what a remarkable testimony of ancient Rome’s urban being it is.
Within the Vicus Caprarius, polychrome marbles, refined decorations, and a treasure trove of over 800 coins were discovered. All of this gives testimony to the many stages of use and life of the structures.
2. The Palatine Hill – Mud Huts and Mansions
If you’re up to a little hike, and some prime real-estate, Palatine Hill may strike an interest to you. 8th century B.C., Romulus allegedly founded an insignificant village. Much like today, living on Palatine Hill was a sign of status. The Palatine Hill was expensive because of its proximity to the downtown. Villas of Rome’s aristocrats sprawled along the hill, and the newly rich desperately wanted to acquire property there as well.
When Octavian (the first Emperor of Rome) purchased property, he set a trend – One Emperor after another would inherit this property and continue building on it. In time, the Hill became covered with Imperial mansions.
If you’ve ever thought the ancient life did not live in a world of comfort and luxury, you need to check out what the Imperial Roman work-forces could do.
3. Ok, I know I said off the beaten path – But I would be remiss if I didn’t say a little bit about The Vatican and The Colosseum.
So, just a quick brief – Vatican City is its own governing body of the Roman Catholic Church. It is essentially an independent state within the Country of Italy. You don’t have to be religious to enjoy the beauty of the Vatican, and the Sistine Chapel.
The Colosseum – When I would imagine the Colosseum, I would imagine it out in the middle of nowhere (much like I imagined Buckingham Palace), only to discover it is in the middle of EVERYTHING. The Colesseum was established in 70 AD, and was home to celebrations, gladiator fights, and public executions for over 400 years.
When you're ready to start planning your next vacation, schedule a quick chat!
