Italy
Author: Lavelle Gathings
What can I say about this most visited monument in the world! It has been included in the new seven wonders of the world. This recognized place is located in the heart of Rome. This was my very first strip to Europe. I can’t explain what it is like to see, and hear so many things about a well-known place, and then to see it with your own eyes! I can’t explain the pure amazement that is felt. I mean, here is the place where you see the Vatican, St. peters basilica, Sistine chapel, Spanish steps, . To believe that I was strongly encouraged to take this trip baffles me. I had just lost my best friend of 15yrs to cancer, and I was just going to sit in my bedroom, chew bubble gum, and do absolutely nothing. My dearest friend encouraged me to go! I was deciding between Italy or Spain, which will be my first trip to Europe? It would be Italy, although I later made it to Spain which I knew in my heart that I would one day see.
Colosseum has been around for 2000 years. How can you not enjoy one day of this place of gladiator combats, Christian martyr’s, and animal fights? It was the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire. Today nearly 4 million people visit annually. You must buy your tickets in advance, or be prepared to wait in a very long line. A combined ticket for the Roman Forum, Colosseum, and Palatine Hill grants access to all three sites and lets you skip the line at the Colosseum. The Pantheon is actually the burial place of Rome’s kings, and other prominent figures. One of the most popular public spaces in Rome, the magnificent, oval-shaped Piazza navona, which is lined with restaurants, gelaterias, and souvenir shops.
The Trastevere area has plenty of boutiques selling jewelry, perfumes, and handcrafts in a neighborhood where you can stroll aimlessly through the cobblestoned streets. When in Rome, do what the Romans do, and any trip to Rome would be incomplete without a visit to the Trevi Fountain. Nicola Salvi’s awe-inspiring Baroque masterpiece features a marble statue of Neptune at the center, surrounded by tritons.
The Hop on hop off bus ride is in several big cities, how could we not use this in the great city of Rome! It is definitely easier to see much of Rome, for a very economical price. Although it is very true, that you can’t see Rome in a day! The Florence Cathedral, Brunelleschi’s dome, and the Bascilica of Santa Croce in Florence, Italy are all a must see in Florence. A nice day trip from Rome to Florence is about a three hour drive, well worth the trip.
Our day trip to Venice was for my birthday! We took a four hour train ride from Rome to Venice. It was a great advantage to see the amazing beauty of Italy along the way. I promise you that when you go to Rome, The Vatican, Florence and Venice, you will not be disappointed.
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