City trips are wonderful! Ever done? A city trip is even fun in your own country. Think of Dordrecht near the Biesbosch, Maastricht with its national monuments and of course our capital Amsterdam. Tired of windmills and The Red Light District? Then you can of course look a little further afield. This time it became a city trip to Rome for me! A city that you can definitely put on your list, because what a pearl it is! I am happy to tell you what you should not miss on this city trip 🙂 .
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Rome is one of the best visited cities in the world. That is because of the many sights that can be found there from history. You will find so many parts that date from the time when Rome was the capital of the great Roman Empire. Every day tens of thousands of visitors come to take a look in Rome, and it shows. Rome is a busy city and therefore perhaps less suitable to visit with very young children. Although a city trip to Rome is highly recommended, you may have to choose a slightly different approach if you do take your children with you.
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During a city trip you can perfectly combine relaxation with 'effort'. Tired of museums and historic buildings? Then you settle down in one of the city's parks, or have a drink on a square. recovered? Then it's time for the next attraction! You should actually see the following places during your city trip to Rome.
Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world and its head of state is the Pope. The city has about 800 inhabitants and only Latin is spoken here. The population mainly consists of clergy such as nuns, monks, priests and cardinals.
Vatican City is not a member of the European Union, but fortunately does use the euro. Great, because a souvenir from here is definitely worth it! Fun fact:Vatican City has its own website, radio station, satellite TV and daily newspaper! A world in itself, and definitely worth a visit if you're making a city trip to Rome!
Peter's Basilica is located on the well-known main square in Vatican City. This is the largest and probably the most beautiful Catholic church in the world. Once inside you will be amazed. In fact:you soon get the feeling that your eyes are not enough. The floor, the walls, the ceiling, the paintings, the images in one word, amazing!
The church was built between 1506 and 1626 and is an important pilgrimage site for Catholics. St. Peter's Basilica was long the largest church in the world until it was surpassed in size by its copy in the Ivory Coast. There are tombs of various popes. When you are in St. Peter's Basilica during your city trip to Rome, make sure to take the stairs (also accessible by elevator) to the dome. From here you have a beautiful (and very famous) view of St. Peter's Square. Claustrophobia? Then definitely take that elevator (if you can pull it 😉 ). The stairs are not recommended for people who are afraid of small spaces.
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The Sistine Chapel was completed in 1481 and can also be found in today's Vatican City. The chapel is still used by the Pope, mostly for solemn ceremonies. After the death of a Pope, cardinals gather there to elect a new Pope. The building is part of the Vatican Museum. Wall and ceiling paintings in the Sistine Chapel are considered by many to be the highlight. Michelangelo's ceiling is especially praised. Visiting the Sistine Chapel is beautiful but also very crowded! I would certainly not recommend lugging prams and buggies
Tip:Buy tickets online in advance via the original websites! You don't have to stand in line, which can take up to 2 hours(!). A waste of your city trip to Rome to spend it in queues, isn't it? For 18 euros per person you have tickets for the Vatican Museum including a visit to the Sistine Chapel. The same tickets are offered on other sites for the triple fare.
The next must-see during your city trip to Rome is the Vatican Museum. In the Vatican museum you will find many different types of works of art. Think of age-old paintings, statues and grand wall decorations. Literally and figuratively the greatest masterpieces in the world. In total, the Vatican Museums consist of 26 different museums, of which the Sistine Chapel is perhaps the best known. The museums are located in Apostolic palaces and the collection consists of both modern works of art and works from antiquity. You can safely use it all day long. The museum is perhaps the most popular thing to visit in Rome and therefore the queues are usually terribly long. You can also buy your tickets online in advance.
As far as I'm concerned, the highlight of a city trip to Rome and certainly unavoidable, the Colosseum. The Colosseum (built in the first century AD) was entirely dedicated to the games organized and paid for by the reigning emperor. Besides many gladiator fights, there were the most amazing spectacles to be seen. For example, there were fights between cranes and elephants, but women also acted as wild animal fighters. Can you imagine?
Later there was a fully arranged and filled day program. Wild animal fights in the morning. The arena was decorated with rocks and shrubs. At noon there was a break program for those interested in which convict prisoners were thrown to the wild animals. The afternoon program with gladiator shows was the highlight. All this for the entertainment of the people… You no longer have to expect wild animals, but a visit to the Colosseum is still more than worth it during your city trip to Rome!
Addition from Joyce:“A long time ago I went on a city trip to Rome with my parents. I was 12 years old at the time and what has stayed with me the most (of course in addition to the above hot spots that in principle should not be missing on anyone's list) is the cat ruin. In the middle of the busy center of Rome, dozens of cats sneak through the temple remains of the Area Sacra dell'Argentina. For me it was the most beautiful place in Rome, perhaps I had extra eye for that with my age. And of course I am an animal lover, but I thought the overwhelming of all those cats there was fantastic.”
Apart from culture, there is of course much more to taste in Rome. Are you done with all that history? Then you can of course go for a historically tasty Italian meal. Because in addition to all the cultural visits, you can of course eat delicious pizzas and pastas in Rome, and the people are also very friendly.
