Mar

Heart of the City in Italy

Heart+of+the+City+in+Italy Heart of the City in Italy The Forum evokes the splendor of Italy’s ancient capital, as does the majestic Colosseum and the Golden House (Domus Aurea) of Nero, all in the heart of the city. The Vatican museums have breathtaking treasures, while narrow alleys and hidden churches are revealed along the Tiber in the Trastevere district. Toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain and legend has it you will some day return to this stunning metropolis. The Pantheon in central Rome is extraordinarily well preserved. Visitors gaze up at the skies through the oculus, a nine-meter hole in the dome, then pay homage at Renaissance artist Raphael’s tomb. The Vatican Museums make up the world’s largest museum complex, with over 1,000 rooms filled with a dazzling array of masterpieces commissioned or collected by successive Popes. Michelangelo’s Last Judgment adorns the ceiling of the Sistine chapel.

Join Rome’s fashionistas and parade up the via Condotti, browsing for clothes from Gucci and shoes from Ferragamo. Wood-paneled apothecaries near Piazza Navona recall the 19th century, and individual craft shops in Trastevere provide unusual gifts. On Sunday mornings, the flea market at Porta Portese bustles with bargain hunters.

Although some ethnic food is available, when in Rome, it’s best to eat Italian. Rome’s traditional cuisine includes offal, try it in the Testaccio district. The area around Piazza Navona offers a choice of upmarket options, including the acclaimed. For atmospheric dining, try the many osterias in Trastevere.