1. Mouth Of Truth

The Mouth Of Truth (Bocca della Verita in Italian) is one of those places you visit that you can’t forget. Legend has it that the ancient carving of a face and open mouth is able to detect liars. Apparently, it will bite off your hand if you are indeed a liar when you put your hand in the statue’s mouth. No one can confirm whether or not this is true, but the superstition still lingers and no Italian dares test the Mouth Of Truth. Now, the origin of the story is up for debate, but we do know that the carving was created around the 1^st Century AD. The Mouth Of Truth is roped off today and can be found at the Santa Maria In Cosmedin church.

2. Spanish Steps

People milling about the Spanish Steps and enjoying a beautiful, sunny day is one of Rome’s most recognizable images. Originally built in the 18^th Century, the Spanish Steps used to be a popular place to hangout for artists, poets, and the elite. Soon, the steps attracted people from all over the world and today it is a popular place to meet friends and family. At the end of the stairs is a beautiful fountain called, “The Fountain Of The Old Boat”. It is named after a folklore
story that says a boat was carried to the spot where the fountain is today to help Romans escape a massive flood in the 16th century. It helped many people escape, but the ship eventually sunk. The Spanish Steps is one of the most beautiful areas in the whole city. It’s a great place to people watch and soak in all of the energy that Rome has.

3. Piazza Del Popolo

Piazza Del Popolo, “People’s Square” in English, used to be a traveler’s first view of the city. It lies just inside the former old city’s northern gate and right along a route that was once heavily used for commerce. The size of the square is absolutely breathtaking and is one of the best spots in Rome to take in a sunset. On a nice day, you can see what looks like the whole city gather together in the square to watch the sunset. In my opinion, it has the some of the best fountains in Rome. It has three in total: one that depicts an Egyptian Lion, the other Neptune, and the last one is made to resemble the goddess of Rome. If you want to see a more relaxed side of Rome and one of the best sunsets you’ll ever witness, Piazza Del Popolo is a can’t miss.

4. Trastevere

Across the Tiber River from all of Rome’s history, lies one of the cities trendiest, most action-packed neighborhoods. Trastevere, a former working-class neighborhood, has turned into a great spot to eat, drink, and explore. There’s so much to do in Trastevere that it’s worth spending a whole day or two in the area. Start your day like the proper Italian you now are and grab an espresso before wandering around Piazza di Santa Maria and its surrounding charming cobblestone streets. It’s easy to get lost and spend hours in these side streets, but I don’t think anyone would mind. When you eventually find your way back to Piazza di Santa Maria, check out the Basilica di Santa Maria. Inspect the beautiful mosaics that cover the roof of the basilica. It’s difficult to not wonder how long it took them to make. After leaving the basilica, a visit to Piazza San Cosimato is necessary. This is where 6 days a week, Monday to Saturday, you’ll find one of the best farmer’s market in the city. The fruits and vegetables are incredibly delicious and you can’t beat the atmosphere. Speaking of delicious food, you are in Italy and I’m sure you want to know where to get pizza. You can’t go wrong with any pizza restaurant, but Dar Poeta is my hands down favorite. Their pizza is to die for and their Nutella and ricotta cheese calzone is worth the calories. Trastevere is one of those places you visit where you wonder when you can move in.

5. The Coliseum

I bet you were wondering when you would see the Coliseum on this list, but there’s no way you can’t put the Coliseum on best things to see in Rome. Originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre and built in 80 AD, the Coliseum is a stunning engineering wonder that took over 10 years to build. The Coliseum was once the place where gladiators would fight to their death (gladiators were mostly slaves and prisoners of war). These matches were attended by all citizens, both rich and poor and was considered entertainment for the whole family (Times have definitely changed..) When the Roman Empire fell in the 5th Century, the Coliseum became abandoned and was no longer used. The Coliseum was plundered and run over by those that stripped the monument of all of its marble and other precious materials. The Coliseum is currently in the process of getting its first renovation. The price tag for the renovation is $25 million. Not a small sum at all, but the work is necessary to protect the Coliseum from pollution and vibration from the metro running below it. There are many tours of the Coliseum, but a basic ticket will set you back about 15 Euros.

This video offers a fantastic look:

To learn about other attractions in Rome, check out: 7 Secret Treasures Waiting To Be Unearthed In Rome

The post 5 Must-See Places You Absolutely Have To Experience In Rome appeared first on Modern Trekker.

Few cities have had a greater impact on human history than Rome. Few have been as scrutinized by artists, historians, and thinkers than “Roma Caput Mundi”—the Capital of the World. The Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Sistine Chapel, these are some of the most recognizable buildings in the world and attract millions of visitors every year.

Rome is so much more than a collection of buildings, though. Really, it’s a collection of stories. Rome is a palimpsest of different voices, all competing for space, all striving to write their legacy in stone. Some of those voices speak loudly, others whisper. Rome is a city of bold statements and hidden secrets. Here is our list of some of the more secret spots in Rome that are waiting to be discovered.

1. The Catacombs

Walk the streets of Rome and it’s likely you’ll spend a fair amount of time marveling at the beautiful surroundings (and people). There is so much noise and life in this city that it’s easy to forget about the silent world beneath your feet.

Connected by underground tunnels several hundred kilometers long, Rome has more than sixty catacombs, containing over a thousand tombs hidden beneath your feet. Five are now open to the public. One of the most striking is the Capuchin Crypt—often known as the “Bone Chapel”—beneath the church of Santa Maria della Concezione del Cappuccini, near Piazza Barberini. The chapel is decorated with the bones of 3,700 Capuchin friars, and the message they have left will make a chill run down your spine:

“What you are now we used to be; what we are now you will be…”

OK, so maybe reminders of mortality are not everyone’s idea of a great holiday, I get that, but few things can make you more glad to be alive than spending an afternoon with the dead.

2. Campo de Fiori

So, back to life again. And in Italy, life means food.

One of the glories of Rome is that you really don’t need to do much research first—walk haphazardly into any nearby restaurant and the chances are you will end up with an astounding plate of grub. However, all Romans know that some of the very best food is to be found in the trattoria surrounding Campo de Fiori, Rome’s old marketplace.

Our visit took us to a small restaurant called Ditirambo, an eatery which serves up Roman classics paired with great wine. It was honestly one of the most memorable meals of my life. However, try any of the restaurants in this area and I can all but guarantee you’ll go home feeling like you’ve unearthed a gem.

3. Villa Borghese

This impressive villa was commissioned by Scipio Borghese, the nephew of Pope Paul V, as a place to house his art collection. Located in cool, lush gardens a little way from the city center, it is well-known to Romans but off the beaten path for many tourists.

Their walls are dripping in great works by Titian, Raphael and Caravaggio and others, but the masterpieces, in my opinion, are a collection of sculptures by Bernini. His David, Apollo and Daphne, and Rape of Proserpine are turbulent yet elegant, graceful but violent. The detail is astonishing. His figures dig their fingers into each other’s flesh, leaving little indentations behind; the robes that envelope their bodies are so delicate they appear translucent.

Rome is often the city of the grand, but Bernini’s statues are intimate. If Rome is a story written in stone, his is rendered with the lightest touch.

4. The Keats-Shelley Memorial House

Few people have been less certain of their legacy than the poet John Keats, who died in Rome at the age of 25. So convinced was Keats of his own artistic failure that he asked for his grave not to be named, instead of asking for the inscription, “here lies one whose name was writ in water”.

The lightest of light touches.

The house where Keats died is located right next to the Spanish Steps—one of the most visited spots in Rome—but is easily missed. The little house by the steps now holds some of Keats’s most famous manuscripts, as well as other memorabilia from the lives of contemporaries, such as Shelley, Wordsworth, Byron and Elizabeth Browning. Whether you’re a fan of poetry or not, why not take a trip and see how the lightest of words can live forever in the Eternal City?

5. EUR

If Keats and Bernini left their mark on Rome with a light touch, one person who could not have been accused of the same is Benito Mussolini.

The district known as Esposizione Universale Roma (or EUR) was the site chosen by Mussolini for the 1942 World’s Fair, an event planned to mark the twenty-year anniversary of Fascism. The most arresting building in the area is the Palazzo della Civilta del Lavoro—sometimes known as “the Square Colosseum“. Like its ancient counterpart, this modern colosseum amazes with its grandeur and appalls with what it represents. It leaves a heavy mark on the landscape and a heavy burden for Romans to grapple with.

The buildings Mussolini commissioned are as ugly as his politics, but they are there and they live on. There are some elements of human history that should not be allowed to fall into secrecy, so why not take a look and learn more about Rome’s dark past?

6. Largo di Torre Argentina

Mussolini had marched on the capital, consolidated power and was later killed by his subjects. It’s not like any story in Roman history could have prepared him for that, right?

Ok, it might be pretty obvious where this is going and most of us will know the story of Julius Caesar by now, so I won’t labor the point. However, what had been a secret up until fairly recently was exactly where in Rome that ‘death-scene-to-end-all-death-scenes’ actually happened.

In 2012, newspapers started reporting that the site of Caesar’s assassination had most likely been discovered. What tipped them off was the discovery of a concrete structure believed to have been built by Caesar’s successor to commemorate the killing. Some classical texts suggested it happened in this spot, now there was physical evidence to substantiate those claims.

In life, Caesar left a legacy written in stone all across the city. Now it’s also possible to discover the monuments left in the wake of his death.

7. Trastevere

Rome is a city shaped by high church and high politics, but like any city, the voices that truly make the city what it is are those of the people. And if you want to avoid the tourist crowds and go to the place that Rome calls home, then take a trip to Trastevere. This cool, bohemian neighborhood is many Romans’ favorite spot to drink, socialize and eat. It’s sometimes easy to fall into thinking of Rome as one big archaeological site, but this city is still so full of life, so why not get a drink, try chatting with some locals, and see what stories they have to tell?

Suggested next reading: 8 Things To Do In Florence That Will Make You Feel Like A True Italian

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