It's a fountain and not a very big one at that. Nor does it do anything exciting.
What, exactly were you expecting? The hanging gardens of Babylon?
What, exactly were you expecting? The hanging gardens of Babylon?
Well, seeing as it's on the list of must-see things... something a bit more spectacular, I suppose? It's a nice enough fountain, but it's not something I'd want to visit more than once - unlike the other main sites in Rome.
ransos - MemberIt's a fountain and not a very big one at that. Nor does it do anything exciting.
What, exactly were you expecting? The hanging gardens of Babylon?
It's on a par with the Astronomical clock in Prague.
:0)
When I went to Rome, I saw MrsMitch in some very saucy undies. We were on honeymoon at the time, and it was twelve years ago now, so I doubt you'll see her when you go.
so I doubt you'll see her when you go.
Didn't she tell you she's away this WE?
She said she was going to her sisters! Right, it's the patio for her!
Well made it. Staying about 50m from Trevi Fountain:
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8514/8456086579_acd01d21ff.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8456086579/ ]Trevi Fountain[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8228/8457192966_ed02abf389.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8457192966/ ]Trevi Fountain[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
Nice I'm there next week, where's the cheapest beer?
Bit late for the OP, whose photos look lovely, but if you have a smart phone, consider downloading a guide book eg thru the Kindle app. It's a lot easier that carrying a book around and reduces the dumb tourist look slightly. Of course, you can't buy a second hand e book and borrowing them from the library is trickier.
We're using the Lonely Planet iPhone App. It's basic, but shows where you are on its map and has all the sites marked with brief descriptions.
Well we've just done the three hour Vatican tour, comprising museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica. Bit of an ordeal but worth it for the detailed commentary. As an Atheist I know bugger all about the history of the Catholic Church, so learnt a fair bit, which I've probably forgotton by now!
St Peter's Basilica is just mind blowing, will post some photos later. Found the Cistine Chapel very under whelming. It was packed with 300 tourists all taking photos of the ceiling whilst 10 guards just shouted 'No Photos' continually and everyone ignored them. Supposedly you're supposed to contemplate in silence!
We rocked up on All Souls Day so unbeknownst to us the Sistine Chapel was shut, rest of the walk round was impressive though.
Bit random and vague, but there's a deli place on one of the streets near the Vatican, does lovely slabs of chocolate with nuts in. We had ours when we got back to the hotel sat on the bed, think the maid thought we were having some sort of dirty protest the next morning crumbs got everywhere.
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8377/8459638046_33634d105b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459638046/ ]View from Pantheon[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8109/8458525969_e7f23c9023.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458525969/ ]Inside the Pantheon[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
And a few more:
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8520/8458499555_42e1b19594.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458499555/ ]St. Peter's Basilica[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8245/8458516763_ebaa169b12.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458516763/ ]St. Peter's Basilica[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8532/8458378645_67c0f0f4a0.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458378645/ ]Vatican[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8508/8459519760_e442ae2eaa.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459519760/ ]Vatican Museums[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8505/8459532688_3a4fcecafb.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459532688/ ]Vatican Museums[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8377/8459543196_b10e5dcd54.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459543196/ ]Vatican Museums[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8528/8459458836_6ee462b210.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459458836/ ]Temple of Hadrian, Rome[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
More Frescos than you could shake a stick at:
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8100/8458470503_0294caa2a6.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458470503/ ]Papal Chambers, Vatican[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8510/8459582456_b3402e1166.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459582456/ ]Papal Chambers, Vatican[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8087/8458452095_90d86cc748.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458452095/ ]Papal Chambers, Vatican[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
One weird thought which occurred to me, is you're walking on the same steps which Roman Emperors used, and they don't look too bad for it:
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8232/8459469336_dfa72faec4.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459469336/ ]Roman Emperors walked on these steps[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
Obviously statues everywhere:
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8384/8458368575_2cb68fea6f.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8458368575/ ]Piazza del Popolo, statue[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8097/8459473172_3aa83ba98b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8459473172/ ]Piazza del Popolo, statue[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
Most of the famous stuff is nicely lit at night as well, which makes for nice evening walks:
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8088/8456103439_58b7ba81c1.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8456103439/ ]Spanish Steps[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
Did the Colosseum today.
My top tip is the touts outside, offering a tour to skip the queues is actually a very good deal. For E28 each you get entry to the Colosseum (E12.5) plus a 90 min guided tour and then entry to Palatine Hill (E12) plus a 90 min guided tour with very knowledgeable guides. So that works out at about E3.5 for three hours of a guide. Plus, you do skip the huge queue and go straight in. If you don't like guided tours, you can ditch the guide as soon as you get in and just meet up with them later for Palatine Hill.
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8106/8462214257_28eed2c404.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8462214257/ ]The Colosseum at night[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8382/8461117895_e3278430cc.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8461117895/ ]The Colosseum[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
For such a famous place, I've been impressed by how little hassle we've had from touts and hawkers - it's been pretty relaxed on the whole, not been hassled by anyone in three days here.
Can I recommend hiring a car and driving about the place?
It will be the most terrifying, intimidating and horrendous activity you will probably ever partake in but it'll set your perspective for the rest of your life.
Oh, and I've been all over the world and the only place anyone has been quick enough to get away with my money was in Rome. They cut through my coat while it was hanging on the back of my chair in a cafe. I felt them trying to tug the wallet out, saw and chased them, two blokes. They pulled the cash out of the wallet while I was chasing them and threw the wallet to one side, immediately stopped and faced me with a knife. All they'd stolen was about 30 quid's worth of cash so I shrugged, picked up my wallet and walked away.
Watch your valuables.
Yes, the taxi drive from the airport was an experience! So far, we've just walked everywhere - it's so compact you can walk from the Colosseum to the Vatican in 20 mins, although in practice it takes about 5 hours as you keep spotting ancient monuments every 100 yards and wandering around them.....
On the security aspect, massive police presence at all the tourist attractions. I've been wandering round with a £7k camera day and night and not had anyone so much as take an interest in it....
Another tip, just about every museum and church seems to be shut on a Monday.
footflaps, have you been at the Vatican and threatened to reveal that the Pope was your first brickie on your garage or something?
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/pope-resigns
