Exploring Rome with Walks of Italy

Taking a walk in a city you have never been to is exciting. You don't know what to expect and feel a sense of history as the place unfolds around you. That's how I felt as I walked past the spectacular monuments that line the streets of Rome; the eternal city with the Pope's house right next door. When I was looking up what to do in Rome, I found myself in need of guidance. I had questions like: Where do we start? What should we see? Why is everything a ten minute walk when you ask locals for directions? Where are the best views of the city? That's where our friends at Walks of Italy came into play. 

We had the privilege of experiencing the Walks of Italy three hour driving tour, one of a rather impressive number of different tours they offer. In a whirlwind of history and beauty our tour guide, Amy, took us in a luxurious limo van to the outskirts of town away from the hustle and bustle of city centre. Here are some of the highlights of the tour, and it all ends with a big bang (literally)!

Our first stop was the Circus Maximus, which used to be the main stage for chariot racing where the audience would sit and watch from the hills.

We stopped by the wonderfully quiet Parco Savello that had a few fountains at its gateway. As we entered, the smell of citrus filled the air. The park is home to dozens of orange trees that apparently produce redundant non-edible oranges. There is a large lookout over the city as well.  It is the perfect place to propose to that special someone, if that's what you're looking to do while in Rome (though my friend Scott chose a different park in Rome to pop the question, read about that here).

At our next stop I was a little puzzled as we pulled up to a giant green door. We were told that it was the Piazza of the Knights of Malta and that we were to bend down and look through a tiny key hole. It may have seemed silly, but when my eye focused on the view of St. Peter's Basilica the hole provided, my breath was taken away.

From there we headed outside the city walls to the ancient Appian Way. The "Queen of Roads" as it's called, is the reason why it's said that all roads lead to Rome. Engineered in the fifth century, it ran from Rome to the Port of Brindisi, along the Adriatic coast, where boats departed for Egypt, Greece and North Africa, among other places. According to Christian legend, it was on the Appian Way that Jesus Christ appeared to St. Peter. 

Our second last stop was the ancient aqueducts, also located on the outskirts of the city. The aqueducts were used to bring water into the city from sources outside of Rome. When no one was around, the area made us feel as if  we were living in ancient Rome, though locals seemed to use the area for jogging and walking. 

For our last stop, we found ourselves at the highest spot in Rome's historical district of Janiculum Hill on a balcony overlooking three soldiers loading a howitzer. The firing of this howitzer signals midday and locals make sure they check their watches when they hear this peculiar alarm go off!

At the end of the tour we were dropped off at our meeting point and said our goodbyes to the nice people we had met. We thanked our tour guide and driver and set out to find a nice Italian lunch.


A post by Chris

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A Guy’s Guide to Rome(ance) in Italy

A post by Scott F

Guys, face it, in this day and age we’re expected to work in a little romance now and then. You can blame Hollywood for pumping out a new Nicolas Sparks book-turned-movie every week, or the music industry for allowing The Postal Service to make every teenage girl of the 2000s tear up with ardor and unrealistic expectations listening to “Such Great Heights” on the Much Music Video Countdown. Either way, the glory days of being strong, emotionless piles of jagged glass and rock (you know, real men) are long over.

There’s a trick to this romance thing, however. One every guy needs to know to survive this Taylor Swift-addled world of ours. Indeed, some say that French is the language of love, but those people are a crazy little thing called, wrong.  The truth is, you don't need a whole language; there’s one simple word that can turn even the glassiest rock pile into a veritable Luther Vandross, and that word is...

Oh, just the mention of travel renders images of cobblestone streets, windblown terraces, beaches at sunset and a host of other romantic visages, irresistible to any person possessing of a pulse. In fact:

And you know it’s true, because it’s impossible to lie via meme.

I’ve not been shy to use this fact to my advantage. In fact, it was just such a tactic I employed when pulling off a legendary event that has forever won the ire of each and every one of my male friends by setting the romance bar at untouchable heights. That event: the time I proposed to my wife-to-be on a romantic holiday in Rome, Italy. Jack Johnson, you've been served.

Rome, aptly named, is crazy romantic. Even I can admit that. Narrow, cobblestone streets; vibrant piazzas with musicians on every corner; eclectic restaurants serving delicious fare and copious amounts of wine – it truly is the eternal city.

We spent seven days in Rome and got to see and experience much of what it offers. From the grandiose and auspicious Pantheon, a 2000 year-old temple featuring a 9 metre-wide oculus that pours in natural light from almost 45 metres above the floor, to the awe-inspiring Colosseum of gladiatorial combat-fame, the city is positively decked in historical significance. Taking time to explore the stunning, in-tact ruins of the Roman Forum is enormously rewarding as you find your way to Palatine Hill: Rome’s first neighbourhood, and marvel at the remains of a culture that shaped history. Continue your walk to the Circo Massimo, an enormous track once used for horse and chariot racing. Here you might relive a golden age of the silver screen, knowing it was on this spot that the classic Ben Hur was filmed, or simply ponder the violence and excitement of the sport that took place there thousands of years before.  

The key thing to do in Rome, and what will truly cement the ro"man"ce of it all, is simply walk. Even unguided, you’re sure to stumble upon sight after sight that will steal your heart and imagination. Find your way to Piazza Navona, in the center of which you will find the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or Fountain of the Four Rivers, a classic work by Bernini. You’ll also find the Obelisk of Domitian, one of many Egyptian-inspired works in the city. Or you might find your way to the Trevi Fountain, a stunning work of art that takes up an entire piazza to itself. Piazza di Spagna is sure to stir up the amore as you stroll up the Spanish Steps and explore the high-end shops the dot the side streets. You might even come upon some of the lesser know sights of Rome such as Torre Argentina, a set of ruins-turned cat sanctuary, or the Fontane delle Tartarughe (the Turtle Fountain) in Piazza Mattei.

For those looking for an out-of-the-ordinary and truly humbling experience, find your way to the Capuchin Crypt, where for a small donation you can enter halls decorated floor to ceiling in human bones. Alters, ceilings, ornaments, all from the remains of the devout who served the order long ago. The ominous message behind the frighteningly beautiful scene, as explained in their literature: “as you are we once were; what we are you will be.”

Other sights not to be missed include the Vatican Museums, home to countless priceless works of art and the famed Bramante spiral staircase. Get there early, the line moves quickly but it usually enormous. While at the Vatican you’ll naturally want to thoroughly explore the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Square. It’s worth noting that these are only the city’s most renowned; there are countless smaller chapels (such as the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vittoria) and other museums (such as the Capitoline Museums) more than worth the time to explore.

Rome is also a culinary paradise, but like many tourist havens, you need to choose wisely. Going to restaurants in and around major sights is likely to see you spend more money for far lower quality food. Our best experience was at Ristorante Maccheroni, a beautiful traditional Italian restaurant a little ways from the Pantheon (asked to be sat in the basement, it's beautiful and cool on warm evenings). Also, treat yourself to the creamiest espresso at Sant'Eustachio in the same neighbourhood.

Choosing the perfect place to propose amongst this smorgasbord of romance was tough, or easy, depending on how you look at it. But knowing my future bride’s love for green spaces I quickly noted the Villa Borghese, a large park in the middle of the city. The park’s central and, as I divined, most romantic feature is a small lake that allows for rowboat rentals. Boom, proposal plan set. However, when we arrived we found a tiny pond with so many boats it called to mind bumper cars at the county fair... and no one wants to be proposed to at the county fair. With no Plan B  I started to panic and insisted we continue walking. To my luck, and true to the city’s form, I was provided a perfect opportunity in the form of the Pincio, a structure that forms a path from Villa Borghese down to Piazza del Popolo, where three of Rome’s main streets converge onto one massive and extremely scenic square. I snuck my soon-to-be fiancée through a small gate at the side of the Pincio where we found a quiet path overlooking a deserted street, sat her on the railing, pulled the ring, and the rest is history!

So guys, if that special lady in your life’s been binge watching rom-coms or has had Bruno Mars’, “When I Was Your Man” on repeat, it might be time to buy that ticket. Make travel, not war.

P.S. Our head honcho, Chris, will be heading to TBEX in Athens, Greece and will be stopping in to see Rome on his way. Don't worry, he'll tell us all about it! 

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