Our accommodation was located close to the San Giovanni metro station, which has its name given by the beautiful Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano. It is a perfect area to spend time in Rome, not too many tourists and yet very close to the centre. Just perfect for us.
It doesn’t always have to be a turistical spot, I like to discover a city from all aspects, the side- and back-streets and the less heeded corners – simply the true face of the city.
Just a stone’s throw away, passing by the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, you reach one of the most impressive sightseeings of the city – the Colosseum, within a 15-minutes walk.
For me, this building is the epitome of the Roman Empire, its rise and fall. This masterpiece of architecture shows what the Roman civilisation was capable of but finally it crumbled. Even if it still stands due to lavish restauration this building reveals: Nothing is built for eternity.
With the arrival at the Colosseum a refreshment from the heat of the midday sun is more than needed.
After the visitation of the colosseum we move to the contiguous Palatine Hill, one of the Seven Hills of Rome and the oldest inhabited part of the city. Here you can find a lot of ruins from different eras of the municipal history. Those ruins just give you a glimpse of what impressive buildings must have been located here once.
On top of the hill you have the chance to enjoy the view above the roofs of the city in all four cardinal directions.
“Velvet City” was the first thought that came to my mind after looking at the photographs of this film (Lomography Lomochrome Purple XR 100-400). The architecture mixed with those odd colours creates a Rome which seems to be located on another planet.
Through the Via dei Fori Imperiali we moved towards the city centre. Interestingly those days was a lot of military and police out in the streets and thanks to that this snapshot of a cyclist asking a soldier for the way came into existence.
When we arrived at the Via del Corso, we accidentally met an old friend of us, beatboxer and street musician Eddy Harper. So called ‘buskers’ you can find meanwhile (again) a lot in the urban space of Rome, especially along this street.
After his performance we walked through the typical but completely tourist free alleyways towards the famous Trevi Fountain, another touristic highlight of the city.
Despite the totally overcrowded fountain I managed to take a shot from the first row. The fountain itself is an architectural feast for the eyes but unfortunately the mass of people takes away some of the beautiful atmosphere. But as it is with such touristic sightseeing places, you have to keep up with it.
Hence we quickly moved on towards the Spanish Steps because from there we went to the calm and beautiful Villa Borghese Gardens.
The park seems very fairytale-like with all its fountains and sculptures among the Mediterranean vegetation. Especially in combination with the Lomochrome Turquoise film it appears to be located on another planet. Furthermore, here you have the chance to get some rest from all the touristic turmoil and you can enjoy incredible panorama views over the city.
Since we are savourers of silence and nature, we decided to visit Vatican Gardens. Just within a few minutes by metro you can reach the Vatican from the Piazza di Spagna and have the possibility to discover the beauty of the gardens which usually are just accessible for the residents of the Vatican. Definitely worth a visit.
After this whole tour you really deserve an Italian gelato and a cold drink for refreshment – and then, in a roundabout way through the streets of the city, you end up in a tasty restaurant with Roman delicacies.
If you liked this walk through Rome with me and you would like to see a bit more of the city and feel a bit more of Italy, you can visit the current exhibition “Roma in Analogico” at Switch21 – GastroPub at Lenaustraße 21 in 12047 Berlin.
For more tipps what to do around Rome, you also can check out the page of bookmundi.
