56 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

A n c i e n t R o m e

COLOSSEUM | FORUMS | CAMPIDOGLIO | PIAZZA VENEZIA | BOCCA DELLA VERITÀ & FORUM BOARIUM

Five Top Experiences 1 Getting your first 2 Exploring the haunting 4 Walking up Via Sacra, glimpse of the Colosseum ruins of the Palatino (p60 ), the once grand thorough- (p 58 ). Rome’s towering ancient Rome’s most exclu- fare of the Roman Forum gladiatorial amphitheatre sive neighbourhood. (p 63). is both an architectural 3 Coming face to face 5 Surveying the city masterpiece, the blueprint with centuries of awe- spread out beneath you for much modern stadium inspiring art at the historic from atop Il Vittoriano design, and a stark, spine- Capitoline Museums (p67 ). (p69 ) tingling reminder of the brutality of ancient times.

000000000000000000 000000000000000000 000000000000000000o 000000000000000000Piazza Traian e 0200m 000000000000000000Venezia oro # 00.1miles 000000000000000000ia F 000000000000000000V 000000000000000000arco 000000000000000000M V ri 000000000000000000i San nga d Imperial i V Zi V000000000000000000ia #æ a egli # ia 0000000000000000005 Forums T Via d V00000000000000000000000000 V or 000000000 000000000000000000ia 00000000 ä# d 000000000000a i e n 000000000000000000d 00000000 Via a d 000000000oni 000 i e 000000000000000000'A 00000000 A e 000000Via L 000000 00000000000000000000000000 dei F ' S 000000000000 r le C ccina 000000000000000000a 00000000 a Ba e 000000000000 000000000000000000c 00000000 s o Vi i P s nt r 000000000000000000o 00000000 ori n o p e iet a e'M 00000000000000000000000000 V e 000000 li Im n t a d 00000000000000000000000000 i i n 000000 r a d n n 00000000000000000000000000o do 000000 per Ma t d r lla ale 000000000000000000o 00000000i i de i000000 S l n n a e 00 000000000000000000l 00000000 i V iali Vi 000000000000tt S a e 00 e 00000000000000#â C ia 000000000000S 3 Vi lle 00 000000 a d 00000000 000000e c a Vi d 00 r 000000 n e 00000000 000000Via r l Via Cavour ad 00 a 000000 la 00000000 a 000000 000000Piazza del c 0000000000000Largo C M e S V de 000000 i 000000â# a 0000000000000 Fel 000000 3# re l ia d 000000Campidoglio a 0000000000000Ricci d ll'A 000000 ro 000000 ra0000000000000 e t 000000 0000000000000 l a a V C gnel 000000 00000e 00000000 o gu e 000000 00000cc 00000000 lo T 000000 00000h00000000 ss 00000i00000000a e lo tal el 00000 o d e a i 4#ä V V ia s S 00000 u ac c ra V 00000 Parco s ia 00000Largo u 00000 del Colle e T d 00000GAgnesi n s e 00000 Oppio io i F 00000V z cu o ia N 0000 ola i 0000000000000000ri I00000 Sa 0000 ons V 0000000000000000mp lvi 00000000000Via C 0000000000000000eriali 00000000000 Vi 0000000000000000 00000000000 a d 0000000000000000 00000000000Piazza ei F 0000000000000000 00000000000 ien 0000000000000000 della0000000 Bocca ili 0000000000000000 0000000 Via Sacra0000000000000000 della0000000 Verità 0000000000000000 P L 0000000 0000000000000000#ä g 0000000 00000000000000001 ie V t 0000000 0000000000000000 r 0000000i 0000000000000000 a le 0000000de 0000000000000000 P o 000000000000000 0000000000000000 i 0000000e 00000000 0000000000000000Piazza del ni ro 0000000t 00000000000lab 0000000000000000 0000000r 00000000000Ve 0000000000000000Colosseo 0000000o 00000000d000el 2#ä 0000000000000000 0000000s 00000000Via 000 0000000000000000 0000000e 00000000000 0000000000000000Vibenna 0000000l 0000000000000000o l li 0000000i 0000 0000000000000000Ce 0000000 0000 0000000000000000ia 0000000 0000Piazza di 0000000000000000V 0000000 Sant'Anastasia0000 0000000000000000Parco CAMPITELLI 0000 del Celio

For more detail of this area see Map p 344 A

17-ancient-rome-rom7.indd 56 13/10/2011 11:17:40 AM 57 Lonely Planet’s Explore: Ancient Rome Top Tip Located to the south of the city centre, this area con- The big sights in this part of tains the great ruins of the ancient city, all concentrated Rome are among the city’s within walking distance of each other. They start to get most visited. To avoid the crowded mid-morning and throng with tourists until worst of the crowds try to ANCIENT ROME mid- to-late afternoon, although in peak season they can visit early morning or in the be busy all day. Apart from the big sights, which you can late afternoon, when it’s comfortably cover in a couple of days, there’s little in the cooler and the light is much way of nightlife or after-hours action. better for taking photos. The area has two focal points: the Colosseum to the Bring bottled water and east, and the Campidoglio (Capitoline hill) to the west. eats with you as the bars

In between lie the forums: the more famous Roman Fo- and snack trucks on Via rum on the left of Via dei Fori Imperiali as you walk up dei Fori Imperiali are a real from the Colosseum, and the Imperial Forums on the rip-off . right. Rising above the Roman Forum, is the Palatino, and behind that the Circo Massimo. Continuing north- west from the Circo Massimo brings you to the Forum Best Places Boarium, ancient Rome’s cattle market and river port, 5 to Eat where you’ll fi nd the Bocca della Verità, Rome’s mythical  lie detector. Hostaria da Nerone (p 72 ) To explore the area, the obvious starting point is the  San Teodoro (p 72 ) Colosseum, which is easily accessible by metro. From  Ara Coeli (p 72 ) here you could go directly up to the Roman Forum but if For reviews see p 72 A you go fi rst to the Palatino (your Colosseum ticket covers the Palatino and Roman Forum) you’ll get some wonder- ful views over the forums. From the Palatino enter the Best Places Forum and work your way up to Piazza del Campidog- 6 to Drink lio and the Capitoline Museums. Nearby, the mammoth white Vittoriano is diffi cult to miss.  Caffé Capitolino (p 72 )  C a v o u r 3 1 3 ( p 7 2 )  0 , 7 5 ( p 7 2 ) Local Life For reviews see p 72 A  Exhibitions While tourists climb all over Il Vittoriano (p 69), locals head inside it to catch an Best exhibition at the Complesso del Vittoriano. 1 Lookouts  Celebrations Join Romans to celebrate the city’s birthday, the Natale di Roma, on 21 April. Events and  Il Vittoriano (p 69 ) historical re-enactments are held in and around Rome’s  O r t i F a r n e s i a n i ( p 6 1 ) ancient sights.  Tabularium, Capitoline  Jogging Don your trainers and run with the Romans Museums (p 67 ) on the Circo Massimo, a popular jogging venue (p68 ).  Cordonata, Piazza del Campidoglio (p 69 ) For reviews see p 68 A Getting There & Away

 Bus Frequent buses head to Piazza Venezia, including numbers 40, 64, 87, 170, 492, 916 and H.  Metro Metro line B has stops at the Colosseum (Colosseo) and Circo Massimo. At Termini follow signs for metro Line B direzione Laurentina.

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