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Taking a trip to Italy is an amazing experience. However, it can also be a frustrating trip to plan. That’s because there is such an immense number of things that you’ll want to see in Italy and you simply won’t want to seem them all. Many visitors opt to focus their sights on just one Italian city in order to be able to immerse themselves in their vacation without getting completely overwhelmed. For a great number of Italy’s visitors, the place of focus becomes Rome.

Rome is the capital city of Italy and one of the Italian destination which is most rich with history. There are so many famous landmarks in Rome that you could spend an entire trip just traipsing from one well-known spot to another. However, you’ll also want to incorporate some time in your Rome itinerary to see some of the sights that are off-the-beaten path a bit. And you’ll want to take advantage of some of the modern amenities that Rome has to offer such as the city’s dining and shopping opportunities. By narrowing your focus down to just this Italian capital, you can see a little bit of everything that you might want to see in Italy.

Rome Landmarks

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The first thing that you’ll want to make sure to write into your Rome itinerary is the most famous of the city’s landmarks. Rome sightseeing is based on the goal of seeing all of the major historic attractions of the city. Here is some more information about some of the major landmarks that you can’t miss during a trip to Rome:

• Coliseum. This famous architectural wonder where the Roman gladiators fought in ancient times is one of the absolutely must-see historic monuments for anyone doing sightseeing in Rome.
• Historic Trajan market. You’ll be doing plenty of shopping in modern Rome while you’re visiting but make sure to also stop at this sight where Romans did their shopping so many years ago.
• Pantheon. Go here because there are famous Roman artists buried here. Go here because the architecture is amazing. Or go here because it’s a place of significant historic importance to Rome. Just make sure you go here.
• Vatican City. Really, how can you take a trip to Rome and not schedule time to go to The Vatican. Whether you’re a religious person or not, the historical significance of this location is something that will impress itself upon you.
• Underground Rome. There is a whole city underneath the city and it’s absolutely a wonder that travelers shouldn’t miss during their stay here. There’s a market held once a month so you might get lucky and do some shopping while you’re here as well.

credit: Andy G

Off-the-Beaten-Path Rome

In addition to the famous landmarks of the city, great sightseeing in Rome should take you off of the path traveled by your fellow tourists and into some areas of the city and surrounding region that not everyone is going to see. Here are a few of the places that you might include in your Rome planning:

• Appian Way. This is a historic road in Rome that you may wish to traverse if you’re interested in finding some of the sights that other travelers aren’t going to see. There are a selection of monuments in different spots along the road including mausoleums, baths, temples and tombs.
• Fountains of Rome. You will probably hear about a few famous fountains during your time in Rome, particularly Trevi Fountain. However, there are also a lot of littler fountains throughout the city which are architecturally of note and beautiful to behold. Make it a point to keep an eye out for them as you walk around the city.
• Italian Driving School. This one is one just for families and for only brave families at that. You can actually get professionals to teach your kids (young kids even) how to drive Italian vehicles on the streets of Rome. It may be risky but it’s certainly something that most other Rome visitors won’t have done before you!
• Parco Savelo. There are numerous places throughout the city where tourists will go to get an overview of Rome. This is one of the places that is lesser known and will provide you with a panoramic view of Rome in the context of a peaceful garden.
• The baths of Ostia Antica. Most people just don’t have time during their Italian vacation to see all of the man ruins that are in Rome. The Roman baths that were so popular in ancient times shouldn’t go forgotten and you can see them, along with some other historic ruins, in this destination that is geared towards only the savviest of tourists.
• The Spanish Steps. These twelve flights of stairs aren’t a popular tourist attraction because most visitors aren’t up for the climb. However, those who take the trek will be rewarded with a memorable experience and an impressive view of Rome.

credit: Andy G

Modern Rome: Shopping and Dining

Sightseeing anywhere isn’t complete if you fail to enjoy the best parts of being a tourist: buying souvenirs and dining out. The best places are those spots that Rome locals will enjoy as well. After all, when in Rome, right? Here are the places in Rome that you’ll want to make sure to stop at for purchases and meals:

• Campo de Fiori Market. This open-air market will let you blend the best of both worlds by providing you a place to shop for food and crafts amidst the locals who do their daily shopping here to this day. This place is only open during the mornings so make sure that you get there early!
• Discount Shopping in Rome. That’s the name of a discount women’s clothing outlet which sells modern designer brand names at up to fifty percent off of their original price. This is great for those women who aren’t able to make it to the fashion capital of Milan but don’t want to leave Italy empty-handed.
• Piazza Navona. This is flea market shopping where you can try your hand at bargaining down prices with the locals who sell their goods here. If you wish to experience what it’s like to live and shop in Rome, then this is a good place to see how it suits you.
• Rivadestra Restaurant. This modern restaurant (which frequently makes the lists of top Roman restaurants) is a favorite because it provides the best of New World ambience with the best of Rome’s historic charm. The menu changes regularly so that all of the ingredients are of the freshest local fare. This is a particularly great restaurant if you’re looking for the romance of Rome but can be enjoyed by all parties.

Memories of Rome

Make sure to take a lot of pictures during your jaunts to all of these Rome hot spots. Whether it’s the historic landmarks that move you the most or the outstanding restaurants where visitors mingle with Rome locals that make your heart pitter patter, your Rome vacation is going to provide you with a lot of memories. Capture them in snapshots so that you can share your Rome sightseeing experience with your loved ones when you return back home.�

Tags: Europe | Italy | restaurants | Rome | shopping | sightseeing | travel | vacation