Rome, the Italian capital, ranks as one of the most visited cities in the world. The tourist attractions here are almost endless, and filling your much-anticipated vacation days with sightseeing, eating, museum-hopping, more eating and Rome shopping will certainly make for an unforgettable holiday. When looking for Rome apartments, look no further than the area around the Vatican City. The attractions here are excellent, but finding something to see or do which isn’t restricted by Papal walls may be a little more challenging. To this end, we’ve compiled a short list of the very best things to see and do around the Vatican area, just to help you keep your vacation varied. So put on some comfy shoes, grab a map and have yourself a bellissima vacanza! Castel Sant’Angelo Originally built by Emperor Hadryan as a mausoleum for his family, Castel Sant’Angelo is an ancient Roman ruin and an absolutely gorgeous place to retire to for an afternoon of peace and quiet. Located merely 500m east of Piazza Pio XII, this amazing castle lies on the shores of the Tiber River and served as a Papal fortress from the beginning of the first millennia. Various remains of succeeding Roman emperors were buried here, ...

The city of Rome has many attractions and sites that individual would justify a trip to the Italian capital. There is so much to see and do in Rome, that the choice of how best to spend your time in the city, can actually be hard. With attractions which include the stunning Coliseum, the Spanish Steps and the market in Piazza Navona, what are the must see places in Rome? One place I would always highly recommend is the Vatican and its museums. The museums within Vatican City are a collection of some of the finest art displays and collections in the world, with works of art built up throughout the centuries by the Catholic Church. Founded in the early 16th century as a collection of sculptures gathered by Pope Julius II, the pope opened the collections of art and the palaces to the public, promoting an understanding and knowledge of the history and culture. Today the Vatican Museums are a collection of various museums and galleries, visited by more than 4 million people from all over the world. They began as an entity under the Popes Clement XIV and Pius VI between 1769 and 1799, with the Pio-Clementine ...

As the sun rises on Sunday, vendors from all over the local area set up stall in Porta Portese Flea Market, which is in the Trastevere area of Rome. It is a place where bargains can be found and when visiting Rome this is an excellent way to sample the local culture first hand. This flea market sells everything you can possibly imagine. It has a beautiful antique section, selling brash brass and noisy clocks. You can find 18th century paintings, capturing local imagery from times that have long gone by. There is something distinctly Italian about the whole experience. You can see the passion and determination in the eyes of the vendors. Clothes are for sale everywhere. The smell of Italian leather washes over you as you make your way through alleys of colourful bargains. This is an ideal place to buy gifts for loved ones whilst staying in Rome. A word of warning here. Whilst the The Porta Portese Flea Market is generally a safe place to be, pick pockets work on Sunday’s too, so it is our recommendation that you keep your valuable possessions in a safe place at all times. So hold on tightly to your wallet and ...

The Piazza Navona is a very popular area for families to visit, especially if you are travelling with children as there are several toy stores in this area. You will be able to find all sorts of toys from stuffed animals to miniature Italian sports cars and unique wind up toys. The kids will surely appreciate coming home to your Rome holiday rental and playing with their new toys! 1. Al Sogno (Piazza Navona, 53) – The name Al Sogno literally means “In a Dream” and this cosy little store definitely lives up to its name. Although the store is a bit small, people seldom notice this because of the large number of interesting toys that line its shelves. 2. Città del Sole (Via Della Scrofa, 65) – This shop is one of the most popular toy stores in all of Rome and is known to sell both toys and children’s books. Città del Sole’s extensive selection of European toys is sure to be particularly appealing to young children; the store is also popular with older children and even adults, as it has a good collection of puzzles, gadgets, games and educational toys. 3. Bertè (Piazza Navona 108) – This toy store is ...

Should I could return to Rome tomorrow, I hope I would do all the things I glimpsed the first time round but was to busy being a ‘tourist’ to appreciate, or experience. Sure, I can say I’ve marvelled at the Coliseum. I’ve stared up into the oculus of the Pantheon, posed on the Spanish Steps and got sunburnt standing in a queue for the Vatican. I have got the pictures. But I have not really got Rome. For starters, I would have to slow myself down by a margin of about 50%. For all the hustle and bustle of Roman streets, no one is really hurrying. The Italians are adept at a certain type of contained energy that looks like a lot’s happening when really all that’s being discussed is where the next ristretto is coming from. If I am to learn to enjoy laid back Rome, I’m going to have to go native. To which end, after an early start wondering at the sights and smells of the Campo Fiori, buying string bags heavy with luscious lemons and oranges, their skin still dusty with that morning’s bloom, I would have coffee at Sant’Eustachio and fight my way to the counter to ...

People say that Paris in Spring time is for lovers. Well, that may be the case, but in my mind Italy is the place where you go when your love is wishing to express itself all year round and in any season with the partner you love. Rome is the ideal setting for couples who are wishing to enjoy the radiance of a city that is packed with interesting sights to see, beautiful food to awaken the senses and the sound of Italians enjoying life. Ancient moments and wondrous churches lead you past street cafes and Italian Piazza’s where the invite to break now and again for a gelato or a Cappuccino is irresistible. All is set against the back drop of a blue sky with bright sunshine that filters though through the roof tops. It is no wonder the love that was once ignited in those early days of romance is re-kindled and brought back to life once more. At the Trevi fountain, you throw three coins in the fountain and wish again. The cobbled lanes lead you from there to the Spanish steps, taking you up in the heat, like a stairway to heaven. When you wander through arches of ...

Two years ago and again during summer last year, my boyfriend Dominic and I travelled to Rome. It was my first holiday in about 10 years but for Dominic, he regularly goes as his uncle and aunt - Eugiene and Katia - live there. For as long as I have loved art, I have wished to see the Sistine Chapel and in Rome I had the chance! What a holiday! That was made all the more affordable (thank goodness) by the fact that we have family there. Saying that though, renting an apartment for a week or so is a good way of staying in Rome. As there is so much to see, I think having a base where you can completely relax is preferable. You can make packed lunches and your own meals, which saves some money. Not that the food is expensive or anything. It is reasonable and delicious in most restaurants. As the flight took over two 2 hours to reach Rome we caught one at about 6am – which gave us a whole day at our disposal as soon as we arrived. So an early night and plenty of sleep was on the cards, especially as Dominic and ...

An important festival on the Rome events calendar, the Festa di Noantri in Trastevere, is a religious celebration that dates back to the beginning of the 16th century. It is held in celebration of the Lady of Mount Carmel and takes place on the first Saturday after July 16th every year. On the day of the festival, a richly dressed statue of the Virgin Mary is taken in a procession through the streets around the Church of Saint Agatha and on towards the Basilica of San Crisogono. The statue is an ancient one, supposedly discovered in the Tiber in 1535. She was donated to the Carmelites at Crisogono, where she became the patron saint of Trastevere. In 1890 she was moved to another local church, Saint Agatha. The return procession includes a journey across the Tiber, to commemorate the site of discovery of the image. The statue is taken in a boat from near Villa Giulia to Ponte San Angelo, where more people join the procession; to move towards the Ponte Sisto, Isola Tiberina and from thereon to Trastevere’s most important church, Santa Maria. The statue is then brought back to its home in the Church of Saint Agatha, on the following Monday. ...

I would return to Rome, the city of romance, because there just isn’t enough time to see and do everything in one long weekend. I see Rome as a giant pizza that you keep taking a bite out of now and again. It is so diverse that you could visit a dozen times and do and see something different every time. Rome is not the ‘sit on a bus’ type of sight seeing city – you have to like walking. It is also best if you buy a good Rome guidebook and plan your journey each day. All you need to know about Rome.We recently had a three-night break there and enjoyed every minute of it. On arrival we dumped our bags at the hotel and couldn’t wait to start exploring this beautiful city. We wandered along tiny lanes and alleyways and at dusk took a walk over the Ponte Cestio Bridge through the nooks and crannies of the Trastevere district and onto Tiber Island. This is a fascinating place full of esplanades, restaurants and stalls selling books, souvenirs and handicrafts. We had a delicious candlelit meal in one of the restaurants and I fell in love with this little island because ...

The Pentecost is a celebration in remembrance of the Holy Spirit’s descent upon the Virgin Mary and the Apostles of Jesus and this tends to be one of the most spectacular and culturally fascinating times to be in Rome. And the most lovely of all Pentecostal rituals takes place at one of the eternal city’s most awe-inspiring buildings: the Pantheon. After a celebration of the Mass on Pentecost Sunday, a shower of rose petals falls through the oculus, or the opening at the top of the dome of the Pantheon. This beautiful spectacle is made possible by a group of firemen who scale the exterior wall of the Pantheon armed with sacks of rose petals—a sight almost as wonderful as what is to take place inside. The petals are meant to represent the Holy Spirit’s descent to earth, and watching them flutter through the haze-like light that filters through the oculus is an incredibly uplifting experience. Visitors are welcome to this event but would be wise to turn up early and seating is generally only available to those attending the mass first (even then many of these are pre-booked). At the end of mass, attendees are given a red rose, so that they ...