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Fontana di Trevi as it’s called in italian is definetely a magnificent master piece created in the very center of Rome.

It’s by far the largest standing and impressive Baroque fountains of Rome. It’s huge: 25.9 meters (85 feet) high and 19.8 meters (65 feet) wide. Rome has an impressive numbero of fountains spread all over the city, more than 3,000, but there is no place on earth like Trevi Fountain.

This masterpiece is located at the crossing of 3 streets (tre vie) and it’s the final point of the “modern” Acqua Vergine which is anancient aqueduct that supplied water to Rome, more than 22 km (14 miles) away from the city. This aqueduct served Rome for more than 400 years.

Numerous alterations were made as the centuries passed. In 1629 Pope Urban VIII, thought the earlier fountain was losing its beauty and asked Bernini to sketch and give the fountain a new definite, monumental form.

When the Pope died the project was shelved! The project was adopted and taken over by Nicola Salvi! Work finally began in 1732, and the fountain was completed in 1762. Though Bernini’s project was rejected, there are many Bernini touches in the fountain as it was built

Coin throwing: A traditional legend says that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are sure to return to Rome. For those who are not familiar with the tossing of the “three coins”. They were thrown by three different individuals, the current version is that two coins will lead to a new romance and three will ensure either a marriage or divorce!

How your love could be governed by the tossing of three coins into a fountain is still a mystery many people believes in. This act has to be done with the right hand over one’s left shoulder and is said to bring good luck.

Each day approximately three thousands euros are believed to be thrown into the fountain and collected at night. The money has been used to help poor people and homeless in Rome. Nevertheless regular attempts to steal coins from the fountain are witnessed very frequently, including some using a magnetized pole. In 1998 the fountain has been refurbished and provided with re-circulating pumps.

If you are wondering what is the building behind Trevi Fountain…well, it’s called Palazzo dei Duchi di Polis and in the center you can see a modeled replica of the triumphal arch. The center niche has free-standing columns for maximal light-and-shade.

On the outside Oceanus, water comes out from her urn and Salubrity holds a cup from which a snake drinks out from. On the top is a copy of the Roman origin of the aqueducts. The tritons and horses provide symmetrical balance, with the maximum contrast with their facial expressions and poses.

“Taming of the waters” is the theme of the gigantic scheme that jumps forward, mixing water and rockwork, and filling the small square.

Trevi area is by far one of the most charming neighbourhood in Rome.

Intro – All year round Trastevere is a major attraction for its restaurants, cabaret clubs, movie theaters, arts and craft artisans and picutesque maze of narrow cobbled alleyways. Everywhere during the evenings, cafe and restaurants tables spill out over to the pavement, one area in particular is around Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere. During the morning hours, is better to appreciate the antique charm of Trastevere’s unique narrow alleyways.

The Area – Trastevere is located on the right bank of the Tiber river. Its name comes from “Trans Tiberem” (across the Tiber) and it was once perceived as a precarious area.

It belonged to the Etruscans until Rome conquered it again and get back in control of both banks of the river. “Pons Sublicius” bridge (from Latin: “bridge built on piles”) was the only one way from Trastevere to the city (Rome). With the Emperor Augustus this area soon began to be considered part of the city.

At the time of the ‘Roman Republic’, many sailors and fishermen moved here, and chose Trastevere as their home.

Later, during the wealthy Imperial Age, some luxury villas and gardens were built on the hillside of Trastevere, i.e. Clodia (which was said to be Catullus’ “friend”)lived here, and Julius Caesar as well (his garden villa was called ‘the Horti Caesaris’). Houses of the poor people and small shops settled in the flat land below, some of which are still there today!

Trastevere grew in the middle ages with narrow, winding, irregular streets; due to the mignani (structures on the front of buildings) there was no space for carriages to pass, therefore Trastevere remained a maze of narrow streets. This mix caused a strong contrast between the large, lavish houses of the upper classes and the small, ramshackle houses of the poor.

The streets had no pavement until the end of the 1400s. At first bricks were used, later replaced by sampietrini (cobble stones), which make up the famous narrow maze streets today.

The oldest church in the area is Santa Maria in Trastevere (probably among the firsts to host an open ceremony). Santa Maria is indeed the queen of all churches of the area and immediately became the focus point for devotion to the Virgin by its people. It is said that this church Mother of God was worshiped in Rome. In the Square there is an Octagonal fountain that today is a meeting point. The neighbourhood still has its own medieval character and the many changes occurred in the recent years haven’t changed it a lot.

Today Trastevere still has its own character due to its narrow cobbled streets built in the medieval era. At night, both italians and tourists gather together around its many pubs and restaurants. This neighborhood is so peculiar tha has soon become very popular attracting tourists, locals, artists, foreign expats, and many famous people.

The area is home to John Cabot University, a private American University. Also to the American Academy in Rome, and the Rome campus of the Thomas More College of Liberal Arts. The Canadian University of Waterloo School of Architecture (between the months of September and December), and the American Pratt Institute School of Architecture therefore serving as a temporary home to an International student body.

Frederic Rzewski and Richard Teitelbaum (Musica Elettronica Viva group), famous American musicians, lived here in the 60s and 70sin Via della Luce. Sergio Leone (director of Spaghetti Westerns) grew up in Viale Glorioso (a marble plaque to his memory is on the wall of the apartment building).

Trastevere is definitely the place to stay when in Rome!

Rome makes a great place to celebrate any romantic occasion, from honeymoons to anniversaries. Unfortunately, a hotel can be noisy and crowded – not the best choice for a quiet time together.

Offering the privacy and amenities that allow you to really feel at home, these luxury apartments offer great views and the ability to enjoy a real, romantic meal at home. That’s much better for most of us than the thin walls and crowded hallways you’ll encounter in most hotels.

You’ll be able to choose from a number of luxurious options, all featuring provided linens and quality furnishings, with great features like balconies with stunning views. If you want to spend time with your special someone, these apartments are the place to do ti.

These apartments are also rented by quality agencies that offer English speaking staff who know what you’re used to, no matter where you may be from. That allows you to have a comfortable, welcoming place to stay and reduces culture shock.

This relaxing way to spend an anniversary celebration in Rome offers the feel of a real home. Unlike staying in a hotel, an apartment won’t make you feel homesick or disorganized, and you’ll have the space you really need, no matter what apartment you choose.

An apartment gives you storage space, real furniture, and all the amenities you’d expect at home. You’ll even get a full kitchen – just remember that unless you make arrangements for it, your pantry and fridge will need to be stocked by you.

Most couples will enjoy a few nights eating at some of the restaurants located near their apartments, but you’ll also be able to eat in. This can be a great experience, allowing you to eat just like the locals by buying food from nearby markets and doing your own cooking.

In addition, you can pick your neighborhood, choosing luxury apartments that are right in the middle of the hottest attractions, or ones in quieter, older neighborhoods. Don’t worry about not being able to see the sights, though – even the quieter buildings are close to public transportation.

If you’re thinking about a summer visit, it’s important to remember that air conditioning is not a default amenity in Rome. That means that it’s important to look for an apartment that specifies air conditioning if you want it; however, the local climate means you may not need to use it.

Want extra amenities or hotel-type services? Just talk to the booking agency to find out what’s available, but don’t forget that while they’re happy to help you, there may be an additional charge.

Anyone thinking about celebrating their wedding anniversary or other romantic occasions in Rome should consider a luxury apartment for their stay. There are all sorts of styles, sizes and locations, allowing you to end up with the perfect surroundings for your trip.

The unique and elegant atmosphere of the Spanish Steps are among the most popular and well know spots in Rome.

138 steps of pure class and elegance, brightens up the square and brings life and energy to this great place. The area was built in the late 1700s, it attracts and is still frequented by locals and tourists to absorb its incredible atmosphere.

The Italian name for Spanish Steps is “Scalinata”. These are a set of steps in one of the most beutiful areas of Rome. The Spanish Steps were actually, despite of its name, built by the French.

The monumental stairway, “Spanish Steps” or “Scalinata di Spagna” were built between 1723 and 1725 with French diplomat tienne Gueffier. You can easily recognize it at the Piazza di Spagna square rectangle like shape.

The Piazza di Spagna is one of the most popular tourist sites in Rome. The Scalinata is without a doubt the longest and widest staircase in all Europe.

At the base of the Piazza is the Early Baroque fountain called “La Fontana della Barcaccia” (“Fountain of the Old Boat”), built in 1627-29 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Legend has it that, Pope Urban VIII had the fountain installed after he had been impressed by a boat brought here by a flood of the Tiber river.

Bernini is said to have used the Boat as a sign of safety from floods from the Tiber River.

The steps are covered by pots of beautiful “Azalea” flowers in spring (flowering shrubs are part of the genus Rhododendron and subgenus Pentanthera), Romans named them “Garden Stairs”.

A sign that the Summer is fast approaching. The weather in Rome can get quite hot, even in the Fall. So the many cafes, shops and restaurants near the Spanish Steps are always popular full of people absorbing this fine, elegant atmosphere.

You shouldn’t have lunch at the stairs, it’s forbidden by Roman regulations, but nevertheless it’s likely you will still see some people having a sandwich or “tramezino” (Typical Roman Sandwich) and sipping up on a cold drink when everything is calm and peaceful.

Spanish Steps turned into a meeting point and the place where to take a romantic or scenic ride in a carriage pulled by a horse. At the very first step to the right, is the house where John Keats (the English Poet) lived and died in 1821.

Today the house is a memorabilia of the English Romantic generation and is open to the public.

Halfway up still on the right is the apartment that was the setting for The Roman Spring of Mrs Stone (1961). Bernardo Bertolucci’s, Besieged (1998) was also the stage in a house next to the steps.

American singer/songwriter Bob Dylan refers to the “Spanish Stairs” in his classic “When I Paint My Masterpiece” (1971). Today modern terraces lay in perfect harmony with the surrounding baroque context.

When planning a trip to Rome, make sure you visit the Spanish Steps and rent an accommodation in this area to get the best in Rome.

If somebody told you to visit the Flavian Amphitheater in Rome or even Il Colosseo, that might not ring a bell. But those were the original Roman names for the huge elliptical stadium that we now know as The Colosseum. This marvel of engineering – when it was in full use – could seat 50,000 Roman citizens and it covered six acres of land.

For centuries after the Colosseum was opened in the first century, some of the bloodiest games in human history were held there where gladiators fought to the death, or prisoners were thrown to wild animals to be devoured for the entertainment of others. When you visit the site on your trip to Rome, very little will remain of those brutal times except for the vaults, cells and tunnels underground where humans and animals alike were brought to the stadium and held to await their time before the crowd.

The Colosseum has taken a lot of damage from fires and earthquakes since it was active in Roman times. But if you visit it, you can still get a feel for the majesty of that original structure.

If you get all the way to the top of the arena, you will look down 157 feet from the peak to the floor below and from that vantage point, it is easy to imagine the great spectacles that happened here. And even though the once perfect red brick arches are falling apart and the animals and warriors that moved through those gates are no longer here, the ghosts of glory days gone by are easy to sense.

Like a modern football stadium, the seats are laid out in layers. From any of those seats you can look out over the numerous levels of arches that surround the spread out stadium. Take a seat in the stands for a moment and you can just about hear as the crowd erupts with cheers when the Emperor enters through one of the four gates that are only for the use of him and his party. The other 76 entrances to the stadium were there for citizens to enter and enjoy the festivities, along with Roman royalty.

It took 15,000 slaves and designers to build this huge structure before it finally opened for use in 80 AD. The title, “The Colosseum” that we know the stadium by, was taken from a famous statue that stood on the grounds that was called “The Colossus.” At one time people thought this statue was made in the image of Nero but in fact over the life of the Roman Empire, it bore a likeness to each emperor during his reign. Today you can still find the base that The Colossus stood on not far from the site between the Colosseum and the Temple of Roman and Venus.

When the Colosseum opened, there was a marathon of celebrations that went on for 100 days at every level of society from royalty to the barbarian, as they revelled in their new stadium. Huge throngs of people watched gladiators fighting to the death as well a form of lion taming that was far more brutal than anything we would put up with in our times.

Where people sat in that huge stadium depended on your social rank. For obvious reasons, the emperor had the best seats along with his royal entourage. The upper levels, by contrast were reserved for women who had no part with the royal party. But at any level, it was easy to see the shows and battles happening in the Colosseum arena, which included exotic animals like hippos, elephants and rhinos, along with the big cats that were part of the games as well.

The more important officials who had the good seats in the Colosseum got to sit under masts and velarium which were canopies that helped shade them from the sun as the combat occurred before them. But those things have long since disappeared to the ravages of time. The huge columns and walls have survived, including the Doric columns at the lowest level, to the Ionic columns on level two and then finishing with the Corinthian at the third level.

As a tourist, you will be overwhelmed at all of the architecture you see at the Colosseum site and you will recognize the designs because they have been used in stadiums all over the globe. The Colosseum was the first arena of this kind and it was also the biggest and most famous structure of its kind. Before the building of this mighty stadium, previous arenas were hollowed out of hillsides for smaller events. You can still see some of those stadiums around Rome as well.

But as you plan your schedule for your visit of Rome, visiting the amazing Colosseum is a must.