One of the most ancient cities in Europe, Rome has been continuously inhabited for over twenty-seven hundred years, giving rise to its name: The Eternal City. As the center of the Roman Empire , and later the seat of the Catholic Church, it is hard to imagine a more important city in western civilization. Many European languages are based on Latin, most of our political systems follow the Roman model, and buildings all around the world utilize styles perfected in ancient Rome. Present day Rome is a city of layers: you can glimpse the ancient past in some locations, and in others you can marvel at the Catholic palaces built in the name of God. In others you can see the glorious remains of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. It's all here, and remarkably easy to see. It may not have been built in a day, but you can get a good taste of it in four. And it is also a bustling, important modern city with three million full-time residents. I expected to be overwhelmed by the icons of Rome: the Colosseum, the Forum, the Vatican . What I did not expect was how every street, every square and every fountain is completely fascinating and drenched in history, and just how beautiful and welcoming the Eternal City is.

 

We checked into our hotel on one of the main thoroughfares of the city; Via Nazionale. We were so happy to find a huge comfortable room that did not move with the sea. We met up with our new friends from the cruise Jeff and Erik, who were also staying on in Rome for a few days. Our tour guide was my friend Davide, that I work with in London . He is from Rome , and has been waiting three years to show us “his city”. The five of us met up at the hotel, and then strolled down Via Nazionale, taking in the sights.

 

The first stop was what the Romans call 'The Wedding Cake'. A huge white marble edifice built in 1911 to honour Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of united Italy . Although it is a hated monument (I thought it was pretty cool...looking a bit like Caesar’s Palace in Vegas) it does offer fine views across the remains of the Forum and the Colosseum beyond. And, it's a great place to stop for a glass of prosecco. We then strolled through the Forum, which was the epicenter of ancient Rome . Julius Caesar was responsible for many of the buildings. –He was followed by Augustus, Claudius, Nero and Caligula... all of whom left their marks on the landscape. The Forum is a patchwork of ruined temples, and the excavation of the sight is on-going. At the end of the Forum lies the quintessential symbol of Rome: the Colosseum. Emperor Vespasian commissioned its building, and it opened to the public in AD80. Almost every amphitheater built in the last two thousand years owes its design to this incredible ancient structure. It was used for gladiator combats and wild animal fights intended to quench the blood thirst of the citizens of Rome . It was Vespasian who said he could control the people with "bread and circuses" (a motto that still stands in today's crazy world). When we first caught sight of the Colosseum, we were all stopped in our tracks, slack-jawed in its presence.

 

Davide continued our walking tour with stops in Rome 's most famous squares. The Piazza della Rotunda is home to the legendary Pantheon. This is one of the  greatest buildings in the world’s architectural history. A huge domed temple with a hole in the top (providing the only light) it has remained perfectly intact for two thousand years.  The famous Renaissance painter Raphael was buried here (at his own request) in 1520. From there we walked to the glorious Piazza Navona: a meeting place built in the Baroque style in the 17th century with the famous fountain, Quattro Fiumi at its center.

 

By this time we were getting hot and tired (this is still day one!) and it was time to shower and dress for dinner. We all met up again, joined by our friends Rasha and Hugo for a fabulous late dinner in Trastavere, the hip, Bohemian neighborhood south of the Tiber  River . All of the non-Romans in the group were amazed by how different and delicious pasta tastes when you are in Rome . 

 

The next day we met up again with Jeff and Erik for a formal tour of the Vatican . The Vatican  is actually a separate country, becoming independent from Italy in 1929. Now, there are hundreds of gorgeous churches in Rome, and thousands all across Europe , but nothing can prepare you for Saint Peter's Basilica, The world's largest (and richest) church. It was built on the site where Saint Peter (the first Pope) was martyred and buried - and it’s been the residence of every Pope that succeeded him. The Papal palaces beside Saint Peter's house the Vatican museums: home to some of mankind’s greatest treasures. We spent three hours glimpsing into the immense Vatican wealth.

The finest classical sculptures and the world's most recognizable art are within these walls. Our tour took us past Nero's bathtub, a massive red marble chalice made of Egyptian marble so rare, it costs $20,000 for a square inch of the stuff, and Michelangelo's 'Pieta,' the most gorgeous sculpture of Mary cradling Christ dying in her arms. The statues of Apollo del Belvedere and the two thousand  year old 'Laocoon' depicting a Trojan priest staggering with two snakes. Room after room of artistic treasures, culminated with the Sistine Chapel. The massive walls are decorated with frescos by the finest artists of the 15th and 16th centuries. Michelangelo took four years to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, bending his neck upwards and was rewarded for his efforts with fused vertebrae in his neck. The result is one of the world's most recognized works of art. The thirty-three panels depict the Creation of the World and the Fall of Man. In the center is the iconic panel of God reaching a finger out to touch Adam. It was astonishing to see this image, just as it was created by the master almost five hundred years ago. It is also interesting to note that Michelangelo was both openly gay and intensely religious. A duality that was apparently less scandalous then than it is today.

 

After an exhausting journey through the ages at the Vatican, we met up with Rasha at another must-see sight in Rome: the Piazza de Spagna ( Spanish Square ). In the 17th century, Spain 's ambassador had his embassy here, and because it was considered part of Spain, it developed an 'anything goes' attitude that has lasted through the centuries. This crowded square and massive staircase has always been a place to let your hair down, to conduct a love affair or search for artistic inspiration. We bought Rasha a red rose to clench between her teeth and we climbed the wide stairs to watch the sun set over the shuttered houses around the square painted in colors of cream and russet.

 

The Roman group from the previous night had no intention of letting us dine alone, so after hours of coordination we all met up again for what Davide called 'the best pizza in the world'. When we finally arrived at midnight, the little old place still had a line out the door. The eighty year old proprietor told us he had been making pizzas on this site for sixty-three years. And you know what? It was the best pizza in the world. 

 

On the final day we strolled around the remaining must-see's in Rome. The Fontana Di Trevi, the four hundred year old fountain made famous in the film “La Dolce Vita.” The tradition is to throw coins over your back into the fountain to ensure you will return to Rome. (The fountain collects over $5000 a day on average). We tossed the coins as per the tradition, but I certainly did not need the insurance to know that we will return.