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Roman Holiday Photos - Rome Vacation Pictures

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Start your tour with a map showing all the major Roman monuments and sights to get your bearings.. Look for the Piazza Venezia to get started. On the street side, you'll find the buildings from which Mussolini used to give his dramatic speeches. But turn around and you'll see this huge white marble structure some call the wedding cake, but is formally known as the Altar of the Fatherland or the Vittorio Emmanuele monument. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is here, but other than that, there is really nothing to see. Snap a few pictures (pretty at night) and move on to see something else..

In behind the Vittorio Emmanuele Monument is the world famous Roman Forum. It's important to see these pictures ahead of time to prepare yourself for the fact that the Forum is in ruins -- after all, 2000 years can do some damage to buildings! You'll see some standing columns, a few surviving structures, and 2 glorious arches that have survived over 2 millenia, but the rest requires a lot of imagination to picture Rome in all its marble-clad glory. You can look down upon the forum from the Campidoglio area (see below) and you can pay to walk around inside the Forum. If you are even a remote history buff, you definitely must tour around inside, go up on the Palantine Hill where the emperors used to lounge in their villas, and look down upon the grassy field that was once the Circus Maximus, star of Ben Hur chariot races. You'll be looking mainly at the foundations of ruinded buildings, but these are the same foundations of our Western Civilization, so worth the trip.

Here is another shot looking down into the Roman Forum at one of the arches. These are impressive sights when you imagine the military parades that once wound their ways beneath their span as Roman citizens cheered.

Also in behind the Vittorio Emmanuele monument and on the hill above the Forum is the Piazza del Campidoglio, atop Capitoline Hill. Traitors used to be thrown from the top of the hill here upon the rocks below. Today, it is home to a magnificent square layed out by Michelangelo, graced by museums on either side and a replica bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius. The real statue . As you walk into the square, be sure to turn into the courtyard on your right, the Palazzo dei Conservatori. You'll see some beautiful remnants of giant statuary here, including the hand and head of a giant Constantine -- great picture opportunity (see below). The Capitoline Museum is on the left hand side of the piazza. You'll find the real original bronze equestrian statue of Marcus A. here, preserved in ancient times only because they thought it was the Christian emperor, Constantine (others were melted down to make cannons and other fine implements). This area is also beautiful at night (see picture on the right).

Here's the huge remains of the old Constantine statue now in pieces - this foot is bigger than a person. Take some photos of you and the foot -- there is also a hand and head in the background that make equally dramatic photos.

After you've seen the forum, it's hard to miss the famous Roman Colosseum which is just down the street. Built during the reign of Emperor Domitian (around 80AD), this magnificent structure continues to amaze and inspire 2000 years later. You'll find another arch right next door to check out, but take the time to walk all the way around the Colosseum to see it from all angles. You have to pay to go inside the Colosseum, which is shown in the picture at right. The interior is not so spectacular - in fact, it is hard to recognize much of anything. If you are pressed for time or money, don't hesitate to skip this spot, but if you want to see where the gladiators lived and died, then go inside and prepare to be underwhelmed.

The Spanish Steps are a famous hangout, mostly for young people and tourists. This open space is pretty, but there really is not much going on here. More famous for past writers and poets that used to live around here than anything else, don't have too high of expectations coming into this one -- basically steps leading up to a church.

This is the famous Trevi Fountain, made extra famous in the movie Three Coins in a Fountain. Legend has it that if you throw a coin over your shoulded into the fountain, you will someday return to Rome. So far it has worked for me, but can't claim it will work for everyone. This is a lovely place, day or night, and one of your favorite spots to while away the hours when in Rome. There are plenty of benches that face the fountain like a mini amphitheater - sit and enjoy!

Next comes the Pantheon, one of the oldest surviving structures in Rome, dating from the time of Julius Caesar. This has served as a church and temple over the years, but it is the amazement you feel at these ancient engineers who could span such a space without electric or gas powered cranes and equipment during the building process. The dome was a Roman architectural marvel, allowing the ancients to enclose huge expanses without a lot of extra columns and arches to support the space. Essentially, the dome is just an expanded arch twisted around itself in 360 degrees, but standing below it and looking up at the oculus (the whole in the roof) is awe-inspiring.

Last on this side of the Tiber River is the Piazza Navonna. There used to be a racetrack here like the Circus Maximus, but now it is an open piazza, with fountains, shops, and cafes to delight your senses. Again, day or night, this is a nice 5-10 minute stroll from the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain.

As you head towards the Vatican side of the river, it's worthwhile to stop at the Castel San Angelo. Originally begun as a tomb, this structure has been transformed over the centuries. It became a fortress in the Middle Ages, and a safe place for the Pope to hide when needed, situated as it is just down the street from the Vatican. Enjoy the various viewpoints from the Castle looking out across Rome, across the Tiber, and towards St. Peter's and the Vatican.

So we move down from the Castle to the famous St. Peter's Cathedral, the largest church in Christendom. This amazing structure was designed by Michelangelo during the Renaissance, who also worked on the nearby Sistine Chapel of course. Beautiful from the outside, you will also be awed when you step inside. Look to your left and see Michelangelo's famous Pieta statue, now behind glass after a crazy Hungarian attacked it with a hammer a few decades ago. Be sure to take the trip up to the top of the dome - you will stand outside near the highest point with glorious views all around (see picture at right).