The first thing that strikes you about the suburbs of Rome, (and excuse me if this sounds slightly naïve) is how un-British it is. In my previous trips abroad there has always been that familiarity to the layout, the architecture and the weather. Rome rewrote everything that I preconceived about foreign, western capitals. The entire districts of Rome are filled up with flats, with shops, bars and restaurants inhabiting the areas facing onto the streets, giving off a sense of claustrophobia. Yet as you reach the centre of Rome, the parts of Rome where the tourists flock, you couldn’t find a more altering view of the city. Fantastic architecture, incredible historic monuments and the attention to detail that encompasses every single nook and cranny
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The historical part of Rome is something that has to be seen to be believed, going off the beaten tourist trail even the most inconspicuous building, that probably has no real importance, can astound you; then factor in the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Circus Maximus and the Vittorio Emanuele Monument. Casting my eye from the upper tier of the Colosseum and shifting my gaze down to the vast arena brought up mental images of the games and the crucifixions of Christians hitting home just how Rome has shaped history throughout the ages, influencing everything from religion to fashion, architecture to innovation.
And then there is the Vatican, and words cannot describe the scope of its grandeur and size, and its relevance to the modern world.
Besides all the historical monuments that are a must, Rome also offers a vast arrangement of the most expensive shops in the world. The high street encompasses Versace, Gucci, Prada and of course, Armani all on one street, the impressive Via dei Condotti. For those who are looking after their bank balances then there are plenty of boutiques and more familiar ‘named’ stores such as H&M on the side streets directly off the Via dei Condotti. Naturally, with this being Rome, all of the high street glamour is set to a backdrop of historic beauty, with the Piazza di Spagna and Trevi Fountain being a matter of seconds away.
Food-wise Rome is, as you would expect, filled with Italian restaurants, all serving roughly the same menu and all charging roughly the same prices. However, expect to pay that little more if you want to have a meal over looking Rome’s historical monuments. Taking that into consideration, prices are not extortionate in the slightest with an average meal and drink costing around £10.
Transport, is stupidly easy and almost German in its efficiency. All transport links lead to Termini, the main train station and where the two underground lines (Linea A and Linea B join). On the underground access to any and every part of Rome is available, cheaply. A three day metro pass, which allows you unlimited access on the underground for 72 hours, costs roughly £9. The underground has stops within easy walking distance of every sight that Rome possibly has to offer, and in the case of the Colosseum, the underground stop is directly opposite.
Nightlife, however, is slightly hit and miss. There are the student aimed bar crawls, but these have a tendency to be very slow starting, making them not too cost effective. Personally, I’d suggest finding out the bars yourself. Whilst not easy, armed with a map and a few rough ideas you’ll be able to find yourself in a relaxing and quiet bar, or a busy and bustling pub in no time, and you won’t need to worry about taxi fare back to your accommodation as, if you are sober enough, Rome is distinctly easy to navigate around and small enough to walk across from the city centre.
For students, the best places to stay overnight are the hostels dotted around the outskirts of Rome. They’re generally cheap, clean and filled with knowledgeable, hospitable and enthusiastic staff, and with the compact nature of Rome, nowhere is to far away from the centre.
The old saying is ‘all roads lead to Rome’; however it might be more appropriate to say ‘everything originates from Rome’. There is no other city in the world that has so much going for it, with such a huge historical importance it is a beautiful and breathtaking city, which has lost none of its heritage moving into the twenty-first century.
Chris Boothroyd
(online editor)
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