Holidays in Rome - Italy
Like few other cities on Earth, a holiday in Rome
manages to combine an extraordinary past with an
amazingly vivacious present. If you took away the
people, walking through Rome would be like walking
through a museum, such is its wealth of extraordinary
buildings and monuments. Add the people back into
the equation and you have a city that seems to exemplify
contemporary Italian style and a love of modern living,
juxtaposed with a heritage that’s richer than
a Tiramisu.
View all our holidays to Rome
Sightseeing in Rome
Walking through Rome on holiday is not for the feint
hearted. Every Italian driver appears to be auditioning
for a place in the Ferrari Formula One team, while
the ubiquitous scooters seem to be exempt from any
kind law whatsoever. However, such Latin commotion
seems completely appropriate in Rome and only serves
to enhance those moments of tranquillity when you
find a little café for an espresso or walk
into another beautiful piazza or stunningly lovely
church.
The Pantheon, Rome
Walking into buildings like the Pantheon, for example,
is akin to time travel – mind you, some of
the queues in Rome will make you wish you owned a
time machine! However, once through the enormous
bronze doors you can leave the hustle and bustle
of the contemporary life far behind. This is the
only complete piece of Roman architecture still in
existence and it is stunning. The sublime space – the
building height is exactly the same as the radius
of its' dome - is lit by the sunshine that pours
through the unglazed oculus in its magnificent roof.
Amazingly the rain seldom enters the building at
all and the natural light plays wonderful games as
it flatters different aspects of the interior.
The Colosseum, Rome
The Colosseum is magnificent it in own way too and,
for a building that was inaugurated by the emperor
Titus in AD 80, it is extraordinarily contemporary
in the way it seeks to usher visitor along is meticulously
planned corridors. 50,000 spectators used to gather
here to see the brutal spectacle that was put on
yet, with 80 entrances for crowds to come and go
in an orderly fashion, all the casualties were confined
to the arena.
Rome & the Vatican City
Naturally, this being Rome on holiday, the Vatican
City is a definite ‘must see’ as of course
are Michelangelo’s inspiring works at the Sistine
Chapel. Interestingly the chapel itself is built
to exactly the same dimensions as the Temple of Solomon
as given in the Old Testament. Elsewhere you can
climb the magnificent Spanish Steps and visit the
house where Keats lived and died. The house is now
a museum dedicated to Keats, Shelley, Byron, Mary
Shelley and their fellow Romantics.
Trevi Fountain, Rome
Of course you can’t visit Rome without seeing
the Trevi Fountain: beautiful in itself, great for
watching the world go by and, with the unique advantage
that, according to legend, a coin thrown into the
fountain will ensure your return to the city. St
Peter’s – the largest church ever built
- is something of a ‘must see’ too. Once
again Michelangelo receives prominent billing with
the magnificent Pieta located near the entrance.
These days a glass screen sits between you and the
sculpture following the attack by a man with a hammer
in 1972.
Contemporary Rome
Finally, if you’d like to see some of Rome’s
more contemporary accomplishments on holiday, try
the magnificent Stadio Olimpico where over 80,000
spectators can enjoy an uninterrupted view of the
action. If you crave a little controversy, the Palazzo
della Civilita is a fine example of the fascist or "bombastic
modernism" of the 1930’s while those looking
to escape the relentless pace of a modern city should
head for one of the many parks like Villa Doria Pamphilj,
Rome’s largest public park and one of the richest
in terms of flora and fauna.
Archers Direct Holidays in Rome
For a world of holidays that won’t cost you
the earth, you’ve come to the right place.
From escorted coach tours and train tours to resort-based
beach holidays to cruises and short breaks. From
Europe to the USA & Canada to Australia, we have
getaways to suit everyone – all featuring the
amazing value that only direct booking can offer.
Year round holidays (summer holidays, winter holidays,
Christmas holidays & Xmas holidays, half term
holidays, Easter holidays) include January, February,
March, April, May, June, July, August, September,
October, November & December. We fly from the
following UK airports: London airports – Heathrow
airport, Gatwick airport, Luton airport & Stansted
airport as well as Birmingham airport, Bristol airport,
East Midlands airport, Edinburgh airport, Glasgow
airport, Manchester airport & Newcastle airport.
View all our holidays to Rome
