Rome Without Tourists.
The Birds View
A lot has changed since our last visit to Rome 10 years ago: much more was dug-out and the number of tourists increased exponentially. I would like to introduce you to some of my favorite places in Rome. We will do it from an area with a birds-view of the ancient city. And to get there we start in the Forum.
When one can see the Forum Romanum with fewer people, very early in the morning – it is magical. It induces you with the feeling of eternity and classical elegance. Walking in the Forum towards Coliseum we pass the Roman Senate building. Then, half way through, we turn right and walk south up one of the seven Roman hills. We end up on the Palatine Hill, where well-to-do folks in Republican times built their houses and where later the dreaded emperors had their homes.
Rome’s Subura
Rome’s Subura was a very poor neighborhood in ancient times. Historians tell us that Caesar was born in Subura. 40 years ago it was a sleepy place with mom and pop grocery stores and small hostels. Over the years Subura was converted into a desired swanky place to live for young well-to-do Romans, but in many ways it remains the same. If one would like to get a feeling for Rome’s old neighborhoods – a hotel in Subura with its rooftop breakfast patios is a very good place to take in the smell and taste of old and new Rome.
Eating in Trastevere
In the past, when Romans went out to eat they often dined at a restaurant in Trastevere across the Tiber. Now-a-days, with the increase in the number of tourist, the food is not as diverse, but one can still find a nice modest restaurant with excellent seafood, vegetables, pasta and a good glass of house vino.
Ancient Rome and Magna Graecia in Southern Italy and Sicily
Our trip of a lifetime was to tour the antiquity of Ancient Rome and Magna Graecia in Southern Italy and Sicily. We wanted to capture the trip in time and space through an Ancient Rome Travel Video so we could revisit memories we treasure, and share the incredible sights with our friends and family.
My wife and I are history buffs and always wanted to visit the ancient Roman ruins and excavated sites that are scattered along the Italian peninsula and Sicily. So, our goal for this trip was to have a lot of fun, while hugging some good-looking ancient stones along the way.
Trials and tribulations and incredible wonders were in store for us as we set out to visit as many of the lesser known excavations as we could. The places few have heard of: The amphitheater in Capua that is almost as large as the Colosseum in Rome, the eerie, towering 2,500-year-old temples in Paestum, and many other ancient cities overlooking the deep blue Mediterranean Sea.
Around the ancient ruins we also enjoyed glorious Positano on the Amalfi coast, eating sweet “dolci” at night after simple meals with fabulous Italian wine.
