David is currently trekking through Italy on the Best of Italy and Essence of Italy tours. Follow him on his adventure and check out his awesome pictures on the Exploring Europe Facebook page. Keep reading to find out more about our first destination.

Rome

Rome, the Eternal City, is a must-see destination for any European tour.  There is no way to pack all the sights into just one visit. However, with a little planning you can get an enjoyable overview of this world-class city. 

For many, touring Rome can be a grueling process, especially in the hot and humid summer months.  The city is overloaded with cars, motorbikes, buses and millions of people.  All this commotion seems to put a certain amount of stress and fatigue on every tourist venture around the city.

In order to get a handle on the whole Roman touring process, you need to think of the city as three very different tourist destinations.  I like to divide the sprawling city into three historical regions:  ancient Rome, Vatican City and the Baroque city center.  Each destination has its own historical and cultural significance as well as a unique character.

Ancient Rome

The major tourist sites in this area are the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Arch of Titus, the Arch of Constantine and the Circo Massimo.  Nearby are several important churches dating from the post-Roman era: San Clemente, San Pietro in Chains, San Giovanni in Laterno. Read more.

Vatican City

Sights here are all related to the Holy See and include Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum and gardens. Read more.

Baroque City Center

Fanning out from either side of the via del Corso are Rome’s historic neighborhoods and monuments, dating from the Renaissance to the present.  Major landmarks include the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Vittorio Emanuele Monument, many Bernini landmarks, Campo de’ Fiore, Villa Borghese and several important churches. Read more.

Join David in Italy in September

Check out this video, where David throws a coin into the Trevi Fountain for you so that you can see it in person this September. Sign up here and get $500 off.