The city of Rome is one of the oldest cities in Europe and the world that still exist to this day, with the city being founded over an estimated 28 centuries ago. Today, the city is the capital of Italy and boasts a total population of 2.9 million people.
In this article, we are going to lay out the facts for you about why is Rome, Italy the best place to visit?
It Was the Epicenter of the Roman Empire.
Rome is said to have been founded in 753 B.C. but it wasn’t until over 700 years later that the Roman Empire came into existence, the Roman Empire is one of the most famous empires in history for being so ahead of its time and being the only country to be able to conquer and control such large parts of Europe ever with at its peak the Romans controlled more than half of all the territory that makes up the continent of Europe.
The history of the Roman Empire is very well documented in its capital city of Rome, where you can go out and see hundreds of still-standing Roman buildings such as:
- Pantheon that was originally a Roman temple before being converted to a church, it was built by emperor Hadrian and is known as being one of the best-preserved Roman buildings.
- Colosseum, one of the best-known structures built by the Romans, it was used for theater plays but more notoriously for its gladiator battles that consisted of prisoners of war and slaves fighting for their freedom, to gladiators fighting against exotic beasts such as tigers and lions as well as even mock navy battles where the Colosseum would be filled with water and real-life galley warships would be transported in the building. Although it is no longer in use it an architectural marvel as it was built almost two thousand years ago, but it is so big that it could at the time hold 50,000 people.
- Circus Maximus, another very famous structure is the Circus Maximus, which was a stadium built for chariot racing that was an estimated 621 meters in length with the ability to do multiple laps.
- Castel Sant’Angelo, a tomb of the late Roman Emperor Hadrian that is built on the bank of the Tiber River that runs through the city of Rome. At the time of it being built, it was the tallest building in Rome and was used as a fortress many times throughout history.
- Baths of Diocletian, a massive public bathing complex that was built near the end of the Roman Empire before it split into two separate entities.
The Vatican.
Aside from being the capital of one of the biggest empires in human history, Rome also holds particular importance in the Christian world as the independent micro country of the Vatican being located within the city of Rome. There are an estimated 1.2 billion Roman Catholics in the world, which shows how much influence the Vatican has.
The Vatican is officially the smallest country in the world; however, it is home to many of the world’s best-known landmarks such as St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s Square. Furthermore, you can traverse the entire country in a day with ease, with thousands of tour guides being available for hire thanks to the country’s huge popularity as a tourist destination.
Additionally, you can see the Pope in person either by attending on a Christian holiday or simply by coming on a Sunday where the Pope appears on his balcony and gives a speech and carries out a prayer.
Trying out Authentic Italian Food.
Italy is known for its iconic food such as pasta, pizza, lasagne as well as its cheeses, wines, and salami.
By visiting Rome, you can indulge yourself in high quality authentic Italian food such as Carbonara which is a famous style of pasta that originates from the city of Rome. Carbonara is known for its light cheesy sauce that is often coupled with a type of Italian meat called guanciale.
Another authentic Italian food that you must try when visiting Rome is gelato which is a type of frozen yogurt with many versions to choose from with literally thousands of gelato parlors located in Rome alone.
If you are looking to try something that is not widely available outside of Italy like carbonara and gelato then a good dish for you to try is Porchetta which is a bone of pork that has been specially prepared to be soft and full of flavor so that it almost melts in your mouth when you eat it.
Porchetta is considered a specialty in Italy and can be eaten in a variety of ways such as in sandwiches and baguettes, as well as in savory cakes and pies.
A Thriving Fashion Hub.
Italy is home to many of the biggest fashion brands in the world such as Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Prada and Versace to name just a few. If you decide to go to Rome and you are an avid fashion lover, it is the perfect location for you. The city is home to hundreds of luxury clothing that feature limited edition products that can only be bought in Italy.
Apart from the world-famous luxury brands that we mentioned above, Rome is also home to many excellent shopping centers where you can buy more affordable clothing as well as old cobbled streets where you can find independent boutiques that sell high-quality handmade clothing made in Italy that allows you to truly buy some genuine Italian fashion pieces.
Fashion catwalk shows are a regular occurrence in Rome with many of the world’s best-known models, designers and celebrities converging on the city, it is not commonly known, but the everyday public are able to buy tickets for such events at fairly affordable prices of just a few hundred dollars which is not a lot of money for a once in a lifetime experience to mingle with leading fashion world figures and see in real life some of the most expensive clothing pieces in the world.
Also read an interesting article: What Should A Traveler See In Milan, Italy? 7 Best Places.
