Last day in Rome,
For the rest of the 3rd and last day in Rome I was almost unable to visit the places that remained on my list, apart from the Colosseum and the Campo de’ Fiori, I was rather lost in the streets of Rome (lost and happy haha the most beautiful getaway I have experienced so far) and I was able to discover beautiful places that I had not planned to visit.
If you have read my previous article, you will notice that I still had to tell you about these 5 places to visit:
5- Campo de’ Fiori market + Farnese Palace 3D Wall:
6- Ponte Sisto.
7- Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere + Chiesa di Santa Maria dell’Orto + Basilica Santa Cecilia in Trastevere.
8- Bocca della Verità
9- Basilica of Saint John Lateran.
10- Colosseum (Colosseo).
Here are the details on each place:
5- Campo de’ Fiori: Done
The Campo de’ Fiori means “field of flowers“. Its name comes from the fact that in this same place, in the Middle Ages, there was a vast meadow. This square is very busy and is located between Piazza Navona and the Farnese Palace. .
In the center of the Campo de’ Fiori, there is a bronze statue of Giordano Bruno, which recalls that this Dominican monk was burned alive there in 1600 because he questioned the dogmas of the Church.
This square is very lively, where every day of the week there is a fruit and vegetable market; there are also fish merchants. The market takes place every morning from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. except Sunday.
6- Ponte Sisto:
I could only see it from afar from the Garibaldi Bridge, it is in fact a beautiful and simple bridge, with four arches, whose central pillar has a characteristic oculus, intended to reduce the pressure of the water on the structure by case of flooding. This oculus also serves as a reference point to assess the flood level of the Tiber. The photos of the Sisto Bridge were not clear during the night, however the Fabricio Bridge was closer to the Garibaldi Bridge and I was able to take more visible photos:
7- Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere + Chiesa di Santa Maria dell’Orto + Basilica Santa Cecilia in Trastevere : X
I was able to walk around the Trastevere district a bit during the night but I didn’t have the opportunity to visit the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, which is one of the oldest churches in Rome. According to what i found about it, its interior architecture is magnificent with a nave made by the Romans, its internal mosaics date back centuries. While the mosaics on the facade of its campanile date from the 13th century. The image of Mary outside at the top of the campanile is considered the oldest iconographic representation of the Virgin breastfeeding and who is surrounded by ten women carrying lamps, a symbol of virginity.
Useful information :
-The entry to the basilica is free.
–Hours: Every day from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. except Friday, opening at 9 a.m. In August the basilica is closed from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closing at 8:00 p.m.
+Chiesa di Santa Maria dell’Orto:
There was a time when Trastevere was just a land of vegetable gardens and farmers. This church, which is located in the heart of the Trastevere district, is unique for the richness of its decorations. The best part of this church is the ceiling at the top of the altar, with garlands of tomatoes and grapes.
This church is little known and from my research there are generally not many visitors, so it is easy to visit without being overwhelmed by tourists.
Useful information :
-The entry to the basilica is free.
–Hours (to be confirmed as they may change): Monday to Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
+ Basilica Santa Cecilia in Trastevere:
According to visitors’ opinions, it is a pretty church with sumptuous mosaics.
Useful info:
The visit to the crypt and its chapel is (€2.50/pers.)
-Hours: (to be confirmed as they may change): Monday to Saturday: 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Bonus: If you are looking for a good pizza near the Trastevere district, go to PizzaRé 77, their 04 cheese pizza is just delicious and unrivaled in creaminess !
8- Bocca della Verità:
I wanted to visit it but it was impossible because it was too late. The Bocca della Verità means the “Mouth of Truth”, it is a large marble mask presented by a male face with beard and perforated eyes, nose and mouth, which legend has it could bite the hand of any person putting his hand in his mouth and not telling the truth. The tradition was widespread among jealous husbands, who brought their wives to the monument; after introducing their hand, women had to declare that they had not committed adultery.
The Bocca della Verità is actually a manhole cover from Roman times, it was placed since 1632 in the pronaos of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
Useful information :
-Hours: Its opening hours follow the opening hours of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. At present; every day from 9:30 a.m. to 5:50 p.m.
According to my research, there may be queues; As the day progresses, the queue in front of Bocca della Verita gets longer!
–Price: Access to the Santa Maria in Cosmedin church is free. However, you will have to pay a small contribution of 2 euros to play the truth game and have your photo taken in front of the Bocca della Verità.
9- Basilica of Saint John Lateran:
I had planned to visit it before the Colosseum, but it was impossible because I could miss my entrance to the Colosseum which was scheduled for 6:05 p.m. The Basilica of Saint John Lateran is one of the four main basilicas in Rome, it is considered and often called “the Mother of all the Churches of Rome and the world“. Its magnificent architecture attracted me in the photos and made me really want to see it in real life, but hey you can’t do everything and I definitely didn’t want to miss my entrance to the Colosseum!
Useful information :
–Hours: The basilica is open every day from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Basilica Museum: 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
–Price: Entrance to the basilica is free, however for: the museum, the Sancta Sanctorum, the monastery and the baptistery; you must buy a ticket online or on site for 5 euros.
10- Colosseum (Colosseo):
Last but not least, the COLISEUM! One of my dreams was to see one of the 7 wonders of the world and I was finally able to make that dream come true. I can’t describe the feeling I had upon entering the Colosseum, I had read and heard a lot about this iconic structure, but seeing it with my own eyes was something completely different and awe-inspiring. It was immense and sublime, this unmissable giant of the Italian capital could accommodate up to 80,000 spectators at the time. Moreover, it is the largest amphitheater ever built in the Roman Empire. To think that this giant was built in just 8 years is mind blowing!
This immense arena is a true marvel of ancient architecture offering a fascinating journey to the era of gladiators, grand spectacles and executions !
Useful information :
– Ticket price: 18 euros + Online reservation fee 2 euros + (1 euro Supplement from June 15 to September 15, 2023)
– Hours: From January 2 to February 28; 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. / From March 1 to 26; 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. / From March 27 to August 31; 9:00 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. (last access 6:05 p.m.) / From September 1 to September 30; 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. / From October 1 to 30; 9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. / From October 31 to December 31; 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
-You can buy your tickets either on site or online. I do not recommend buying it on site because of the long queues, especially during the high tourist season. Personally I chose to reserve the ticket for the last entry which is at 6:05 p.m. during the summer period because I noticed that there were few people compared to other times.
The Colosseum is one of the most iconic monuments on the planet and it is an absolute must in Rome that everyone wants to visit, which is why tickets are not easily found online. The tip I can give you is to monitor the site a month before your planned entry to be able to buy your tickets at the desired time. There are two websites where you can buy your tickets:
– The official website: Here.
– Or: Here if you have the Roma Pass. (For Roma Pass holders, you must pay online only the reservation fee which is 2 euros. You must choose the option of: Admission reservation for Roma Pass holders).
And this is where my adventure in Rome ends, but I will certainly come back to discover the places that I did not have the opportunity to see.
My next destination will be Florence. See you very soon to tell you about this magnificent and charming city… Peace!