Founded according to legend by Romulus and Remus in 753 BC. Rome has been the symbol of Italian unity since the 19th century when it became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, then of the Republic after the Second World War. A global city, due to its architectural, urban and cultural heritage, Rome is one of the main tourist destinations in Europe.
In this article we will dive into the heart of the city and discover the rest of the most beautiful places to visit, the cultural, historical, architectural and religious wealth of Rome.
2nd day in Rome:
In the previous article “…..” I told you about my experience and the places I was able to visit upon my arrival in Rome; So here is the rest of my adventure.
Ambitious as I am lol, during this 2nd day I plan to visit around twenty places:
1- Trevi Fountain.
2-Hotel Accademia see Palazzo Carpegna.
3-See Sciarra Gallery.
4- See The Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria + Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri + Basilica of Saint Mary – Major (free access to all these churches)
5- See Altare della Patria (Monument to Victor – Emmanuel II)
6- Galleria Colonna Museo. (paid + appointment)
7- Lunch.
8- Visit Doria-Pamphilj Gallery. (Paid)
9-Visit Chiesa di Sant’ Ignazio di Loyola (Church of Saint – Ignatius – de – Loyola in Rome).
10-See the Pantheon. (Free access)
11-See San Luigi dei Francesi (Church of Saint-Louis-des-Français in Rome). (Free opens at 2:30 p.m.).
12-Piazza Navona+ Museo Dei Gladiatori (free right in front Piazza Navona)
13-Church of Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza.
14-Largo di Torre Argentina.
15- La Iglesia del Gesu (Church of the Holy Name of Jesus) + Basilica of Saint Mary of Aracœli (free)
16- Campidoglio (Capitol).
17- Foro Romano (The paid Roman Forum).
18- Basilica of Saint John Lateran (free only basilica closes at 6:30 p.m.)
19- See the Colosseo at night.
What I was actually able to achieve during my day:
1- Trevi Fountain: done
I remember waking up very early around 5:30, I got ready quickly so I could enjoy the fountain while everyone else was asleep. I had planned to have breakfast in front of the fountain at L’Antico Forno di Piazza Trevi while enjoying a good cappuccino with a quality view, but, there is always a but lol, upon my arrival I was surprised by the number of people there around 6:30 a.m., it’s true that there weren’t many people compared to the crowd the day before (during the night around 9 p.m.) but there There were about ten people.
As for the cafeteria, there were also people who had the same plans as me lol and we had to queue to get a table. I waited in line for a little while then I decided to give in and not waste time while looking for another cafeteria since I had other places waiting for me to visit. I lost a little time but I was able to find another cafeteria in a good location, peaceful where there were very few people, called Caffé Fontana di Trevi Their croissant was fresh, buttered and nicely flaky I can’t forget what it tasted like up to now !
There is a funny story behind this image that I would love to share with you!
When Nicola Salvi was building the fountain, there was a barbershop whose barber was not very happy with the construction of the fountain. The hairdresser was short-sighted and didn’t like how the fountain was hurting his business and he kept bothering Salvi.
Salvi was a Baroque artist and Baroque artists love hidden stories and their meanings. Creating beautiful works of art is just the first step for guys like Salvi. He subsequently constructed a vase resembling the Ace of Cups or Asso di Coppe from the Sicilian card game Scopa. The game has complexities, but victory is defined by a final moment where a player throws down the final card and wins. When Salvi built the asso di Coppe, he built it so as to block the barbershop from the view of anyone standing in front of the fountain. (That must have been enough trouble to really piss Salvi off hah ! )
I imagine when the barber saw the finished fountain and realized what Salvi had done, he surely felt like someone had just thrown down the Ace of Cups and picked up all the cards from the table !
2- Hotel Accademia see Palazzo Carpegna: X
For Palazzo Carpegna, I wanted to see the portico, the courtyard and especially the internal entrance portal, works attributed to the intervention of the famous architect Borromini, but it was closed because I was there very early.
3-See Sciarra Gallery: X
Again no, not visited, it was not only very early but also under construction. (Open during working hours).
Little info: The central part of the gallery is filled with architectural elements and painted by Giuseppe Cellini, in the Art Nouveau style, developing the iconographic theme of the “Glorification of Women”, illustrating models of feminine virtue (Modesty, Sobriety, Strength, Humility, Prudence, Patience, Kindness, Wife, Fidelity, Kindness, Mercy. We also see scenes from the daily life of the bourgeoisie.
4- See The Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria + Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri + Basilica of Santa Maria – Major:
I couldn’t visit them because of the time I wasted waiting in line in the cafeteria and then looking for another one :s
5- See Altare della Patria (Monument to Victor – Emmanuel II): done
So after having breakfast and in order not to miss the celebration of the Festa della Repubblica which is celebrated every year around 9:15, I left directly towards the Monument to Victor – Emmanuel II.
Little info: La Festa della Repubblica “Republic Day” is an Italian national holiday which is celebrated every June 2, to celebrate the Republic. On this date the 1946 referendum took place giving Italians the choice of preferring the monarchy or the Republic and who ended up voting for the abandonment of the monarchy, compromised in fascism, for a republican system.
The celebration was beautiful with a very good atmosphere and a magnificent parade of planes carrying the colors of the Italian flag, it was a pleasure for me to celebrate with the Italian people and share their joy!
I.N: There were a lot of people, so this is not recommended for claustrophobic people.
6- Galleria Colonna Museo: done
So the Colonna gallery was SUBLIME in every way! Certainly this palace is one of the must-sees in Rome, I loved my visit in French with our guide Sandrine who was friendly and who answered all our questions. The gallery was splendid and exceptionally rich, in terms of its beauty, its collections and its decoration. The palace is still inhabited by the Colonna family and I had the chance to meet Mr. Prospero Colonna.
To be able to visit the gallery you must make an appointment by email 10 days before the visit or more and for payment it is done either online or on site for 30 euros or 27 euros for those who have the Roma Pass, as for At the self-guided tour you pay 15 euros for rapid access and 25 euros for the full tour.
-Useful information: Visit times and dates:
Friday: 2-hour guided tour by reservation (Italian: 9:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. / English: 10 a.m. / French: 10:30 a.m.
Saturday morning: Free entry 9:15 a.m. until 1:15 p.m. (last access). 15 euro for a quick tour, 25 euro for the full tour.
Every day from 3 p.m. there are exclusive private tours by reservation at 100+ euros.
-Email: info@galleriacolonna.it
-Purchase ticket online: https://www.tosc.it/artist/galleria-colonna/galleria-colonna-palazzo-colonna-1614736/
-Official website: www.galleriacolonna.it
7- Lunch: Done
For lunch I had a good pizza at Pizza e Mozzarella and I was surprised to see potato-based pizzas which were super tasty! To see or eat in Rome read this article.
8- Doria-Pamphilj Gallery: Done
I was also able to see the Doria-Pamphilj gallery which had its own charm too, but which was honestly not at the same level as the Colonna gallery which was well maintained by its owners. I am not comparing the two palaces because each has its own beauty and history, but the advice I can give you is to see Doria-Pamphilj first.
During the free visit you are entitled to an audio guide in several languages according to your choice.
-Useful information: Visit times and dates:
The Gallery is open Monday to Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (last entry at 6:00 p.m.).
For Friday, Saturday and Sunday, opening hours are 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (last entry at 7:00 p.m.).
-The price of a single ticket: €16.00. With online reservation fee €17.00.
–Email to make an appointment: info@dopart.it
-Purchase ticket online: https://ticketroma.doriapamphilj.it/en/biglietteria/gallery-ticket/
–Official website for more info: https://www.doriapamphilj.it/en/rome/
My entry was scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and the tour took me about an hour to see the palace , i couldn’t stay more than that, the day was still early and I still had plenty of places to see.
See you in the next article to tell you the rest of my 2nd day in Rome, good tips and any useful information for your trip!
