Thank You! Here's a mini-adventure!

We had 3 full days in Rome, but one of those days was a Sunday. If you take away anything from this blog, remember this rule of thumb: generally, things in Europe are closed on Sundays. Bearing this in mind, I booked our tours on Friday and Saturday, leaving Sunday to act as a catchall for whatever was left. Friday was ancient Rome day and Saturday was Holy Rome day. The schedule mostly conformed to these labels, but we also were victims of random wandering. During these forays our conversations went roughly like this . . .

These carts were everywhere! And they all looked identical

“Where are we?” (K)
“I know where we are” (J)
“Are we lost?”(K)
“We’re not lost!”(J)
“How the heck did we wind up here?”(J+K)

On Friday, after visiting the Forum, we were parched. To relieve our thirst we stopped at one of those ubiquitous carts in Italy . . . souvenirs, gelato, drinks, paninis, and postcards, all in about 40 square feet. He bought a beer he dumped most of (Italians are known for wine) and I bought a diet coke I ended up sharing since he had dumped his beer. When it came time to toss the coke bottle we couldn’t find a trash can. During our search (seriously, where are all the trash cans) we encountered an immensely huge, white, columned building on hill. We finally found a waste receptacle and returned to this building.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Rome, Italy
This does not properly convey the sheer size of this building.

Our View
Yes, that's the Colosseum there in the middle of the skyline.

The sign said, “Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”, and as there was no admission fee we wandered in the gate, and up the steps. Our feet were killing—several-thousand-year-old cobblestone has a tendency to do that—but the rules prohibited sitting on the steps, so we climbed. Mostly we just followed the people in front of us, but as the crowd thinned and we continued to climb, we needed to find a purpose for our ascent.

I saw a sign for “Terrace/Cafeteria” with an arrow pointing up. We followed these signs up until we ran out of steps. We were on the terrace, about 20 feet below the base of the columns. We were only about halfway up the building, and already it felt like we were on top of the city. There was a glass elevator to the roof, another 100 feet or so above us, but at 8 euro apiece, we voted against riding it.

Walking around the terrace we found the cafeteria, or more accurately, the café, and we stopped for a snack. Here we had our first authentic Italian cappuccino. I don’t like coffee, but I would drink one daily if they always tasted like that first sip. We complemented our coffee with pastries we shared. Joe chose a dark chocolate-coffee flavored one (not tiramisu), and I selected one with fruit and creampuff cream. Best afternoon pick-me-up EVER. Midway through the coffee we realized where we were and what we were doing: having dessert and cappuccino over panoramic vistas of Rome. Somehow, this has become our life, and we are so blessed to live it. Thank you to our friends and families who manage to continue loving us, despite the distance. Sharing these stories with you brings a new level of joy to our experiences. So again, thank you!

Traditional Roman Ruins

The Roman Forum looking toward the Colosseum

The Colosseum is, without a doubt, the biggest draw of the ancient neighborhood. A ticket to the Colosseum also includes entrance to both the Palatine and The Roman Forum, but there were far fewer people at the latter sights. If you have the Roma Pass you can visit these 3 monuments in any order, but if you are buying a ticket on sight, go to the Forum or Palatine first—the line is much shorter.

The Temple of Saturn; former treasury of Rome

At its heart, the Colosseum was an entertainment complex, but the Forum was the center of the ancient Roman republic and empire. There were temples to various Roman gods, each with a specific purpose for protecting and promoting the well-being of the empire. Returning from a successful conquest, the armies would parade through the Forum along the Via Sacra, or sacred way, up to the Temple of Saturn. This was where the Roman legions deposited their treasure into the coffers of Rome. Only the columned façade remains of the treasury of Rome. After unburdening themselves, the leaders of the armies would proceed to the Temple of Jupiter, the King of all the gods, to dedicate their victory to him, and to pray for future conquests on the battlefield.  Walking along a similar path, picking your steps carefully on the uneven Via Sacra, it’s overwhelming when you think about the people who’ve come before you. I know the stories, I’m aware of various emperors who left their mark on the world, but walking here, tracing their footsteps, I knew they were real. I knew the stories were more or less true.

The House of the Vestal Virgins

Another important temple in the Forum was dedicated to the goddess Vesta, the patron goddess of hearth, home, and family. This temple was tended by a group of priestesses called Vestal Virgins. These women were selected from among the children of the aristocracy before the age of 10. They served a 30 year term, and their most important duty was to keep the fire burning in the Temple of Vesta. This fire was the symbolic hearth of Rome, and if it ever went out, it signified certain disaster for the Romans. If the Vestal Virgins fulfilled their duties and remained pure, they lived a pampered life. They had box seats at the Colosseum across from the emperor and they lived in a beautiful home adjacent to the temple. At the end of their service term they were permitted to marry and given a large dowry. If, however, they were unable to abide by their vows of chastity, they were punished most severely; they were dragged out of their home, and buried alive. I loved the ruins of their former. It had a lovely courtyard with two pools in the middle. It was very peaceful, and it still managed to convey seclusion, despite missing walls and a roof.

Flowers in the Temple of Julius Caesar

Near the Temple of Vesta was the Temple of Julies Caesar. This temple commemorates the location of where his body was burnt following his brutal murder by the Senate. Caesar was later deified by Augustus, and since his death, citizens have left fresh flowers on the altar (now a mound of dirt/rocks) to show their support for the fallen emperor.

Maxentius Basilica. Only 3 side apses remain

Besides Temples, the Forum was dotted with basilicas. Roman basilicas were covered meeting places where justice was meted out. The general layout of Roman basilicas is similar to modern, religious basilicas. There is a large central aisle, and several covered apses on the sides, as well as an apse where the altar would be located. The most intact basilica on the Forum is the Maxentius Basilica, named for the emperor who started its construction, even though Constantine finished the building after defeating Maxentius. All that remains of this basilica are 3 side apses. Standing in this hollow shell, it’s hard to believe the surviving bit of the basilica is roughly ⅓ the size of the intact structure. The apses are humongous by today’s standards.

Another view of Maxentius Basilica, from Palatine Hill

Above the Forum is the Palatine Hill. Legend has it that Romulus and Remus were orphaned on this hill and raised by the she-wolf, Lupa. Romulus eventually killed Remus, and founded the city Rome, on the hill. Later, emperors built fabulous villas here in to which to gaze upon the Forum below. After the fall of Rome, the area was used by wealthy people in the middle ages for the same purpose. At one point there were beautiful gardens here as well, but these were removed during more modern excavations of the area. Today the Palatine is like a garden dotted with the ruins of palaces.

Ruins of a Roman Circus, seen from Palatine Hill

This area had the fewest visitors and was the most peaceful. The sunshine on top of the hill felt wonderful and the views of the surrounding areas were spectacular. Among the ruins of emperors palaces was the ruin of a circus, but Roman circuses were not modern circuses. Like the amphitheater, they were a class of building for a specific type of entertainment, in this case, chariot racing. The Palatine has been a beautiful vantage point for hundreds of years. Generations of people have enjoyed the sprawling area; don’t miss out on this treasure—especially since you've already paid for admission with your visit to the Colosseum.


Useful Links!
Pictures from our Trip
Information about Vesta, goddess of hearth, home, and family
Brief History of the Forum and Palatine
Interesting Article about the Roman Underground
How Rome Built Lasting Buildings
Colosseum/Forum/Palatine Online Booking
Roma Pass

OMNIA Pass

Visiting the Colosseum

You can purchase a ticket to the Colosseum for €12.00 and this will also include admission to the Palatine and the Roman Forum. The ticket will be valid for use on 2 successive days. If you choose to purchase the Roma pass, the Colosseum is an eligible choice for one of your free tickets. With the Roma pass or the stand alone ticket, you will be able to explore the first 2 levels of the Colosseum. If you want to see more, you can book a guided tour of the hypogeum and the 3rd level for and additional €9.00 (as of 2013). For more information about booking this tour, check out my previous post, Optional Extras.

Heading into battle

Make sure you book using the Colosseum’s website. There are other tour groups that offer a similar tour but I doubt their validity. Plus, booking through the Colosseum gets you a guide that works there; our guide introduced herself as an archaeologist  and during the tour her knowledge was evident. Another bonus: the tours are comprised of small groups, about 20 people.

Our first stop on the tour was the reconstructed arena floor. We were at gladiator level, and the size of the building was more apparent than ever. It would be very intense fighting for your life against man or beast, even more so under the watchful stares of 50,000 pairs of eyes.

Next we descended to the hypogeum where we were able to see many of the original architectural components. This area survived because after the Colosseum fell into disuse, the area filled in with mud and dirt and it remained covered until excavations in the late 1800s.

The moss covered ruins indicate the amount of moisture present in the hypogeum

The area is damp, dark, and prone to flooding. There is the possibility of your tour not visiting the area if it floods. You are warned of this possibility when you purchase your ticket. Also, you are reminded that access to the hypogeum and the 3rd level of seating are conditional on your ability to climb stairs. Visiting Rome is not for those faint of heart or weak in the knees.

View of the forum from the 3rd level of the Colosseum

The final stop on the tour was the 3rd level. Due to recycling, this level in incomplete and does not go completely around the ellipse. Like the rest of the building it is open air, allowing views of the skeletal interior as well as parts of the nearby Roman forum.

I highly recommend this tour. We visited in the morning, in February, the low season, and the place was still packed. I can’t imagine the crowds during the high season. The first 2 (public) levels are very noisy and crowded, but during the tour the area is quiet and secluded, allowing you to fully appreciate the unique history around you.

Useful Links!
Photos from Our Trip

BBC History of the Colosseum

Colosseum Facts

Article by Tom Mueller (olive oil guy) for Smithsonian Magazine about the Secrets of the Colosseum
Colosseum Online Booking

Roma Pass

OMNIA Pass
Colosseum Wikipedia Page

The Flavian Amphitheater aka the Colosseum

Boom! Colosseum.

Stepping off the metro and immediately seeing a 160 foot tall structure causes you to pause; knowing said structure is nearly 2000 years old can stop you dead in your tracks. The Colosseum is an iconic monument known the world over, and I’m struggling to write something original about it, so instead, I’ll dazzle you with facts. 

Interior of the Colosseum with the exposed hypogeum. 

The Colosseum is a skeleton of its former self, a fitting description as the hypogeum (basement) reminded me of the sinus cavities in the human skull. So what happened to this jewel of ancient Rome? In a word, Catholics happened. The Colosseum is a ruin because after the fall of the Roman empire, the building was used as a quarry for constructing new projects—such as cathedrals and basilicas and *cough cough* St. Peter’s. While some of the damage can be blamed on time, most of its present appearance is from being stripped down by early Catholics. The Colosseum was not the only casualty; nearly every ancient site in Rome was pillaged and the marble reappears in the newer religious buildings. 

The Colosseum was so named not due to its size, but to the colossal statue of Nero out front; a 120ft shiny, bronze, man-god. After Nero’s death, the face of the statue was changed to Helios, the sun god. It was later moved and then disappeared into the annals of history. The actual name of the structure was the Flavian amphitheater, named for the family of emperors that built it.  Construction only took 10 years and resulted in the largest amphitheater in the empire. 

Reconstructed iron staple near holes from
previously removed staples.

On the grounds where the Colosseum now stands, Nero had built a series of palaces and gardens. His home was called the Domus Aurea or golden house because of the richness of the decorations, including gold filigree. Nearby Nero created a large lake which had to be drained before starting construction on the Colosseum. Nero’s land was for his own private use, such as throwing intense parties. When the Flavian’s built the amphitheater it was a way of returning the area to the people. 

The exterior retains much of its marble but it is pockmarked. The holes dotting the stone are not due to the ravages of time but due to the removal of iron supports. These were used to keep the larger stones together, but like much of the Colosseum, they were recycled into other building projects. It makes you wonder; if the Romans thought the staples were necessary, why have they not been replaced to maintain the structural integrity of the monument?

To enter the Colosseum today you must find that 1 magic arch that is open—the rest are blocked with bars, like jail. In its heyday, all 80 arches would have been used as entrances. Admission was free to the events organized by emperors or senators for the benefit of the people. 

Labeled seats at the lowest level of the Colosseum. 

There were 5 levels of seating, capable of holding 50,000 people, and the seats were arranged by social hierarchy. The lowest level was reserved for the emperor, senators, and foreign dignitaries. Seats at this level were labeled, and the emperor had his own private box in the middle. With each successive level, the social status of the spectators decreased. Women were accorded space on the top level unless they were the family member of someone important on the first level. On top of all the levels there was a canvas roof that could be unfurled to protect the spectators from rain or sun. 

Remains of the galleries in the ruins of the hypogeum

Each entertainment building in Rome was designed for a specific purpose. The amphitheater was the scene of gladiator fights. They were fights of animal vs. animal, animal vs. man, and of course, man vs. man. While some fights were to the death, the crowd had favorite gladiators, and this favoritism often spared the life of the loser. The fights took place on the arena floor; a sand-covered, wood surface. In Latin, the word for sand is arena. The floor covered the stone work in the middle area so none of this lower level hypogeum was visible during Roman times. 

The hypogeum was a labyrinth of galleries, cages, and cells holding scenery, animals, and slaves for the fights above. All of these were lifted to the arena level via elevators moved by winches and slave power. At the top of the elevator a trap door opened onto the arena floor. There were 60 of these elevators lending an element of surprise to fights, as a new opponent could surface anywhere. 

There are conflicting theories about early uses of the Colosseum. Some reports indicate that the hypogeum was built after the rest of the Colosseum. Before the hypogeum was built, it is possible that the arena was flooded for mock sea battles but historians have not reached a consensus. 

Panorama from the 2nd level. Notice the reconstructed arena floor. 

Useful Links!

Photos from Our Trip

BBC History of the Colosseum

Colosseum Facts

Article by Tom Mueller (olive oil guy) for Smithsonian Magazine about the Secrets of the Colosseum

Wikipedia Page about the Colossus of Nero

Wikipedia Page about the Domus Aurea (Golden House of Nero)

Rome Trip Planning pt. 2; Optional Extras

In addition to the Roma pass, we also signed up for some other tours that really made our trip a more unique experience. The first of these tours was at the Colosseum; the hypogeum tour. This tour is €9.00 on top of admission to the site (free with Roma pass) and is a guided tour of the basement of the Colosseum and the 3rd (highest surviving) level of the arena. In these areas it is just the tour group accompanied by the guide and it is a much more intimate experience. To book this tour you can visit the website site of the Ticket Office for the Ministry of Heritage and Cultural Activities. If you have decided to purchase a Roma Pass, you will need to call the ticketing office directly at +39 06 399 67 700, or you will be paying for general admission to the Colosseum twice, once included in the Roma Pass and once included with the event ticket. The people who answer the phones at the ticket office speak English, but a help phrase is Parla Inglese prego? Make sure you are booking a time in your correct language, there are many tours throughout the day, but you won’t learn much if you and the guide aren't speaking the same language.

Another tour we signed up for was the tour of the Necropolis below St. Peter’s Basilica. The Basilica was built over the tomb of St. Peter, and during this tour you descend below the floors of the Basilica to archaeological excavations to see the original tomb of the Saint. This tour takes place below the grottoes where the Popes are buried and is not part of a normal St. Peter’s visit. This tour is a little more complicated to book and costs €13.00 per person, for guests older than 15 only. Entrance to the tomb is strictly controlled with a maximum number of visitors permitted each day. When you know when you will be going to Rome, send an email to the Ufficio Scavi, or the excavations office, the address is scavi@fsp.va. In the email you must detail the names of all participants, the language you would like the tour in, and the dates you are available for the tour, and your best method of contact. I recommend trying to book the Scavi tour first, and then scheduling your other tours around that date. Tours do not take place on Sundays. This is the email I sent, with my information removed:

To Whom It May Concern,
We are interested in taking a tour of the Necropolis during our upcoming trip to Rome, if possible.
There are [insert number of tour attendees here] of us who would be taking the tour:
        [name of tourist]
        [name of tourist]
We would like to take the tour in [insert language preference here] please.
The dates we are available to tour the necropolis are;
        [available date during your vacation]
        [available date during your vacation]
The best method of communication is via [email, snail mail, or phone], and my [email address, address or phone number] is;
        [insert email address, address, or phone number here]
Thank you,
[sign your name]

I emailed the office on a Saturday and I heard a reply on Monday. I don’t know if this is typical, but the earlier you know your dates the better. If they can accommodate you, the Ufficio Scavi will send you an email with a confirmation number and the time of your tour. If all the information is correct, and you would like to take the tour on that date and time, you must email them back within 3 days confirming you will be taking the tour. If you do not confirm you will lose your spot on the tour, I saw it happen to a couple on the day we visited.

Useful Links!
Colosseum Online Booking
More Information about Ufficio Scavi (Excavations Office)

Virtual Tour of the Necropolis

Roma Pass

OMNIA Pass

Rome Trip Planning pt. 1; City Cards

Before documenting our Roman travels, I thought I would share some trip planning advice, as these are things that should be done before a trip to Rome.

During our sojourn here in Europe, I've learned that most cities have city cards. These discount cards allow you to pay a one-time fee of 30-50 euros (per card) and will grant you free discount admission to popular attractions around town. Usually included with these cards as well are benefits like unlimited use of public transit and discounts at select restaurants and shops. Most cities have 1; Rome has 2 city cards and 4 museum cards.

The 4 museum cards all work the same way; you pay for the card and in return you receive admission to all museums covered on the card. For more information about the cards click here.

• The Roma Archeologia Card is valid for 7 days and costs €27.50. 
• Admission is provided for the Colosseum, Palatino and Palatino Museum, National Roman Museums, Baths of Caracalla, Cecilia Metella, and Villa Dei Quintili.
• The Biglietto 4 Musei is valid for 3 days and costs €6.50.
• Admission is provided for Palazzo Altemps, Palazzo Massimo, Terme di Diocleziano, and Cripta Balbi.
• The Capitolini Card is valid for 7 days and costs €9.00
• Admission is provided for the Capitoline Museum and Centrale Montemartini.
• The Appia Antica Card is valid for 7 days and costs €7.50.
• Admission is provided for Terme di Caracalla, Cecilia Metella and Villa Dei Quintili.

Next is the Roma Pass, a traditional city card including free admission to select sights and public transit. The card is valid for 3 days and costs €30.00. The first two museums or archeological sites visited are free, and any following sites visited entitle the bearer to concessionary (discount) tickets. Unlimited use of public transit is included for 3 days. For full details of all the card’s benefits, click here.

The final pass is the OMNIA pass. This card includes a Roma card and provides admission to various Vatican sights, several audio tours, and a hop-on/off bus tour. The pass is valid for 3 days and costs €90.
In addition to all the benefits of the Roma Pass (see above), the OMNIA pass provides free admission to the Vatican Museums (Sistine Chapel), Mamertine (St. Peter’s) Prison, St. Peter’s Basilica or the Vatican Gardens, and St. John Lateran Cathedral with cloisters. There is also an independent audio guide for use at sites and walking tours around the city.  Full details are available on this website.

I personally recommend the Roma pass. The price point is excellent for the services provided; we especially utilized the public transport. I think the OMNIA pass is too expensive and is a little misleading. Admission to St. Peter’s is always free, though it won’t be fast. You are paying extra for the fast pass entrance. Furthermore, the tour of the Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel is by audio guide only. If you visit the website of the Vatican Museums you can book tickets or tours personally guided by Vatican employees. Booking ahead of time, you will be able to bypass the line at the Vatican Museum entrance, and the one of the tours ends in St. Peter’s Basilica, thereby bypassing security and giving you fast pass/preferential treatment. A simple ticket costs €16.00 and a guided tour of the museums and the Basilica is €37.00. The best part about booking these tickets is personally selecting the time of your visit, allowing you to tailor your schedule around the tour ahead of time. As I understand it, with the OMNIA pass you are assigned a time to visit.

As for St. Peter’s prison, I read numerous online reviews, deciding if we wanted to visit on our own. Admission is around €5-10 (I couldn’t find an exact number). Reviews were mostly negative. Apparently, the prison recently changed how the tour is conducted. Before it was designed as a quiet, contemplative experience, but they have changed it to an audio tour where the walls “talk” and tell the story of St. Peter. I also read that there is a lot of doubt about the authenticity of the prison, and it’s likely he was never held there.

Rounding out the OMNIA pass is a visit to the St. John Lateran cathedral. This is the official cathedral of Rome, where the Bishop of Rome has his seat. Admission to this cathedral is free, but to visit the cloisters it will cost €2.

There is also the hop on/hop off bus. Reviews of the bus used by the pass are not very favorable, and there are other, cheaper buses to ride, like the 110 bus, with discounts for ROMA pass holders.

Rick Steves has a free app available for both apple and android phones. The app provides a range of audio guides for cities all around Europe, including Rome. These were helpful, informative and free!

So, adding all this up, the price of comparable (slightly better) visits, without the OMNIA pass is €98. However, I would eliminate the prison as it is no longer designed as a religious experience. I would probably not ride the bus either, there really isn’t time, but if you want a hop on/off bus the 110 bus is only €18.00 for 2 days or €15.00 for 1 day, and there are further discounts available if booking in advance online. This brings the costs down to €87.00 (with a 2 day hopping bus ticket) for a better, more tailored tour. During our visit we were only able to visit the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica. There just wasn’t time for a bus tour or to visit the cathedral (no visits on Sundays) in three days. Yet another reason to avoid the OMNIA pass, as it has such a high price tag and such a short validity. If you are planning on being in Rome for longer than three days, you can buy back to back Roma Passes, or you can visit the public transit site of Rome and buy travel passes allowing unlimited public transit use for a specified number of days. There are many ways to tailor your trip, and always run the numbers to make sure you are getting the best deal; no one wants to overpay.

Useful Links!

Rome Museum Cards

Roma Pass Online Ordering

OMNIA Card

Vatican Museums Online Booking

Hop On/Hop Off Open Bus Tour

Rick Steves Audio Guide Europe App

Converting to Olive Oil

Our tour guide in Lucca, Wanda, said that making olive oil was a religion. And it's gaining converts. Not long ago, I posted about olive oil from our previous Italy trip. During research for that post, I discovered Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller and I added it to my reading list. After exploring the history of olive oil Mueller delves into the occasionally sleazy world of olive oil to expose the realities of the business to naive consumers. The story is beautiful, the corruption is frightening and infuriating.

In my last post, I briefly mentioned the international olive oil groups charged with monitoring the quality of oils aspiring to be extra virgin. Mueller discusses these organizations as well, and notes that even when they find inferior oil, there is little they can do to remove the product from the market.

Fraud in olive oil is an age-old, global phenomenon and it comes in many forms. The oil may be labeled as extra virgin, but is in fact virgin, pomace, refined, or olive oil laced with inferior seed oils. Besides the risks that the mislabeled oils may be contaminated with other harmful substances, there is the fact that these oils do not have the same health benefits as real extra virgin olive oil. Real EVOO is loaded with antioxidants and has acted as a panacea for millennia. Time recently wrote an article about the Mediterranean diet lowering heart risks. Extra virgin olive oil is the crux of the Mediterranean diet, but consuming the fraudulent substances comes with none of the health benefits.

Mueller tells a compelling story with heroes and villans fighting in a war that is far from over. If you care at all about the quality of the food you and your family eat, do yourself a favor and read this book. You'll learn what you've been missing and you'll gain an insight into the culture of oil making. And keep some good oil nearby - you'll want it while you read.

Useful Links!

Amazon Page for Extra Virginity by Tom Mueller
Previous Post, Are Olives Fruit?
Time article, It's the olive oil