Roman Holiday 2010: Italy
By Erza S.T.
What do we do when we are in Rome? I bet most of people expect to fall in love like Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck did on their Roman Holiday. Indeed Rome is a vibrant full spirited city that is so exciting to see and, of course, to find love in, too. During my recent visit there, I was very impressed with the city’s romantic anchient scenes mixed with modernity. I decided to first find a hotel before searching for love in Rome. On the corner of Via P. Matteucci 10/20, I found the Abitart Hotel that was perfect for Audrey and Gregory for a movie remake in 2010.
Unlike other boutique hotels I have stayed in before, Abitart Hotel is a modern four-star superior hotel that embraces the realm of modern art. It is really different and unique to be able to stay at a hotel-cum-gallery where you can easily spot interesting artworks in almost every corner. Stylish yet unusual for Rome, Abitart Hotel really caught my imagination when I found out that the rooms were being done in the same manner of the hotel’s overall concept. Eight special themed rooms are offered to bring you into eight different artsy dreams. From the bizarre yet brightly coloured deconstructionist style, to Picasso’s cubism and Keith Haring’s abstract world to even the surreal metaphysical of Dali are some of the thematic room options here.
Abitart Hotel is a refreshingly distinctive experience while in Rome. The service and hospitality shown during my stay there was very satisfying and very friendly. Aside from its one of a kind ambiance, the room was also equipped with the standard necessities such as satellite TV and a complimentary WiFi connection. The rack rate for theme rooms on Abitart Hotel are higher then the standard classic or superior room, nevertheless you can get a fantastic internet rate to stay if you book through their partner www.epoquehotels.com.
Finding a great hotel to stay is indeed a great thing to start when in Rome, but now I was actually ready to have my own Roman Holiday. As a city, Rome has too many things to see. Churches, museums and palazzos are literally on every corner of this city. That is why it is essential to get to the highlights of Rome, especially if you have limited time. I decided to do the highlights of the city by starting with the Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. Inspired by Russel Crowe in Gladiator, visiting the Colosseum was pretty much on top of my list. Going inside it and standing on the balcony area facing the Colosseum’s magnificent arena where real gladiators used to fight for their lives will surely give you goosebumps.
Right across from the Colosseum, lies another great icon of Rome, the Forum Romanum. Located in between the Palatine Hill and the Capitoline Hill, this site is famous as the place where ancient Roman civilization was developed. Inside this vast site you can find the ancient ruins of temples, basilicas, arches to even the emperors of Rome’s residence, called the Regia. It is a great outdoor site with really grand views to the city. This winter’s day was perfect to go there as the weather was so nice to be outdoors.
My next selection was the Pantheon, the ancient building featured in Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons book, where the lead character went to find their first clue. The Pantheon is a two-thousand year old circular building that is famous as the world’s largest un-reinforced concrete dome. As one of the best preserved Roman buildings, the Pantheon has also been a Roman Catholic Church since the 7th century, dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyr’s, and Mass is still conducted on important Catholic holidays. However, what makes the Pantheon unique is the fact that the famous great Italian renaissance painter Raphael and two kings of Italy: Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I (with his queen Margherita) are buried there.
The Roman Catholic Church is one of the most important aspects of the city and you will be surprised at the amount of churches that fill it. From all existing churches in Rome, I found the Trinita dei Monti rather special. Perhaps the church itself is not so very different with other late renaissance churches in Rome, however the Trinita dei Monti church is best known for its commanding position above the Spanish Steps which lead down to the Piazza di Spagna. Without a doubt, this area is very famous for its history, beauty and of course, prestigious fashion boutiques. Audrey and Gregory might have come here to woo each other and enjoy the city views, as did I. But it was actually the array of these famous boutiques such as Bvlgari, Missoni, Prada, Valentino and many others that really blew me away. It seems that Piazza di Spagna is also one of the hottest fashion districts in Rome. For Fashion’s sake, they even transform the Spanish Steps into a catwalk runway in the summertime!
It is impossible to enjoy the beauty of Rome in such a short time. I believe a visitor would need at least a full month to enjoy it all, as there are too many things to see. Nonetheless, if you have only a weekend to spend there and you want to be able to say that you’ve been to Rome to all your friends in the future, then just visit all the sites above. That would be adequate to cover your Roman Holiday highlights.
Abitart Hotel
Via P. Matteucci, 10/20
Rome, Italy
www.epoquehotels.com
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