At this period, everything changes in just a snap of a finger. Change is inevitable. There is no way we can escape change. But if you want to see an old place that remains old, a spirit that stays holy, history that remains the same, then you must be longing to find your way back home to Rome! The Renaissance painter Giotto di Bondoneonce once said, “Rome is the city of echoes, the city of illusions, and the city of yearning.” The city will bring you back to where it all started. It will radiate your thoughts on what’s written in history, keeping the old reflection of the world. Take your shots at the eternal city of Rome!
We’d loved to show you the places of one of the world's most visited cities! There is something in Rome that makes it more captivating to come over. Aside from the warm welcome you get from the people, there are also many things you can discover, places you can stopover, and memories you can keep forever. Make every moment count, save every memory, and capture every smile! For a complete guide on travelling photo gear please see our article here
Before anything else, make sure to eat your breakfast. You need to remind yourself that there is something different about the food and drinks in Rome than the food and drinks that you’re used to. Their coffee is not the same as the usual coffee you buy in a famous café. For some instances, you might be wondering why Italian people won’t sit down after they have ordered in a café, they somehow prefer to stand. The reason is that some café will vary the inflated price of food or drinks you order the moment you sit down. Therefore, there is a need to follow the accredited saying from Saint Ambrose that says, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
First stop, the Saint Peter’s Basilica Façade in Vatican City. The Basilica is the most iconic and the largest church in the world. It is believed as the Heart of Christianity, built in the 4th century AD which they regarded as the burial place of one of Jesus apostles, Saint Peter. The dome of St. Peter's has an escalation of 448.1 feet with its walls made of beautiful mosaics. You can climb the 491 steps to get spectacular views of the holy place from the top. Due to the massive number of devotees, it will be difficult to take pictures inside the Basilica. You might also consider bringing a tripod or monopod for stability and a wide angle lens with you as you can take shots from the 491 steps top view of the Basilica.
After your holy visit to the Basilica, it’s now time to take a tour around the Vatican Museums. These museums are acquired in the 16th century and still serve as the restoration place of the artworks and sculptures collected by popes for years. They will give you the understanding of the ancient time civilization. There are four museums you can visit, the Museo Chiaramonti, Museo Gregoriano Etrusco, Museo Pio-Clementino, and Museo Gregoriano Egiziano. We encourage you to bring Macro Lenses for zooming in small objects and capture pictures of the different paintings and sculptures made by some of the famous artists Leonardo da Vinci, Giotto di Bondone and Raphael. If you don’t want to buy a ticket online, you can also wait in line along with other people for a free Sunday visit.
If you’re planning to visit the pope in his home, then you can take a walk to the Sistine Chapel. You need to remember that even if you have your camera with you, no one is allowed to take a picture inside the chapel. It is highly prohibited. The famous 135 steps of Spanish Steps are just five minutes away from the chapel. It is the best example of what a Roman Baroque Style looked like between 211 or 212 AD. You might want to walk inside the second largest thermal bath of Rome, the Bath of Caracalla. It was built between 211 and 224 by the Emperor named Caracalla which they have used before to maintain hygiene. After the beautiful walk, you get from the Bath of Caracalla, you can now take a stroll inside the Circus Maximus. It was the stadium used for public open games built in the 6th century BCE. Although today, it is already a public park.
With just a short walk from the Maximus, you can also tour the most visited Colosseum in Italy, which is the Rome Colosseum or also known as the Flavian Amphitheater. It was built in AD 70-72 commissioned by Emperor Vespasian. This amphitheatre is the largest amphitheatre in the world. It has a capacity of 87,000 people in its oval-shaped. Since the amphitheatre is in oval-shaped, you can get a 360-degree camera shot of the amphitheatre.
The next stop is the Foro Romano or the Roman Forum. It was used as a place for burial land before, but today it is a place for joint or common meetings such as social activities. It was expanded in the 7th century BC. The Arch of Titus stands in the Roman Forum which was built by Domitian in memory of his brother Titus. Meanwhile, the Arch of Constantine was built in 315 by Constantine, himself.
From the Colosseum, you need to take a walk to San Giovanni and ride a bus to Corso, take another 2-minute walk to P.za Venezia, ride another bus to Ponte Vittorio Emanuele and finally walk at the Ponte Sant'Angelo Bridge and the towering Castel Sant'Angelo. The bridge is in a total length of 443 feet with perfect ten angel sculptures. These ten angel structures are namely Angel with the Column, Angel with the Whips, Angel with the Crown of Thorns, Angel with the Sudarium, Angel with the Garment and Dice, Angel with the Nails, Angel with the Cross, Angel with the Superscription, Angel with the Sponge, and Angel with the Lance. The bridge is also called the Bridge of Angels or Engels Burg, where you can take a shot as if the angels were flying from up above the clouds.
You will also take a glimpse of the politics way back in time by visiting the Hadrian's Villa. It is a villa owned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian. He happened to dislike his place on the Palatine Hill and decided to make another home out of the stress he got from the position he obtained.
Next is the Pantheon or the temple of the gods during the ancient time. This circular temple is now a church with a square in front built with large granite Corinthian columns. The interior design of the Pantheon is in coffered style mounted on the ceiling of the temple. The brilliance of the light coming from the Oculus on the ceiling is the only natural light that illuminates the whole place.
From the Pantheon, you can take a stroll around the city and be in the Trevi Fountain which is just an 8-minute walk away. The historic Trevi Fountain is one of the most visited fountains in the world and the oldest source of water before in Italy. The legend of throwing three coins in the fountain is believed to be true. The first coin is for the assurance of returning to Rome, the second coin is for new love, and the third coin is for a happy marriage. You can use camera filters for night shots because we know for sure that you will also love the yellow radiance of the Trevi Fountain at night.
Lastly, you must not let your trip to Rome come to pass without tasting the famous Gelato or Italian ice creams of the city! These ice cream stores are just around the Pantheon temple! Don’t miss it!
Rome is the same yesterday and today. It is eternal. Its structures and culture will cultivate your thoughts of what ancient history has before. Rome will captivate all the senses you have in the body down to your soul! Capture excellent and happy memories that will be kept alive for the years to come! Explore and take your shots at the eternal city of Rome now!
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