Spring Cruise Ideas 1

Where Is Chris - Featured Spring Destination #1 It's a gorgeous May morning where I am.I've just arrived at my destination after an eight hour flight across the Atlantic. The excitement is building. Where Am I? I’m not going to tell you right away. Close your eyes and imagine you are standing next to me while I paint a picture of what I saw today, and we will see if you can figure it out. Arriving early in the embarkation port ... I decided to fly in a few days early before my cruise started to visit a city I had heard about but never visited. It is the starting point for many cruises and is a very beautiful place. There is plenty of entertainment, places to see and things to do. You will not be disappointed in exploring it. Exploring near the hotel ... We arrived at the hotel and registered, but our room would not be available until around 3 PM in the afternoon.   I am sitting in a sidewalk café enjoying the beautiful weather and a magnificent cup of coffee.   There are several attractions within walking distance of our hotel.  We decided to walk to our first site.  It takes us about 20 minutes to get there. A City of Sounds ... From the early morning when the streets fill with cars, taxis, and motor scooters, all blaring their horns and weaving in and out of traffic, the sidewalks are overrun with office workers rushing to their desks with the first coffee of the day.  By 10 am everyone from tourists to shop keepers are awake and making this place an explosion of sound. History Comes Alive ... This port is alive with history and if you don’t have a plan, you can miss out on seeing most of the most important sights. The bulk of the city lies on the east side of the Tiber River which meanders through the town. However, several very important landmarks are located on the other side. The city’s various quarters are linked by large boulevards that have been laid out since the late 19th century. St. Peter’s Basilica; the Vatican; the Castel Sant’Angelo and the colorful Trastevere neighborhoods are among the attractions located west of the Tiber River.   Where am I? ... By now you should have figured out that I am in the eternal city of Rome. It is not possible to see all this city has to offer in 1 day so it is best to schedule the visit for a few days. The list of attractions to see reads like a highlight reel of the ancients. The Coliseum; the Pantheon; St. Peter’s square; Trevi Fountain; Spanish Steps; Sistine Chapel are just a few sights that must be seen.   After you’ve visited the Coliseum, the Pantheon, made a wish at the Trevi fountain, find a café at twilight and watch everything turn from pink to gold and copper. This is the time when a truly different Rome comes alive. Night time in Rome is truly a different atmosphere to experience. Time for you to continue the exploration ... Diary of Cruise with Chris to Greek Isles (click for more posts and photos) Port Blog Posts Photo Albums 1 Pre-Cruise Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy Our Rome Adventure Begins Day 1 Pre-cruise in Rome Exploring Palatine Hill and Roman Forum When in Rome Relaxing at Trevi Fountain Visiting Vatican Museum St. Peter's Basilica - Vatican Special Vatican Exhibit Pope John Paul II Walking Tour of Rome from Vatican As Night Falls in Rome Rome to Civitavecchia by Train Sail Away From Civitavecchia Rome - Colosseum Album Palatine Hill - Roman Forum Trevi Fountain Vatican Museum Line Vatican Museum Part 2 St. Peter's Vatican Pope John Paul II Exhibit Walking from Vatican Piazza Navona  Rome at Night Let me help you plan a cruise vacation which starts or ends in Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy.  Search:  Cruises that Depart from Rome

Exploring Palatine Hill and Roman Forum

Have You Seen This Before?

Another recognizable ancient monument is shown here.   Do you know what it is?   Hint:  we saw it a short distance from the Roman Colosseum.   Read on to learn more about more of our Day 1 explorations of Rome.

The Arch of Constantine stands a short distance away from the Roman Colosseum.   As we continued our day one Roman adventure, we passed this triumphant arch which was built to commemorate the victory over Constantine's co-emperor, Maxentius.

Next we continued our exploration of the Palatine Hill, which is an open-air museum with views of the Roman Forum on one side, and the Circus Maximus on the other.  Click the link to learn more about the history of Palatine Hill.  

The entry lines were shorter at Palatine Hill, so if the lines are too long for tickets at the Colosseum, you might want to consider starting here.   The ticket you purchase is a combined entry ticket, so it doesn't matter where you make the initial purchase or entry.

Near the entry of Palatine Hill you'll find WCs and a fountain with constantly running water.   Did I mention that it was quite warm, and cold water was something that was very welcome?   Keep a water bottle of some sort with you and refill it at one of the fountains as you walk through Rome  or purchase refreshments from one of the street vendors if you are more comfortable.   But whatever you do, be sure to keep hydrated.

This Stadium was seen along our journey.   As you can see much of the structure is no longer standing, but you can still imagine yourself there in the crowds to watch some event.

There are many more sites along the pathway that can be explored.   If you'd like to relax, something we didn't really do much of, there are some benches and grassy areas where you could rest and take in the surroundings.

Our exploration continued with the Roman Forum.

The Central Square of this Roman settlement was known as the Forum.   Here is where people would gather for meetings, trials, political discussions, and other activities.  Markets, shops, and taverns were nearby as well as the stadiums for games and races, which the Romans enjoyed.

Learn more about the Roman Forum here, or by searching other references on the web.

Palatine Hill - Roman Forum Photo Album


We have a photo journal of our visit to these ancient outdoor museums on our FB page.  We were starting to drag a little due to jet lag and the warm temperatures, so we moved on to other parts of Rome from here.   Also, we were starting to get hungry, so it was time to find some pizza and gelato.

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Italy Guides - Rome

Rome Tours

Hopefully you are enjoying Rome through our eyes.   There is still much more to come, so be sure to monitor our blog and FB page.

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Albums.




Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.

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