Marcella Royal Hotel

The Spanish Steps

The famous Spanish Steps are located in Piazza di Spagna, named after Spain, which did not pay for this beautiful staircase but was paid for by a French diplomat to ensure that the city's citizens had easier access to the French church Trinitá dei Monti and Villa Medici. But the gift also came with a condition: the staircase had to be French territory, which is why Rome continues to pay taxes to France for the Romans to use the Spanish Steps.

The staircase is named after its proximity to the Spanish Embassy area.

Colosseum

The large and very fascinating Amphitheatre is located right in the centre of Rome and is one of the greatest architectural masterpieces left to us by the Romans. Construction began around 71 AD under Emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD during the reign of Emperor Titus. In fact, the amphitheatre was named after Flavio, Anfiteatro Flavio, which was the family name of both Titus and Vespasian. It was not until the Middle Ages that the amphitheatre was renamed the Colosseum, mostly because of the large bronze statue of Emperor Nero that stood in the square in front of the amphitheatre.

It was here that Christians were sacrificed to lions and gladiators won fame and fortune if they stayed alive long enough.

Pantheon

This ancient monument is certainly one of the best preserved in Rome. It was originally built by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa in 27 BC and was a temple dedicated to the pagan gods. Agrippa's name is still inscribed on the granite pillars, M.Agrippa.L.F.COS.Tertium.Fecit, (as: Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius and consul for the third time, had this built). It was rebuilt under the Emperor Hadrian in the years 118 - 125 AD and later, in the 3rd century, underwent a series of restorations under the Severian Emperors and in 609 was given to Pope Boniface IV as a gift, who in turn used the temple as a burial church and named the temple, Santa Maria ad Martyres.

Boniface IV then arranged for the bones of the Christian saints buried in the catacombs outside the city walls to be buried in Santa Maria ad Martyres instead.

The Pantheon is located in the lower part of Rome, in the old Campus Martius, on the south side of Piazza ella Rotonda.

Circus Maximus

It was Rome's first and largest circus, built in 329 BC and later expanded to accommodate close to 350,000 spectators and it measured 600 metres multiplied by 200 metres. In other words, a serious facility!

The magnificent circus is located between the Palatine and Aventine Hills. The centre line was originally guarded by two Egyptian obelisks, one of which now stands in Piazza del Popolo and the other in front of the church of S. Giovanni in Laterano.

What remains of Circus Maximus today dates back to Imperial times, but it's easy to imagine this magnificent facility packed with cheering and excited spectators.

Piazza Navona

Probably the most popular square in Rome is Piazza Navona, originally a sports complex and racecourse, built under Emperor Domitian around 86 AD and measuring no less than 276 metres and 106 metres wide with seating for around 30,000 spectators.

In fact, the buildings around the square are built on top of the foundations that were originally laid for the spectator seating.

The Fountain of Neptune, or Fontana del Nettuno, located on the northern side of the square, was commissioned by Pope Gregory around 1570 and executed by Giacomo della Porta.

The fountain in the middle of the square, in front of the church of St. Agnese in Agone, is called 'The 4 Rivers', Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, and represents the Danube, the Ganges, the Nile and the Plata, which also symbolize the four corners of the world. The Fontana del Moro is located in the southern part of the square and is one of Rome's oldest fountains. The fountain was built around 1570 and was commissioned by Pope Gregory and the beautiful fountain was designed by Bernini.

Piazza Navona is also called 'Rome's living room' by the locals, so why not enjoy the atmosphere and discover the exciting and historic square in Rome.

Trastevere district

Since ancient times, Trastevere has been an urban area populated by sailors and dockers who worked in the large docks on the banks of the Tiber. The Trastevere district has its own local dialect and traditions, and as you wander the narrow, winding cobbled streets, it's easy to imagine how the inhabitants lived in the Middle Ages.

Enjoy lunch at one of the many restaurants in the neighbourhood and finish off with a drink at one of the many outdoor bars with terraces.

St. Peter's Basilica

The very impressive St Peter's Basilica can't fail to impress, and in fact it's also the world's largest church, so the sheer size alone is sumptuous. There is absolutely no church that can even compare to this magnificent work, either inside or out.

As St Peter's is located in the Vatican, the Pope holds most of his services either inside the church or in the large St Peter's Square in front of the church, so there might be a chance to attend mass with the Pope himself.

The dome of St Peter's is also the largest in the world, standing 136 metres high and 42 metres in diameter, so it's certainly a sight to behold in the urban landscape. The story goes that St Peter's was built on the tomb of St Peter - one of the 12 apostles, he was martyred around 64 AD during the Christian persecutions launched by Emperor Nero, who, as we know, also managed to burn large parts of Rome to the ground.

The first church on the site was built in the first century and was already considered an incredible architectural masterpiece. The present church was built between 1506 and 1626, with Michelangelo, among others, making a great contribution to its design. The famous church façade measures 115 metres in width and is 46 metres high. The top of the façade is decorated with the six-metre high statues of Christ and the Apostles, as well as John the Baptist.

When visitors enter the church, they really realize how huge it is and how magnificently it is decorated, with the marble sculpture by Michelangelo, the Pieta, with Mary holding the body of her dead son, an experience in art that can never be erased from memory.

From here we can only recommend that plenty of time is set aside for this unique, amazing and absolutely incredible visit to St Peter's in the Eternal City.

The Sistine Chapel

Pope Sixtus IV's private chapel in the Vatican, therefore also known as the Sistine Chapel, was built in the years 1477-1480 and later decorated by the most famous artists of the time, Sandro Botticelli, Cosimo Rosselli, Pietro Perugino and Domenico Ghirlandaio. Most famous are the beautiful ceiling paintings of scenes from the Creation, painted by Michelangelo in 1508-1512, but also the altar wall, painted by Michelangelo some 20 years later, depicting the Last Judgement.

The Callixtus Catacombs

Just outside Rome on the Via Appia are the Catacombs of Callixtus, which served as the final resting place for popes in particular, and are said to have buried no fewer than 16 popes, as well as St Cecilia, patron saint of music and the blind. However, she was later moved to her own church in Trastevere.

The Callixtus Catacombs are among the earliest Christian burial sites, and it was here that services were held and communion celebrated in special underground chambers. Take the tour underground with the monks who act as guides. There is not much space on the trail system, so the tour is not recommended for visitors who suffer from claustrophobia.