By Sandy Gregory
All tours lead to Rome. After the slow, relaxed pace of Cortona and Assisi, I’m ready to get back to the big city, and Rome, to me, is the most exciting city in the world. Today’s Rome is a combination of romance and ruins amidst a modern, sprawling, living city. Here, medieval churches sit atop ancient basilicas above Roman palaces, gleaming office buildings incorporate fragments of eroded Roman columns, and roads and piazzas follow the lines of ancient city walls.
Rome’s history began over 2000 years ago, far before the time of Jesus Christ. It was the capital of the Roman Empire, and is still the capital of Italy. This timelessness gives Rome an unmistakable energy, which is why I always toss my coin into the Trevi Fountain to assure my return.
Two of my latest favorite things about Rome are:
1. Trastevere (tras-TEH-veh-reh). The Trastevere neighborhood is located on the opposite side of the Tiber River. The name “Trastevere” actually means “beyond the Tiber.” It’s a place to escape the chaos of Rome and enjoy great restaurants, medieval buildings and a charming atmosphere. While it’s an oasis of tranquility during the day, the area comes alive at night. I recommend eating at a restaurant called La Cisterna, one of the oldest restaurants of Rome. It dates back to the year 1630, and true to Roman archeology, is situated four meters below today's street level, and is home to one of Rome’s original cisterns. After dinner, ask for a peak of the underground, throw a coin into the cistern and celebrate with a glass of Proscecco to assure, in Roman tradition, your return. On the way to Trastevere, take a short detour to the nearby Jewish Ghetto and sample carciofi all guida (fried artichokes) at Al Pompiere. They look like golden sunflowers, and their leaves have a delicious nutty crunchiness.
2. Bernini, the greatest sculptor-architect of the 17th century.
The breadth of the work of sculptor, painter, and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini, throughout Rome, is astounding. From the statues and pulpit of St. Peter’s Cathedral to the Trevi Fountain to the Spanish Steps to the Piazza Navonna, you can really use the body of his life’s work on which to base your tour of Rome. What I admire about this sculptor is that he infused cold, inanimate stone with warmth, movement and life. He captured that “peak of the action” moment that made his sculptures come alive.
Apollo and Daphne
My favorite Bernini sculpture is found in the Borghese Gallery. The chaste nymph Daphne is being turned into a tree to save her from the advances of Apollo, god of light. This life-size marble sculpture was begun by Bernini at the age of twenty-four. Subtle variations in the texture of the marble create the illusion of soft human flesh, translucent leaves, and rough bark.
Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona.
Featured in the story, Angels and Demons, this fountain represents the major rivers of the four parts of the known world in 1657: the Danube represents Europe; the Rio, the Americas; the Nile, Africa; and the water of the Ganges is symbolic of Asia. It is an artistic and engineering masterpiece.
Bernini’s free-standing bronze structure of twisted columns and hanging towers over the altar beneath Michealangelo’s massive dome is where St. Peter was buried and the Catholic church began. The project was so massive that Bernini was allowed to strip this precious metal from the roof of the Pantheon in order to complete it. Regardless of your spiritual convictions, the alter of St. Peter’s is truly awe-inspiring.
