Firstly, the train: we left right on time, and with a top speed of 285 km/hr, made the 230km trip from Naples in just over an hour; unfortunately, we were 10 minutes late into the station (although 5 of those wis ere spent waiting for a platform to enter).
Secondly, the pace in Rome: it is so much calmer than in Naples - there is hope for sanity in Italy yet! The cars even largely give way to pedestrians using crossings: the bliss!
Rome's history spans more than two and a half thousand years, since its legendary founding in 753 BC. Rome is one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in Europe. It is referred to as "The Eternal City", a notion expressed by ancient Roman poets and writers. In the ancient world it was successively the capital city of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, and is regarded as one of the birthplaces of Western civilization. Since the 1st century AD, Rome has been considered the seat of the Papacy and in the 8th century it became the capital of the Papal States, which lasted until 1870. In 1871 Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, and in 1946 that of the Italian Republic.
After the Middle Ages, Rome was ruled by popes such as Alexander VI and Leo X, who transformed the city into one of the major centres of the Italian Renaissance along with Florence. Famous artists and architects, such as Bramante, Bernini and Raphael, resided for some time in Rome, contributing to its Renaissance and Baroque architecture.
Rome, of course, is also home to Vatican City - which is not really a state, although some would have you believe that it is.
Traditional stories handed down by the ancient Romans themselves explain the earliest history of their city in terms of legend and myth. The most familiar of these myths, and perhaps the most famous of all Roman myths, is the story of Romulus and Remus, the twins who were suckled by a she-wolf. They decided to build a city, but after an argument, Romulus killed his brother. According to the Roman annalists, this happened on 21 April 753 BC. This legend had to be reconciled with a dual tradition, set earlier in time, that had the Trojan refugee Aeneas escape to Italy and found the line of Romans through his son Iulus, the namesake of the Julio-Claudian
dynasty; this was accomplished by the Roman poet Virgil in the first century BC.
That done, it was time to stretch my legs and get my bearings, as I was assured that we were close to everything - and we certainly are. An honest 10 minutes from the apartment is the Colosseum.
The Colosseum or Coliseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium; Italian: Anfiteatro Flavio or Colosseo) is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city, just east of the Roman Forum. Built of concrete and stone, it was the largest amphitheatre of the Roman Empire, and is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering. It is the largest amphitheatre in the world - not the second largest, but the largest!
The Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum. Construction began under the emperor Vespasian in 70 AD, and was completed in 80 AD under his successor and heir Titus; further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian (81–96). These three emperors are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the amphitheatre was named in Latin for its association with their family name (Flavius).
The Colosseum could hold, it is estimated, between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, and was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era.
Legend has it that if you throw a coin (using your right hand, over your left shoulder - and standing with your back to the fountain) into the fountain, then you'll return to Rome; two coins and you'll return and fall in
love; three coins, you'll return, find love, and marry. An estimated 3,000 euros a day (around 1,000,000 euros per annum) are tossed into the fountain; the money is collected and donated to charities.
The Spanish Steps (Italian: Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti) are a set of steps climbing a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church at the top. The Scalinata is the widest staircase in Europe.
The monumental stairway of 138 steps was built with French diplomat Étienne Gueffier’s bequeathed funds of 20,000 scudi, in 1723–1725, linking the Bourbon Spanish Embassy (hence the name "Spanish Steps", and the Trinità dei Monti church that was under the patronage of the Bourbon kings of France, both located above
— to the Holy See in Palazzo Monaldeschi located below.
Of course, I walked the steps to the top!