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Crypta Balbi (Via delle Botteghe Oscure 31) –
The Crypta Balbi museum is a time capsule, sitting on a location that has
been continuously inhabited for 2,000 years. See how the Roman structures
were incorporated into new buildings, as neighborhood changed over the centuries,
withstanding floods, fires, and earthquakes. In the exhibits are archeological
finds – exquisite Roman jewelry, swords and amphora, Byzantine coins,
colorful painted Renaissance pottery. Take the "cellar" tour of
the basement to see all the layers, from ancient Rome to the 20th century,
plus bits of the original Roman road, water pipes and latrine, a medieval
well and sewer system. |
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Bocca della Verita (Piazza Bocca della Verita) – Kids can test their truth-telling at the Bocca della Vertia, the "Mouth of Truth." Located in the porch of the church Santa Maria in Cosmedin is a large marble plaque – a wrinkled, careworn face topped with two horns, and a large open mouth. Kids can go up to the face, and stick their hand into the mouth. According to legend, the Bocca della Verita closes shut over the hand of anyone who tells a lie. So far, no hands have been lost at the Bocca della Verita, and it's fun to do. The whole piazza around the church is also quite ancient, dating back to the Etruscan kings and scattered with bits of stone columns that you can sit on.. |
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Passport Roma – Time Elevator Roma (Via dei SS. Apostoli
20, off Via del Corso) – Passport Roma is a splashy 45 min. multimedia
show, a good introduction to 3000 years of Roman history (do this before
you see the Roman antiquities or Sistine Chapel). Vivid live action dramatizations
of the birth of Rome (twins Romulus and Remus), death of Julius Caesar,
Michelangelo at work, 3-D reconstruction of Rome burning, in a virtual reality
theater that makes you feel like you're there. Headsets in English, Italian,
French, German, Spanish and Japanese. Kids 5 and up. |
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Pantheon – The Pantheon, Temple of All Gods, it's big, it's
impressive and can't fail to get your attention. The Romans knew how to
make concrete, and used it to erect a huge dome for the temple. It was,
and is, magnificent inside, especially the "eye" at the top
of the dome, a wide opening to the sky. Also, take a walk around the outside,
to see the brickwork, foundations and remnants of marble facings (lots
of good stuff has been stripped away over the centuries, including the
bronze interior of the dome). |
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 In
the Piazza della Rotonda by the Pantheon, you can take horse carriage
rides, just relax in the café or run around the fountain. |
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Piazza Navona – The Piazza Navona is a great for families
because it's just so big and spread out – it was a stadium for horse
races and athletic events in ancient Rome. Even in the middle of summer,
the piazza doesn't feel crowded, and it has three great fountains. In
the center is the Fountain of the Four Rivers, with a big obelisk,
four hulking guys representing the Nile, Danube, Ganges, Plata, plus a
chunky lion and feisty looking horse dipping his legs in the water. The
two other fountains are also fun, with chubby cherubs holding onto big
fishes for dear life and chipmunk-cheek figures spouting water. |
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Walk along the Tiber River – Need
a break from antiquity? Take a walk from Piazza Campo de' Fiori, then down
along the Tiber River north, toward Castel Sant'Angelo. Campo de' Fiori
is a charming little open air market with fruits and vegetables. From Campo
de' Fiori, it's just a couple of blocks to the river – there are wide
sidewalks, shaded with trees, and it's nice on even on a hot day. As you
walk along, stop to check out the bridges along the way. |
