Settling In…The Colosseum Area of Rome
I spent Saturday and Sunday exploring the area in which I will be living for the rest of my time in Rome. The room I am renting is about a five minute walk from the Colosseum! It is incredible to be living so close to such a monumental piece of architecture! Every time I go somewhere, I get to pass by the Colosseum and marvel at its grandeur. It doesn’t quite seem real. I have been very fortunate the past few months…living five minutes from Piazza San Marco in Venice, and now a couple of blocks from the Colosseum!
There are several great things about the area. First, it is a central location. I am able to walk to many of the other important sites, and it is also close to a metro stop. I am trying to do as much walking as possible, so that I can experience the city and learn my surroundings by foot. I have been using several different maps (some are better at navigation through the monumental sites, others have more of the streets labeled, etc.) After days of walking, however, my feet are getting tired! I think the plan will be to take the metro to a further distance, start my day there, and then walk my way back to the Colosseum area. The metro system in Rome is fairly simple – there are only two lines, so I already feel pretty comfortable using that means of transportation.
The other great thing about living so close to the Colosseum is that since I pass it so often, I get to see it during many parts of the day. I really enjoy watching the fluctuations of people and activity. For example, it’s always quite crowded, but Sunday morning it was noticeably quieter and more peaceful. And, on Saturday night, there were four sets of brides and grooms getting their wedding photos taken with the historic background. It’s fun to observe different people and how they interact with the building. It’s also great to see how the building changes with the time of day – being able to see how its color varies with the sunlight, and how the day and night sky are framed throughout the arched openings.
It was nice to have a couple of days that were a bit slower paced and helped me get oriented. The next days will be very full. There is so much to see and do, and I can’t wait to start each day in Rome!
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David Arkin said on May 24, 2011
Superb photographs … wow! Each brings back fond memories from 20+ years ago. Thanks for the updates. Ciao!
KAMartinez said on May 25, 2011
Thanks David! Glad you enjoy them!
Kenneth Smith said on May 25, 2011
So great that you found a place near the Forum. That area has the most magic/power for me. I don’t know if it is the ruins, the history or all the movies I have seen that take place there. I remember the first time I was there, an older woman was pacing around near the bus stop singing a song from the countryside. Very Felliniesque.
Love your description of becoming attuned to the Colosseum. And I know you are a “cat person.” They are still there? I know they talk about reducing the cat population in Rome, but can not imagine they did it. Terrific photos.
KAMartinez said on May 25, 2011
Thanks Ken! The area is truly great. I’m actually sitting out there right now, enjoying the history, lights, and music that someone is playing! Surprisingly, I haven’t seen any cats in this area. It’s interesting because I saw them everywhere else in Italy except here!