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About Rome
Cavalieri Hilton
 The Cavalieri Hilton—the site of Momentum Rome—is a hotel and conference centre, situated within 15 acres of private parkland just above the Vatican City. It's a stunning 5-star deluxe hotel that offers its guests panoramic views of the historic city centre. Other luxuries include indoor and outdoor pools, spectacular gardens, a highly prized art collection, sightseeing tours, and much more. You especially won't want to miss the acclaimed rooftop restaurant, La Pergola, which offers both elegant cuisine and an unparalleled panorama over the city, with the dome of St. Peter's prominently in view.
 The Cavalieri Hilton Hotel
Via Cadlolo, 101
00136 Rome
Italy
Tel: +39 06 3509 2031
Fax: +39 06 3509 2241
E-mail: reservations.rome@hilton.com
Web: http://www.cavalieri-hilton.it/index.html
Rome Overview
Rome is more than a fascinating European capital city; it is a spectacular encyclopaedia of living history. Rome is halfway down Italy's western coast, about 12 miles inland. It has been said that every road in Rome leads to eternity. The city is vast, though the historic centre is quite small.
There is a steady stream of spectacular festivals, exhibits, and events for the whole family. Guided walking tours and bus tours for every energy level and budget provide great assistance in becoming acquainted with the past and present of this amazing city.
Whether you are seeking a quiet, romantic café on the Campo de' Fiori or a cozy and intimate family operated restaurant with one or two exquisitely prepared selections of the day on the Piazza Santa Maria, there is great food for every taste.
 The city boasts a wide variety of shopping opportunities. Spanish Square presents high fashion selections while the more modestly priced clothing is to be found on the Via del Corso and Via Tritone. North of Spanish Square are areas famous for their antique shops and art galleries. Porta Portese hosts a huge flea market every Sunday morning.
The city's 300 fountains, its sculpture, its glorious panorama of ancient, medieval, Renaissance, baroque, and modern art, music, and architecture are all part of the reason that Pope Gregory XIVs remark in the 16th century is still true today. Pope Gregory said of the joys of exploring and discovering the city, "a lifetime is not enough." Rome has it all!
Sightseeing in the City
Tourist offices can be found all over the city of Rome in the form of little green kiosks, all staffed by friendly and helpful people.
For information on sightseeing, tours and excusions, here are a few helpful links:
rome.city-discovery.com/
www.tourome.com/tourrome.htm
www.romanguide.com/
www.rome.world-guides.com/
Top 10 Tourist Attractions
 Colosseum
The Colosseum is Rome's most recognisable symbol and one of its most famous landmarks and tourist attractions. It is regarded by many as one of the finest examples of ancient Roman architecture and engineering.
The Colosseum was built solely for the purpose of providing a venue for various forms of public entertainment. For centuries, it hosted such events as gladiator fights, mock naval battles, and exotic animal combats. In many of these events, animals, professional gladiators, condemned criminals, and slaves fought each other until death.
 Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain was originally commissioned to celebrate the end of the Acqua Vergine aqueduct built by Marcus Agrippa in 19 B.C. Today it is has become one of the most popular sights of Rome, a celebration of what makes Rome a unique and beautiful city. When you visit, have a few coins handy. Tradition has it that if you throw a coin in, you will inevitably come back to Rome.
 St Peter's
St. Peter's Basilica (San Pietro) was first built under Emperor Constantine and was completed in 349 A.D. The church over time became very run down. In 1452, restoration began on the building which continued for the next two hundred years. During this period, Raphael, Michelangelo, and many other noteworthy architects added to the building's design. It contains 11 chapels and 45 altars and many pieces of priceless and exquisite art work.
Art Galleries
Roman art galleries display some wonderful collections of art, including paintings by local and world famous artists, both modern and more classical. Here are some of the top Rome galleries worth visiting:
 Borghese Gallery (Casino Borghese)
Piazza Borghese Scipione, 5, Rome
Tel: +39 (0) 6 854 8577
Capitoline Museums (Musei Capitolini In Febrica)
Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome
Tel: +39 (0) 6 6710 2071
Colonna Gallery
Via della Pilotta, 17, Rome
Tel: +39 (0) 6 6794 362
Doria Pamphili Gallery
Piazza Collegio Romano, 2, Rome
Tel: +39 (0) 6 6797 323
Municipal Gallery of Modern Art
Via Cagliari, 29, Rome
Tel: +39 (0) 6 4742 912
Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia
Piazzale di Villa Giulia, 9, Rome
Tel: +39 (0) 6 3226 571
Palazzo Altemps
Piazza Sant' Apollinare 46, Piazza Navona, Rome
Tel: +39 (0) 6 683 3759
Palazzo Massimo
Largo di villa Peretti, 1, Rome
Tel: +39 (0) 6 4815 576
Roman Forum
 The Forum (a Latin word meaning open space or market place) was the administrative and corporate heart of Rome. Generally this word referred to the open space in any Roman town where business, judicial, civic, or religious activities were conducted. A typical forum might be surrounded by temples, shops, and basilicas (large, covered structures used for various meetings). In Rome, there are several forums, the most famous of which is the Roman Forum. It was designed by the architect Vitruvius and for centuries, the Roman Forum was the site of the city's most important public buildings including the Arch of Septimius Severus, built in 203 B.C., and the Rostra or public speaking platforms.
Vatican City
 The State of the Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, a landlocked enclave surrounded by the city of Rome in Italy. "The Vatican" is the home of the Pope and forms the territory of the Holy See, the central authority of the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican is located upon the Vatican Hill. As an independent state, the Vatican has the right to send and receive diplomatic representatives, including foreign embassies, which are located in the Italian part of Rome due to the very limited territory of the state.
Museums
 The Capitoline Museums are housed in the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the Palazzo Nuovo, which face each other across the Piazza del Campidoglio, and were built as part of the design of the Square drawn up by Michelangelo. Against the backdrop of the Palazzo dei Senatori, they represent a classic area in the heart of Rome.
The foundation of the Capitoline Museums dates back to 1471. Therefore, there is good reason to consider them the oldest existing public collection in the world. The museum contains many artifacts from the city of Rome, as well as including bronze statues from Pope Sixtus IV when the museum was established.
Spanish Steps
 These broad steps connect the Spanish Square with the Church of the Trinita dei Monti and are visually distinctive. The three successive staircases undulate—keeping with the Baroque ideals of activity, motion, and energy—and offer an excellent view of the city.
The Spanish Steps at the Piazza were built between 1723 and 1726 by de Sanctis. The Piazza has been a presence in Rome since the Spanish ambassador to the Pope took up permanent residence in the square in the early 17th century, causing an international outcry. The French were concerned about Spain's rising power over the Pope and proposed to fund a building project linking the contentious square with the Trinita dei Monti.
Pantheon
 The Pantheon is one of the great spiritual buildings of the world. It was built as a Roman temple and later consecrated as a Catholic Church. Its monumental porch originally faced a rectangular colonnaded temple courtyard and now affronts the smaller Piazza della Rotonda. Through great bronze doors, one enters one great circular room.
The interior volume is a cylinder above which rises the hemispherical dome. Opposite the door is a recessed semicircular apse, and on each side are three additional recesses, alternately rectangular and semicircular, separated from the space under the dome by paired monolithic columns. The only natural light enters through an unglazed oculus at the center of the dome and through the bronze doors to the portico. As the sun moves, striking patterns of light illuminate the walls and floors of porphyry, granite, and yellow marbles.
Sistine Chapel
 The Sistine Chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV Della Rovere. It was built between 1475 and 1481 by Giovannino de' Dolci on a design by Baccio Pontelli. The chapel was inaugurated on August 15, 1483 and it was dedicated to Saint Maryand and decorated by Michelangelo.
The dimensions of the chapel are the same of those of Jurusalem Temple, and the role of the building was to house the palace chapel and offer protection by acting as a Vatican fortress. It has hosted papal coronations and during important ceremonies, the chapel walls are decorated with a series of tapestries (Raphael) depicting events from the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles.
Nightlife
If you think Rome is spectacular in the daytime, you need to do some sightseeing/strolling at night, as well. An illuminated Rome is breathtaking, especially the Piazza San Pietro, Castel Sant'Angelo, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Capitoline Hill/Roman Forum, and the Vittorio Emanuel II Monument in Piazza Venezia. The fountains and statues in Rome are backlit at night, bringing out the vitality and history of Italy. Rome bars provide music as a backdrop for a stroll around the city once the sun goes down. And Roman pubs and restaurants stay open late, offering visitors a wealth of nightlife activities.
 Rome may not be the hippest of capitals, but for those who know the right places, it is possible to party all night. Romans go out late and the fun only really commences after dinner. The wine-bars and cafés lying between Campo de' Fiori, Piazza Navona, and Via della Pace are the places to be seen. Irish pubs are also popular with Italians and expatriates and can be a good place for a fun and informal night out. The biggest concentration of nightclubs lies in the Testaccio and Ostiense districts. One of the main drags in Testaccio, Via di Monte Testaccio, is literally lined with bars, pubs, live music venues, and clubs. In Ostiense, the scene has taken off in recent years and this is where to find some of the hippest new bars and so-called ristodisco, places where you can both eat and dance.
 The legal drinking age in Italy is 16 and the absence of licensing laws means that drinking is possible at all hours. Most wine-bars and birrerie stay open until 12:00 am in winter and 2:00 am in summer. However, in general, people are more interested in seeing and being seen—alcohol is almost an afterthought. Drink prices vary considerably—a glass of wine at a city centre wine-bar can cost anything from €2-7 (depending on the quality and whether you are standing up or sitting at a table), while a cocktail in a nightclub could be €12. Half a litre of draught beer usually costs around €5. Drinks and coffees are always cheaper when consumed standing at the bar!
Romans tend to dress more casually than their counterparts in Milan and Florence, although most women do their best to look stunning for a night out.
Fun Facts
- Many Romans lived in blocks of flats! The Romans called them 'insulae', which means islands, because they were tall and stuck up above the streets.
- Some Roman buildings smelled terrible because they were not regularly cleaned. Romans would burn bread in an attempt to remove the smell.
- When the Romans arrived they found the Britons kept sacred geese which nobody was allowed to eat.
- Boudicca was said to ride in a horse-drawn chariot and would slice the heads off her victims as she rode past.
- The Romans invented camouflage. Sailors in the Roman navy wore blue clothes to match the colour of the sea.
- The dragon on the Welsh flag is descended from the dragons on standards carried by Roman soldiers.
- Roman towns had public lavatories for men, large pottery jars at street corners that men and boys could 'wee' in. They were emptied at night by workers who used the urine to bleach cloth.
- There were four teams of chariot racers in Rome. People supported them like we follow football teams and would even wear the team's colours.
- When the Romans needed solid foundations for a lighthouse at the mouth of the River Tiber near Rome, they sank a ship loaded with lentils and built the lighthouse on top of it.
- Christians would support each other and their religion with secret signs. One of these was a drawing of a fish.
- The type of calendar we use today originates from Roman times. Julius Caesar organised the calendar in 45 B.C. He ensured each month would be named after an important person or god. For example, March comes from the word "Martius." This was the month Romans celebrated Mars, the god of war.
- Some theorize that the famous King Arthur was in fact a Roman general who stayed behind to fight the Saxons.
Useful Links
Italian Tourist Office
Rome Tourism
Time Out Guide to Rome
Lonely Planet Guide to Rome
The Vatican
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