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Tourist Traps

of Rome by Philip Greenspun

Near

A lot of these places are lovely but they're here because they are such hits with tourists.

Spanish Steps

The view from the Spanish Steps The Fontana della Barcaccia ( The Fontana della Barcaccia ( Chestnuts on the street in Rome My Italian women friends love to laugh at American smoke-o-phobia and blow smoke in my face; the men are usually much more polite My Italian women friends love to laugh at American smoke-o-phobia and blow smoke in my face; the men are usually much more polite Anna Maria and Chicca near the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) Christmas shopping near the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) Near Christmas 1995 in Rome

Via Veneto

A street that is famous for being famous.

The Via Veneto, Rome, near the American Embassy On the Via Veneto, Rome's famously posh street

Quirinal

Not really all that popular with tourists but the president lives here...

Steps leading to the Palazzo del Quirinale, once home to popes, now to the president of Italy Steps leading to the Palazzo del Quirinale, once home to popes, now to the president of Italy

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Maria Bostenaru , April 08, 2005; 04:31 A.M.


Spanish Steps in October 2003, looking above

I tried to make a "route", while visiting Rome's attractions, and as such, thought of the obelisks of Pope Sixtus V. The pope did real urbanist planning, as R. Sennet writes, by trying to direct the ways of the pellegrins through placing points towards they shall walk this way. Actually nice to write this comment today, when it is thought of Pope John Paul II in the world, and many pellegrins are in Rome.

One of the obelisks is above the Spanish Steps. The way is not so clear here, because of the altitude difference at which the previous one was placed, but then we must think that the Pope did not finish carrying out his urbanistic project.

Maria Bostenaru , April 08, 2005; 04:58 A.M.


Spanish Steps in October 2003, looking down

I visited Rome twice so far, but given the raising length of my stays in Italy (in 2002 I was as a tourist 4 days in April-May, in winter 2002/03 6 months as an exchange student, now I intend to go work 2 years, in the meantime visited it once again in October 2003), I think that I will go there again. After all, it is called the "eternal city".
One of my visits to Rome was in spring, the other in autumn. I was told that it I would have went one week earlier (I was in the last week of April), it wouldn't have been that full of tourists and one could have moved better). In sping the Spanish steps were full of flowers.
In autumn, they weren't. However, Rome is also nice in autumn: the climate is much warmer than in mainland Europe, and it was interesting to observe how less and less cloth layers were necessary when going from the north (Germany), where I started, till Rome. I was told that Sicily was surely even warmer that time, and Malta even more. In Germany there was snow rain, if I recall it well; in Milano classical temperate autumn weather, the kind you need a jacket; in Rome like summer: T shirt, and mid-days one looked for shadowy places. I got told that no, it is not like summer, I have no idea how summer is in Rome ;)
This picture is, as I said, from autumn, and there were no flowers on the steps.

Amanda Weir , October 01, 2007; 09:44 A.M.

The Spanish Steps is a wonderful place in Rome. In May each year the steps are decorated with pink azaleas. lf you can't manage the steps there's a lift to the top outside the Spanish Steps metro station. It might look like the perfect spot for a picnic, but don't get too enthusiastic. Theoretically you are not allowed to eat whilst sitting on the steps. Would you like to book hotels in Rome close to the beautiful Piazza di Spagna? Great choice, I love hotels near the Spanish Steps


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