Centro Storico ~ Piazza Navona ~ Rome, Italy

We set out on another wonderful day of walking around Rome.  The weather for our visit at the end of September was great for enjoying the sights and sounds in this great city.



Streets of Rome, Italy

Centro Storico is Rome’s historic center and was located within our daily walks where we would follow narrow medieval lanes lined with cafés, shops, restaurants with their tables and chairs seeming to spill onto the lanes and find no end to the treasures hiding at every turn.



Piazza Navona in Centro Storico, Rome

This was where chariot racing was held around AD 86 and still remains to be long and oval shaped and full of lots of activities.  Someone dressed all in white on elevated shoes poses with passersby for a fee.  He didn’t appear to be too busy but this is the quiet end of the piazza with one of the three fountains.



Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi ~ Piazza Navona

This fountain represents the four largest rivers from the only four continents known in the world in 1651, when this fountain was created. The Danube, Ganges, Nile and Plata Rivers were a theme of one each corner and is the big attraction in the piazza. 



Fountain facing Church Sant'Agnese of Agone in Rome

The fountain has a lot of detail that one could sit and look at for hours.  It does seem to be a great subject for artists in the area, there were several sitting around the fountain sketching and other people were just sitting and enjoying the view.   



Art for sale in Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy

There were many artists with their booths set up doing business and were there from morning to night.  The traffic is high in this area and that seems to make it a great place if you’re looking for art to purchase.  We saw some very beautiful paintings on our walk-by.

Fontana di Nettuno in Rome

The fountain at the north end of the piazza and closer to where the art booths are set up, is Fontana di Nettuno built in 1574.  No matter what plaza you might enter in this city, you are very likely to find a fountain.  They vary in many ways with design and size but they tend to be large and most of them are steeped in history.  They all have a story to tell. 

Castel Sant'Angelo on Tiber River in Rome

Another wonderful day in Rome comes to an end as we walk back to our hotel, enjoying the walk along the Taber River where we see a nighttime view of Castel Sant’Angelo. ( Click here to learn more about this historical fortress).  We have had a wonderful day walking the streets of Rome seeing sights we didn’t expect to see and look forward to more on our walks tomorrow.

For more of our visit in Rome, click here to see our visit to Trevi Fountain and the Spanish steps and more.

Castel Sant'Angelo ~ Trevi Fountain ~ Spanish Steps ~ Rome, Italy

We did most of our sightseeing by walking around the city of Rome.  We were staying in a  location that was not  too far from Centro Storico, Rome’s historic center and would walk across one of the many bridges that crosses the Tiber River to carry on to see the sights.

Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome, Italy

The Castel Sant’Angelo was a fortress built by Emporer Hadrian during the years AD123-139 as a peaceful resting place.  It went through several changes over the years including a military post until it was purchased by the Pope Aqui in 1377.  It was then connected to the Vatican and was used as a safe area whenever the need arose.

Spanish Steps ~ Piazza di Spagna, Rome

The Piazza di Spagna is home to the Spanish Steps and a gathering place for almost everyone who comes to Rome as well as the locals.  It became such a gathering spot for the artists and writers who used to live in this area during the eighteenth century that it became a real tourist draw then and it seems it hasn’t lost that appeal. 



Trinita del Monti Church

The Spanish steps, built totally with travertine 1723-1726 were built to give access from the embassy of Bourbon Spain to the church at the top of the stairs which belonged to the Bourbon kings of France.  The 138 steps are divided into 12 flights.  The Sallustian obelisk sits at the top of the Spanish Steps in front of the church.



Busy streets in Centro Storico, Rome, Italy

I was 6 years old when I saw a movie who’s theme song has been one of my favorites ever since.  I do not remember the story nor what the fountain looked like but I do remember a final scene at the Trevi Fountain and that was definitely on our list of things to see in Rome.  We used our map and followed some narrow streets that opened up into a very crowded but small square and there it was.

Crowds at Trevi Fountain 

It is amazing that this very large fountain is in such a small square and then you get a zillion other people wanting to get their photos as well, and you have a crowded situation.  It was late in the afternoon and being surrounded by tall buildings the sun wasn’t able to shine onto this beautiful fountain but we got our share of photos.   

Reflections on the Tiber River in Rome

 We always walked home in the dark at the end of our days, taking in the beauty of those ancient buildings illuminated with just enough lights to make a great sight.  We may have walked about ten miles a day and we were getting pretty tired by this time of night, but never too tired to enjoy those sights as we slowly made our way back to our hotel.

There is so much to enjoy, come again for another walk through the streets of Centro Storico in Rome.