Visiting Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum
*please note: I have a few affiliate links in this article. When you click on the link and book or purchase through the affilate company, I get a tiny little commission. Teeny tiny … like Tea-Cup Chihuahua tiny but I sure do appreciate your support! There is no extra cost for you! Affiliate links help to keep this blog up and running! I ONLY include links to products or services that I believe in.
We have just left the Colosseum
and are on our way to the hills…
My ticket to the Colosseum included entry into Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. I’ll be honest…. after witnessing the Colosseum I didn’t think anything else I was to see this day could top it. I was right and also waaaayyyyy wrong.
A map I drew for you (with horrible perspective but I had to fit it all in!) so you can find your way around the Colosseum grounds
Note: on the map you can see I’ve included an X where the tour groups meet. Look for the flag your tour group described in your tour confirmation.
Remember how I said I had wandered the Colosseum grounds prior to retrieving my ticket? Well, during that reconnaissance I noticed a secondary entrance to Palatine Hill and the Forum! This secondary entrance did not have a line so I was able to get right in and head uphill to the exquisite archeological site and gardens. I am glad I went this route rather than going straight to the Forum because I have a feeling that I would have possibly skipped Palatine Hill after touring the two most famous ruins (tired, hot and likely would have thought I’d seen enough). It turns out that walking Palatine Hill first was a great intro to the opulence of Ancient Rome during the era of Emperor Domitian. Be sure to check out my Historcial Sites page for a history lesson on the Colosseum, Palatine and the Forum.
Most combo tickets allow you to enter the Colosseum at the designated reservation time and then allow you 24hrs to visit the Forum and Palatine Hill. This is helpful for those of you who aren’t able to walk for several hours at a time.
As you enter from the side entrance (noted on my map), you will head up a staircase through luscious vegetation (ahhhhh, shade!). Mid-way up the hill you can find a fountain/spigot to refill your water bottle (look to the right after the first staircase). I highly suggest doing so because as you emerge at the top of the hill a few seconds later, you are back in the bleeping*&!$ sunshine. You are immediately met with remnants of the Palace of Domitian, a huge palace complex in it’s glory days.
Thought to be either a private sports arena for foot races or the Emperor’s private gardens. This is the first thing you see upon reaching the hill.
The palace complex contained three sections:
The Domus Flavia :contained public rooms for conducting business.
The Domus Augustana: the residential section of the palace and is expansive. It is the main section of the complex.
The garden/ stadium: a long, elongated arena as seen in the photo above
I go into detail about the history of this palace and include more photos in my Historical Sites page. I even included a video of a 3D reconstruction of the palace and it helps to give us a visual sense of what it looked like when Emperor Domitian was in power. Stunning! Be sure to check it out.
I’m happy to report that the crowds were not at The Hill at the same time I was and I almost had the place to myself! I wandered the area trying to imagine what the interior courtyard looked like. An octagonal fountain is still visible and was the one of the key features of this sections of the palace.
We can still see large areas of marble flooring indicating how impressive the interior space of the Dominus Flavia was. The marble is actually worn down from the forces of nature and time. The stone undulates before you almost as if you are watching it move in a rolling earthquake. The marble is laid out in intricate patterns with colors of cream and a soft terra-cotta. This section of the ruins impressed upon me the great wealth and grandiosity of Roman royalty.
The pathways here are well maintained and I meandered around the palace grounds, noting the different buildings and temple ruins. All of this is in the full sun so after I got my fill of these ancient ruins, I headed towards the Forum. In between the palace and the Forum you will enter the Farnese Gardens. These gardens are a delightful change of pace because….. shade (or… some shade!)! There is a spigot for filling up your water bottle which I took advantage of (other people were soaking their hats in the water and practically bathing in it, looking for every possible way to cool off). This spigot draws in the red-faced, overheated and dehyrdated sojourners and I watch as their facial expressions change dramatically when each one spots the spigot. You can read the sigh of relief on their faces. Water! Gloriously cool water! Unlimited supply! I heard several different languages spoken around this “water cooler’ and while I don’t know exactly what everyone was saying, I’m willing to bet my 401k on the fact that everyone was discussing rehydration.
It is from this spigot that we all find the will to go on (I know I sound dramatic but have you been to Rome in the summer? No? Ok, then.. report back about how finding this particular water fountain made you nearly cry with joy and relief because it will happen).
The Farnese Gardens are old but not technically ancient. They are not part of the Roman ruins we’ve just toured. They were created in the 16th century and were Europe’s first private botanical gardens. Ancient sculptures and two aviaries adorned the gardens which continued the tradition of wealth on Palatine. The gardens fell into disrepair in the 18th century but have been restored so we are able to see the how time connects us to the location’s nearly 2,000 year history. Guess where you can find more information on these gardens? Yep! My Historical facts page! 😎
My big mistake
Last week I mentioned that I did something stupid and it is at this point in our journey where my stupidity comes into play. When I was packing for this trip I had grabbed a portable charger for my phone. I ended up not taking it because it wasn’t small and it was quite heavy (remember, I don’t check bags and my backpack was already at the limit of what my chicken legs were going to be ok with). I had just bought a brand new iphone so I thought my battery should be strong, like Mike Tyson strong, capable of handling long days away from a charge. What I neglected to factor in was the amount of time I would be using the maps application on my phone.
By the time I reached the Forum my battery was critically low. I still needed to use my maps to get back to Termini Station to catch the Metro back home. I knew the general direction of Termini and felt fairly confident that I would be able to find it but what if I was wrong (note to selves: go with your gut and trust yourself, which I did not do here) I decided I would have to be conservative with my photography and I’m still mad about this. I should have purchased a small portable charger before my trip! I have found the one I will buy for future trips. It charges your watch and your phone, it’s small so you’ll be good to go! If you’d like to order one, your can view it on this Amazon link
Anyhoo, from Farnese Garden’s hilltop there is a platform where you get your first glimpse of the Forum below (if you have done the same route I did). Holy Cannoli!!
The Forum from above. No picture can do this view justice.
Looking in the opposite direction: Arch of Titus and Colosseum in the background
As I was taking one of few photos (😭), I noticed a young woman trying to get her perfect photo. She was all dolled up ready for her moment but couldn’t quite get the right angle. I offered to snap her picture for her (which I’m sure is now somewhere on her blog or Insta… do I get photo credit?). I am always simultaneously impressed and confused by travelers who forego comfort in order to look cute. I NEVER look cute, I could care less. I could care less than less LOL. But I digress.
My first impression of the Forum was….. that I am an idiot for never really paying attention to how remarkable this place is.. until this very minute. The same minute where my phone is about to die. Cool.
I walked down the path towards the Forum grounds, past a gorgeous fountain with luscious foliage and gold fish (or koi?). This fountain sits at the bottom and in between the 2 monumental, restored aviaries of the Gardens. I took a quick and horrible photo of the fountain … and it is becoming clear that I really need to take more time when photographing if I am going to keep writing this blog. I imagine you are all thinking “this is like watching a lame slide show of my aunt’s adventure to Las Vegas when she was drunkenly taking photos without any regard for composition”. Except I wasn’t drunk, I just had a low battery and I had a bad attitude at this point. Luckily there are people on the internet that take photos of sights and allow you to use their photos (hallelujah) so I will include a few to keep my readers happy.
I continued downhill and into what I can only describe as a reminder of what wealth, power and ingenuity can accomplish. The Arch of Titus is on your right and it is just as impressive as the Arch of Constantine (at Colosseum).
Image by Nika Suchá
From there you wend your way down the famous Via Sacra, the main street. Here, the cobblestones are giant, not like the smaller stones found throughout the rest of the city. There are so many remnants on either side of the ancient road that it becomes a bit overwhelming. Everything seems special (because it is!) and you feel small surrounded by the giant columns and gargantuan history of it all.
I stopped near the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, an ancient temple turned Catholic church. Just to the left of the temple is an old road that leads into the trees and bordering buildings. I stood for a moment listening to a guide explain that this is one of the oldest roads in Rome. Here’s what I want to know: how is it that these roads can last 1,900+ years when our roads in California last .5 seconds? Just sayin’.
I will go into detail on the various and specific ruins of note at the Forum in my Historical Sites: Rome page so you don’t miss the Temple of Caesar (they burned his body on the spot!), the Curia Juliia (senate house), etc. for those who want info before you go!
I continued my walk down Via Sacra and my eyes felt like a ping pong balls, bouncing back and forth to all of the interesting things along the roadway. I was on overload from the majesty of all that I saw on this day and finally, it was time to leave before my phone died and I got lost. Can you feel my frustration in this blog post? I learned a HUGE lesson here and I hope no one makes the same mistake!
On my way back to Termini/home, I stopped at a restaurant buried in the labyrinth of streets near the Colosseum. I needed a coffee and a Panino (if you say Panini it means more than one sandwich, by the way). I sat in the shaded patio area enjoying my afternoon snack as a group of young ladies dragged themselves over the cobblestones and plopped down at the table next to me. I say dragged because everything about their body language screamed “hot! tired”! Their personal tour guide joined them and I immediately recognized their accent… Californian. The tour guide sounded French and he asked one of the girls why she was wearing what she had on. She had tight spandex work out pants on with a matching tight spandex sports bra-tank that fit more like a bra than a tank.
“Aren’t you hot?” he asked.. (I was thinking the same! I did not understand how she could be wearing such tight fitting, hot clothing!). Whatever floats your boat, I guess!
I eavesdropped as the girls filled their guide in on the previous night’s adventure (ahh, to be young and hungover). I made eye contact with one of the girls and we chatted about where they are from (San Diego). They asked what I was doing in Rome and I explained that I had come here on a whim.
“I’m loving that for you!!!!!”, replied one of them. By now you surmise correctly that they are in their early 20’s and are having the adventure of a lifetime. Lucky girls!
I finished my espresso and Panino feeling very much refreshed although still grumpy that I wasn’t able to take more photos at the Forum. While making my way back to catch the Metro, I decided that in the end, it was ok. I have the memories tucked away and since photos can’t do that place justice anyway, I left feeling completely satiated. I passed by the National Monument to King Victor Emmanuel II. It’s ginormous! If you want to read more about it, visit Walks in Rome.
National Monument to King Victor Emmanuel II
At this point I recognized where I was and would have had no problem finding Termini if my phone had died so I ended up cruising the streets of the Monti neighborhood to take a few more photos to share with you.
I made it back to the Penthouse feeling like a Metro pro and relaxed for a bit before going to dinner at Dal Toscano. It’s slightly upscale and once again I could not finish my pasta. And once again, I received a disappointed look from the wait staff. The dinner was fantastic though and if you visit the Prati neighborhood, I recommend eating there for a quiet dining experience. If you want to dine on the patio you should reserve in advance and remember, dinner doesn’t start until 8:00 (though locals eat much later). Well, that’s a wrap on day 2!
Stay hydrated because next week I’m taking you to the Trastevere neighborhood, the Trevi Fountain and Parthenon (exterior because I am not down with the long lines. Loooong lines in the sun. Sorry but you’re on your own there).
Ciao for now!
Lindsey
Nuns on the run
Miles Walked Day 2: 12
Side note: I seriously suggest an iwatch or similar. I have one that I never really use but it was a key item for walking the streets because my map would come up on my watch and let me know when to turn etc. It was awesome not having to stare at my phone every 5 seconds and I could pay attention to what I was doing. I linked the product below.
