by A Mindful Traveler

My Favourite Italian City…

#DolceVitaBloggers Linkup #2, January 2018 – ‘Favourite Italian City’

Can you guess where my favourite Italian city is from the picture above?

Well, if you guessed Rome, you are correct!

This photo was taken from Villa Borghese, the third largest park in Rome and a fabulous place to relax and take in the beauty of this eternal city.

Having family in Rome makes this city even more special and undeniably my favourite city in Italy. With fond memories of our departed Zio, proudly guiding us around his beloved home town, we gained a different insight into the background of this capital. It was an honor to accompany him, our own personal tour guide, through the famous streets of Rome, while he would meticulously relate the history and his connection to the City of the Seven Hills.

Exuding with history, Rome’s impressive architecture and ancient monuments, defines this city to its core. Step back and immerse yourself to another time and era. To a world of concrete amphitheaters, marble cathedrals and timeless ruins. This is the real Rome, the Rome I fell in love with the first time I visited, and will continue to love always.

So below, is a collection of some of Rome’s monuments and attractions that were presented to us through Zio’s eyes. Significant sites that we revisit when we return to Rome, and we know that Zio is there walking with us, every step of the way.

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The Tiber River

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The Spanish Steps, Piazza di Spagna

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The momentous Colosseum, the largest amphitheater in the world.

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There is always time to visit The Pantheon. Nearly two thousand years old and originally built as a temple for all Gods. The eye of the Pantheon (the oculus), is the world’s single, largest dome constructed from concrete. It remains the burial site for many, including Raphael, the famous Italian painter and Vittorio Emmanuel II, the first King of unified Italy.

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Colonna Antonina, Piazza Colonna

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Arch of Constantine, Roman Forum

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Piazza del Popolo

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Piazza Venezia and Il Vittoriano. The grand marble monument of Il Vittoriano, is also nicknamed “the wedding cake” after it’s box like shape! It is located within the major intersection of Piazza Venezia, where four major Roman roads intersect, including Via dei Fori Imperiali and the famous shopping strip of Via del Corso. Piazza Venezia also houses Palazzo Venezia, a Renaissance  palace, where Mussolini delivered all of his crucial speeches from his balcony to the masses of crowds in the Piazza during WWII…

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The Glorious Trevi Fountain. Don’t forget to toss a coin, with your back turned to the fountain, over your left shoulder with your right hand, to ensure your return back to the Eternal City!

“I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.”

Augustus, Roman Emperor

Pin for later…

Linking up with Kelly at Italian at Heart, Jasmine at Questa Dolce Vita, and Kristie at Mammaprada,  for all things Italian, at #DolceVitaBloggers

Click here to join and link up with DolceVitaBloggers

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Related posts:

Venetian Splendour

Sweet Sicily

Loving Levanto

Cinque Terre Charm

My Italian Connection

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103 thoughts on “My Favourite Italian City…”

  2. Eh, what to add!? Rome is just incredible, you just wonder how is it possible that a city so packed with amazing art and architecture exists. Thanks for sharing ❤

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  3. Lovely post, Lorelle. I am sure if your friend Zio read this, he would have been thrilled. The passion of a local for his city is infectious.
    I have always loved those words of Augustus, might sound vain but it also comes off as lofty. xxx

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  7. Seeing Rome with family, especially family that lives there, must be a completely different experience. I feel like I need to adopt a Roman when I eventually make it there. 😉 Lovely story about seeing the city with your uncle.

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  13. I can really appreciate the fact that you connect Rome with memories of your uncle, it must be so amazing to think of him when you visit all his favorite places. Thank you for sharing this with us!

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  14. I have mentioned before that Rome is my favourite city and that I was fortunate to live there for a while in my twenties. It has the most special place in my heart and I had assumed I would return there when my children were grown and I no longer needed to be on the treadmill of corporate earnings. But then I met my husband and France took centre stage, which is very very fine indeed. But reading this beautifully emotional piece about the place that will always be home in my heart at some level and seeing it through the eyes of Zio through you, I wonder quietly to myself if my path ever crossed his, if his passion spilled over and zapped me. I loved this. Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful man and his love of place.

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  17. Thank you for joining us Lorelle! I bet Rome is even more incredible with a special local guide. I’m sure you still feel your bio with you every time you are there. 😉

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  18. The experience in any city when you have family to show you around just really enhances the visit. My partner’s brother lives there and so we have a place to stay and our own personal tour guides when we visit. I didn’t like Rome my first two visits because I didn’t have the chance to see the other non-tourist side of the city. Great post!

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  21. Oh you’re so lucky to have family in Rome and to have had a personal tour guide with all his local knowledge. I’ve only ever been to Venice but would love to go to Italy and see and do all the things! Rome and Tuscany are high on my travel wish list!

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  24. Not a city I have visited but what wonderous architecture and I am certain when I do do it will also hold a special place in my heart…Beautiful photos. Thank you for sharing x

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  28. You know 30 years ago while staying in Florence I went to visit a girlfriend in Rome, when I got back I was asked, “Issa, how did you like Rome?”. Honestly, I did not like it at all, Then I went back a few weeks later and on the train, I met a young man with whom offered to show Rome to me (much safer times back in the late 80’s). He picked me up on a motorbike and he showed me his city thru his eyes.
    Seeing Rome thru the eyes of a Roman is like looking into the box instead of “just” seeing the box.
    Thank you for sharing Zio’s Bella Roma.

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  37. Wow, Lorelle, I love this! Rome is also one of my favorite cities. How amazing that you have family there. 🙂 🙂

    Your blogs are very sweet and welcoming. I appreciate you. Happy New Year!!!
    Blessings,
    Debbie
    ps – great photos ❤

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    1. Thank you Deb.
      Hope you have had a wonderful start to the new year. Yes, we are very fortunate to have family there. Italy is my favourite country in the world. We have been blessed to have had some wonderful holidays there.
      Thanks for stopping by and have a great week ahead. ❤️

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  39. I can see why Rome is your favorite city… I also have italian family over there … Of course: my last name is Pedemonte (there is even a town in Italy in Vicenza, Veneto, called Pedemonte, can you believe it?… my parents were there a few years ago)… Excellent post, the photos are simply stunning… Thank you for sharing!… Love & best wishes 😀

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      1. Woefully I wasn´t there… I visited France (Paris & Orléans) & England (London) … And that´s my list of European countries… Quite short)))… Italy would be a dream come true!. We´ll see.. I am in Argentina, Buenos Aires… Have you been here? … 😉

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      2. France is just beautiful, another favourite ( I have many as you can see!!!)
        No I have never been to Argentina, nor South America for that matter. I read so much about it and it looks wonderful. One day I say! There are so many beautiful places in this world and I am blessed to have seen so many so far, but would love to check out South America one day. ❤️

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  40. Per Roma, una vita non basta! I go to Roma at least once a year and I still have so much to see. I usually stay with a friend near Via Ostiense, so really see it like a local. It is so special that you can feel Zio’s vibes in the streets of Roma! Ciao, Cristina

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  46. The pantheon was my favourite building in Rome – I still remember stumbling upon it by accident because I wasn’t well versed in Italian / Roman history when I first visited. Love Rome!

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