Rome is a bustling modern city, stylishly so, with an innate ability to mix ancient and modern architecture with panache, even to installing modern shop fascias on two hundred year old buildings that look as if they are meant to be.
With a history spanning two and a half millennia, Rome is one of the oldest cities in Europe. It was the capital of the Roman Empire; it has been the seat of the Papacy since the first century and the capital of Italy since the end of the Second World War.
Littered with buildings and monuments that date from the days of the Roman Empire, many of which are now romantic ruins, Rome is a huge open-air museum; perhaps the best in the world. Its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – one of the most accessible in the world, drawing visitors year round.
Rome grew hugely after the war and became a fashionable city in the 1950s and early 1960s, the years of ‘la dolce vita’, with popular classic films such as Ben Hur, Quo Vadis, Roman Holiday and La Dolce Vita being filmed in the city's iconic Cinecittà Studios.
Famed for its fashion, several of Italy’s top haute couture houses were founded and are rooted in Rome, like those of Valentino and Fendi. The craftsmanship behind Italian fashion is undisputed, and the “Made in Italy” label is a symbol of quality the world over. The superior creativity and artistic genius that have defined Rome for centuries seem to flourish in its fashion industry.
Rome is where you will see beauties riding side-saddle behind their boyfriends on Lambrettas and Vespas but for sheer speed spot the four-wheeled desirables such as the Lamborghini, the Maserati and Ferrari. Rome also boasts some of the fastest two-wheelers such as the Ducati, Moto Guzzi and Laverda.
Home to the Vatican City, St Peter’s (the holy grail for Catholics worldwide), evidence that this is a prime religious centre is everywhere with nuns, monks and the clergy mingling with locals and tourists alike as they go about their day to day business.
Rome was also home to some of the world’s most revered artists – Bellini, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Raphael, Tintoretto, and Titian whose works can be seen in churches throughout the city, as well as the museums.
Rome is defined by its beauty, style and colour and a life lived outdoors in the warmth of the Mediterranean climate. Cafes and restaurants spill on to pavements hectic with sightseers and window-shoppers who are very willing to stop frequently to sample Rome’s famous hospitality and cuisine. At night locals and tourists flock to the Trastevere district for some of the best food that Rome has to offer and to see and be seen.
The Eternal City, firmly affixed as one of the pillars of Western civilization, has shaped our culture and school of thought for countless centuries. Now, visitors to Rome can appreciate how this ancient city has also shaped our sense of style since classical times. Romans like to make a ‘bella figura’ (a good impression) at all times, expressing their own personalities in a way that is uniquely Italian.