Seeing Ancient Rome From Your Living Room

​The ancient Romans sure knew how to build their empire and city, and we are so lucky to be still able to explore their history since many of the structures they built are still in the beautiful city of Rome.  As we continue on the journey as we all do our part to stay at home, I wanted to share with you many of the virtual tours you can take in the capital of Italy, Rome. 

One of the most visited sites in Rome is the Colosseum; this ancient amphitheater is also known as the Flavian Amphitheater.  If you have ever been to the Colosseum, you know how amazing the structure is and how large it is.   Thanks to Google Arts and Culture, we can now all take a virtual tour of this fantastic ancient structure.  Explore the Roman Colosseum. 

Since Rome is still under quarantine viewing the live webcams through Skyline is a little bittersweet to see the stillness of this vibrant city.  Depending on the time of day you view them, you can hear the water running in the fountains at the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain.  View many of the famous sites of Rome through the webcams.  

​A colleague, Roberto Brunetti of Limousin Rome, in Rome took these pictures in the last week of the streets of Rome, which shows just how quiet the city is at this time.   Here is what he thought as he walked the street “I was walking on the street without being able to understand what my eyes were looking at. A silence that enters your soul, the immense beauty of an eternal city covered in the sadness of such a delicate and unique moment in my history. This is a Rome I will never forget but I hope I will never see again.” 

​As we continue to find more ways to explore from the comforts of our home, there are many excellent books on and about Rome.  One of my favorites is Angels and Demons by Dan Brown.  This is the story of history and art, and an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati has come back to seek revenge against the Vatican.  Many of the great places to visit in Rome are depicted in this novel.   Another great book is That Awful Mess on the Via Merulana by Carlo Emilio Gadda.  This is a book about a central Rome neighborhood dealing with a robbery and murder of a young woman and the ultimate detective story.  If you are looking for a quicker read, Rome Tales by Hugh Shankland and Helen Constantine are short stories that follow the history of the Eternal City.  
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As many of us yearn to get back on a plane and travel the world, we can start by finding what interests us most through reading and exploring online.