Face off: five European cities duel to the death

I was going to write a nice post about my five favourite cities in Europe, but then I figured that wasn’t quite as exciting as putting them to the test in a knockout and seeing which came up trumps. Naturally, this will be an entirely objective post, based solely on fact.

Each round will feature two European cities, and I’ll work out which one I like better, allowing it to proceed to the next round. The city still standing at the end, wins! Let’s get this started with our five contenders. Rocky theme music is optional.

Round 1: Paris vs Rome!

Lets see – two cities famous for being the romance capital of Europe. Sadly only one can carry that particular crown, and Paris wins my heart there.

Romance isn’t everything though. Rome has the upper hand when it comes to empire building, with the Roman Empire once spreading all across Europe. They’ve also got the religious angle down pretty well, what with being the seat of Christianity.

As far as old crumbliness and prettiness go – well, Rome and Paris both have their spectacles, but for me, Rome wins. Paris may have a steel tower, but Rome has so many ruins that you can often find ruins built on top of other ruins built on top of other ruins. Rome is the onion of ruins. Plus the ice cream is better. Victory to Rome!

Round 2: Berlin vs London!

On second thoughts, putting Berlin up against London may have been an error, what with the recent history between the Germans and the English. Still, I’ll labour on, and do my best not to mention any unfortunate football based incidents.

I am slightly biased, as I lived in London for a couple of years, and haven’t spent a massive amount of time in Berlin. Still, the time I did spend there let me see what a fascinating city it is.

There are visible reminders of the cold war all around – from the crumbling remnants of the actual Berlin wall to the incredible street art to be found all over the city.

It is also home to a vibrant club scene, wonderful palaces and churches, and some of the most inventive sausage sauces out there.

It’s not all over for London though. London has quirky markets, incredible pubs, and some of the most recognisable landmarks in the world. Plus I’m English. Victory to London!

Semi-final: London vs Rome!

So now I have two cities that are over two thousand years old, both of which owe a rather great deal of their look and feel to that previously mentioned empire, both of which I absolutely love.

Rome has some serious quirkiness going for it, which I am mostly basing on the fact that everyone drives tiny cars or scooters. This transport option is less popular in London, largely due to the presence of the deadly London bus.

Rome also has better weather, better ice cream, and a bit more crumbliness. London has markets that service goat curry, pubs that serve real, meaty beer, and the South Bank.

Ah, this was a tough one, but ultimately, London isn’t going to win this bout. Rome, as she was a couple of thousand years ago, is victorious. Alea iacta est.

Final: Surprise Contender vs Rome!

I did say this was a round up of five of my favourite European cities, and thus far only four have slugged it out, Rome emerging victorious.

My fifth city is a bit like Marmite. For those of you not familiar with this food stuff, marmite is a yeast based tar like substance that you spread on bread. The flavour is difficult to describe, and hard to appreciate unless you’ve been brought up on the stuff. The thing about Marmite though, is that you either absolutely love it, or you hate it. There is no happy in-between.

And the same can be said of Venice. Some folk absolutely adore the place, a city set in a swamp which is slowly sinking away. They will go on about the tiny backstreets, the magnificent piazzas and the fabulous ice cream. They will wax lyrical about the cafes, the glass sculptors, and the joy of getting lost in the pedestrian heaven that is a car free city.

Venice’s detractors, on the other hand, will bemoan that the place is tacky, full of tourists, overpriced, and smells like an open sewer.

Those people are wrong.

Which is why I am happy to declare Venice my overall favourite city in Europe! Rome has a lot to offer, but the magic that can be found in Venice is unbeatable.

I’d love to know what you have to say about my five picks! Did I miss one of your favourite cities off the list? Am I completely insane to have picked Venice? Share away in the comments below! And if you are planning on visiting some of these cities, why not check out the deals that Hotels4U have on accommodation, including London hotels and Paris hotels :)

My favourite bits of Rome

Now that I’m back in Europe, I’m looking forward to exploring all that this amazing continent has to offer, from local French attractions, to more distant jewels.

Having spent time touring in a country where the distance between towns was measured in driving days rather than hours, my perspective on the scale of Europe has now changed, so what once seemed far, is now a mere hop skip and jump away.

There are parts of Europe that I am lucky enough to already be very familiar with, with Italy being near the top of that list. Her capital, Rome, is a veritable travellers paradise, with endless options for exploration, from churches, to crypts, to crumbling relics of bygone empires. Today I thought I would share some of my personal highlights of Rome with you.

Before I plunge in, one point of note. Rome is an incredible city, but be warned, you’ll be sharing it with a whole bunch of other folks. The must-see’s though are must-see for a reason – it’s hard to find this much history and culture stuffed into such a small area in many other places.

So get your tourist vibe on, load your camera with film, and take the billionth photo of the Coliseum. Then load up on gelato by the Spanish Steps. By the end of your time in Rome, you’ll more than deserve it!

Central Rome

Vatican City

Whatever your religious views, the Vatican City in central Rome is one of those places that you really can’t visit Rome without seeing. As well as being the seat of Christianity, this place is home to some of mankind’s most famous pieces of art, including Michelangelo's David, and the Sistine Chapel.

You could spend days just wandering around this labyrinthine city within a city, but my number one tip would be to get above it all by taking the walk up to the top of St Peters dome for unbeatable views across Rome. Worth the climb.

The Coliseum

There is perhaps no more recognisable Italian structure in the world than the coliseum, where early Christians were thrown to the lions, and gladiators battled to the sound of crowds baying for blood. People talk about the place holding a great sense of history and the smell of fear – on the occasions I’ve visited I’ve largely just noticed people posing with “centurions” and reliving scenes from Ridley Scott’s Gladiator.

The structure however is just boggling, made all the more astounding given the fact that it has been standing in Rome since 80AD. Nearly two thousand years in fact. It is the largest amphitheatre that the Roman Empire built, and has to be seen to be believed.

The Pantheon, and other central must-see items

The Pantheon is one of my favourite buildings in Rome. Its original incarnation was even older than the Coliseum, although that was destroyed by fire. It is particularly remarkable for its enormous dome like ceiling, famous for having a hole known as the occulus at it’s apex, through which the building is lit.

When I visited, for some reason, Led Zeppelin’s song Stairway to Heaven was playing through a tiny speaker under a statue of the Virgin Mary, a memory that has always stayed with me.

Around the Pantheon, since you are there, are some other highlights of Rome that you should take the time to see.

The Trevi fountain, for example, is one of the worlds most famous fountains. It is traditional to throw a coin into this fountain, and roughly 3,000 euros a day makes its way into the waters. 

Also in this area are the Spanish Steps, famous for their people watching options, especially over an ice cream. If it’s a sunny day, you’ll probably want to take a break from all the ancient exploring, and get to grips with some of Italy’s famous Gelato.

Slightly outside Rome

If you get time to explore beyond the immediate central attractions of Rome, there is again no shortage of awesome places to visit. A couple of my favourites are:

The Baths of Caracalla

The baths at Caracalla are one of my favourite places in Rome. I think what gets me about the place is just the crazy obsession the Romans had with bathing, and the process that they created around that, which resulted in vast complexes like this.

Sprawling over 25 hectares, these baths were built in the 2nd century AD, and operated for four centuries.  When operational they could accommodate around 1500 bathers at any one time, although walking around the gigantic ruins, you’d think that most of the Roman population could turn up and have a wash quite easily.

There are of course, examples of mosaics and statues to peer at as well, but really, just walking around the grounds is an incredible experience. If you’ve got time, this is one I definitely recommend adding to your to-do list.

The Catacombs.

If you’ve visited the coliseum, and seen where the Christians got fed to the lions, you should continue your travels through Rome’s slightly ghoulish tourist attractions, and head to the catacombs, where Rome’s dead were buried.

With over sixty catacombs to choose from in Rome, you won’t struggle to find a spooky underground cemetery to get your ghoul on. Perhaps the most famous though, would be those found along the Via Appia, or Appian Way. These are the ones I’ve visited, and do require a short bus ride out of Rome, but this is an entirely worthwhile bit of effort.

There is nothing quite like descending underground into dark musty corridors lined with ancient graves, dating as far back as 150 AD. The experience is claustrophobic and unnerving, a bit like being returned to the grave prematurely. And as with so much in Rome, absolutely worth doing.

And that’s that for today’s post on Rome! Have you visited Rome? Got a tip to share for a must-see attraction, or favourite place to while away a few hours? Do share in the comments below!

If you are visiting Rome, and looking for somewhere to stay, why not consider an apartment. These are often cheaper than a hotel, yet offer a far more private experience than your average hostel. Back in my days as a consultant, before I threw dreams of 100 hour weeks aside, I’d usually stay in self catered apartments instead of hotels if I could. Check out Rome apartments to rent for more details and pricing.

Things To Do
Rome

76-Second Travel Show: 'Quest Lessons from David Farley'

Episode #016
F E A T U R I N G * 6 0 * B O N U S * S E C O N D S

THE CITIZEN KANE OF TRAVEL
I always call Italy the 'Citizen Kane of travel' -- it has the accolades, the press, the attention, the love. And anytime I go, I leave feeling all the hype was justified.

Some people equate things like seeing art and eating pasta in a Tuscan hill town as the 'real Italy.' Others might say it's hearing profanity on a gritty alley of Naples. Nearly getting hit by a Vespa in Rome. Shopping 21st-century fashion in Milan. Seeing where Darth Vader courted in one of those awful prequel Star Wars films at Lake Cuomo.

David Farley, whose travelogue An Irreverent Curiosity, wouldn't take a stab at defining a 'real Italy' when I met him for a Roman lunch in New York a couple months ago. He only knows that the town he bases his search for Jesus' stolen foreskin counts too.

Calcata, just outside Rome, is off the main Roman roads -- and indeed modern-day guidebooks. His 2007 New York Times article gave it some attention, for better or worse, as he wrote in World Hum.

Next time I'm in Rome, I'll be taking the bus out from Saxa Rubra bus station in suburban Rome to see a medieval town that looks like a 'cupcake on a high perch,' as Farley writes -- one filled with 'hippies, artists and bohemian types,' who saved it from demolition a few decades ago.

Maybe I'll go to take clarinet lessons.

Cool Convent Stays in La Bella Roma

Rome, the "Eternal City," is a perennial favorite on many a traveler's must-see list. But with a twin-bedded room in a 3-star Rome hotel often going for 200+ Euros a night, our dollar doesn't go half as far as it used to. So, we encourage you to consider a more colorful, definitely less costly alternative:

"Hye thee to the nunnery!"

Yes, a convent! Granted, some of them have curfews and offer just basic lodging. Others, however, are a bit more heavenly in creature comforts and ambience. The glorious one in which we recently stayed was more like a villa! (We're saving the insider scoop for our book!) A few of the sisters will even cook up a dinner for you for a modest fee. A helpful website, created by the American Catholic Church in Rome, lists a number of convent accommodations both near the Vatican and closer to the center of the city:

http://www.santasusanna.org/comingToRome/convents.html

For monastery accommodations and convent stays all over Italy, check out:

http://www.monasterystays.com/

Buon viaggio!

Ann Lombardi & Wendy Swartzell
The Trip Chicks