Roaming in the riches of Rome

By BOB MARRIOTT

Rome is temperature cool and bargain hot during winter. It's a heart-stopping crucible of noise, laughter and fun, with great food, mellow wine and a cultural collection that is the envy of Europe. The shops are crowded, the men are voluble and the women are chic.

Walking from the Via Flaminia, where trams traverse the centre of the road, overlooked by picture windows and wrought-iron balconies, I turned under a graceful arch to the Piazza del Popolo.

An elderly busker, well wrapped against the chill, played a sweet and lively violin, pausing to raise his astrakhan hat as I showed my appreciation with a few coins. In the square, stone lions gushed water into marble bowls, guarding the Flaminio Obelisk, brought from Egypt in the time of Ramses II.

I dawdled along the Via del Corso, the city's longest street, often pausing to investigate some dark, twisting alleyway. In Rome the most insignificant-looking street can open out to a magnificent piazza lined with pavement cafes, side by side with centuries-old works of art.

Rounding any corner can bring a fresh delight, as I found when I walked by the classy shops on the Via dei Condotti to arrive at the Piazza de Spagna, graced by the monumental Spanish Steps and Bernini's Boat Fountain.

Lovely old buildings require a lot of maintenance, and occasionally in the off-season there is a monument draped in plastic or a building sheathed in scaffolding. The Trevi fountain was dormant, drained and wrapped for renovation. No sparkling water to swallow my coins while making a wish. No classic marble figures to set my lens afire.

"How long will it be like this?" I ask the shopkeeper selling woolly hats. "Come back in a week's time, signor," he says with a flourish of hands. "It will all be finished."

Nearby is the Piazza de Navona, the most beautiful baroque square in Rome. Stalls hung with strings of coloured lights and overflowing with gifts brought a warm glow to glistening wet pavements.

I marvelled at another Bernini masterpiece, before sitting in the cafe that bears his name, to sip a superb cafe latte and sample a crisp panini, my ears warm under my new acquisition.

Walking through narrow ways of architectural delight brought me to where the Pantheon rears in unsurpassed splendour. Erected by Agrippa in 27BC, it is in remarkable condition, housing the tomb of Raphael and showing some spectacular frescoes and building effects under the soaring dome.

At the Piazza Venezia, suicidal scooter-riders elicit a swinging symphony of motor horns as traffic roars past the tomb of the unknown warrior. Cloaked by the colossal monument to King Victor Emmanuel the second, this is a piece of modern architecture in an ancient setting.

Nearby are the Trajan's Markets with a column erected in AD113, its spiral frieze depicting the Emperor's military exploits.

Just a short walk away the familiar outline of the Colosseum is etched against a lowering sky. Perhaps the most important monument from ancient Rome, its long and bloody history lasted more than 300 years.

The building seen today gives only an idea of its former grandeur, as it was severely damaged by an earthquake in the fifth century, and during the Middle Ages was used as a source of materials for other buildings, some commissioned by the Popes of the time.

On the Oppio hill overlooking the Colosseum I found the ruins of Nero's palace, a fairly recent discovery in a city where ancient treasures regularly surface.

After the unpopular emperor's death the palace was used as a rubbish dump and buried for hundreds of years. Much of it has now been excavated and a most interesting tour took me through some complicated and well-preserved constructions. The brick walls and high-vaulted ceilings are impressive and in places still show the remains of detailed frescoes.

Many of the attractions are floodlit and a night tour, usually ending with dinner in a restaurant, can be an interesting excursion.

Tourist information kiosks are plentiful in the city, with friendly, English-speaking attendants who give out free maps and helpful directions.

Some buses have few seats and are designed for standing passengers, but they are regular and seem to carve a way through the chaos on the roads. Tickets are cheap and can be bought at tobacconists or souvenir shops.

It was a quick and convenient ride to the Appian Way, then on through lovely countryside outside the city walls to visit the extensive and historic catacombs of St Calixtus. The catacombs were built in the second century and developed later as the burial place of nearly half a million Christians. In places the cemetery reaches four levels, more than 20m deep, and the galleries extend for 19km. They have never been fully explored.

I needed a day to appreciate the Vatican and St Angelo's Castle, two diamonds in a sparkling necklace of scenic gems spread across the inner city. I took the underground, which is dingy-looking but cheap and efficient, from Flaminio to St Pietro, the nearest station to the Vatican.

The Via della Conciliazione leads straight into St Peters Square, which is actually an oval, enclosed by an immense semi-circular colonnade, built by Bernini. In the centre stands an obelisk brought from Egypt in the reign of Caligula, flanked by fountains designed and executed by Maderno and Carlo Fontana.

St Peters is not only the largest church in the Christian world but also a magnificent example of architecture. The whole layout is a feast to the eyes and contains a staggering amount of fine paintings, statues and mosaics.

Various parts of the buildings were the work of the masters - Michelangelo, Giotto, di Cambio, Algardi and Bernini - and examples of their amazing talent are displayed throughout the complex.

I made the ascent to the loggia of the great dome on a cool, clear day. This circular balcony is 120m high and involves taking the lift for around three storeys, still leaving 520 steps to climb. The effort is rewarded by breathtaking views over the city to the distant snow-capped mountains.

From St Peters it is a pleasant walk to the massive structure of St Angelo's Castle, which dates from AD130 and stands surrounded by a moat in its pentagonal grounds overlooking the river. In the past the walls have sheltered Popes, and the dungeons have held some illustrious names.

By the entrance to the castle the swirling waters of the Tiber appear like liquid cement as they pour beneath the bridge of St Angelo. Passing over the bridge, with its cluster of souvenir sellers, a tree-lined pavement follows the river to the Palace of Justice, from where it is a short stroll back to the Piazza de Navona and a well-earned coffee.

Guide books describe Rome as the world's most beautiful city, and the Italian capital has a magnificent collection of classical buildings, statues, churches and museums to support that claim. The inner city houses many of these works of art and is ideally laid out.

The visitor who is prepared to walk will find a veritable treasure chest of exotic sights. Winter thins out the tourist hordes, leaving a wonderful selection of cultural experiences more readily accessible, and the numerous fine shops and restaurants complete the appeal of the Eternal City.

* Bob Marriott travelled to Rome with Lufthansa airlines.

Case notes

* Getting there

Lufthansa has a special of $1970 until December 14 this year. Most other airlines are about $2500 for economy-class return. Talk to your travel agent. Rome is a great stopover if you're UK-bound.

* Getting around

All the main sights are within comfortable walking distance. Take stout shoes. The bus service is good and cheap. Remember that they drive on the right.

* What to do

Rome is a treasure trove of museums, art galleries and ancient buildings. Cafes and restaurants have great atmosphere and the food is superb. Even in the cooler weather pavement dining can be a delight.

* Shopping

Most of Europe's famous clothing labels are on display and there are some of the classiest wares in the world. Goods are expensive but you won't see this quality elsewhere.

* Advisory

English is widely understood if not always well spoken. Take a phrase book and have fun. During December expect temperatures of around 10C. Take a coat and a woolly hat. When it rains, umbrella vendors appear on every corner.