It’s not all about the Trevi Fountain, guys.
We’ve all seen plenty of pictures of Rome all around the Internet and on Instagram, and many people have already been lucky enough to visit it. On my recent trip with my boyfriend though, I managed to snap some pretty decent photos all around the city, and in this post I want to share both great Instagram photo spots, and tips to visit the Italian capital without falling in the classic tourist traps. I hope you guys enjoy coming on this journey with me! Let’s get going…
THE COLOSSEUM & IMPERIAL FORUM
The Colosseum is one of the most famous sights in Rome, and its impressive structure makes a great backdrop for photos. You can take photos outside, in front of the Colosseum, but it is so large that you may find it hard to get it all in one shot. The Colosseum is surrounded by elevated ground and fences, from which you can take a photo – but beware, hundreds of other tourists will have the same idea, because it is the easiest photo spot to get. To get a good picture with the Colosseum, head over to the Imperial Forum, near the Temple of Venus, where you will have the best view with very few people around. This is where I took the photo below. You can also play around with your camera settings and try a wide angle shot for a different point of view than what we usually see.
TIPS TO VISIT: If you go and see the Colosseum, you should obviously get a ticket to visit the inside. You can buy a ticket that gives you an entry to the Colosseum + the Imperial Forum and Palatine Hill. Walk around the inside of the Colosseum for more cool photo spots. Even though the amphitheatre can be crowded depended on when you visit, there will always be a moment when you’ll be able to snap a good picture facing the stage.
You should also make the most of your ticket by visiting the Imperial Forum. Bring a guidebook with you to learn about the awesome buildings you’ll see there (like the gorgeous Arch of Septimus Severus or the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina). The Forum is a large site, so you’ll be able to get some pretty great photos too. At the top of the Palatine Hill, which you access from the Imperial Forum, there is a terrace where the view is rather breathtaking. You’ll want to get a picture there too, trust me!
MY PERSONAL FAVOURITE: THE PANTHEON
The Pantheon can sometimes be overlooked, but it is my favourite building in Rome. It was built in the 1st century BC under the orders of Agrippa, a Roman general. The main feature of the building is its dome (beautiful from the outside and the inside), which is as wide as it is high. The Piazza della Rotonda in front of the Pantheon has a gorgeous fountain and plenty of colourful buildings, perfect for your typical Roman piazza photo. You can either take a picture with or without the fountain, play around with angles and the sunlight – be careful to take your pictures at the right time though, because depending on the position of the sun you may end up with the wrong light.
TIPS TO VISIT: You should of course visit the Pantheon, the inside is incredibly impressive. As it is a religious building, it is free to enter and even if you see a crowd queuing, don’t worry – there’s no bag checks or anything so you should be able to get in pretty quickly. As for photos, the piazza gets crowded during the day, as you can imagine, so I would recommend going as early as you can in the morning. It stays crowded even in the evening as it is a spot with a lot of bars and restaurants, so the morning really is you go-to moment to see the Pantheon and take pictures empty of people. We went there at around 9.30am, on a February weekday, but if you go later in the year you should get there even earlier. There’s a really nice cafe right next to the Pantheon called La Tassa d’Oro, and I really recommend going there for a coffee and cornetto at the bar after you’ve seen the Pantheon – breakfast, the Italian way!
THE CLASSIC SPOT: TREVI FOUNTAIN
Everyone wants a photo at the Trevi Fountain, but who could blame them: it’s so pretty! The fountain is much bigger in real life than it seems in photos, at least that’s what I thought when I visited it for the first time. It does get very crowded though, day and night, so you have to plan your visit ahead if you would like to take a photo with the fountain that is not a selfie – and that requires some space around you to capture the beauty of the fountain, free of other tourists. The morning my boyfriend and I visited, we went right after shooting at the Pantheon, around 10 am. There were already a few people around, but it wasn’t crowded (bearing in mind, again, that it was mid-February and not the peak of summer!) That morning though, the Fountain was being cleaned off coins – so there were workers in the fountain sweeping all the coins all around the fountain. Not great for photos! You could probably erase them with Photoshop, but since I don’t do Photoshop, we had to wait for a while so that we had a photo without the workers in there.
TIPS TO VISIT: Once again visit early, sunrise may be your best bet – and don’t do anything silly around the Fountain like climbing on the side walls, you will be told off by the officers around. Also you may want to look into the position of the sun to make sure shadows don’t interfere with your photos – you can see on mine that there was a lot of shade falling on the fountain, and thus it takes more editing to improve the original shot.
ST PETER’S AND THE VATICAN
Do we count the Vatican as Rome? Maybe no as it is its own little city state, but I’ll roll with it. The Vatican’s most notable feature is of course St Peter’s Cathedral, and the piazza around it. It is a gorgeous spot for photos, if you come early enough (there’s clearly a theme here… touristy city FTW!) and manage to catch the beautiful marble columns and cathedral in the sunshine. There are also two beautiful fountains which would make gorgeous photo backdrops.The Vatican Museums are also a beautiful place to take photos in, especially the galleries of Roman sculpture.
TIPS TO VISIT: Unless you wish to see a public blessing by the Pope, avoid Wednesdays to visit the Vatican. It gets really crowded, and people who wish to fulfill their religious beliefs should be left with the freedom of doing so! Go on any other weekday instead, early in the morning (we were there at 10am) for empty shots of St Peter’s. For tips to visit the Vatican Museums, head over to my Instagram @juliaspeaks_ – I have a post with lots of tips to make the most of your visit!
LA DOLCE VITA: GET LOST IN THE SMALLER STREETS
Rome is not just about its big landmarks: it’s also about finding a pace, enjoying the smaller things, after the thrill of seeing all the gorgeous architecture we all come to find there. Every corner in Rome is beautiful, with its colourful buildings and shutters, it’s churches nestled at every corner and statues scattered around. You could find yourself walking around without a plan, and take your most beautiful photos that way. On our first afternoon my boyfriend and I stumbled upon the Largo dei Librari, near the popular Campo de’Fiori (see the first picture below) and it was such a charming spot I had to take a photo there. Anywhere is a good street to take a photo in, in Italian cities. So put on comfortable shoes and explore, endlessly.
I have posted all about my trip to Rome (and Florence!) on my Instagram, @juliaspeaks_ – photos on my feed, but also everything we did and tips about visiting the various sights on my Story highlights! Super useful if you are planning a trip to either cities yourself – which, by the way, you totally should. Italy’s the best.
Have you ever visited Rome? Which sight would you like to see the most?
Lots of love,
Julia x
