On our first visit to Rome I wasn't sure what to expect. It is a large city, and having gown up in a small, rural community I am not generally comfortable in large, crowded, noisy places. But Rome was a pleasant surprise. It isn't as intimate as Venice, it isn't as charming as Florence, but it has something special. For all of its size, world-class sights and rich history, Rome is a very comfortable place to visit. It is a large city with a small town feel. After the first 24 hours we felt very much at home in Rome.

Getting around Rome was also very easy. The metro is fast and easy to use with only two lines. It is a good choice for getting to the Vatican or the Coliseum, but it does not get close to many of the important sights. Besides the Metro, there are also buses and taxis. We used all of these modes of transportation and they were all great, but mostly we used our feet. Almost all of the important sights are within walking distance of each other, and with a little route planning you can keep the walking manageable.

The city of Rome is extremely beautiful with an obelisk or fountain on practically every corner or piazza. It seems like every building and street is full of history. Everywhere you look you see some sight that you have seen or heard about all your life. It really is a destination that everyone should visit at least once.

Rome has fountains, lots of fountains. Big or small, famous or not - fountains are an enchanting part of the fabric of Rome. It seemed to us that there are at least as many fountains as there are churches, and there are an awful lot of churches. The splashing sounds of the water and the beauty of the sculptures add a special elegance to the city. At least most of them have beautiful sculptures. There are a few unattractive ones, but I guess Romans would rather have a plain fountain than no fountain.

Most of my favorites turned out to be the work of one artist, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. At the Piazza Barberini there are two Bernini fountains to view, the Fontana delle Api (Fountain of the Bees) and the Fontana del Tritone (Triton’s Fountain). Triton’s Fountain is very dramatic and located in the center of the piazza. Brian particularly enjoyed the bee sculptures on the Fountain of the Bees. It is not a very large fountain and is located over to the side of the piazza. Unless you are looking for it, you could walk right past it. The fountain dates from 1644 and was created for the Barberini family (bees were a symbol of their family). The Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) in the Piazza Navona is another of our favorite Bernini Fountains.

Yes, we did throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, and yes it did work. We came back to Rome within a year. Hope it works the second time. The Trevi Fountain is spectacular, but too touristy. Even so, the ritual of tossing a coin over your shoulder is still fun. The fountain in front of the Pantheon is also good for some humor. It wasn’t until we got home that we realized we had the picture of the pigeon on top of the gargoyle.

One of our favorite fountains is located in the center of the Piazza della Republica, near the train station. It is called the Fontana delle Naiadi and has four large nude female figures. Apparently, the models for the figures were twin sisters from a well-to-do Roman family, and they were easily recognized when the fountain was unveiled. Needless to say, their posing for the sculptures was quite scandalous in the early 20th Century. It apparently didn’t bother the twins though, because each year – until the 1960’s - they visited the fountain to remind themselves of how daring they were in their youth.