Piazza Navona in Rome, Italy

On February 12, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy4 Comments

The Piazza Navona is a famous square in Rome that was built on the site of an ancient, open space stadium from the 1st century. Today it is busy with local artists, restaurants and cafes, local residents, and tourists. With its large Egyptian obelisk, the Fountain of the Four Rivers demands attention in the center of piazza. The square was defined as a public space in the 15th century where it hosted the city market. Later, during the reign of the pontificate of Innocent X, the square became significant for its Baroque architecture with the focal point being his family palace, the Palazzo Pamphili.

Fountain of the Four Rivers and the Palace

There are two other fountains in the square, one on the southern end of the square being the Fontana del Moro, which has four Tritons sculpted by Giacomo della Porta, and on the northern end is Fountain of Neptune. Even at night, the Fountain of the Four Rivers is beautiful to see as the basin is lit up to highlight the statues at the base of the obelisk. Crowds remain in the piazza well into the evening, especially on warmer nights. We stayed at a boutique hotel that was situated on the square, so we had wonderful views of the people enjoying the beautiful area.

If you enjoy people watching, then the piazza, with its outdoor cafes, is a perfect location for you. At one point, we even watched as a marching band of children marched passed the fountains. There are also street artists playing music and a variety of painters offering unique paintings of famous sites in Rome. During our time there, we always saw people sitting on the benches and eating a meal, however we chose to have a glass of wine at several of the locally owned restaurants.

Perhaps this square is not as well known as some other locations in Rome, but it is certainly a top place to visit when coming to the city. It was featured in Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons and several scenes from the film adaptation were filmed in the piazza. With all of the local restaurants in the surrounding streets as well as the square itself, it is a great place to spend a few hours and relax in the bustling city.

Luxurious Stay in Rome

On May 12, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy5 Comments

Since our trip to Italy was the last of our six-month stay in Europe, we decided to treat ourselves to a little bit of luxury while we were in Rome. We stayed at the Lifestyle Suites Rome, which has suites that overlook Piazza Navona. Our room was absolutely beautiful with Swarovski chandeliers. It was also located close to all of the attractions and there were plenty of wonderful restaurants within walking distance.

Every evening we were treated to turn down service and slippers placed next to our comfortable, king-size bed. We also received sweets, fresh fruit, and cheese when we ordered a bottle of wine for our room. On our last night, we were given a pastry with frosting and chocolate shavings that was quite delicious. Every morning we were able to order a fresh cooked breakfast or choose from items on the buffet. Since there are only eight suites in the hotel, there was never a crowd and we felt like we were being personally pampered.

Probably our favorite feature of our suite, which was the Tempesta Suite, was the hot tub for two with waterfall and chromotherapy. After a long day of visiting all of the tourist sites that Rome has to offer, it was very relaxing to put on some soothing music using the remote controls and enjoy a glass of wine while soaking our tired muscles. With the wonderful views of the piazza, all of the amenities, and the gracious staff, it would have been easy to sleep in and stay in our room all day, but there is just too much to see in Rome to indulge ourselves that way.

We don’t often treat ourselves to such extravagant surroundings when travelling since you don’t normally spend too much time in the hotel room, but this was well worth the expense. Whenever we return to Rome, we will definitely come back to the Lifestyle Suites Rome, it was one of the best hotel experiences that we have ever enjoyed. We tended to stay at the hotel group that we have loyalty points with during our time in Europe, but we were glad that we decided to select something different for our time in Rome.