Hi everyone,

This is the beginning of my travel experience blog about where I have been during the past 35 years. As most people focus on places, which are located far away from home and others prefer to discover the region and land they are living in, I did both.

Back to the ´80s as I was younger, traveling was extremely expensive. That´s probably the main reason for my parents to travel through Italy and Germany while I was a kid (my father is Italian, my mother German). Since the new economy and the globalization, traveling became easier and cheaper and I traveled to the USA, Africa, Canada, England, Spain, Greece, Viet Nam, Poland and some other wonderful place…

Me, Roman forum, view from the Campidoglio hill. Picture shot during one of my Segway tours

And another one of me and a group on the Campidoglio hill in front of the Museo Capitolino

The beginning of this blog

It all begun with Rome, so this will be the beginning also here: I grew up and lived for 31 years in Rome, the eternal city, the center of the world and, as far as the ancient Romans believed, the center of the universe. My father spent most of his life studying Rome for becoming a tour guide. In the end, we both did. In fact, I worked as a Segway tour guide for several years during my university master studies (have a look at my introduce yourself).

Best Place on Earth #1: Campidoglio hill

The most epic place in Rome is the backside of the Campidoglio hill. This place was so meaningful in the past, that its name still signs the origin of the today known word “capitol”. From there you have a wonderful view of the ancient Roman forum.

When the sun is setting, everything turns into beautiful red colors - it is a magical moment!

The Roman forum by night - spettacolare, unica, magica!

The Roman forum was the place, where Romans would have met, because it was literally placed in the center of the city. While today the entire hill faces the center of Christianity (St. Peter´s cathedral and the Vatican), in ancient Rome it was the holy hill with the big temple of “Giove capitolino” facing the Roman forum (almost like the Parthenon in Athens).

Roman forum by night, view from the Campidoglio hill

On this hill, only the highest priests and the emperor could have been – and still today you feel good vibes if you take some minute of rest and let the world go by. Fortunately most Romans forget about this place, probably because there is no bar, club or pub. So by evening or night it will be quite empty and you will feel like in a little living room thinking that Michelangelo built the entire place just for you.

Campidoglio hill with view of the city hall and the statue of Marc´Aurelio

But don´t worry: today the Roman city hall is located on the hill as well as two of the most important museums of Rome. Therefore, there is always some police officer on the square, even by night.

View on the Lupa Capitolina with Romolus and Remus and the Colosseum through the arcades of the Museo Capitolino

A personal note

I would not be here, it there would not have been this place on earth. In fact, my parents met there: my mother was a German tourist who asked for some advice for finding the Roman forum. They met the first time in front of the statue of Marc´Aurelio (by the way, the only bronze statue of the Roman age today existing on earth!) and married there in the city hall. That´s mainly the reason for my name ;)

Statue of Castor on the Capitol hill

„Our” place was under the statue of castor, which together with pollux, was a half god and had to protect Rome from the enemies. We used to sit there after a walk through Rome: my father and my mother would have read something while I would have had fun running around the place… !

Statue of Pollux on the Capitol hill

Statue of Marc´Aurelio on the Capitol hill

The sun is setting, so all the buildings are turning red and orange. Your leave the „Campidoglio” and walk towards the Teatro di Marcello which is truly the „little, oder brother” of the Colosseum. In fact, it was build much earlier that the amphitheater and served as a layout basis for its construction. Today extremely rich people can live inside. Maybe you might buy your Roman apartment there? …

But this will be the subject of my „The best places I have been in 35 years (part 2)”.

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Take care,
Marco