Things to do in Rome in March
Things to do in Rome in March.
The best time to do a tour of the Colosseum and Forum if you are looking for things to do in Rome in March is on March 15th as this is the anniversary of the death of Julius Caesar, Romes most important figure. You can view Julius Caesar’s grave underneath the temple of Julius Caesar where each year during the “ides of March” people lay down flowers to commemorate Romes great dictator who died in 44B.C.
The weather in Rome is perfect for out door tours this time of year. Temperatures reach no more than 75 degrees farenheit compared to 105 degrees in the Summer. We offer two great out door tours, A Rome City Center tour and a Colosseum and Forum Tour. Regarding tourists, March is still a quiet time as most people wait until Easter to visit Rome which can often be overwhelming with crowds. This means that tour groups can be as small as 6 people compared to groups of 25 people in July and August.
If you are a rugby or basketball fan and you are looking for things to do in Rome in March, Rome is a great place to be. Scotland play Italy on St Patricks day(17th of March) and of course March Madness begins on the 11th of March. The best place to watch any sports is Scholars Lounge which is one of the biggest Irish pubs in Europe.
March is the best time of the year to be in Rome and if you are looking for things to do in Rome in March join us at Roman Empire Tours. You can also view our 5 star reviews on tripadvisor.
Sistine Chapel facts.
One of the most humbling experiences in Rome is standing beneath Michelangelo’s Sistine ceiling. The pure enormity of the work and the impression it leaves upon you is hard to forget. The history of the paintings within the chapel are rife with bickering, jealousy, and betrayal which is why we wanted to put together the Top 10 Sistine Chapel Facts. Check out the Sistine Chapel facts below, and then come see the real thing on our Vatican Museum Tour with Roman Empire Tours!
Sistine Chapel Fact #1: Did you know that the Sistine Chapel was built by a Pope named Pope Sixtus the Vl, hence the name Sistine Chapel?
Sistine Chapel Fact #2: Did you know that Michelangelo was only 32 years old when he began painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and completed it in only 4 years?
Sistine Chapel Fact #3: Did you know that the Sistine Chapel was built to house the Cardinals while they deliberated on who should become the next Pope?
Sistine Chapel Fact #4: Did you know that the famous chimney that releases black smoke telling us the Pope has died and white smoke telling us we have a new Pope is set up in the Sistine Chapel? You can see the marks where it sits towards the back right of the chapel?
Sistine Chapel Fact #5: Did you know that no artist in history suffered as much as Michelangelo suffered in the 4 years it took him to complete the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel? He suffered with his knees, back and neck and he still managed to live to be 89 years old.
Sistine Chapel Fact #6 Did you know that Michelangelo painted the Last Judgement (the front wall of the Sistine Chapel) 28 years after he finished the Sistine ceiling?
Sistine Chapel Fact #7: Did you know that Michelangelo’s enemy, Rapheal, was origionally asked to paint the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel but refused. He suggested Michelangelo knowing he was a sculpture and not a painter.
Sistine Chapel Fact #8: Did you know that the Sistine Chapel was completely cleaned between the years 1980 to 199. It was paid for by the camera company Fuji Film. Fuji Film now own all copyright to the paintings, and that is why there is no photography allowed in the Sistine Chapel.
Sistine Chapel Fact #9: Did you know that Pope Julius ll (the Pope that commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel) sold Indulgences in order to pay Michelangelo for his work? Selling Indulgences meant that people could pay money to get time off Purgatory.
Sistine Chapel Fact #10: Did you know that there are 3 Botticelli paintings in the Sistine Chapel, painted 24 years before Michelangelo began the Ceiling?
Do you want to learn more? On your trip to Rome join Roman Empire Tours. Also you can see our 5 star reviews on tripadvisor
Colosseum facts
The Colosseum is one of the oldest and most famous landmarks in Rome. It has a fascinating history so we’ve put together the best Colosseum Facts. Check out the Colosseum Facts below, and let us know what you think! If you’re interested in learning more, come on our tour of the Colosseum!
Colosseum Fact # 1: The Colosseum was built in only 9 years. Began in 72AD and completed in 81AD. We struggle to build stadiums today in 9 years!
Colosseum Fact #2: The Colosseum was built by 60,000 Jewish slaves.
Colosseum Fact #3: The real name of the Colosseum is the Flavian Amphithetre, built by the Emperor Vaspasian Flavian. The Colosseum is only a nick name given to the stadium after a statue of Nero called “the colossus of Nero” which stood along side the stadium.
Colosseum Fact # 4: Over 400,000 people died in the Colosseum in the 390 years it was open for entertainment.
Colosseum Fact # 5: The Colosseum was opened for free to the Anient Romans. They were also fed when they attended events there. The famous saying was “free bread and circus to the people of Rome”.
Colosseum Fact # 6: Festivals and games held at the Colosseum could last 100 days!
Colosseum Fact # 7: Unbelievably, if it ever rained during a festival in the Colosseum the Ancient Romans would cover over the Colosseum with red stretched out canvas. It was roped down in 64 rows from the outside of the Colosseum.
Colosseum Fact # 8: Unbelievably the Ancient Romans would flood the Colosseum and have miniature ship and navel battles inside the Colosseum.
Colosseum Fact # 9: In the dark ages a number of fruit trees grew up through the Colosseum and for a long time no one could figure out why. But “free bread and circus” meant that people were either spitting out there seeds or throwing in their fruit.
Colosseum Fact # 10: 55,000 people could be seated inside the Colosseum. All 55,000 people could be seated in only 20 minutes. This was due to the fact that 84 entrances were open to the public, where your entrance was in direct line to your seat.
To learn more on your trip to Rome you should join our Colosseum tour. We avoid all lines on this 2 hour tour. You can also see our 5 star revies on tripadvisor.
Swiss Guards Uniform
Unfortunately, the urban legend that Michelangelo designed the Swiss Guard uniform was just that- a legend. But the history of the Swiss Guard uniform is compelling even without the association with the Renaissance master.
The colorful military dress was actually created in 1914 by Jules Repond. A single uniform is made of 154 pieces and must be custom tailored for each guard.
If you walk by the Porto Pio entrance to Vatican City, you might catch a glimpse of the Swiss Guards wearing night uniforms during the day. Porto Pio is the only entrance that admits cars, and the guards wear less intricate plain blue uniforms because the 154 pieces of the dress uniform have a tendency to get snagged on passing car mirrors, ruining the beautiful Swiss Guard uniforms.
To see the guards for yourself, and learn more about their history, come on our Vatican Museum Tour!
Churches in Rome
Regardless of whether Religion is your thing or not, one can’t but be astonished by hundred of churches in Rome. They are everywhere you look and often there are two or three in the same square. These huge houses of worship reveal how important religion was during the Renaissance, when most of them were built.
These imposing edifices tell us much about a bygone time, each one dripping with its own history and a small part of Rome’s 2,000 year bond with the Catholic church. They say there are nearly 600 dotted around the city. The most famous ones are St. Peter’s, St. Paul’s outside the walls, St. Mary of martyrs and St. John’s.
St. Peter’s took over 120 years to build. Think about that, 120 years. The Pope who commissioned that was Julius II and he only lived to the foundations laid down. It would be another 116 year before they finally finished it. My favorite one is St. Paul’s for the fact that is tranquil and not heaving with picture hungry tourists. If you get a chance nip out there for an hour, you will not regret it.
To see some of the most famous churches in Rome you can jooin Roman Empire Tours and you can find our 5 star reviews on tripadvisor.