When you think of elegant Audrey Hepburn and ruggedly good looking Gregory Peck, the film Roman Holiday will instantly come to mind. For many film buffs this classic film acted as their first introduction to the Eternal City and as the 60th anniversary of the cinematic triumph was celebrated this September, now could be the perfect time to take your own Roman holiday.
60th Anniversary
The revered Hollywood director, William Wyler used Rome as the backdrop to this wonderful 1953 love-story. This action was considered quite outrageous by the Hollywood studios as they preferred that their directors used the more controlled environment of the studio, but Wyler was always a maverick. Rome shines through the story and anyone who wishes to make a modern day trip and explore the city using the film as their guide is still able to do so.
Piazza della Republica – photo by Pasgabriele
There are numerous Rome hotels offers for accommodation and most of them are close to the major sights featured in the film. If you want to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain be sure to make a wish. The Spanish Steps, the widest in Europe, are tiring to climb but the view from the top is superb.
Even though most visitors to Rome aren't princesses in disguise, the city still retains its feeling of mystery and excitement. Audrey Hepburn was famous for her style and glamour and a walk in the city streets will show that Italian women of today still value their ‘bella figura' and always seem to look impossibly chic.
Truth
A successful film is one that makes the viewer feel that anything is possible. One of the places that Hepburn also visited in Roman Holiday was the Bocca della Verita. This stone mask carved into the façade of the Santa Maria church has many fables attached to it. The most frightening of these is that if you tell a lie and insert your hand into the mask's mouth you will loose that particular limb. The carving was originally used as a manhole cover, but that's a far less romantic story.
Adventure
Roman Forum – photo by DannyBoy7783
Gregory Peck leads Hepburn around the ancient part of the city including the Imperial Forum. Make your way to here via Dei Fori Imperiale and admire the genius of the Roman Empire.
Julius Caesar instigated the construction, which dates back to between 46BC and 113 AD and among the sites to be seen here are Trajan's Column, which demonstrates the power and the might of the Roman Empire.
Most of the squares and streets of Rome can provoke the same feeling of whimsy and romance that anyone who has seen Roman Holiday will have experienced. Even though the film was made 60 years ago, the city of Rome can offer anyone a magical experience.
This is a partnered post with Expedia.
The post Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of ‘Roman Holiday’ appeared first on The Quirky Traveller Blog.