Many a girl has dreamt of emulating the style and irreverent beauty of Audrey Hepburn and having her own "Roman Holiday" come to life on a visit to Rome.
The 1953 film has long permeated popular culture and you don't have to look far in the eternal city to find memorabilia from this most famous Hollywood classic. Whether it be that iconic image of Audrey as Princess Ann standing on the Spanish Steps or on the back of a Vespa with Joe Bradley (played by Gregory Peck) - street vendors, souvenir shops and bars across the city are adorned with these immediately recognizable images from the film.
Rome embodies all of the very things Audrey - one of the most significant fashion and style icons of the twentieth century - represents. Namely, beauty and class. It's no wonder she chose to make it home for over 20 years.
So if you fancy living like a true Hollywood star for the day, follow this itinerary to live the "Roman Holiday" you've always dreamt of.
Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday — Photo courtesy of Wiki Commons
Spanish Steps
Start off at Trinita dei Monti, the church and square atop the Spanish Steps. Admire the view, then walk in the footsteps of Audrey down the widest staircase in all of Europe. Head right towards Via Margutta, the narrow street where Joe resided in a studio apartment at number 51. The street is now largely occupied by artists' galleries and antique shops. Make a quick sidestep and stroll down Via dei Condotti, the high-end fashion street where Ann and James zipped down on a Vespa.
Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon
Throw two coins into the Trevi - one for a wish and one to guarantee your return. And try gelato from one of Rome's best at San Crispino - Joe convinced Ann to have one (when he first met her) to loosen up a little!
Walking towards the Pantheon on Via delle Murate, you'll see a series of souvenir stands selling all of the classic prints from the film. In this area, stop for a hearty antipasto buffet lunch at L'Orso 80. Rocca's, where Joe and Ann drink cold coffee and champagne in Piazza della Rotonda (where the Pantheon sits), is no longer there, but after lunch you can have a coffee at Tazza d'Oro - a famous Rome coffee house just off the piazza.
Walk down the Spanish Steps like Audrey did — Photo courtesy of HeartRome
Piazza Venezia, Colosseum and the Roman Forum
Walking through the famed Piazza Venezia, where the monument to Vittorio Emmanuale II (known as "the wedding cake") stands, you're bound to see a vespa or two zoom past. The Colosseum features in a few film scenes and provides the perfect backdrop to a little "Roman Holiday" romance. And the Roman Forum is where Joe met Ann lying on a stone bench as she recited poetry.
Bocca della Verita
Tourists queue daily at the Mouth of Truth, made famous by the film when Joe sticks his hand in because Ann is too scared to give it a go. Legend has it that if liars put their hand in, it will be bitten off.
Castel Sant' Angelo
Leave this until sunset. Castel Sant' Angelo sits on the Tiber River and is connected by Ponte Sant' Angelo, the site of the barge dancing scene. In the summer months, bars and restaurants line the river promenade and it comes alive.
A short walk to Rome's bustling food and nightlife scene of Trastevere, visiting the castle at this hour makes for a perfect night out. Treat yourself to a Roman meal at one of the area's many trattorie like Da Enzo.
There you have it. Your very own "Roman Holiday" experience - all in a day's work.
