Essentials: Rome

1) Thirsty? Then always follow your nose. Or rather, always follow the nasoni (meaning "big noses" in English). Nasoni are public drinking fountains provided by the city, which – with a little imagination – resemble a big nose. There is also the I Nasoni di Roma app, with which you can find the nearest water point in no time at all.

2) Gladiators fought ferocious battles in the Colosseum, but did you know that the ancient Romans also staged naval battles there? For this purpose, the arena was flooded with water to a height of up to 1.5 meters and special ships with a very shallow draft were developed. Criminals and prisoners of war had to compete in the so-called naumachia, and, unlike the gladiators, had very little chance of survival.

3) It is a tradition that almost every visitor follows: you throw coins into the Trevi Fountain and ask for blessings and protection. But what happens to the euros, dollars, or pounds worth over a million euros that accumulate in Rome’s most famous fountain over the course of a year? Don’t worry, the money is not wasted, but used to help people in need.

4) Almost everyone knows the Spanish Steps. It is less well known that they were designed by an Italian architect at the request of a French diplomat. So where does the baroque staircase get its famous name from? It was named after the neighboring Piazza di Spagna (Square of Spain).

5) Shopping experience: the world’s first shopping center was built in Rome in 100 AD. Trajan’s Market had enough space for 150 stores spread over six floors and even had a large hall for performances and events.