The magic of Rome

As Rome welcomed the arrival of autumn, waves of avid tourists converged at the crossroads of Via delle Muratte, Via dei Crociferi and Via Poliand. It was becoming challenging for them to find an ideal spot to take photos of the Trevi Fountain, but they kept tossing a coin into it, wishing to revisit the Eternal City.

Fortunately, our trip occurred two weeks prior to its two-month clean-up, so we were able to enjoy a close-up look. However, visitors will soon only be able to see it from a distance as construction on a glass walkway gets under way this month.

After the ancient fountain was wrecked in the 17th century, it was replaced by the Baroque-style masterpiece of Italian architect Nicola Salvi who won a design contest in 1732 by integrating a palace's façade and fountain. Following his death in 1751, architect Giuseppe Pannini took on the project, which took three decades to complete.

A realistic figure of Oceanus stands beneath a triumphal arch at the centre of the fountain, while a phalanx of tritons and seahorses drag his shell-shaped chariot. Roman sculptor Pietro Bracci created this piece in homage to the god of the freshwater river.

In anticipation of the Jubilee Holy Year in 2025, the iconic fountain will undergo a significant restoration and authorities are considering introducing a ticketing system that would charge tourists €2 (72 baht) to control the number of visitors. However, the residents of Rome would still be able to visit for free.

After visiting the Trevi Fountain and winding through a maze of ice cream shops and souvenir stores, we visited Rinascente Rome Via del Tritone to learn more about the history of the retail industry that dates back 150 years. Brothers Luigi and Ferdinando Bocconi established their first fabric and tailoring shop in Milan in 1865, marking the beginning of their journey.

Their business expanded to Rome, Genoa, Trieste, Palermo and Turin between 1872 and 1876, giving them a solid grasp of the potential of retail spaces. In 1877, they came up with the first department store Aux Villes d'Italie in the Hôtel Confortable and renamed it Alle Città d'Italia in 1880. In 1887 and 1889, the brothers opened new shopping centres in Rome and Milan, which quickly became popular destinations.

In 1917, Senatore Borletti purchased all of the businesses and changed the names to La Rinascente. During the 1950s and 1960s, they became a hub of innovation and global trends when Mary Quant's miniskirt and refrigerators were introduced to the Italian market.

With 11 branches across the country, it was rebranded to Rinascente after Thailand-based Central Group took over all businesses in 2011. Standing on Via del Tritone Street, Rinascente Rome underwent a massive 11-year makeover before opening its doors in 2017 to show how the old and modern can co-exist.

Using various materials, the seven-floor shopping complex comes in different architectural designs that capture Rome's distinctive artistic character and vibrant culture. For instance, the basement functions as a one-stop service centre and exhibition gallery where Roman ruins are still visible behind a web of shelves.

Also on this level, projection mapping on a 50m wall will take visitors back in time to 19 BC, when the 21km-long system of Roman aqueducts was built to convey 13,000 litres of water from the north of Rome to the city centre. Alongside the 2,000-year-old Aqua Virgo, there is a large space with monthly exhibitions and other activities.

On the 1st floor is the old Palazzetto building from the 1930s, which provides a new shopping experience under the concept of a building within a building. A 1:1 scale replica of the first airplane which crossed the English Channel is housed inside this small, yellow structure, which today acts as a bridge between the past and present.

The 96 square bronze windows on the façade of central hall and the cavaedium, or central court, which let in natural light are reminiscent of the square coliseum. Designed by Universal Design Studio, the men's floors are dedicated to architect Franco Albini, who designed Rome's first Rinascente store which opened in Piazza Fiume in 1960. Apart from international cuisine, the rooftop dining area serves as an ideal spot for visitors to take in stunning vistas of classic churches and buildings against a brilliant blue sky.

Leaving the shopping mall for Piazza Barberini, visitors can stop at the Fontana del Tritone (Triton Fountain), which was created by Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini between 1642 and 1643. At the middle of the fountain are four stone statues of dolphins hoisting Triton, who kneels on a shell and raises a conch to show how he blasts water into the air.

To burn calories after dinner, we set out for a 10-minute stroll to see Rome's nightlife and some historical sites. Piazza di Spagna appeared to be an ideal meeting place for both residents and foreign tourists looking to have refreshments while admiring wonderful artworks.

It is home to the Fontana della Barcaccia, which is believed to have been built between 1627 and 1629 by famed Italian artist Pietro Bernini. Made of travertine, his magnificent Baroque-style fountain is designed to resemble a leaking boat in tribute to Rome being inundated by the Tiber River during Christmas 1598, according to legend.

Turning around, visitors can ascend the Spanish Steps, which stand between the plaza and the Church of the Santissima Trinità dei Monti. Designed by Italian architect Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi, a French diplomat gave the funds to build 135 stairs between 1723 and 1725. However, they are named after the Bourbon Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, which is located in the plaza.

Just 140m away, a group of local buskers showed off their musical talents to draw people around the Colonna della Immacolata, or the Column of the Immaculate Conception. The monument was built in the 19th century and features a bronze statue of the Blessed Virgin standing atop an ancient Roman column, which was discovered in 1777.

The next day, we headed to Vatican City, the world's smallest country at just 440,000m² in size. With its own currency, stamps, a small heliport, a railway station, newspaper and everything else its 496 citizens might possibly require, it is a completely independent state in the heart of Rome.

As the Vatican is a sanctuary for Catholics and art enthusiasts, for non-experts, arranging a guided tour or audio-guided tour seems to be the best way to understand the Papal States.

As we entered, our guide showed us the walls to give us an overview of how far the Papal States' jurisdiction stretched into Asia and Africa before the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5th century.

Nevertheless, the popes continued to enlarge their spheres of influence by charitable contributions. Everything changed dramatically when revolution led to the creation of Italy in 1861, decreasing the size of the large papal realm. In 1929, Pietro Gasparri, the cardinal secretary, and Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty, which allowed the establishment of Vatican City.

The Vatican Museums are situated in the heart of the city state and feature 20 galleries. The Octagonal Court is an excellent spot to begin a tour with its display of antique stone sculptures, including Laocoön, an Apollo priest from Troy, which is believed to have been created between 40 and 30 BC, and Belvedere Hermes who acts as Psychopompos to take the spirits of the dead to the Underworld.

Stepping further, the Hall of the Muses showcases a collection of stone sculptures from the era of Emperor Hadrian. Just following the steady stream of visitors to the Round Hall, its hemispherical ceiling is modelled after the Pantheon and the floor is covered in eye-catching mosaics from the 18th century.

Strolling through the Gallery of Maps, visitors can view the hand-painted walls that illustrate the Italian regions, and the major and minor islands including Sicily, Sardinia and Tremiti, as well as the four ports of Civitavecchia, Genoa, Venice and Ancona.

When we reached the Sistine Chapel, we were astounded by Michelangelo's astonishing frescos illustrating the creation of the world that were painted on the ceiling between 1508 and 1512.

Another masterwork by Michelangelo is The Last Judgement, which he painted between 1536 and 1541. In it, Christ and the Virgin are surrounded by the Saints and the Elect, who are anxiously awaiting the verdict. According to the Bible, the dividing of the good from the evil, or the judgement, will take place at the end of the world.

Our brief museum tour came to an end at St Peter's Basilica, the burial place of Saint Peter the Apostle, the first Pope. A number of Renaissance and Baroque artworks may be found here, including Pietà by Michelangelo, the statue of St Longinus, the tomb of Urban VIII and Bernini's baldachin over the main altar.

Travel info

• Central Group and Turkish Airlines provide business class passengers departing Bangkok with vouchers worth €20 (800 baht) for 100 redemptions. Simply present a boarding pass and a campaign image from the website Tourist.centralgroup.com/tk-boardingpass-bc at the customer service point of Rinascente Roma Tritone, Italy.
• Additionally, The 1 members can earn points and Central The 1 Credit Card holders can receive up to 15% cashback. Visit rinascente.it/en/store-roma-via-del-tritone.
• Vatican City offers a variety of open, audio-guided and guided tours to the Vatican Gardens, Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and Pontifical Villas. It's open daily from 8am-7pm (final entry 5pm), and Fridays and Sundays from 8am-6pm (final 6pm). Visit museivaticani.va.