Isn't it incredible that there are ruins - dating back centuries and still being uncovered - just situated smack-dab in the middle of a bustling, busy and booming city? It blows my American mind that there are locals walking past this gaping hole in the ground daily, surrounded by but maybe not immersed in all the history just below their feet.
I have to say, when we first saw this site - walking up to the meeting spot for our Vespa tour - my husband and I almost stopped dead in our tracks. The sheer immensity of the area, coupled with the structures uncovered and the relics saved got us. And then we read that this is where Julius Caesar was killed, that his spot is - maybe? - marked by one of the trees still growing and thriving in the Sacra and we couldn't buy our tickets to get inside fast enough.
There is a lot to see and read, both the ruins outside and the relics on display under the cover of a canopy or roof. They do a great job of sharing the details on what you're seeing, what purpose it served way back when, and why it's important to the site itself. There are pictures, there are words, there are stories.
I will say if you're visiting in the summer, bring something to protect yourself from the sun. Especially when viewing the ruins, as there's no shade and the plaques contain tons of information that will have you stopped for several minutes to read and digest. You scorch as you discover ;)
You won't need a ton of time to visit, I think we were in and out in less than 90 minutes - and that included us going back to revisit some of the sites and plaques, and also us trying to pinpoint which tree, exactly, was the site of where Caesar was assassinated.
And the cats! There are so many fluffy and aloof cats hiding out in the space, to the point where they put up signs asking visitors not to engage them. I don't know how they do it - there were several lounging in the blazing sun - but it's nice to see that they have shade if they want it, and it seems they are also taken care of. read more