The tradition of the talking statue is, as most things are in the Eternal City, an old one. As early as the 16th century, citizens were forced into exile for posting satirical poetry, critical of papal authority and individuals high up in the Vatican. These sonnets quickly became known as "pasquinades," and by the 18th century, papal law had made the form of poetry illegal, threatening to punish anyone who wrote or posted said works. The poems were placed at night on statues to be found in the morning. This practice, based on an earlier Venetian one, feigned that the statues themselves were criticizing governmental practices, often having "dialogues" between several statues over the course of nights or weeks. And for the purpose of your travel interests, three of these statues are worth noting: Babuino, Marforio, and Pasquino.

Babuino is, unfortunately for him, the hideous statue already mentioned. Babuino was himself so well-known that the street on which he can be found, one of the three streets dead-ending in Piazza del Popolo, is named after him. His official name is, in fact, la Fontana del Sileno, but his very unfortunate appearance earned him his nickname, which roughly translates to "baboon." The street is charming with good shopping, so he is worth a visit.

While you might have to go out of your way to meet Babuino, Marforio is located right in the course of the regular tourist treks. The enormous river god is currently housed in the Capitoline Museum, under the eye of careful curators and preservationists. Most tourists note him because of his massive size, but his unique role in history makes him even more noteworthy.

To see a talking statue still in action, however, you’ll want to see Pasquino. To get there, take the street off of the western end of Piazza Navona, to the tiny Piazza di Pasquino. The statue itself is unimpressive—a remnant almost unrecognizable as what it is now believed to represent, Menelaus with the body of Patroclus. Now, however, the group is known as Pasquino, after whom the satires were named. If you get a chance to see him, don’t be offended that modern Romans paste pieces of paper to his base; to this day, Pasquino still serves as a gathering point for political cartoons and attacks. Where many Roman sights offer the feeling of being united with the city’s history, Pasquino as a talking statue represents a true physical connection.

The walk starts at Piazza Navonna, which is a really big square with cafes, restaurants, musicians, and of course, a fountain there too. We revisited this square on our own at night, so it was vibrant! We walked to the famous Trevi Fountain. Very nice, lots of photos and lots of people there; whether it is day or night, expect lots of people here! We then also went to the famous Spanish steps and went back there at night. It was a hot enough day that it was tempting to swim in the fountain! But always remember: no matter how hot it is, there's plenty of Italian ice cream in Italy!

On a sidenote, we went to Campo Fiori on our own and had the best ice cream ever--the place was called Blue Ice, and it was awesome. The famous Vatican and its piazza attracted a big crowd too, especially since it was Sunday, which was good.

Overall, for a good tour, be comfy and drink a lot of fluids.

The fountain craze stemmed from what most of passed and present Rome has been built on - power and ego. Rome has long-prided themselves on freshness of their waters brought from surrounding low-lying mountains by elaborate aquaduct systems. It would seem that when some Pope or political figure needed to gain favor with the people, they'd build or restore another aquaduct into the city. Fountains were often placed at the end of the water-line, or in honor of their efforts. And keep in mind that most fountains you see today are less than 400-years old; part of the artistic mastery how they blend into their environs.

Cascading or trickling waters of/from a fountain is one thing, but the sculptures and works of art that they bathe around the clock are where the real ingenious artistic efforts can all but set the mind daft! You're obviously going to find and see the "famous" ones, but don't sell your trip short stopping there.

Opportunities are everywhere and some of my favorites included: Fontana del Tritone in Piazza Barberini; a 1642 Bernini creation of a "buff" triton blowing upward through a conch shell.

In Piazza del Repubblica, it's worth dodging chaotic traffic to get to the center for a close-up look of Fontana delle Naiadi with four seductive (thought scandulous) sea nymphs centered around the Sea God Glaucus wrestling a sea serpent. Also, note the angelic statues atop buildings as if "watching over" the plaza.

Centrally located in the Ancient of Ancients, reviewed and pictured in a seperate entry, is the small Fontana del Tritoni where two Tritons hoist a large shell on their backs that the water trickles from.

The Quirinal and Esquiline sections are heading into more residencial areas where various forms of fountains, sculptures and art are hidden everywhere just waiting for your attention. Even the wrought iron fences guarding elaborate palaces have sculpted fence posts. Many of the smaller, yet grand residences have a tunnel entry for the building; beautiful courtyards within view from the street or with "potential trespassing" for a closer glimpse. At the intersection of Via delle Quatro Fontana and Via del Quirinal are unsuspecting sculptures and fountains within the buildings on all corners. You'll also undoubtedly find many favorites if you're looking for them!