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Explore Rome’s Ancient Wonders and Avoid the Crowds

Rome is the destination of choice for tens of millions of visitors annually and it seems like everyone is heading to the Eternal City this summer. Where do all those tourists go? Only the Vatican gets more visitors than the Colosseum and both boast more than 4 million each year. Rome has more monuments than any other city in the world, so why fight the crowds when there are so many other archeological marvels to see in Bella Roma?

The Vatican Museums are astounding and should be on everyone’s itinerary but even with timed entry tickets, be prepared for enormous crowds.

The savvy traveler to Rome will purchase an Archeological Museum Pass. The last time we checked, 25 Euro will buy you an expedited entrance to several of Rome’s most important archeological sites and museums. The Colosseum, Forum, Palatine Hill, Baths of Diocletian, Crypta Balbi, Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, and Baths of Caracalla are all included. The pass is available for purchase at any of these sites and is good for seven consecutive days. The Roma Pass also includes these sites plus additional museums and public transportation. It is available for 32 Euro for a two- day pass or 52 Euro for a three- day pass.

The Baths of Diocletian

The Baths of Diocletian are just across the busy Piazza Repubblica near Rome’s main train station Stazione Termini.

We have visited the Baths of Diocletian many times and have never had to wait on line to enter. On our first visit a few years ago, an expansive Henry Moore exhibition was on display throughout the baths. Seeing Moore’s sculpture, large and small, in this remarkable setting was an incredible experience.

The largest and best preserved thermal baths the Romans constructed, the Baths of Diocletian provide a respite from the crowds, outstanding architecture, art and history.

We were fortunate to see a marvelous Henry Moore exhibition staged at the Baths of Diocletian on one of our first visits here.

Even without a special exhibit on, this museum should be on your list. Built in the 4th century, these are the largest of all the thermal baths built by the Romans. They are also among the best preserved and easy to reach since they are across the Piazza della Repubblica from Rome’s train station—Roma Termini.

Remarkably preserved Roman mosaics line the floors and some walls within the Baths of Diocletian.

A memorable experience awaits visitors to this archeological and architectural wonder.

Water was stored in these great halls where sculpture now stands.

If you happen to visit the in the evening, you’ll have the opportunity to walk inside the enormous baths bathed in blue light—a simulation of sorts of what the ancient Roman experience may have been. Day or evening, don’t miss this astounding repository of Rome’s magnificent history.

The large marble-clad pool, called the natatio, was about 4,000 square meters and one meter deep. Visitors are free to wander throughout the pool areas and great halls.

In 1561, Michelangelo was given the job of converting the Bath’s frigidarium into a church. He created the beautiful Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli on the site, along with the cloister he designed. He likely did not live long enough to oversee its construction though it is referred to as Michelangelo’s Cloister. More than 400 works of art, including sculpture, reliefs, altars and more are displayed in the cloister and gardens.

The cloister of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, referred to as Michelangelo’s Cloister, contains hundreds of statues, sculpture, altars and sarcophagi.

This is one of several colossal animal heads that were found near Trajan’s Column in 1586 and brought to the cloister.

Inside the National Roman Museum, which has been housed at the Baths of Diocletian since 1889, visitors will find three floors of extraordinary exhibitions and works of art ranging from important documents related to Roman life, culture and commerce through the centuries, to classic sculpture, funerary objects, mosaics and much more.

Art and artifacts from the 5th century BC to the 4th century AD are displayed in the area known as the Epigraphic Museum, part of the National Roman Museum.

Fascinating documents and antiquities relating to Roman life, culture and commerce through the centuries bring the Roman experience to life.

We have visited the Baths of Diocletian numerous times and always spend many more hours than we planned– wandering through the Baths, the garden and cloister, and of course, the marvelous museum and beautiful Michelangelo-designed church, all located on this easy- to- reach site. There is so much to see here. Don’t miss it!

Palazzo Massimo alle Terme

Built at the behest of Jesuit priest Massimiliano Massimo, whose family had owned the land prior to the construction of Rome’s Termini Station, Palazzo Massimo was constructed between 1883 and 1887.

Also near the Baths of Diocletian you’ll find the stunning Palazzo Massimo alle Terme. This is another of Rome’s great treasures not found on many traveller’s itineraries. The Palazzo Massimo gives visitors a rare look into what life was like for upper class Romans during the empire’s heyday.

Detail of one of the many beautifully preserved mosaics on display at Palazzo Massimo alle Terme.

Here you’ll discover beautifully preserved mosaics, frescoes, stuccoes and entire rooms rebuilt inside the museum from Imperial Roman villas. The beautiful painted garden from Livia’s Villa (constructed 75-50 BC) now displayed here, offers a serene escape in the heart of the busy city.

These carefully restored painted walls once adorned the villa belonging to Livia, wife of Augustus.

This reconstructed room from Villa Farnesina gives a glimpse into upper class Roman life in the 1st century BC.

These bronze arms were fittings from one of two ceremonial vessels owned by Caligula and recovered from Lake Nemi between World Wars I and II. The ships were destroyed during WWII.

Portraits from the Republican to the Imperial era, Greek and Roman sculpture (including the famous Hermaphroditus Asleep from the 2nd Century), jewelry, furnishings, and even a mummy of an eight-year old are included in the museum’s collections.

The Boxer (also called The Pugilist) seems to gaze plaintively at visitors through his lost eyes. This magnificent sculpture may date from the 4th century BC and was found on Quirinal Hill.

The Lancellotti Discobolos, in the foreground, is another important sculpture from the Antonine period on view at Palazzo Massimo.

Palazzo Altemps

This peaceful courtyard gives visitors to Palazza Altemps quiet respite from the busy Piazza Navona just outside.

Just off the busy Piazza Navona is Palazzo Altemps. This gorgeous 15th century palace was once home to Cardinal Altemps and has been a part of the Roman National Museum since 1997.

Classical sculpture and elaborately decorated ceilings line the loggia.

The Palazzo includes works ranging from Egyptian antiquities, Greek and Roman sculpture, original frescoes, and the spectacular Ludovisi Collection.

The Ludovisi Fury is thought to be a copy of a Greek work, likely from the 2nd century. The left side of the face was cut horizontally to provide stability and is sometimes called the Sleeping Fury.

Ancient sculpture and reliefs from important collections, notable Egyptian artifacts, frescoes from 70-100 AD, and other antiquities are all housed in the museum’s galleries.

The 104 sculptures that comprise the collection, begun by Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi in the early 1620s and purchased by the Italian government in 1901, is widely regarded as the centerpiece of the Palazzo Altemps. Be sure to see the famous Ludovisi Throne.

Detail of one of the colossal sculptures displayed at the Palazzo.

The museum also houses several other important collections including the Mattei and “Dragon Collection” which has nothing to do with mythical beasts but is instead the works owned by the del Drago family. Visitors will also find the Pallavicini Rospigliosi Frescoes, which date from 70-100 AD, and notable art and significant artifacts in the Altemps’ Egyptian and Antiquarian collections.

The beautiful Church of San Aniceto is located within the Palazzo Altemps– a serene spot for contemplation and prayer.

Step inside the Church of San Aniceto, which is located within the palazzo and was built in 1617 to house the saint’s remains, for a meditative moment or two and leave the noise and crowds behind.

Crypta Balbi

Crypta Balbi’s excavations show how Rome developed from antiquity through the 20th century, building layer upon layer from its ancient beginnings.

You will not be fighting crowds at Crypta Balbi, also part of the National Roman Museum. It is a wonderful archeological site and should be on your list of remarkable places to see. A subterranean tour through excavations of ancient buildings, combined with fascinating exhibitions, takes visitors on a historical journey from Rome’s earliest beginnings through the 20th century.

The excavations, which give visitors a fascinating look at the city’s earliest development, began in 1981.

Frescoes, such as these from Santa Maria in Via Lata can be found upstairs in the “Rome from Antiquity to Middle Ages” section of the museum.

Ceramics, glass fragments, coins, tools and other items from Roman daily life centuries ago are on display.

Be aware that there are not always English speaking guides available to accompany you through the excavations below the museum but the exhibitions upstairs have information in English. Even without a guide, it is worth exploring the lower level. The museum is at Via delle Botteghe Oscure 31, just around the corner from the Largo di Torre Argentina where you’ll find interesting ruins, a sunken excavation site and a cat sanctuary and adoption point.

The Largo di Torre Argentina is home to ancient Roman ruins and a cat sanctuary.

The Pantheon

The Pantheon is one of Rome’s most important and most visited ancient wonders.

The Pantheon is one of ancient Rome’s most glorious structures and has been in continual use since it was built by Marcus Agrippa in 31 BC and rebuilt by the Emperor Hadrian 125-118 AD. Illuminated by the oculus in its magnificent dome, the Pantheon boasts the largest masonry vault ever constructed. As of July 3, 2023 a 5 Euro fee is required to enter. Tickets are available online and onsite and nearly 3,800 were sold the first day.

Originally built in 31 BC by Marcus Agrippa, this is the largest masonry vault ever constructed and it is spectacular.

We have been here when the sun is streaming in through the oculus as well as when the rain is pouring down—a visit here is a memorable experience at any time.

Sculpture, paintings and sacred art adorn the interior of the Pantheon.

The esteemed Italian painter Raphael and Italy’s first king, Vittorio Emanuel II, are both buried here. Go early in the morning to beat the crowds.

Arrive here any time after early morning and be prepared for large crowds and the occasional, “Silencio,” shouted by guards.

After you’ve finished marveling at the immense beauty inside the Pantheon, take a walk around the exterior. You can see excavations of the shops and dwellings that surrounded the building during the era of Imperial Rome.

Shops and homes were once built into the Pantheon’s exterior walls. Visitors can see the remains today.

Close to this magnificent building you’ll find the classic Armando Al Pantheon. Open for lunch and dinner, except on Saturday nights and Sundays, this place serves traditional Roman cuisine. Be sure to reserve as far in advance as you can– it’s enormously popular with locals and tourists.

The Colosseum

If you’ve never visited Rome before, you’ll need to brave the crowds and see the Colosseum.

I’m not suggesting you skip the Colosseum. In fact, if you’re planning to head over that way, be sure to include the Forum and Palatine Hill in your plans. Just be prepared. Lines are less long early in the morning, but there are always lines. If you have an Archeological Pass or Roma Pass you get to go on a much shorter line than those without—just look for the signs. The Colosseum, which took just under 10 years to build, was completed in 80 AD and is the largest amphitheater ever constructed.

Pack your patience and your most comfortable walking shoes. Crowds are huge and steps are steep and unforgiving at the Colosseum–one of Rome’s most visited sites.

There are rules, though apparently not always observed.

You’ll be hiking up and down some very steep stone steps and rocky, uneven walk ways in both the Colosseum and the Forum. There is no shade so wear a hat or take an umbrella to keep the sun off and bring a bottle of water if it’s a hot day. There are no services or shops. Some areas are handicapped accessible but inquire before setting off.

The Forum

The Forum tempts the imagination with incredible Imperial Roman ruins.

The Roman Forum was the heart of the ancient city and the ruins are spectacular. Some of the highlights include the Arch of Titus (through which most visitors enter), the Temple of Saturn, and the Temple of Vesta. The Sacra Via, or sacred road, runs through the ancient site.

Uneven walkways and cobbled paths at the Forum call for comfortable shoes. Bring a hat and water– there’s no shade and no conveniences inside the gates.

Be aware that unlike the Colosseum, there are no facilities once you are in the Forum—no bathrooms, snack shops, water fountains or souvenir vendors inside the gates. Beware of pickpockets and “for hire” guides at both the Colosseum and the Forum. The latter often dupe visitors into thinking they must buy a guided tour to get inside, which is not true.

Visitors take a walk through ancient history on original Roman roads. Most significant sites are signed in English and Italian but a guidebook will be handy here.

All that walking gave us an appetite. We had a really good lunch across from the Colosseum at Angelino ai Fori dal 1947 at Largo Ricci #40, 06.6791121. We expected high prices and mediocre food since it’s so close to several major tourist sites but were pleasantly surprised by both the food and the prices.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch on the patio at Angelino ai Fori.

If you are prepared for a short journey, take a trip to Ostia Antica. Ancient Ostia was once a bustling seaside town built on the Tiber River where it enters the Mediterranean Sea, but now, 2,000 years later, it is four kilometers from the water. We found the ancient site even more interesting than the Forum and far less crowded. We enjoyed a picnic here one fine afternoon and learned, once we had secured a knowledgeable guide of the area, that we’d had our lunch seated on a burial site. There are spectacular ruins of baths, a theater, apartment houses (some with painting still intact), mosaics, and much more to see in the excavations of this once fortified city.

These are just a few of the astounding archeological treasures found nowhere else but Rome. Put on your walking shoes and go explore this ancient and vibrant city.

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Into the Woods –Bomarzo’s Monster Park

We made our way to Bomarzo’s Monster Park on a beautiful autumn day, early enough that the morning fog still hung over the woods adding a decidedly forbidding atmosphere to the place. 

With its strange and beautiful sculptures, eerie wooded pathways and vertigo-inducing tipsy house, I wondered for a moment if Lewis Carroll had taken inspiration from Bomarzo for his Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

The dragon symbolizes time and wisdom, rather than destruction. At Bomarzo, the dragon fights a dog, lion and wolf representing spring, summer and winter.

While appearing completely contemporary, this unconventional garden near Viterbo, Italy was commissioned by Prince Pier Francesco “Vicino” Orsini in 1552.    Known for their balance, order and harmony, classical 16th century Italian gardens with their careful geometric designs and extravagant water features seemed to celebrate man’s control over nature. Not so, the wild and woodsy Bomarzo.  

Bomarzo’s winding, woodsy paths are full of surprises.
The giant jaws of the whale warn visitors away from the water.

Created by architect Pirro Ligorio in the Mannerist style, this garden is almost a rebellion against order and a tribute to life’s unpredictability. That’s what makes it so much fun to visit.

Proteus, Neptune’s son, comes from the legend of Glauco, a fisherman who became a sea god.

Instead of being adjacent to or surrounding the owner’s villa like most gardens of the period, this one flourishes in a nearby wood, nearly hidden from view from the palace above.

Il Sacro Bosco, the Sacred Wood, is the opposite of the well-ordered classical 16th century Italian garden.

There is no rhyme or reason to this garden. There doesn’t seem to be a relationship between the sculptures and their placement in the park, though that could have everything to do with the fact that they were all carved from gigantic rocks where the stone stood.

Statues were carved on-site from stones where they stood.

Il Sacro Bosco or the Sacred Wood, as the Monster Park is also known, is home to mermaids, sphinx, dragons, nymphs, fountains, a giant tortoise, and a heroic Hercules, among other fantastical sculptures.

The tortoise symbolizes the feminine powers of water and ancient knowledge.

Originally the sculptures would have been painted in bright colors.  None of that remains today though some pieces are covered in downy green moss. I was slightly disappointed to see the tortoise had recently had her nice coat of soft green moss removed, though she was still a striking figure. 

An elephant carrying a castle was a popular medieval symbol and reference to Hannibal’s use of elephants to invade the Italian peninsula.
This elephant, holding a wounded or dead soldier, represents Rome’s victories and defeats.

Many of the Bomarzo’s sculptures have historical, religious and cultural significance.  Some are meant to be puns or puzzles.  Others may have had meanings which have long been lost over the nearly 500 years since the garden was created.  The brochure we received with our tickets gave explanations for all of the 35 key sculptures, as well as serving as a guide through the park.  

The sleeping nymph, which represents purity in Greek mythology, is both human and divine.

The Ogre, or L’Orco, king of the underworld, is at the center of the garden and one of the most popular sculptures at Bomarzo. I found a photo of surrealist artist Salvador Dali sitting in the “Mouth of Hell” in 1938! He was so inspired by the Monster Park that he made a short film about the gardens.

A school group posed in front of the giant sculpture amid much jostling and laughter, clearly enjoying the monsters and whimsical creatures throughout the park.

The inscription above the entrance says, “Abandon all thought,” a reference, and maybe a tribute, to Dante Alighiere’s Divine Comedy- Inferno, where a warning above the Gates of Hell reads, “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” Don’t be put off. Inside the mouth, visitors will find cool respite and a small built- in table and seats.  It’s a perfect place for contemplation and perhaps a picnic.

Just try to walk around inside the Leaning House without losing your balance!

Another popular stop, the Leaning House doesn’t seem so disorienting until you get inside and try to explore the rooms. There’s not much to see other than the family crest and motto. It is a vertiginous experience at best and not a place to linger—purposefully, scholars think. Some believe that the house represents the falling fortunes of the Orsini family, but nearly 500 years on, the house still stands!

Proserpina welcomes visitors to the hippodrome area.

Hiding around every corner or peeking through the trees are heroic and monumental figures.  Proserpina, wife of Pluto, stands in for Diana and Juno greeting visitors with open arms.  An enormous Hercules—a protector of good, is shown subduing the evil Caucus.  Ceres appears with her circle of babies.

Hercules, protecting the poor, vanquishes Caucus, who stole food from them.

Neptune towers over the basin, while the open jaws of a whale warn visitors away from the water. Nearby, a giant nymph is both human and divine– a reference to the sleeping Ariadne. There are Furies, a pegasus, dolphins, lions and other mythical and magical creatures throughout the garden.

The Winged Fury is of Greek origin and also played an important role in Roman religion. The Furies were considered guardians of national glory and the fertility of the soil.

There are large vases with inscriptions no longer decipherable, benches with messages in Latin, and much more that will surprise and delight around every turn.

Some of the benches have Latin inscriptions.
Scholars think this sculpture represents Bacchus’s descent into hell, goblet in hand. Medusa’s head is carved into the bottom of the giant vase.

Il Sacro Bosco was created as a memorial to Prince Orsini’s late wife, Guilia Farnese, of the wealthy Farnese family.  Their money helped fund the garden, which her broken- hearted husband intended as a manifestation of his grief and a place of shock and surprise.

Il Sacro Bosco was created as a tribute to Orsini’s late wife, Guilia Farnese.

A Pegasus in the garden represents Orsini’s in-laws– the Farnese family. The Temple of Eternity was built 20 years after the original garden as a memorial to Guilia and was designed with roses associated with the Orsini family.

Wander as you like, but if you follow the suggested trail in the park’s brochure you’ll see all of the key sculptures and sights in this fascinating garden.

Visitors are welcome to wander freely through the paths, but following the trail outlined on the brochure’s itinerary will ensure that you won’t miss a single one of the extraordinary sculptures and sights waiting in the Sacred Wood at Bomarzo. While the traditional gardens of the period we visited– including Villa Farnese, Villa Lante and Villa D’Este–are stunning, Bomarzo is absolutely fascinating. We’ve never experienced anyplace like it!

An Afternoon with Otzi the Iceman

He’s an international man of mystery, media darling, and a murder victim. Otzi the Iceman was brutally killed about 5,300 years ago and is the oldest known natural human mummy in Europe. A German couple hiking the Otzal Alps discovered his body on September 19, 1991 on a glacier in Italy about 100 meters across the Austrian border — thus his nickname.  We spent an afternoon with Otzi, not far from his birthplace in the Dolomites.

Otzi’s final resting place is the South Tyrol Museum of Archeology in Bolzano Bozen, not far from where he was born and where his body was discovered 5,300 years later.

After a brief custody dispute— both Austria and Italy laid claim to Otzi–research on his mummified body began at Innsbruck University in Austria. He has found a final resting place at Italy’s South Tyrol Museum of Archeology in Bolzano Bozen.  Today, the entire museum is dedicated to Otzi and life in the Copper Age.  Visitors can peek through a small glass window to view Otzi’s body, which is kept in a climate controlled, sealed vault.  Be patient, there is always a line to see him.

Otzi’s body is preserved in a viewable, climate- controlled vault but signage asks visitors to be respectful and refrain from photographing his remains. This acrylic model is provided for photos.
Scientists have created a remarkably life-like reconstruction of Otzi, one of the world’s most fascinating murder victims and Europe’s oldest natural human mummy.

A 3-D reconstruction gives a surprisingly lifelike depiction of what Otzi would have looked like. He was believed to be 45 years old when he met his untimely death. At 5’3’’ and 110 lbs., he was short and stocky, but muscular. He wasn’t in the pink of health when his life was cut short, though.  He had tooth decay, parasites and H. pylori, which would have caused numerous gastric issues.  Scientists were able to retrieve and identify the contents of his stomach which included his last meal—red deer meat, unleavened bread and fruit and an herb called hop hornbeam.  He likely took that to ease his tummy troubles. His hair had high levels of arsenic and copper particles, possibly from smelting copper, which may also have contributed to his ill health. None of these things killed him though.

Otzi’s goat hide leggings, bearskin hat, and other garments were remarkably well preserved after 5,300 years entombed in a glacier.
Otzi’s leggings would have extended into his shoes for warmth and protection from the snow and rain.

The garments and accessories Otzi was wearing when he met his demise were remarkably well preserved by his years of glacial entombment.  His lambskin loincloth, goat hide coat and leggings, and bearskin hat are all on exhibit, along with what remains of his shoes with their cow hide laces.  His shoes are really something to see- made from bearskin soles, deer hide uppers and tree bark netting, they were lined with grasses that acted like socks and cushioned his feet for the long treks he made through the mountains.  

Bearskin, deerskin, tree bark netting and hay-like grasses went into the construction of his shoes. Here you can see the structural foundation as well as what remains of his well worn shoes.

Even his deerskin quiver and arrows survive.  Because of the variety of animal skins used in his clothing and accessories, researchers believe that Otzi kept and herded domesticated animals like sheep, goats and cows, earlier than was previously thought.

Scientists discovered blood, not his own, on Otzi’s goat skin coat, adding to the mystery around his murder.

He also had a grass cape with him, either to wear as a raincoat or to sleep upon—or maybe both.  Displays show how all of his garments fit together to protect him from the elements—pretty complicated!

Drawings indicate how Otzi would have dressed. Fitting each item together was a lot more complicated than you’d imagine.

Otzi liked ink!  He is in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the oldest person on earth to sport tattoos. His body is adorned with 61 of them made by rubbing charcoal dust into fresh wounds. These are certainly not the elaborate tattoos seen today—they’re mostly crosses and lines on his back, ribs, wrist and legs and may have been used for pain relief.

The copper head on Otzi’s axe came from far-away Tuscany, which meant he traveled widely or traded or both.

Researchers have been able to piece together a great deal about the life and times of Otzi the Iceman based on his clothing and the items found alongside him.  He had a copper-bladed axe, which would have made him a high-status individual.  The copper was from Tuscany, quite a distance away, so he traveled or traded or both. He also had a flint dagger from the Lake Garda area, arrows, incomplete shafts and longbow, plus a net.  Otzi was a hunter.  

The articles found near his body give us great insights into Otzi’s lifestyle and activities. A backpack frame, shown here, was one of many personal belongings discovered with him in 1991.

He had several wooden tools used to fashion clothes or utensils—he would have needed these to make repairs or construct needed items on his long treks.  He also had a birch bark cylinder likely used to carry hot embers for quickly starting a cook fire and a complex fire-starting kit. These would have been handy on his journeys for cooking and for warmth.  Otzi has shown us that people travelled more widely than previously believed during the Copper Age, trading goods, services and knowledge.

Visitors can examine Otzi’s clothing, weapons, even the contents of his last meal, and learn what scientists have finally determined was his cause of death.

Researchers know what the iceman wore and ate and likely what he did for a living, but mystery surrounded his murder until 2012.  Was he struck in the head with a blunt object? Stabbed? Shot in the back with an arrow? Was there a fight?  Or all of these things? Scrappy Otzi was definitely a hunter and a fighter. Blood from four different individuals was found on Otzi’s dagger, coat and on one of his arrows which could mean a battle. He had several broken ribs that had healed before death, and he had been struck in the head.  His brain had evidence of clots which could have been from blunt force trauma that then caused stroke or embolism.  He also had stab wounds on his hands. The likeliest cause of death was the arrow lodged in his left shoulder.  Finally, in 2012, researchers agreed that Otzi had bled to death from the arrow wound.

Otzi and the mysteries surrounding him have made him a popular media subject across the globe.

Otzi’s discovery made quite a stir worldwide and was also marked by controversy.  Once the significance of the find was reported, numerous people claimed to have found the body. The museum has an exhibit detailing much of the media coverage around him. Otzi is so scientifically important; the museum has a specific evacuation plan for him should a crisis arise that could damage him. He has opened a window into life in the Copper Age that would have remained closed, had those hikers not stumbled upon him back in 1991.

Helmut and Erika Simon, a German couple, were credited with finding Otzi’s body on the Tisenjoss Pass, just over the Austrian border in Italy, while hiking in the Otzel Alps.

In 2012 Otzi’s genome was sequenced using a bit of his hip bone, revealing he had brown eyes, type O blood, a predisposition to heart disease, was lactose intolerant, and may have had Lyme disease. His maternal line is extinct, but his paternal lineage is intact. In 2013, 19 Austrian men from a group of 3,700 tested, shared a unique genetic mutation with Otzi. Scientists believe that his descendants would have settled between the Dolomites and Sardinia— his genetic profile has much in common with Sardinians today —and that there are likely more of them alive today.

Our afternoon with Otzi was fascinating and we’d highly recommend a visit if you’re in the Bolzano Bozen area. Click here for more information.