Local Expert
Chiara
She flew off to the US in search of a degree in marine biology, but that was never to be. Instead, she left the Florida shores with a BA in Linguistics, and headed to Japan to teach English to sleepy…
She flew off to the US in search of a degree in marine biology, but that was never to be. Instead, she left the Florida shores with a BA in Linguistics, and headed to Japan to teach English to sleepy students. Two years later, she took the Trans-Siberian to Moscow and a plane to London where she'd find several jobs to pay for her rent. After a year of many rainy days and hot English breakfasts, she decided to go back to her hometown of Rome, Italy where her family and friends live. She loves dining out, dancing till 7am and flannel pajamas, and recently got married....
She has visited 144 cities and 27 countries, and will never stop counting.
More
News Articles
New in Rome and nowhere to go for New Years? The City of Rome has organized it's yearly free concert with Italian superstars Gianna Nannini and indie-rock group Baustelle at the feet of the stunning Colosseum, starting at 11pm.
Cinecittà will be hosting another free concert by Giuliano Palma and the BlueBeaters.
Again, the City of Rome will be hosting a classical concert at the Quirinale, while the Pincio Park (Piazza del Popolo) will be the place to be for breathtaking fireworks.
Wanna party till dawn? Take a bus, a car, the metro to the Nuova Fiera di Roma where Sven Vath, John Digweed, Miss Kittin, Ricardo Villalobos, Tiga, Ellen Allien, Paul Ritch and Tiefshwarz will be embracing the new year in AMORE.
As Christmas nears, lights and sounds in the city of Rome tell the world that we should be good, buy gifts for those we love and hate (they deserve gifts, too) and eat as much food as one possibly can in one Christmas dinner sitting. And whether you're religious or not, the Auditorium Parco della Musica is showcasing its yearly Gospel Festival with a full calendar of singing angels who always seem to attract thousands year after year. Don't miss the opening on December 20th with the Soweto Choir in the Sinopoli Hall and the Voices of Deliverance on Dec. 22nd. Don't know what to do on Christmas Day? Ernest Pugh and the Assembly will keep you reaching for the shining star till night comes....
GOSPEL FESTIVAL
AUDITORIUM PARCO DELLA MUSICA
Viale de Coubertin, 30
Tickets cost between 22 and 25 Euros
I'm sure that you, devoted reader, know how to book a hotel online, but let's be honest: you'll always find the same old stuff over and over again. If you've seen all the romantic comedies set in Italy that Hollywood has come out with, you know very well that you just won't find those charming bed & breakfasts, rustic countryside farmhouses and those cute family-run boutique hotels online.
Although I live in Italy, as you all know, I like exploring my country so I'm always looking for ways to really 'live' the city or town I'm visiting, and sometimes the best lodgings are a well-kept secret.
But fear not, those secrets are slowly but surely being revealed by a website I just found that not only has an awesome selection of hotels and farmhouses, but you'll eventually be able to book seriously stunning villas and apartments. The site's called Italian Collection and it seems to target people who know exactly what they want. Wanna go to Venice with your partner? Click on their Romantic Collection and find charming hotels where gondolas roam free and the wine glass is always full. Feel like hitting the beach with the kids? Explore the Family box filled with accommodations catered to families!
Your travel guide's advice: wake up, see how you feel, decide where you want to go in Italy and check out this website.
Visiting Rome during the Christmas holidays may not be quite the same as visiting light-filled New York City or egg nog-slathered London. But it's still quite special especially if you take a stroll in Piazza Navona. Every year, starting Decembre 1st and ending around the 7th January, this elliptical square normally filled with artists and caricaturists is the mecca for stocking stuffers, candied apples, and all the knick-knacks one can imagine. One side is lined with veritable fair games (shoot the duck, horse-race) and loaded with giant, stuffed animal prizes, while the other side is an open air market offering handmade nativity characters, cloth stockings, candy of all sorts, and one-of-a-kind gifts. Take a leisurely walk among the lights and carols, then be a kid again on the colorful merry-go-round set right in the heart of the square.
With just a few more days to go, you should get started right away. If you live in Rome, you've probably noticed that butchers don't normally sell whole turkeys to roast at home. So you'll have to order one and make sure you order a 'tacchinella', which is smaller than your average turkey. A whole turkey will just be too big for your Italian oven. Next, you'll want to have stuffing, cranberry sauce, cornbread and anything else you normally would eat if you were in the States.
There are basically two places in Rome where you'll find all that you wish for:
1- Innocenzi in Piazza San Cosimato
and
2- Castroni ( 8 different locations)
Piazza della Balduina, 1
Tel: 06 35496806
Via Boccea, 173
Tel: 06 6625779
Via Catania, 54
Tel: 06 44244197
Via Cola di Rienzo, 196
Tel: 06 6874383
Piazza Irnerio, 73
Tel: 06 66000187
Via Ottaviano, 55
Tel: 06 39723279
Via Flaminia, 28
Tel: 06 3611029
Via delle Quattro Fontane, 38
Tel.: 06 4882435
Be prepared to spend a little more than you'd imagine, but hey, what's the price of feeling at home in Rome?
Brand new club sighting! NANA CLUB a multi-functional club where one-night events offer the latest sounds and guests in Europe. Nana Club, recently inaugurated near Piazza Bologna is modern and eye-catching, minimal and oh-so-European. The modular space is often used for different events which can host up to 700 guests without having to gasp for air. Open every single Saturday night, Nana Club mixes great music and international djs with a fun and Ibiza-like atmosphere. Resident dj Kikko Messina will make you dance till dawn.
Via Cupa 5
Skip the lines by calling: 3332792593