Posts Tagged ‘ancient Rome’
Emperor Tiberius’ impressive seaside villa, Sperlonga
I’ve already written about how much I love the seaside town of Sperlonga, and wandering its beautiful, twisting streets. Despite all my visits to this gorgeous beach spot, I only recently made it to the museum and ruins of Ancient Rome’s Emperor Tiberius, who ruled from 14-37 AD. For Tiberius, aside from having a great eye…
Read MoreSave time for Orvieto’s Etruscan Museum
There’s so much to see when you’re visiting the medieval Umbrian town of Orvieto, that you may forget to stop by the Fondazione Museo Claudio Faina, but that would be a mistake. This museum, which houses both the collection of the Faina Counts and Orvieto’s civic collection, is most impressive for its Etruscan objects –…
Read MoreSprinting around the aqueducts of Rome’s Tor Fiscale Park
It’s great raising your kids in another culture and enjoying the differences in their upbringing. I reflect on this a lot as I take my younger son, a track and field and cross-country athlete, to his competitions. For his weekly workouts, he trains, arguably (for others, clearly not for me), at the most beautiful stadium…
Read MoreEtruscan Tuscany in Chiusi
On a trip to Tuscany this past summer, I decided to make a stop in a city I’ve always seen from the highway but have never managed to visit. The area is known for its Etruscan civilization. The ancient city of Clusium, or Clevsim in Etruscan, was one of the most powerful cities in the…
Read MoreOvid’s birthplace: Sulmona, Abruzzo
Sulmona is a small town in the region of Abruzzo. It is located near one of Abruzzo’s three national parks: the National Park of the Majella. The town dates back to before the Roman Empire, but it was the era of the Roman Empire in which Sulmona boasted its most famous resident: Publio Ovidio Nasone,…
Read MoreReason #5383 to love Rome: San Teodoro neighborhood
San Teodoro an interesting, and very old, neighborhood of Rome, tucked away between the Circo Massimo, Campidoglio and the Ghetto. It’s said to be the area where Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were said to be suckled by the she-wolf. Today, it’s a quiet neighborhood: only a few cross roads and a few sites…
Read MoreReason #5382 to love Rome: Palazzo Massimo Museum of Ancient Rome
There are lots of amazing museums to see when you’re in Rome. One that shouldn’t be missed for those looking to discover Ancient Rome is the National Roman Museum – Palazzo Massimo alle Terme. The building itself is a late 19th century palazzo and was purchased by the Italian state in 1960 to house parts…
Read MoreReason #5381 to love Rome: Snow in August
Snow is pretty rare in Rome. And even rarer in August. But every August, since Ancient Roman times, snow falls over at least one part of the city to reenact the Madonna della neve (Madonna of the snow) tradition. Each August – to be precise, the 5 August – the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore…
Read MoreRunning at Ancient Rome’s Port Traiano
My youngest son is in a running team, and I spend an awful lot of time on weekends dragging him to races around Rome and its region of Lazio. I always enjoy cheering him and his team on, but it’s even better when I have the chance to make new discoveries. This happened recently when…
Read MoreReason #5377 to love Rome: Rome wasn’t (re)built in a day…
I’ve lived in Rome for the past (gulp!) fifteen years. Not surprisingly, as soon as I landed here, I insisted on living near the Colosseum. We Americans are always fascinated by European history. We grew up going on tours where we’re told something is ‘really old’ if it was built 100 years ago, so imagine…
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