Posts Tagged ‘Rome’
Reason #5366 to love Rome: Track and field stars at the Golden Gala
Every year in June, Rome hosts the Golden Gala at its Olympic Stadium. Rome held the track and field events from the 1960 summer Olympics here, and it is also here that Roma and Lazio, Rome’s two football (a.k.a. soccer) teams play their matches. But for one night each June since 1980, the stadium is…
Read MoreReason #5365 to love Rome: The Ludus Magnus – gladiator training grounds
When you are next visiting Rome’s Colosseum, be sure to take the time to cross the street and peer into the area known as the Ludus Magnus. Two thousand years ago, this was the largest and most prestigious of Rome’s gladiatorial training schools. The Ludus Magnus was built during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96…
Read MoreReason #5364 to love Rome: Centrale Montemartini Museum
Most tourists never make it to this unusual museum. It’s a little off the well-worn tourist track, in the Ostiense neighborhood , a former industrial zone of Rome. Nevertheless, Centrale Montemartini is easily reached by public transport and definitely worth a visit. This unlikely satellite of Rome’s Capitoline Museum began its life in June 1912…
Read MoreReason #5363 to love Rome: Santa Prassede church
There are so many beautiful churches in Rome, that first-time visitors are often left exhausted and overwhelmed by all they have seen. Still, once you’ve seen the most famous, it’s worth the effort to visit some of the spectacular but less-frequented churches around the Eternal City. One exceptional church tucked away on a side street,…
Read MoreReason #5362 to love Rome: Piazza Navona’s Christmas Market
Felice Anno Nuovo! A very Happy New Year! Rome’s Piazza Navona has to be one of the most beautiful squares in the world. Each December, continuing on to January 6th, Piazza Navona plays host to a Christmas market. Although it can’t compete with the elegant Christmas markets of Vienna and Nürnberg, the piazza itself offers…
Read MoreReason #5361 to love Rome: Nativity scenes
Buon Natale! Merry Christmas! Those of you visiting the Eternal City during the Christmas season will be certain to notice the Christmas trees that now grace the city. Christmas trees are a relatively recent import – a northern European tradition. To get a real flavor of Italian Christmas traditions, visitors in should visit the many Roman churches…
Read MoreReason #5360 to love Rome: SS Giovanni e Paolo and the Ancient Roman houses
Even after years of living here, I’m still in love with Rome. I love walking around and seeing all the layers of its long history. Although most visitors concentrate on Rome’s Ancient, Renaissance and Baroque splendors, medieval Rome is also fascinating to explore. One of my favorite corners of Rome starts at the tiny, cobblestoned street of Via…
Read MoreReason #5359 to love Rome: Sports Day
Okay, Sports Day (Giornata dello sport, in Italian) is held every year in Rome and it’s just so much fun. If you’re passing through Italy’s capital in October – and especially if you have kids in tow – you must stop by to enjoy this event. It’s usually held the third Sunday of October in…
Read MoreReason #5358 to love Rome: Coffee with a view
What’s better than taking a short break from all your sightseeing on your trip to Rome? How about a little table in the sun where you can rest your legs, sip a cappuccino and enjoy the view. What if the view’s like this? Truthfully, the café is a little farther up the path, but you…
Read MoreA Conversation with author Joyce Carol Oates in Rome
There are many, many reasons I love my adoptive city of Rome. One of them is that it’s a city that has attracted some of the greatest artists, poets and writers in history. All you have to do to see this for yourself is to visit the Cemetery for Artists and Poets or stroll around…
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