Boat museum at Lake NemiBoat museum built by Musolini In April this year, the search was on for the possible long lost remains of a majestic barge used by Emperor Caligula at Lake Nemi as a pleasure boat, built on his orders 2000 years ago. An expedition was mounted to track down the boat after reports by local fisherman that [...]
During the Roman Empire, Rosalia or Rosaria was a festival of roses celebrated on various dates, primarily in May, but scattered through mid-July. The observance is sometimes called a rosatio (rose-adornment) or the dies rosationis, ‘day of rose-adornment’. Flowers were traditional symbols of rejuvenation, rebirth, and in Greece and Rome, wreaths and garlands of flowers and greenery were worn by both men and women for festive occasions. [...]
Flowers are all around us, in stone, frescoes, and marble. Here are a few of our favourite around the city.How gorgeous are these stones that form the shape of a flower at the fountain @ Piazza Mazzini, in the Prati neighbour, a ‘stones’ throw from the Vatican City. A great space to sit and enjoy a gelato in the [...]
Michelangelo’s marble masterpieces The Pieta Michelangelo was in his early 20’s when he carved this beautiful statue depicting Mary mourning the death of her son Jesus. Upon witnessing this masterpiece, the Pope Julius II was so blown away by how life like it was, that he was moved to tears. It was this meeting between the two men that would change [...]
When in Rome, do as the Romans do!As of April 2017, it has been made possible to hire electric scooters, specially available for tourists, under a new scheme announced by Rome city council, to encourage transport options to travellers and let them explore the city ‘Roman Holiday’ style. A fleet of 240 electric scooters, that have zero emissions, for an [...]
When tourists visit Rome and book a tour, one of the most asked questions we get asked is ‘Where did they film Roman Holiday?’ Why? Because Audrey Hepburn is to Rome what Jackie O was to Capri or what Elizabeth Taylor was to Acapulco. She was the epitome of elegance without excess. Little did she know that one walk in the [...]
The Vatican is a sovereign state, and the smallest state in the world, just less than half a kilometre squared. It is a theocratic monarchy, meaning it is run by a system of government in which priests rule in the name of God. And the state is heir of the ancient Pontiff State born following the Treaty of Lateran, [...]
The Macro, Rome’s MOMA if you will, has a fab new exhibit ‘Cross the Streets’ looking at 40 years of street art and writing. The importance of street art as a unique avant-garde is explored in it’s different mediums, such as advertising, fashion, music, and film. Techniques and styles discussed are graffiti, pop-surrealism, stencil art, photography, and film. As the main curator of the [...]
All roads lead to Rome and the Romans were known for their gigantic freeways, one of their many engineering inventions. One such road is the Via Appia, also known as the Appian Way. Locally known as ‘the Queen of the roads’, it stretches all the way to the harbour of Brindisi. The mega road was originally constructed to connect Rome to Southern [...]
