Hotelrome.net Blog : A guide to news and events in Rome

Christmas in Rome? A magnificent idea: the eternal city is far from quiet and sleepy even in Christmas time! Of course the Romans, too, calm down for Christmas, go to the Christmas mass and spend some quiet time in family, but usually that’s just on the 25th December: any other day there’s a lot going on in Rome.

First of all, there’s the famous Navona Square Christmas market which is an absolute must! That’s where you can find anything that has to do with the Roman Christmas: decorations, sweets, entertainment, and plenty of atmosphere… And if you still have some Christmas shopping to do and the market is not enough, you can have a look at the shops on Via del Corso, one of the main shopping streets of Rome, close by.

On Christmas Eve most people, even locals, go out for dinner: the menu is usually fish, in the large sense, meaning any kinds of sea food. You should definitely try the “spaghetti alle vongole�, clams swimming in butter and garlic… On Christmas Day the restaurants are probably going to be a bit less crowded, since most of the Romans organise huge luncheons for the whole family at home! Anyway, don’t worry: many restaurants have a special Christmas menu for those who prefer eating out. And don’t make any plans after lunch: you’re probably not going to able to walk or even think after a 6-7 course Italian feast lunch…

And when your material need have been fulfilled, you’re going to want to calm down and feel the spirit of the Christmas. You shouldn’t miss the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass! Even if you’re not all that religious, it’s a beautiful experience of music and joy, and In Rome there is any number of wonderful ancient churches to choose from as the venue. Most tourists head for Saint Peter’s or the Pantheon, but small churches like the age-old Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Sabina on the Aventine hill or Santa Maria in Cosmedin close to the Venice Square can be less crowded and at least as beautiful!

In the following days you can for example see some of the museums: the Vatican Museum of course, and maybe the enormous Capitoline Museum on Piazza del Campidoglio, or the smaller and more concrete Crypta Balbi (a must for those interested in the Roman Empire), and the masterpiece-filled Borghese Gallery.

As for practical matters, you can use these links to book your hotel in Rome, to find information about museum opening hours and locations or about guided Rome city tours.

Have you ever wanted to do some sight-seeing and have a work out at the same time? Well now you can. It is called sight-jogging.

The company uses experienced and qualified trainers that will take you on a running tour of Rome. They have several different historical routes that they use. Piazza Navona, St Peter’s and Campidoglio are just a few examples. The jogging routes vary in length and difficulty and the trainers also set the pace according to the individual’s age and level of fitness. They also arrange to meet you outside your hotel so it is very convenient.

Heart monitors are also provided for the safety of the clients and there is also an extra option of hiring body guards if needed. For additional info and reservations for sight jogging see here.

Prices start from 70 euros and there are also group options available. This is a perfect way to get some exercise and see the city at the same time. You will also have a great excuse to load up on some more carbs and you wont feel so bad about having that extra helping of pasta.

The importance of having a comfortable and flat soled pair of shoes for Rome cannot be stressed enough. Make no mistake you are going to need them, but if you have forgotten them then they are easy to buy in the numerous stores and boutiques in Rome. The only way to really see this city is to do it by walking. Many tour companies specialise in walking tours and you can find more information about the tours at the hotel upon your arrival.

As most of you will also know, Rome is famous for it’s hills Palatine, Capitoline etc. Which without a doubt you will eventually walk up or down at some point during your stay. There could possibly be nothing worse than walking around in a pair of stilettos, unless you have done your site – seeing for the day and are off to paint the town. Rome has lots of cobbled streets that tend to get a little slippery when wet and there is always some kind of street or road works going on.

After you have spent your day walking you can rest and relax in the comfort of your hotel room and have a nice relaxing bath or shower, to recharge your batteries for the next day.

Just use some common sense when deciding what kind of shoes to get. You don’t want to have to worry about sore feet and let that spoil your holiday now do you?

The very famous actor has chosen for his wedding, quite understandably, Italy and most specifically small town of Bracciano, overlooking the same lake.

He and his bride are staying in the very elegant hotel Hassler, only steps away from the Spanish steps and Villa Borghese and not far from the American Embassy in Rome. Indiscreet rumours say that the american consul was not invited to Tom’s roman wedding. Katie’s parents are said to stay in the St Regis near Piazza Repubblica in Rome which is also close by more budget accomodation. Later on yesterday night, Tom and Katie headed for dinner to the restaurant “Da Nino” in Via Borgognona, nearby our B&Bs Jonella and De Cappuccini. On their way to the restaurant, they had to stop longer than expected in a small street, a “vicolo” where a Smart was trying to park : Residents of the area took advantage of this opportunity to complain loudly about the inconvenience his venue was causing to the people living in the Centro Storico. On the other hand, photographers and paparazzis gained extra time to shot more pictures while the car was waiting to pass.

Many famous people of the show biz are attending the wedding in Bracciano in the Castello Odescalchi, and to name a few : Andrea Boccelli, Jennifer Lopez, Will Smith and also Roberta Armani, the grand daughter of the great italian designer. The wedding is taking place in the afternoon and the small town of Bracciano, only half an hour away from central Rome has never seen so much police and guards of all sorts, all dressed in colorful uniforms for this unique occasion.

The city of Bracciano has created special culinary dishes for this event, such as “Mission Impossible Fettuccine” and “Last Samurai Filet” and most shops display the pictures of the future husband and wife, who are accompanied by their 3 children.

Although a special day is taking place, life for the residents go on almost as usual and in the morning, by the castle, old women sold their vegetables and children ran, shouted and cycled happily, despite the low skies.

Italy and Rome in particular are often seen through the Dolce Vita, a way of life but also the very famous film by Federico Fellini released in 1960 that counters in a colorful fashion Rome in the sixties.
Our hero, Marcello Mastroianni plays a roman paparazzo, whose real dream is to become a writer. He is to pick up a famous movie star at the Ciampino airport, Anita Ekberg, and ends up showing her around the Eternal City at night.After a press conference and a wild night out between St Peter’s and the night club Caracalla’s and eventually a bath in the Trevi Fountain, and finally they get back to their central hotel where a furious boyfriend expects Sylvia (Anita Ekberg).

Marcello has a complicated lovelife himself and, tired of his shallow life he decides to try to find some peace and goes in the countryside near Terni and begins to write. But he is quickly sucked back to where belong the excesses of the high society, and after a night at a party in Fregene, the beach of Rome he seems to realize again he is unhappy. La Dolce Vita shows us the “far niente” of Via Veneto among the rich and famous. For the budget traveler our Via Veneto B&B Jonella is the ideal central hotel to book for your stay.

There is a lot to offer many different tastes and budgets for the intrepid tourist in Rome. Start your day enjoying a creamy cappuccino in our cosy hotel Yes-Hotel Rome. When you are well up and ready, you will be ready to begin exploring the Eternal City. Starting from Yes Hotel central Rome, perfectly located to walk around the city, Whether you are a romantic at heart or a history buff you won’t be disappointed with the time spent in this marvellous city. With over 2500 years of history behind it, Rome can certainly boast that it has the most extensive and impressive display of ancient ruins and buildings dating from many of the most important eras in history. It has also had an extremely rich and colourful history. It has been sacked several times, had a few civil wars and was fought over between church and state.

Since then however, things have calmed down and Rome is now again reaching the status it held several years ago as a city that has a lot to offer. The city of Rome itself is not the only thing that is rich and colourful. The Romans themselves are too. Extremely friendly, very entertaining and with just the right touch of eccentricity that makes watching, talking and interacting with them a completely separate but pleasant experience in itself.

Another of the many delights that can be experienced in the city and are without par are the culinary. From the simple rustic family run casalinga, to the trendy and up to date cuisine of the many bars and restaurants in the Campo de Fiori and Trastevere, there are many tastes to satisfy your curiosity and your appetite. However, along with the list of things you would generally do in Rome, for example, visiting the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, the simple things are usually the best. Pizza and ice-cream are definitely a must do. There are literally gelaterias and pizzerias on every corner and there is a lot of variety.There is nothing better than buying an ice-cream and going for a long leisurely stroll through Villa Borghese with its many tree lined avenues, maybe taking the time to visit the wonderful Galleria Borghese, from which the American Embassy in Rome is very close, and then looking out from the Pincio to gaze upon the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Rome is definitely a pedestrian friendly city as most of the famous sites like the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Coloseum and Forum areas are all within walking distance from each other. Crossing the roads can also be another experience on its own. Take a deep breath and have faith in the white stripes painted on the ground. All in all Rome has the unique blend of the truly ancient with the modern. It also has the best specialist boutiques available, from food to clothing. While walking down Via del Corso and Via dei Condotti, you will find many things that will capture your eye. From clothing, music and all sorts of fashion extras and must haves, to posters and bookshops.

In the ancient world all roads did lead to Rome. Why not take some time out and let your road lead you there. At the end of your day you will eventually come back to your comfortable Yes Hotel rooms, where you will be happy to chill out before dining out.

Next spring, 22nd-24th March 2007, the eternal city will be hosting the GLOBE, the biggest travel fair specialising in the Mediterranean travel market. The event will take place in the renewed exhibition center “New Fiera di Roma“, just a few kilometers from the Fiumicino airport and well connected with the city center.

Globe will involve the whole Mediterranean area, as well as North Africa and Middle East, and this year Italy, as the host of the fair, will have a prominent position. The Mediterranean is in fact one of the main travel markets on global level, and therefore a special mediterranean tourism event is indeed called for. The fair is destined for service producers and travel professionals, not for consumers, and is the biggest travel event ever organised in Rome so far. The promotional web site of the Globe is available in several languages.

The event, however, is combined with the “Globe in city”, a tourism festival that will take place in the major city squares contemporaneously with the professional GLOBE. This event will also involve hotels and galleries, and will offer entertainment and information on travel and tourism in the whole mediaterranean. There will be conferences, forums, even job recruiting, so anyone interested in tourism either for leisure or for work will be welcome.

The Globe is organized by ExpoGlobe, a company that joins the forces of the best know-how and experience to be found in Italy, for example TTG Italia’s CEO Paolo Audino.

The New Rome Fair is easily accessible from the city center by the metro line B. To view the floor plan of the fair space, to register or to book your stand on-line see the site of the event. To book your accomodation in Rome during the event consult for example this site that offers accomodation in several central Rome hotels such as the popular Hotel Des Artistes.

The Caracalla Baths in Rome are close to the FAO and the Coloseum, in an extremely green area of the eternal City and in easy reach of your hotel or Bed and Breakfast in central Rome.

They are open to visitors from 9 am until hour before sunset, and the nearest metro stop is Circo Massimo on line B (Circus Maximus).

The baths, completed in 253 were probably the biggest built in ancient times. Caracalla, son of Settimio Severo, opened the complex which were functional until 537.

They had an igienic purpose since they were used as bathrooms and toilets, but they also provided saunas, hot and cold baths, massages and physical exercise was possible too and even some athletic contests took place : this was an occasion of meeting and socialising in ancient Rome.

At peak times the baths could have 8000 visitors a day. The decorations of marble and bronze were luxurious and the size of the buildings huge : up to 30 metres high in some areas, and in total 80000 m3 of water. On the top floor an oven operated with wood would heat the whole area through a heating system through tubes that would heat up the floors. And on the underground floor were the gutters taking the waters away from the building.

In the same area you will be able to visit the Coloseum and the Circus Maximus, and since you will certainly stopover for a few days we recommend you stay in central and comfortable hotel.

until the 7th january 2007 is taking place at the Chiosco del Bramante in central Rome a unique exhibition dedicated to Andy Warhol. The exhibition was realized thanks to the cooperation of The Andy Warhol Museum of Pittsburgh and The Andy Warhol Fundation of New York.

Warhol is an icon of the american culture of the sixties and seventies and was originary from Pittsburgh, and died at age 59 in 1987. He was a multi-art man who was a photographer, writer and painter, but also a movie director and an entertainer of the New York jet society.

When he set up Factory he was to be the pioneer of a new working method, and he launched the Pop Art movement in the US in the fifties. His probably most famous portrait is of Marilyn Monroe.

His paintings represent the relationship between art and life, and art and death in the constant beseeching of happiness. Over 100 paintings are exposed with also some documentaries such as photos and films, that help us to understand and get closer to the genius.

There is a lot more to see in Rome, so take your time and stay a few days in the heart of the Eternal city, and book a comfortable hotel in rome.

Rome has a – perhaps surprisingly – functional public transport network. Apart from some small inconvenience dictated by the Italian mentality and simply the local way of life, suc as frequent strikes and, at least apparent, absence of time schedules, you usually get quite fluently from a departure point to a destination.

The most reliable means of transport would be the the underground, that is the metro, especially during rush hour, since it is not dependent on the traffic, which can at times delay quite a lot the buses. The underground “network” is very simple: just two lines, A and B crossing each other in the city center at the Termini central station. The line A will take you for example to the Vatican City and the line B to the Colosseum. And when changing lines at Termini you can stop for some shopping right there inside the station, which has great facilities!

At Termini, up on the ground, you can also catch a number of buses or trams to any part of the city, like the number 40 or 64 for the Vatican or Venice Square, the 75 for the famous Porta Portese market, or the bus H to the historical neighbourhood of Trastevere. In the big square in front of the station there’s also an information point of the city transport company ATAC. Also have a look at their web site to find your bus for any destination. Mind you though, for the tickets you’ll need to go to a tabacco shop, they don’t sell them at the info booth. Inside the station and practically at every street corner you can find tabacco shops or news agents that sell tickets, “biglietti”.

As for the city bus tickets, there are different solutions, depending on the lenght of your stay, for example a daily and weekly ticket that comprehend all the city transport, even the underground.

For last, a fair warning before you hop on: beware of the pick pockets, they’re incredibly clever and work especially the lines most used by the tourists, so hold on to your bag or purse!