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

Did you wish for a room with a view in your Rome hotel? Well, if you didn’t get one that’s no wonder, because in the city center it’s very rare to have a view: in Rome there are no sky scrapers, but all the buildings seem to be of the same height. But not to worry: Rome is the city of the seven hills, and therefore in the center of Rome there are several great spots for admiring the view, which, that goes without saying, is spectacular!

In the heart of the city centre you can climb the Campidoglio hill next to the Venice square. To get even higher, enter the Capitoline museum, which has a café on the roof top: that’ll give you a great view of the historical centre of Rome, all the way to the Vatican. Next to the Campidoglio, on Venice Square, is the Monument Vittoriano: you can climb on the top and admire for example the Imperial Forums from above! Another spot in the same area is the Palatine hill, the ancient location of the emperors’ palaces that offers a great view over the Roman Forum and on the opposite side, the ancient Romans’ horse race stadium Circus Maximus.

On the banks of the Tiber, you’ll find the Aventine hill and on top of it a charming little garden inhabited by a feline community and a “belvedere�: a spot to admire the view over the river and of the opposite bank.

When you get down from the Aventine, you can cross the river and climb the Gianicolo hill in the Trastevere area. Gianicolo in the evening is the favourite destination of lovers, whereas the Sunday afternoon it’s populated by families. The place in itself is beautiful, and already the ancient Romans considered it the best place to view the whole city: Trastevere, Tiber, the historical centre on one side and Saint Peter’s and the Vatican on the other.

One more popular and beautiful place to take a walk and enjoy the view is the Pincio hill and the Villa Borghese Park. From there you can see the Piazza del Popolo right at your feet, the mausoleum of emperor Augustus, the central shopping areas all the to the river.

A central location well connected with all these spots is the Termini station area which offers many accommodation options. Try the brand-new Yes Hotel – a classy boutique hotel – or one of the lovely hotel in rome close to termini Station – or the budget-friendly but good quality three star hotel My Hotel, both near the Termini. If you’re looking for a hostel in the Termini station area, try the Hostel Des Artistes.

is the next event at the New Rome Fair between 23 and 26 february 2007. The Fair is located between Rome and Fiumicino and is the new area where big events take place.

The sponsor is Consorzio Oro Italia, and the show aims at coming to terms with the trade and visibility between the operators and allowing them to become well known across the country and abroad. The gold market is gaining importance as never before in Italy and will be booming hopefully.

At Orocapital the guests and the exhibitors are interacting in various situations which renews the role of the exhibitor and makes him an active participant.

The exhibition is based on new techniques where everyone is involved and each of us can have their say during this shared experience and many activities also open the way to negociations.

The journey from Rome Termini is about 30 minutes by train FR1, and your stop is “Fiera di Roma”. When planning your stay in Rome, book our My Hotel Rome or Hotel Des Artistes situated in the center of Rome which is steps away from the Termini train station and in walking distance from the main Rome attractions.

See here to discover more about the Rome Sea Trade or the Rome Wedding Fair at the New Rome Fair.

Are mostly located along the Ancient Appian Way, which is not far from the city center of rome and the hotel Des Artistes, a very picturesque area of Rome, still covered with roman pebbles off the San Sebastiano gate in central Rome.

The catacombs are hidden and used to be underground cemeteries, and are exclusively christian. They were of major importance since they held remains of martyrs, which were later taken to various churches of the city when barbarian attacks took place. The Catacombs are also decorated with frescoes and christian symbols.

The San Callisto Catacombs : about fifty thousand persons were buried there, of which many popes and in fact you will notice the Popes’ Crypt. There is a wonderful collection of frescoes in the Sala dei Sacramenti dating of the second century.

Another famous catacomb is the Santa Domitilla which is made of many galleries that connect to the Basilica dei SS Nereo and Achilleo. The San Sebastiano Catacombs also are connected to the same basilica.

Still on the ancient Appian Way is the impressive tomb of Cecilia Metella, which is a mausoleum built with ox skulls and bearing various decorations, and was later built as a fortress.

You can take a guided tour of 3 hours which covers some of the catacombs and also the Capuchin Chapel on Via Veneto steps away from B&B dei Cappuccini.

You may want to take advantage of other great tours we offer and browsing here you will get many ideas for the various sightseeings you may not have thought about.

Rome is famous for its ancient roman ruins and this walk by the Appian Way in this huge park will delight the lovers of the ancient and of nature !

It is located near the centre so you can reach it by metro : take line A and get off at Giulio Agricola or Subaugusta. The park is very long and you can access it from Via Tuscolana, Via Appia and Via Appia Antica too.

The park actually hosts 6 roman aqueducts : Marcio, Anio Novus, Tepula, Claudio, Iulia and Felice. These used to take advantage of the natural hills of the area to bring water from the sources from the Valle Aniene to the Colli Albani and to the centre of Rome until Porta Maggiore near Termini station and our Yes Hotel Rome.

The location is very suggestive tucked in the meditarrean trees and huge open green spaces where the aqueducts stand out all along. You will come across herds of sheep kept together by the white huge shepherd dogs and their shepherd who will greet you most likely.

The Aqueduct Claudio reaches the height of 28 m. It was built around 52 DC and named after the emperor Claudio who inaugurated it. This aqueduct was also nicknamed “magnificentissimus” due to the excellent quality of the water provided !

The water provided by the aqueducts would be used mostly for the comunities : swimming pools, spas, houses …

Walking further on near the aqueduct Felice you will come across the ancient Villa delle Vignacce (the vineyard Villa) built back in the 2nd century and that unfortunately has not been well preserved through the centuries but used to be one of the most beautiful suburbian villas during that time. Then going towards Via Latina stands the Casale di Roma Vecchia (Ancient Rome country house) built in the 13th century which is situated between the aqueducts Marcio and Claudio and would serve the purpose of overwiewing the area. The aqueduct Marcio was 90 kms long and was one of the longest in Rome and the romans favored its water. All along your walk you will also notice tombs and ancient villas.

This winter is warm so walking around in the countryside right in Rome is an alternative idea to enjoy a day out in the quiet and you will also enjoy our low accomodation prices in Rome for this season.

If you happen to be in Rome this January and are planning your wedding in the near future, the event not to miss is “Roma Sposa�: the one of the biggest events in Europe entirely dedicated to the Big Day, and especially to the bride, the main protagonist!

The event is taking place in the new exposition center of Rome, the New Rome Fair, “Nuova Fiera di Roma� from the 18th to the 22nd January. The fair centre is located a bit further from the city center, and can be reached easily by the local train connection FR1 from the Termini central station in just 30 minutes.

The wedding fair occupies a huge exposition hall of over 30 000 square meters. The exhibitors are 350 of the top companies of the wedding market and on represent more than 2000 labels, so the fair definitely provides you with everything you’ve ever dreamed of for your fabulous, unforgettable wedding!

Fashion shows of different designers go on almost non-stop – mostly for the bride but the spouse and the guests are not forgotten! – there’s a department dedicated to the wedding presents of all budgets; you can pick up ideas for the wedding reception, for the wedding photos and for your flowers; you can book your honeymoon, rent a limousine and even furnish you house!

This is the 26th edition of the fair which by now has become an absolute must for the Italian brides. The entrance to the event is free, not counting, though, how much all the dreamy temptations on offer may end up costing you…

If you’re coming to Rome to shop for your wedding but won’t make it during the Fair, try some of these shops for your dress: Adriana Sposi, Atelier Valentina Sposa, Celli Spose.

When organising your shopping trip – or maybe your wedding in Rome – to make it special, be sure to book a characteristic hotel, as the three star Hotel Des Artistes in the Rome centre near Termini, or the budget-friendly but quietly charming Nice Hotel.

Rome independent film festival RIFF, the Rome Independent Film Festival, is the annual must event for the friends of the independent films! This year’s edition is going to happen in April, 13th-20th, and is going to present more than 80 films from 70 different countries, all premiers of course! In addition, there will be seminars on cinematography and the possibility to view the first films of young Italian directors not nominated for the awards.

The event is organised by the association RIFF, founded by Fabio Ferrari in 2001 with the intention of promoting the independent film production. The first festival took place in February 2001 and this year’s edition is the 7th time the event is organised.

Awards are going to be granted for example for the best long and short film, the best documentary and the best script. The event is sponsored by the city of Rome, the European Commission, the Amnesty International, a number of foreign embassies in Rome and amongst others, the “Coming Soon� and “Roma c’è� magazines, Kodak, and partnered by several same spirited festivals on abroad.

The festival of this year will take place in three different locations: the Hotel Claridge at Viale Liegi 62 and at the Cinema Embassy at Via Stoppani 7, both close to each other. The area can be reached by the bus number 360 leaving from the Termini station. See the location on a Rome city map. You can view the program on the site of the Association RIFF.

To book your accommodation in Rome during the festival try hotels near the Termini station in order to be well connected with the head quarters of the festival: the hostel and hotel Des Artistes in rome centre offer accommodation for all budgets, and the Nice Hotel and hotel Carlito’s Way are other inexpensive options with good-value.

This is a fantastic after dinner drink or something to have as a sun downer. Limoncello originates from Sorrento where the lemons of the region are highly prized and were used in the original recipes over 100 years ago.

Now limoncello can be found all over Italy and Rome is no exception. It is best served chilled so it is usually drunk during the summer months. That doesn’t mean that you cant buy a bottle and have a glass or two out of season.

This liqueur is found in most supermarkets and in speciality liqueur shops for the more upmarket brands. This great liqueur can also be made at home. The ingredients are simple and very easy to get hold of.

The prices for a bottle vary in supermarkets from 7 to 12 euros, depending on the type of limoncello you are buying and the size of the bottle of course. A shot or 2 of this stuff is extremely refreshing and it tastes really great. It can also be served over ice cream.

A bottle of limoncello would make a fantastic gift to take back home for your friends and other family members. This is truly one of the many unforgettable flavours of Italy. One of the biggest – and most famous – liqueur stores of Rome is the enoteca Trimani near the Termini station. but you’ll find limoncello in any supermarket.

Are you are sailor? Or do you just love the sea and boats, the sensation of the wind in you hair… No need to wait for the summer, you can enjoy the authentic atmosphere at The “Boat Show Roma”, part of the the “Big Blu – Rome Sea Expo” taking place in 9th-12th March in Rome, at the New Rome Fair, consisting of three different expositions that all have to do with aspects of the life at the sea. The other two events forming the Sea Expo, are the “Eudi Show, European Diving Show“, and the “Aiposhow” which presents the sports fishing: all its aspects, accessories and skills.

The Rome Boat Show will be organized at the New Rome Fair, a brand new, enormous fair and exposition center in Rome. The exhibition will show you marine cuisine, clothing, the newest technological devises available, make you acquainted with different marine sports, and of course, has all kinds and sizes of boats on exposition, from canoes to sailboats. The exhibition is divided in the sectors of “Boating accessories”, “Tastes of the sea”, “Sea areas”, “Marine sports”, “Marine services” and “Living in the sea”, so there is something for everybody.

The European Diving Show, or the “European exhibition of Underwater Activities”, this year presenting its fifteeth edition, is dedicated not just to diving but to all underwater sports and the exhibitors range from sports associations to shops selling special accessories to travel agencies and specialised publishers. Anything you’ve ever wanting to know about diving, you’re bound to find it here.

On Friday and Saturday 9th-10th of March the event is open to the public from 10.00 AM to 8.00 PM, and on Monday the 12th it closes at 3.30 PM.

And how to get to the exhibition center, the New Fair of Rome? From the city center, from the Termini station there’s a direct train connection on the line FR1, and the train ride will take about 30 minutes. You should get off at the station called “Fiera di Roma”. There’s also a bus connection to the exhibition center, 40 minutes from the center of Rome, and if you going by car, you can see the driving instructions here. To book your accomodation in the city center, in the surroundings of the Termini station, try this site through which you can book Rome hotels and hostels for different budgets, all near the Termini.

If you have the chance to get some time off work in January or February, do it: in the European cities like Rome these winter months are low season and therefore perfect for low budget travellers! Everything, starting from the flights, costs much less than a few months later. The low cost flight companies like Ryanair or Easyjet offer flights between the European cities for the cost of little less than the airport taxes and the hotel rates are even 50% lower than in the high season: check the Hotel in Rome Des Artistes located in the city center and their spectacular winter rates! For even cheaper rates, try the Hostel Des Artistes, or the hotel Carlito’s Way, but frankly, in low season you should take advantage and pamper yourself with a three star –treatment…

Not to speak of the shopping: January is the time of the great sales in all of Europe, so what better time is there to travel in Rome, one of the capital cities of the European fashion… The sales in Rome start officially on the 10th of January and go on for weeks.

And it’s not just your purse you’re doing a favor to, but also your nerves: the queue to the Vatican Museum in January is hardly the third as long as it is in May, and the same goes for all the tourist attractions. Even though in Rome you never need to fear getting bored: there’s always something going on, just in this time of year it’s less crowded and less chaotic. Also, with less tourists around, the professionals of tourism – receptionists, waiters, guides – are less stressed and busy and have more time to dedicate to you. You tend to better treatment everywhere and get closer to the real local way of life.

Of course, in January you won’t be able to go to the beach or get a sun tan, but in Rome the weather is quite nice around the year anyway, and on the other hand, in the city a hot summery weather can be all but pleasant. In January you usually get enough sun to have long lunches in the street side tables of the trattorias, if not enough for actual sun bathing, and towards the end of February the spring starts to take over.

The easy way of getting to know Rome – if you only have loittle time or are not too keen on walking or public transport – are the guided tours, great for any age or any interests. If you want a quick overall view of the Eternal City and do not feel up to walking much, pick a good long bus tour that show you all the most important attractions accompanied either by a live guide or an audio guide, and usually they’ll make you get off the bus in the most interesting stops. If you are not scared of walking, even a long way, choose a walking tour with a good guide: that will permit you to see more and on a different, more “concrete” level, and get answers to all your questions: the groups of a walking tour are often smaller than the bus tour groups, and therefore the tours can be more personalised.

There are general city tours that’ll show you all the obligatory attractions, or specified tours that do for example a certain area or certain kind of interests. Especially the walking tour are often more local, like the Trastevere area, the city center or the Appian way. For example the Enjoy Rome tourist agency does walking tours, and the Greenline tour company offers a variety of bus tours even outside the city. You can also book Rome bike tours on line. Then there are all sorts of “specialities”, such as vintage scooter tours(!) in the spirit of Audrey Hepburn and the Roman Holiday, or tours to get to know the haunted Rome and its ghosts… Booking a guided tour may also be a way of avoiding the infinite queue to for example the Vatican Museums.

To book your tours in Rome or in the surroundings, try these links for tour companies. For walking tours try for example the Enjoy Rome, and while you’re at it, book your hotel/hostel on-line as well: the centrally located Rome Hotel Des Artistes, Nice Hotel and My Hotel have great on-line offers for the winter months for all budgets and tastes!