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

 

Rome has got it all. For the young, the old, families and couples. Whether you are backpacking or you are here for an extended stay. If you are interested in architecture, history, and have a passion for food then this city is definetly for you.

However these are not the only distractions that can be found in this ancient giant of a city that needs several lifetimes to be explored and discovered.

There are also several different periods of history all captured in time and preserved and which can be seen literally in the hundreds of buildings monuments and churches. Renaissance, Baroque and ancient imperial buildings stand side by side and it seems that the town planning of the city was an afterthought.

 

Large piazzas and shopping streets attract tourists and locals alike. Gelato and pizza are the order of the day and coffee seems to be drunk like water.

Traffic seems to be flowing constantly and scooters are everywhere. Sirens are always wailing and hooters are blaring at every traffic intersection.

However all is not chaos and noise. Solace can be found in the Villa Borghese park and in the other green areas found in the city. If the kids are with you then their energy can be spent rollerblading are using the bicycles that are available to hire in the park. If you are feeling especially brave you can hire a segway and go for a spin in Piazza del Popolo.

 

Trastevere is a popular night spot crowded with bars and clubs and where the partying carries on into the wee hours with total abandon. Another area which is popular with the younger crowd because it is close to the university is San Lorenzo. There are also many winebars and pubs crammed into this spot.

Shopping here is like breathing. You have to do it. Via del Corso, Via Condotti, Piazza di Spagna and Via Nazionale are just some of the more well known of the numerous places you can go to sate your appetite and shop to your hearts content. Prada, Gucci, Armani, Versace and Bulgari are all here.

 

When you feel like a break from the city the beaches are not far from the city and they are really easy to get to with public transport. Wind surfing, kite surfing and the good old surfboard can be used along the coastline too. The Abruzzo National Park is also not far away.

There are many trails to go hiking and mountain biking and there is also so much climbing that can be done here. In winter it is also great to go skiing here as well as in Campo Felice which is closer to Rome than the park if you have less time.
 

 

The Province of Lazio, in which Rome is located is a perfect place from which to make your daytrips too. As it is situated roughly half way between the north and the south of Italy.

The main train station,Termini, located near our hotel, is perfect for this as trains from all over the country arrive and depart from here. The Leonardo Express also departs from here directly to Fiumicino airport ( Leonardo da Vinci ). There are also many bus shuttles that also depart from the station to Ciampino airport.

Well now that you have decided where you are going all you have to do now is make up your mind when. Looking forward to seeing you in Rome. Have a safe trip.

If you are here for an extended stay you might like to consider a few daytrips out of Rome. There are many places to go to outside of the city and they are not too far away and most of them are relatively easy to get to with public transport.

A few places you might like to try are Tivoli, Castel Gandolfo, Lake Bracciano and Ostia.

 

In Tivoli you can take a walk through the gardens and have a look at the amazing fountains of the Villa d’Este. One fountain in particular would be the Organ Fountain.

There are around 500 fountains and the gardens are fantastic. Another villa to which is a must see, would be Hadrian’s Villa.

Renowned as an architect and not just as an emperor, Hadrian constructed a villa with which to remind himself of his most favourite places in the world while he was in Italy.

 

The Villa d’Este is open from 9 in the morning till an hour and a half before sunset and is closed on Mondays, January 1st, May 1st and December 25th. Tickets cost 6.50 euro for adults, 3.25 for EEC citizens between 18 and 25 and entrance is free for EEC citizens under 18 or over 65. The entrance fees and opening times are the same for Hadrian’s Villa.

 

The next place to visit would be the pope’s Summer residence Castel Gandolfo.

This building has been built over the remains of an older castle and partially incorporates the ruins of Emperor Domitian.

The pope usually gives his summer audience from here while the Swiss Guard is also in attendance.

The castle also overlooks the Albano Lake and it is 30 kilometres south east of Rome.

 

Lake Bracciano is another great place to go if you feel like a more relaxed getaway.

This is a great place to go if you have children and it is also a lot quieter than the beach and there is plenty of shade as well amongst the trees on the bank.

You can even rent deck chairs too.

 

 

Ostia is perfect if you love to mix relaxation with exploration.

With the ruins of the old sea port of Ostia being so close to the beach this would be one stop that you wouldn’t want to miss. This location is a perfect place for a daytrip as it is closer than Pompei and you can also use a regional train to get there.

Which means that a day travel card is all you need to get there and back. This is a lot cheaper than going to Pompei if you are on a budget and the buildings are in a far better state of preservation than their counterparts in Pompei.

 

In a couple of days I will be off to London and getting to do what all of you guys do, go on holiday. Its only when you have to do something yourself that you begin to realise all the details involved. The big issue is organising transport.

 

 

 

Hopefully this bit of information will help you out when you have to make a decision. So I am going to be flying out of Ciampino to Stanstead. I am using Ryanair so I have decided to get a Terravision bus ride from Termini to Ciampino. It takes about 55 minutes but they guarantee to get you to your destination on time. A one way journey costs 8 euro and a return is 14 euro. I have decided to get a return ticket for travelling on both sides. Here and in London. This is the most painless way for me to travel as it avoids having to connect busses with trains etc.

The other way you can get to Ciampino would be to use the A line on the metro. You go all the way to Anagnina and then you get a Cotral bus from there to Ciampino. You can also get a train from Termini that takes you to Ciampino town and then get a bus from there to the airport.

 

Getting to and from Fiumicino is far easier. The Leonardo Express takes you directly to Termini from the airport. It takes around 30 minutes and costs you 11 euros. You can also book a taxi from any hotel in rome either to Ciampino or Fiumicino if you have a lot of bags with you.