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

Sabina. A very picturesque area, that time in centuries, has changed little, in urbanism and traditions. It is a very famous area in the Lazio, is part of the interesting outskirts of Rome. Its fame comes not only from the natural beauties that contains: it exits a curious legend related with Sabinian women, and the news about the quality of its olive oil has been well spread during centuries.

The legend says that in Rome in the very earlier times the population was predominantly male. To fix this, Romulus, its founder , had an idea: to organize sports festivities in honour of the god Neptune and decided to invite the neighbour towns for the competition. Those of a particular population, Sabina, went to Rome with their wives and children. While the games were celebrated one of the Romans gave an specific sign to which every roman kidnapped a woman and then drove to the men (as planned).

The Romans tried to convince the women saying that they only did so because they wanted to be their wives, and they should be happy and proud of becoming a part of a people chosen by the gods.
The Sabinian men had a different opinion, angry by the insult of treason and rape of their women, attacked the Romans. When it was about to happen what appeared to be the very final battle, the Sabine woman stood between the two combatants to stop the killing because, they saw clearly that winning the Romans the would loose their parents, and winning the Sabinians they would loose their husbands and sons. The Sabine woman managed to make them come to a reconciliation and finally the celebrated with a banquet..(So are the woman there so beautiful that they worth such a battle? Check and see  

The Sabina Lazio olive oil comes from olives harvested by hand and squeezed cold, without manipulation or chemical solvents. Which is the secret of the flavor and colour of this oil?

Take under consideration the following factors:

Climatic characteristics of the area of cultivation and the ground limestone, permeable and dry. Many varieties of olives used, alone or in combination: Carboncella, Leccino, Raja, Frantoio, Moraiolo, Olivastrone, Salviana, Olivago and Roscioli.

A long and patient work.

An excellent nutritional value, the many beneficial properties that make it a unique seasoning and unproven.

So as a result of this, the quality of the product is very high.

Some other little secrets:

- Do you like the onion in ’salad but has a decided taste too? Let marinate for a few hours in ‘oil sabina: become more gentle and delicate.
- Prepare a special dressing for your salad leaves soak in a liter of oil sabina some dry red chilli, two branches of fresh rosemary, salt, pepper, a clove of garlic and three cloves. Seal the bottle and let rest at least 20 days at room temperature. Shake well before use.
- A cake lighter and healthier? Replace the butter with oil sabina and a jar of low-fat yoghurt. It will be lighter, soft and tasty.

Now the beauty of Sabina combines mountainous landscape with large cultivated areas (cereals, olives and vines in particular), forests of beech and chestnut trees, castles on top of hills with stone houses just further down, also landscapes of rolling hills of sand, clay and conglomerates, silver by olive trees. Don’t forget to try their cheeses made with milk from sheep, goat or cow as well as interesting products of spontaneous growing as mushrooms, truffles and wild berries. Enjoy the atmosphere "naive" and the still unspoiled beauty of the wild landscape. 

Visit Farfa in Sabina and the Abbey. The Abbey of Farfa deserves a long visit, given its history back till the Middle Ages and the extraordinary natural splendour. Not far, at Canneto-Casale Bertini there is an olive tree with a circumference of 6.1 meters and a height of 10.
Nearby in Nerola, dominated by the castle Orsini, one can enjoy a restful view of the beautiful countryside. From Nerola can make two trips (short) to Scandriglia and Montorio Romano, where you can buy the oil extra-virgin olive oil.
In Castelnuovo di Farfa , visit the sixteenth century Palazzo Perilli, where is the Museum of Oil of Sabina. In this original museum, the history of oil is illustrated it proposes at the same time a way through the exhibition of works by contemporary artists and listening to music that creates an enchanting atmosphere.

Keep on the way to Cottanello where you can see the beautiful castle of Hermitage St. Cataldo. It contains frescos in the early’300. The place is fascinating. Also there is a Villa Romana of the I century A.C, that keeps mosaic floors in both black and white with coloured pictures of unusual elegance.

How to get there (very easy indeed). Do not forget to choose as a hub in Rome- a beautiful, like Sabinian women, hotel- Yes Hotel.

By Car: A1 exit Fiano Romano, continue on SS via Salaria, follow the signs to Castelnovo of Farfa.

By train: From Tiburtina train station, about 1 hour trip.

Our writer is : Jonadab

Elisa Toffoli, or simply known as Elisa, is one of the most appreciated Italian singer and famous here in Italy.

Elisa was brought up in North Italy in Friuli, in the small town of Monfalcone.

She started her career as a singer very young, in fact with the debut album Pipes and Flowers, then only 19 years Elisa was discovered by the general public and was a revelation. Although the Italian singer lived almost all of her life here in Italy , most of the lyrics are in English. Elisa composes mostly rock and pop, but there are many influences of the various music genres like blues and electronic. The year 2001 was a very important year for the young Italian singer : Her the song titled "Light" wins the of the most important music contest in Italy that takes place every winter in Italy, the Festival of San Remo. Elisa is even one of the few Italian singers to be exported and broadcasted even in the United States, and on the 15 July 2008 her album "Dancing" saw its release in the States.

Elisa singing

The success of the very record is mainly because "Dancing", was used for a choreography of a famous American programme "So You Think You Can Dance?". From after the MO of Dancing is extracted as a single the song "Rainbow" which comes out in a remixed version . In the video produced for this remix dancers perform .That was a very intense year for Elisa, very committed with tour both in Italy and abroad.

Did you know ? Elisa sang a duo with the great Luciano Pavarotti (Voglio vivere così) , Andrea Boccelli (la voce del silenzio) but also with Tina Turner (Teach me again) and italian singer Tiziano Ferro (White Christmas)

Now the singer is preparing for the great concert held in Rome on 30 September 2008 in Palalottomatica in Rome, not to be missed !

Here is the list of prices depending on the location (various sectors):

TRIBUNA:€57,50;TRIBUNA LATERALE:€46;TERZO ANELLO:€40,25;TERZO ANELLO LATERALE:€28,75.

After a small break, I came back with the stories about the Capitol Hill of Rome.

I hope you will not be annoyed with my historical outline, but will learn something new and next time you come to Rome you will surprise you friends with your knowledge.

So let us start…

In Rome there are many legends of the glorious past of its ancient empire. One of these concerns Castor and Pollux.

The introduction of the cult of Dioscuri, or Castori, is closely linked to a specific episode: the battle at the lake Regillo that saw the Romans opposed to Latins.

The Latins were allies of the Tarquinio Superbo, seventh and the last king of Rome. He was the dynasty of Etruscan Tarquini and he reigned from 535 a. C. to 510 a.C., when he was banned from Rome. It was an important date in Rome, because with the Tarquinio Superbo ending the Etruscan hegemony on the city of Rome, which began with the reign of Tarquinio Prisco. After the last king, Rome became free and the Repubblic was founded.

The battle of Lake Regillo is one of the first legendary Roman victories. Legendary because we don’t have precise references (documents seems to have been lost in the fire following the invasion of the Brenno’s Gauls). Legendary also because it says that the outcome of the battle, initially unfavourable to the warriors of Rome, has been decided by the appareance of mythological Dioscuri: Castor and Pollux.

Tarquino, already chased away from Rome, attempted to regain power.

The Roman dictator Aulus Postumia Albino, departed from Rome with large forces of infantry and cavalry and met the enemy army at Lake Regillo, in the territory of Tuscolo. After a first phase with uncertain outcome, the battle was about to turn in favour of Latin ranks when Aulus Postumia prayed Jupiter that granted his victory’s wish. In the clamor of battle, two mysterious knight appeared between the forces in the field, and they led the Roman armies to victory. Leaving the battlefield, the two young appeared again inside the walls of Rome and they announced the successful victory over the Latins at the citizenship, and then they would be disappeared into the air(I talk about this another day*).

There are different statues of Dioscuri that can be admired even today in Rome, for example, on the Quirinale hill and on the balustrade of the piazza del Campidoglio. Here, at the top of the stairs, there are the colossal groups of the Dioscuri, Castor from one side, and Pollux from the other side.

The legend of Dioscuri is the introduction of a greek myth in Roman tradition. In fact, Castor and Pollux, in Greeks centres of southern Italy, were considered the “Numi Tutelari” of chivalry, which was established exclusively by characters in the aristocracy. The recruitment in Rome of a cult of aristocracy could mean the need for a strengthening of political power by the classes of “Romans gentilizi”, at a time when the transition from monarchy to republican institutions could involve strong social tensions.

From the mythological’s side, more simply, the Dioscuri represent the will of the gods of the birth of a Roman empire free from foreign yoke, as will by that time.

Our historical adventure, of course, does not end here, and I heartly welcome you to visit Rome and enjoy all these treasure by yourselves. My suggestion is to stay in bugdet and cosy hotel Nice Hotel and enjoy history in its relaxing atmosphere.

By : Giuseppe

The Italian Eurochocolate Festival, an event dedicated to the culture of chocolate, is preparing to inaugurate its fourteenth edition that will take place from the 18th to the 26th October in Perugia.

The festival has its core center in the historic center of the city.

It is the most popular festival of the chocolate and the most followed by Italians, making of Perugia the European capital of the chocolate.
For nine days the Umbrian chief town transforms itself in a huge open-air pastry-shop for the delight of all the choco-addicted.

At Eurochocolate Perugia festival there will be dozens of major events including exhibitions, laboratories, internships, cooking classes, tasting, expositions, banquets, celebrations and the final prizes which are the : Eurochocolate Awards.

The edition 2008 of the most famous chocolate exhibition for its fifteen years of life is shown still more amusing and joyful than ever, with new playful and oh so yummy products that will be introduced.

In Perugia, Eurochocolate will be Play Chocolate to celebrate game, joy and music.

Chocolate makes us go back to our childhood and Eurochocolate is a great festivity, where everybody comes to taste chocolate in its innumerable, traditional or unusual varieties, to be involved in a lively atmosphere in the historical city center.

The image-symbol of Play Chocolate is a paper airplane.

Many initiatives will animate Perugia from the 18th to 26th October and the innovations, still top secret, will be numerous.

For all the tourists the occasion is without any doubt a good one to discover the most remote corners of this antique medieval center and to enjoy the famous Umbrian hospitality.

Related blog : Easter Chocolate