Rome is surrounded by little towns that allow you to get a feel of the life outside a big hectic city like Rome and where you can even learn more about other great civilizations besides the Romans. One of such places is Cerveteri, located a one hour bus ride away from the city, whose pride is an Etruscan cemetery (Necropoli della Banditaccia) that was recently nominated World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

To get to Cerveteri take the red subway line and get off at Anagnina. Only a few meters away you will find a Cotral bus stop. The buses depart regularly during the day (you can check thes schedule here) and you can buy the tickets for them in the Tabacchi shops around the subway station (by the way, it’s advisable to buy your return ticket beforehand, since Cerveteri is not that big of a town and if the Tabacchi shop over there is closed you might find difficult to get tickets).

The ride is a very pleasant one. Once you leave the bus you will find yourself in the main square of the town, facing and impressive castle. From there just follow the signals to get to the Etruscan Cementery. You can buy a ticket that includes both the cementery and the Etuscan museum; this is the best option, since most of the tombs don’t have any objects inside them anymore.

It will take you more or less two hours to see everything. You will be waling in an open field and you will be visiting the tombs aided by a map provided at the entrance ofg the site.The experience is certainly exciting but as I mentioned above, all the objects originally placed inside the tombs have been removed, which substracts some interest to the visit. You can stop at the lunch area located inside the site to grab a bite. I did it myself, and even though the food wasn’t anything extraordinary the kindness of the staff and the view made up for it.

All in all, an interesting visit and a refresing option for those looking from something different while in Rome.

As always, send us an e-mail if you need help with accomodation, or drop me a line to tell me about your experiences in and around Rome.

A fantastic journey back in time that will engage and amaze every audience. The exhibition holds 51 robotic dinosaurs and 14 scenarios of natural size, which differs a lot compared to classical museums.

This unique experience will involve the whole family, parents and kids will live through the adventure and learn what our planet was like 60 million years ago.

Your appointment with the dinos is at the Fiera di Roma from November 18 to January 18, 2012. The Fiera can be easily reached from Rome using the train that goes from Tiburtina Station to the Fiumicino Airport (Stop “Fiera di Roma”)

To have the best vacation in Rome. check our rates at Hotel Des Artistes and Yes Hotel to find the most comfortable accomodation at the most affordable rates!

Don’t forget: your best options to enjoy all the history and magic of the Eternal City are Hotel Des Artistes and Yes Hotel!

Well, these days are strange in Rome. With so many cancelled flights due to the cloud of volcanic ashes hanging over Europe, not everyone is paying attention to one of the most interesting cultural campaingns to take place each year in Italy: the Culture Week.

Like every year this 2010 many interesting activities will take place and besides many of the most famous monuments in Rome can be visited for free! Yes, from April 16 to 25 you will be able to visit the Roman Forum, the CoIosseum and many other great monuments for free, or almost: by instance, to visit the Capitoline museums you would pay only 4,50 Euros, since there is an additional axhibition taking place right now.

We have selected for you some of the most interesting options when it comes to activities. You will find our picks at the bottom of this page.

And don’t forget: your best options for accomodation in Rome are Hotel Des Artistes and Yes Hotel. Contact us today, or make a reservation through our website!

When one thinks of the most mad men that have ever existed in history Caligula’s name appears among the top ten for sure. His real name was Gaius Caesar Germanico, but he gained his dubious G fame as Caligula (from the term Caliga, a military sandal).

The problem of evil is compounded by a fact: the power. The power multiplying the extent of their evil. Throughout his life, you can see how close power was to him. He gives the perfect example of how a man go mad for power.

At the very moment he assumed the authority as the Emperor, Caligula gives a clear proof of his deviant nature. When his uncle Tiberius (who had adopted him) was lying on his bed dying Caligula was proclaimed emperor (Tiberius had been already given up for dead). When the ‘’dead’’ asked for a glass of water, Caligula, who was already wearing the imperial ring, was terrified. Then Macro (a friend), intending to make things simple, decided to suffocate Tiberius with a pillow. Simple indeed, easy and clean.

Caligula was not an attractive man, emphasizing his terrifying aspect by his habit of continually testing various grimaces with which he wanted to scare even further the people around him. The Emperor intentionally practiced sadism that was not limited to the physical but also psychological, through the eyes, transmitting fear by his look. He loved to be hated as long as his was feared.

His mental instability was clear even to him, and he seriously considered withdrawing from imperial power and putting himself in the hands of those who could heal him. His illness was not unique, a result of very high fevers suffered in early childhood.

Surprisingly enough, Caligula inaugurated his reign by the exercise of a tolerant policy as a reaction to the evil of despotism of his predecessor, his patron Tiberius. He established the elections in which judges were chosen by vote. Moreover, no one denied his love for the disadvantaged and their hatred for the rich, something which was to be his undoing.

In these early days, he won the support of the Romans, who loved him. Nevertheless everything went wrong when, in just one year, all the treasure he had inherited from Tiberius was spent, some 2,700 million sesterces, having to fill that huge hole with new and burdensome taxes, with no exception to anyone.

During his many disappointments, feeling secure in absolute ruin, he arrived to beg in the Roman streets … While suffering the fever of misery more or less imaginary, but no less obsessive, he went to confiscate the assets of his own sisters.

Caligula soon forgot his first period of golden reign, perhaps suffering a mental illness that led to endless nights of insomnia. He also continued to suffer from horrific attacks of epilepsy, which increased the Emperor’s cruelty.

His schizophrenia made him hate, for the most part famous contemporary writers, ordering the destruction (although in the end it didn’t succeed) of all the works of Homer, Virgil, Livy and others…

As proof of his eccentricities during a serious illness that appeared to be the final straw, Caligula appointed his beloved sister and wife as his successor(for He felt an irrepresible incestuous love ). He used to justified this unusual relationship with examples of his beloved Egypt.

At banquets, the emperor used to scrutinize the ladies in attendance, and wouldn’t avoid skirt lifting. He also enjoyed divorcing. In the absence of their husbands, high-ranking women would have relationships with him.

To talk even more about his absurd behaviour, Caligula appointed his favourite horse Incitatus (Impetuous) as a Roman Consul , endowed with abundant servitude at their disposal.

He said once: ‘’I wish that people only had one head so it could be cut just once’’

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He kept a personal account at his own large brothel, built within the walls of his palace, and it was a flourishing business.

The executions he ordered were so numerous in amount that sometimes there was no reason for it, such as the poet Aletto, who was burned alive because the emperor believed he used rhetoric in some verses of his writing.

To illustrate his wickedness, another of his phrases was: "Hurt them, so by that they realize they will die."

Eventually Caligula was murdered as a result of his abuse. He died to find his limits. He who had played with the limits of power claiming to be a God. The death came to remind him about his mortal nature.

The lesson of Caligula’s life is the danger of unlimited power in human nature, which in itself is limited and imperfect. Power, fear, madness, death. Caligula …

To learn more about this great ruler and the rest of ancient Roman history, come and visit the eternal city at Lucci Hotel.

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.

Further, besides this ‘’big’’ inventions we have the kind of that helps in daily life, when you have fever you use the Galileo’s thermometer created in 1593, when another kind of fever appears you may use the condom invented by Gabrielle Fallopio (you have hear that name for sure) in 1564. While having a beautiful promenade in Rome during the summer you take an ice cream cone, saying thanks to Italo Marconi, the inventor, or you prefer a coffee perhaps, an espresso prepared with the espresso machine of Achille Gaggia (1946). 

It is not finish yet: electric battery by Alessandro Volta in 1800, vermouth by Antonio Benedetto Carpano in 1786, liposuction! In 1974 by Giorgio Fischer, the nuclear reactor by Enrico Fermi, Bartolomeo Cristofori in the early 18^th century worked to invent the piano or pianoforte, in 1643 Evangelista Torricelli left us the barometer etc.

An special mention we reserve for the great Leonardo.

Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most famous Italians of the Renaissance. He is known for his research, his art, and his intriguing inventions. One of his designs from 1483 included sketches and instructions for what would one day become a parachute. More examples of his discoveries in:

Mechanics

The scientist investigated a system of Pulleys, machines known since ancient times, for the lifting of heavy objects during the construction of yards and foundries. He proposed a Gearshift similar to that used in today’s cars and a programmable self-propelled Robotic Automobile.

Hydraulics

Using his knowledge of mechanical engineering, Leonardo designed a Paddle Vessel/Boat with Shovels an Excavator/Dredger.

Italy: its beauties, inventions and genius

Military Machinery

A Boat with a Double Hull that would stay afloat if its outer layer were breached; a submarine; a Vessel with Scythe (Escorpio) to slash an enemy ship’s sails; and a rotating single-gun Naval Cannon. Perhaps the invention with the most far-reaching consequences was an Underwater Breathing Device.

It has been played during centuries reflecting somehow the way people lived. The game itself changed during this long period of time. Some are bold to say that some changes in the world has been inspired by the game. In the 18^th century a famous chess player called Philidor declared that ‘’The pawns are the soul of the chess’’. Few years later the French Revolution happened. Coincidence?

There are many similarities between chess and war strategy, for example the principle observing that an attack from the centre should be respond by an attack from the sides. Simulation strategies and the knowing of the operational set described by Sun Tzu in the Art of War, can be perfectly matched with the features of the game.

Not only war and politics but also art is reflected in this magic and mysterious game. In the 19^th was played the so called Romantic Chess. It was full of emotion, sacrifices in search for beauty as the supreme goal beyond the result, a romantic conception of life.

What if we go even further back in time? If you look at the way a chess board is set up, you will realize that chess is a history of medieval times in miniature. The different chess pieces on the board symbolize a picture of medieval life with its many ceremonies, grandeur, and wars.

No one really knows for sure in which country it originated, or when.

Many centuries ago chess was played in China, India, and Persia In the eighth century, armies of Arabs known as Moors invaded Persia. The Moors learned chess from the Persians, later invaded Spain, the soldiers brought the game of chess with them. And so the Spanish were playing chess, too. From Spain, chess quickly spread throughout all of Europe.

The pawns on the chess board represent serfs. There are more of them than any other piece on the board, and often they are sacrificed to save the more valuable pieces.

In medieval times, serfs were considered no more than property of landowners. Life was brutally hard for serfs during this era of history. They worked hard and died young. They were often left unprotected while wars raged around them. They could be traded, used as a diversion, or even sacrificed to allow the landowners to escape harm.

The castle piece on a chess board is the home, or the refuge, just as it was a home in medieval times. In chess, each side has two castles, or rooks, as they are sometimes called.

The knight on a chess board represents the professional soldier of medieval times whose job it was to protect persons of rank. Knights in a game of chess are more important than pawns, but less important than bishops, kings, or queens.

The bishop in the game represents the church. The church was a rich and mighty force in medieval times, and religion played a large part in every person’s life. It is no wonder that a figure that represented the concept of religion found its way into the game. A bishop was the name for a priest in the Catholic church who had risen through the ranks to a more powerful position..

The queen is the only piece on the board that represents a woman, and she is the most powerful piece of the game! Many people do not realize that queens in medieval times often held a powerful, position. The king was often guided by her advice, and in many cases the queen played games of intrigue at court..

The king is the tallest piece on the board, and is as well defended on the chessboard as in medieval life. In medieval times, the surrender of the king would mean the loss of the kingdom to invading armies and that could mean change for the worse. The king is the most important, but not the most powerful piece in chess. If you do not protect your king, you lose the game. 

Marostica Human Chess

If you visit Italy on the second weekend of September in even-numbered years, the little town of Marostica comes alive with the unique spectacle of a life-size chess game played out in the central square. The games are reconstructions of various historical world championship games, and are played out by authentically-costumed participants on an enormous chessboard, accompanied by fireworks, music and performances which complement the action.

Something to add to the list of mysterious cases and chess. The legend Robert James Fischer died unexpectedly during a regular health check at the age of 64. The exact number of squares in the board…