What a day! We’re having snow, serious snow, for the first time in a long time in Rome. Get ready because tomorrow you’ll get the photographic evidence!

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.

First on my list (let’s see what Liam comes up with!) is the church of San Luigi dei Francesi, located near the Pantheon.
From the outside the church looks pretty much like any other church in Rome; you might not imagine that inside you can find an artistic treasure many museums would kill to have, and here it’s available for free: all you have to do it’s walk in!

Inside the church you will find many chapels with religious works of art that, of course, are great but in the end they all almost blur in your mind. That is, until you get to see the Caravaggios. Even if you don’t know anything about art, and just happen to stumble upon the curch by sheer luck you will immediatly be able to tell that here we are dealing not only with an artisan, but with a master and a visionary.

Caravaggio’s works (there are three of them at San Luigi) are vibrant, human and stunning, unlike other religious works of art you will find inside most churches in Rome. I can assure you the passion and strenght that comes off them will become one of your most treasured art memories- and you will get it for free!

You can learn more about Caravaggio and his troubled life on Wikipedia – where else? ; )  To get to San Luigi dei Francesi you can take the bus 40 from Termini. Get off at Largo Argentina and the follow this map we have dutifully put together for your walking pleasure.

If you need accomodation in the city don’t hesitate to write us or visit our website. And while you’re on the internets why don’t you drop me a line to tell me about your Caravaggio experience? It’ll be great to hear from you.

Have a great time!

Our blogger today: Raul

In Rome, the place that is regarded as the best for espresso is Bar Sant’Eustachio. The place was opened in 1938 and it’s almost mythical among the horde of caffeine consumers in the capital. They have their own website where you can buy their celebrated blend to enjoy the best coffee in the eternal city even if you cannot come here personally!

But of course, there is nothing like the real deal: even if the place might seem hardly out of the ordinary from the outside, you cannot help but feel as if you are steping into a sort of temple when you walk into Sant’ Eustachio. The employees have a sacerdotal gravitas to them and clients are advised to let the personel known if they want their espresso without sugar, since you get your coffee with the right amount of sugar already on it- something not many cafes in the city do. Maybe it has to do with the fact that some suspect that the sugar is actually an important part of their secret!

Sant’Eustachio is located at Piazza Sant’Eustachio 32, near Navona square. If you are staying at Yes Hotel or Hotel Des Artistes, or anywhere near the Termini station you can take the bus 40 from the station to get there (get off at the station “Argentina”). Here you have a map showing the bus route and the part you would have to do walking from the bus stop.

Have a great vacation and do not hesitate to contact us for accomodation if you are staying in Rome!

Our Blogger today: Raul

In June 2002, with the release of a new album, “Songs About Jane” certified four times platinum, which produced four hit singles: the famous “This Love,” “She Will Be Loved”, “Harder to Breathe” and  ” Sunday Morning “.

In March 2007 the album “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long”, preceded by the single “Makes Me Wonder”, which reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

Things will not change in 2010, when Maroon 5 will release the album “Hands All Over”, as it is very immediate and pleasant in their style, just like their smash hit Songs About Jane,Out in 2011, “Moves like Jagger” with Christina Aguilera, which immediately became a great success, and reaching the heights of charts worldwide.

After cancelling the beginning of  their 2011 European tour, Maroon 5 are now ready to be forgiven by their fans announcing the new Italian dates! Two chances to see Maroon 5 live:

Saturday, December 10 – Rome, Atlantic Area

Sunday, December 11 – Milan, Alcatraz.

Like Jazz? Love Rome? Then your in for a treat this october in the eternal city. A very talented young lady by the name of Tess Amodeo-Vickery will be performing in The Cotton Club on the 20^th and in Mahalia on the 26th October.

Tess’ tantalising voice will keep you in your seat for hours. She flirts with her audience and keeps the room alive. Don’t miss her, you will enjoy it.

The Cotton club is located at via Bellinzona 2, near Bologna square. Mahalia  is on via Illa 12, near the subway station Furio Camillo (red subway line).

Contact us at Hotel Des Artistes and Yes Hotel to get the best of Rome at the most affordable rates.

Our blogger today: Liam

Wether you’re a vegetarian or enjoy a big sandwhich full of prosciutto crudo, they will do it all. The atmosphere is a very friendly one and the guys who run it are a couple of characters; they will help you feel right at home. And when you’ve finished with your food they’ll make you a nice smoothie with fresh fruit and many different recipes that they’ve concocted.

Fa’Bio It’s located on Via Germanico 43, just off Via Ottaviano. To get there just take the red subway line and get off at Ottaviano/ Musei Vaticani.

Hope you enjoy!

And don’t forget: your best options for accomodation in Rome are Hotel Des Artistes and Yes Hotel! Just drop us a line or call us (+39 064454365) to make a reservation or ask us a question.

Our blogger: Liam

This garden is the perfect place to unwind after a day spent visiting the city, but also the place where you will see a door that hides the Piazza of the Knights of Malta, closed to the public, but you can see peering out of the lock …

Rome we know more or less. But not everyone knows that in addition to St. Peter, Coliseum, Castel Sant’Angelo, Piazza Navona and other famous monuments there are lesser-known small and great wonders that deserve our attention in the same way. Some tips to follow to not lose all that Rome did not want to, hide in the shadow of the greatest works

The Delicious square eighteenth century, the fence and the entrance to the villa of the Priory of Malta are the work of Giambattista Pirenesi, who also found the original of the keyhole of the door, through which, with a view to a tunnel formed by avenue of trees specially cut, you see the dome of St. Peter (beautiful view at night, when, on festive occasions, the giant dome is lit).

After a walk to the ‘Parco degli Aranci’ – the romantic garden in winter and summer – we suggest you peep this view at sunset, when the first light of evening light in color and brightness of the Roman countryside. So is the Parco degli Aranci that before you put the lock of the door of access to what is known as ‘Villa of the Priory of Malta’. ….. you’ll see something really nice! And not to forget!

This important building is the historic seat of the Grand Priory of Rome of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Has the right of extraterritoriality in 1869. It houses the embassies of the order, and to the Holy See and to the Italian. Inside the beautiful, lush garden is the Church of Santa Maria del Priorat, called ‘Santa Maria Aventina’, which was renovated by Giovanni Battista Piranesi in 1765 rearranged the main entrance of the Palace.

The view from this oasis of peace, unknown to many tourists, is wonderful and the pictures may not match reality.

It has a wide view, which stands er dome of St. Peter’s and other architectural wonders of Rome

Entertainment guaranteed.

If you stay with us at the Hotel des Artistes you can reach  this wonderful place in just 20 min!

Our blogger: Rhodora

A Giugno,la gara di motocross freestyle sarà ancora una volta a Roma per portare un’ondata di adrenalina a tutti gli amanti degli sport estremi.

Anche quest’anno, come nel 2010, il famoso energy drink Red Bull porterà a Roma alcuni dei più abili piloti di motocross freestyle per sorprendere il pubblico entusiasta che affollerà lo Stadio Olimpico.

La competizione acrobatica sta girando il mondo e continua ad incrementare la sua popolarità che ha raggiunto livelli notevoli nella tappa di Brasilia dove ha radunato circa 100.000 persone.           Sin dalla prima edizione, tenutasi in Spagna nel 2001, l’appuntamento di Roma, la città dei gladiatori, è sempre speciale anche per la location in cui è ambientata la gara: un moderno Colosseo!

I piloti si sfideranno in acrobazie sempre più difficili e spettacolari che lasceranno senza fiato la folla dello Stadio Olimpico.

Non perdete la possibilità di partecipare ad uno dei più estremi eventi sportivi del mondo: compra subito il biglietto e prenota il tuo soggiorno a Yes Hotel o Hotel des Artistes, il modo più vantaggioso per alloggiare a Roma!

Lovers of Fantasy are familiar with Mister Michael Ende. His works have been translated into more than 40 languages. Now there is an exhibition in Rome to commemorate the years that he spent in Italy and the thirtieth anniversary of his Masterpiece: ‘’ The Neverending Story’’.

The book describes the world of Fantasia which is being threatened by “The Nothing” an evil force that destroys everything. The story aims to keep us in touch with the imagination against the trend to be only a practical, logical and cold…

The ‘’mostra’’ develops through manuscripts, photographs and different documents, describing the fifteen years that Ende lived in Genzano (about thirty miles from Rome).

We hope you enjoy it and that you also find inspiration in our beautiful City of Rome. Maybe the same inspiration that Michael Ende and other authors have found here, in this eternally- neverending-inspiring City.