Also known as the Eternal City, Rome is the capital of Italy, its largest city, and home to landmarks like the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Trevi Fountain.
This is also where you will find Vatican City, also known as the Holy See. Completely surrounded by the Italian capital, Vatican City is where you can visit St. Peter’s Basilica and see Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel.
Deciding on a favorite piece of art in Italy is similar to picking a favorite child: it’s an impossible task. On some days, when thinking about Italy’s great art works, a certain color combo will grab me or maybe a dark mood has me preferring chiaroscuro over lighter fare. At any rate, this month’s Italy…
Rome is city of obelisks. Here is information on five obelisks that you’ll definitely see while visiting the Eternal City.
If you don’t know what to do on a rainy day in Rome, try these suggestions.
Five recipes from Rome that are easy to enjoy anywhere. Eleonora Baldwin shares her favorite Roman recipes.
Coming up with three of my best travel secrets for Italy is no easy task. Alas, I’ve been tagged by Robin Locker at My Mélange to come up with my list, just as she has over at her blog. In fact, since I had difficulty paring down my favorites, I’ve come up with my non-Italy…
Romantic Rome is a very popular place for couples. Nearly every cobbled street in the Eternal City, at least in the city center, inspires a romantic gesture, a kiss, or even a proposal. It is folly to try to list all of the romantic spots in Rome. But here are nine places — some obvious,…
From extensive catacombs to spooky church tombs, Rome is like an instant haunted house and is a great place to visit during Halloween.
Rome’s leafy Protestant Cemetery is the final resting place for Keats, Shelley, and Gramsci.
Skiing and sledding within a tank of gas from Rome.
Unlike Greece, Italy isn’t a land of islands. Sure, there’s Sicily, Capri, and the Tuscan Archipelago, which includes Elba. But there is also a small set of islands in the Tyrrhenian Sea between Rome and Naples that, according to Guy Dinmore of The Financial Times, “offer a safer and saner way to travel” for those…
Rome’s famous Renaissance street, Via Giulia, is celebrating its 500th anniversary this year. And, the New York Times‘ Elisabeth Rosenthal provides the history and descriptions of the streets’ sites in her article A Stroll in Rome With a Papal Pedigree. Usually an unharried street, Via Giulia is set to be quite busy this year with…
Many travelers who visit Rome in the summer often forget that the beaches of the Tyrrhenian Sea are as close as half an hour away. The region of Lazio has many beautiful beaches up and down its 360 km/224 mi coastline, some of which are ideal for a day trip from Rome while others merit…
It’s one thing to go to Italy and bring back photos, cheap souvenirs, and designer clothing that you could have bought at just about any department store or outlet. It’s quite another to bring back items that Italy is known for – quality leather, handmade paper, artisan chocolate, etc. That’s why I really like…
San Giovanni in Laterano (St. John Lateran) is the basilica dedicated to the Bishop of Rome, better known as the Pope. It is where the Pope delivers his Holy Week address on Holy Thursday. This massive church not far from the Colosseum is one of four ancient papal basilicas along with St. Peter’s, Saint Paul Outside…
Santa Maria Maggiore, known in English as St. Mary Major, is one of the four papal basilicas in Rome along with San Giovanni in Laterano, San Paolo Fuori Le Mura, and St. Peter’s Basilica. It is located on the Esquilino, one of seven hills of Rome. The largest church in Rome dedicated to the Virgin…
San Paolo Fuori Le Mura, known in English as Saint Paul Outside the Walls, is one of the most important churches in Rome. It houses the shrine of Saint Paul. Along with St. Peter’s, San Giovanni in Laterano, and Santa Maria Maggiore, San Paolo is one of Catholicism’s four patriarchal basilicas. Each of the four…
Update: Admission to the Roman Forum is included in the combined ticket for the Parco Colosseo Archeological Area Well, it was fun while it lasted. According to the folks at Dream of Italy and Tony Polzer from 3 Milennia Tours, the Roman Forum will begin to charge admission as of March 9th. Tony lays out…
So, you’ve made it all the way to Rome but wish your vacation time allowed you to visit the other UNESCO Heritage Sites in Italy? Have no fear! According to the U.K.’s Italy Magazine, an exhibit of 120 photographs of Italy’s heritage sites will be on display at the Central National Library. The exhibition will…