Excellent news: After being closed for 20 years, the 2,300-year-old tombs of the Scipio family have been reopened to the public. More over at my post for the New York Times here.
Two More Art Opportunities in Rome
A fan of art? And of Rome? Then you’ll be happy to know that two new opportunities for viewing some of the city’s best pieces have just opened up—on both the modern and Renaissance sides.
Check out my two latest pieces, “Palazzo Farnese Now Offers English Tours” and “A Home for Art Reopens in Rome,” for the New York Times. (Photo: Massimo Siragusa for the Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Roma Capitale).
Obscured Frescoes See the Light in Rome, for the NYT
A fan of restorations that reveal art as it was meant to be seen? Me too. So I’m liking the “big reveal” that took place this fall at the Palazzo Quirinale, unveiling decorations by Cortona and his students for the first time in 200 years. For more, check out my latest In Transit post here. (Photo: Palazzo Quirinale press office).
Christmas in Rome: Some Serious Lights
This year, Rome is celebrating Christmas with some of the glitteriest, prettiest lights I’ve seen. Ever. And since that includes the decorations that glitter-bomb American shopping malls and cul-de-sac neighborhoods every year, that’s saying quite a bit.
Here, just a few twinkly tastes of the most Christmas-sy corners of Rome. Photos—and even a couple of short videos—to follow.
Prepare to be dazzled.
Piazza Venezia
Via dei Coronari
Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina
Colosseum Christmas tree
Piazza Sant’Eustachio
Near Piazza Navona
Presepio at the Church of Sant’Eustachio
Via dei Baullari, toward Campo dei Fiori
Via Urbana in Monti
Piazza Venezia, looking toward the Vittorio Emanuele monument
Looking up Via del Corso from Piazza Venezia
Via dei Condotti
Near the Spanish Steps
The Fendi store on Via del Corso
Via dei Coronari
Via dei Condotti, looking toward the Spanish Steps
Via dei Condotti
Piazza Sant’Eustachio, with the Church of Sant’Eustachio in the background
Via Tomacelli
Liked this post? You’ll love The Revealed Rome Handbook, which includes many more tips and tricks like these in more than 200 information-packed — but never overwhelming! — pages. It’s available for purchase on Amazon or through my site here! I’m also free for one-on-one consulting sessions to help plan your Italy trip.
In the NYT: Show Explores Rome’s Role in the Renaissance
Turns out, it’s not all about Florence: A show at the Fondazione Roma proves just how much of a role Rome played in the Renaissance. Learn more by checking out my post on the “Renaissance in Rome” show over at the New York Times’ In Transit blog.
9 Things to Do in Rome at Christmas (Updated for 2019)
If you’re in Rome at Christmas, you’re in luck! As always, there are absolutely tons of ways to get into the holiday spirit.
Here’s the best of what to do in Rome at Christmas. (And don’t miss my ultimate guide to visiting Rome at Christmas!).
1. See the Pope. Over the Christmas season, you’ve got lots of opportunities, from midnight mass (although getting tickets can be tricky) to “Urbi et Orbi” on Christmas Day (no tickets needed). Here’s more on how exactly to see the Pope throughout December and January.
2. Head to a Christmas market. They pop up all over Rome at Christmas. The most famous is, of course, that in Piazza Navona (both at top and below). Here’s a list of other Rome Christmas markets.
3. Worship — in English. For years, the American Catholic church of Santa Susanna was the go-to for English Mass. But after being “evicted” by the cloistered nuns (well, okay then!), the community moved in August 2017 to St. Patrick’s Church, near the US Embassy. Once again this Christmas, they’re hosting a variety of Masses and other ceremonies in English. For non-Catholics, the Anglican Church of All Saints’ Church holds holiday services, including the Service of Nine Lessons with Carols, and the St. Andrews Presbyterian Church of Scotland has services throughout the Christmas season. Other churches with non-Catholic services in English during Christmas include the American Episcopal Church of St. Paul’s Within the Walls, the Methodist Church at Ponte Sant’Angelo, and the non-denominational Cavalry Chapel.
4. Go ice-skating. Skate underneath the iconic silhouette of Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo (to be confirmed for 2018 — check here). Other skating rinks in Rome include those at the Auditorium, Re di Roma, Tor di Quinto, and Villa Gordiani.
5. Delve into the tradition of Italian nativity scenes. As well as Christmas cribs popping up in churches all over town, Rome boasts both a museum of more than 3,000 of them and, over Christmas, an exhibition of 200 presepi from artists across the globe (now in its 41st year). Here’s my New York Times piece on where to find presepi in Rome. (The article’s old, but the information’s still good).
6. Check out the Christmas lights. Decorations are getting more ambitious every year, with gorgeous twinklings (and light projections, and jumbo screens) lighting up not only the heart of Rome’s centro storico, but even Termini, EUR, and the Fiumicino airport. Don’t believe me? Check out my photo post of the prettiest lights and decorations in Rome at Christmas!
7. Hear some holiday music. The internationally-renowned academy of Santa Cecilia hosts several Christmas choral concerts in December.
9. Enjoy delicious Christmas sweets. Bakeries are brimming over with yummy holiday offerings like panettone, torrone and pandoro (above). If you’re in Rome at Christmas, make sure to taste the goods. It’s the one time of year that even Italians over-indulge in the sweet stuff!
Also: the 5 most overrated things to do in Rome, how to start planning your trip to Rome, and 11 etiquette mistakes not to make eating in Italy.
If you liked this post, you’ll love The Revealed Rome Handbook: Tips and Tricks for Exploring the Eternal City, available for purchase on Amazon or through my site here! I’m also free for one-on-one consulting sessions to help plan your Italy trip.
Looking for Leather in Rome? Head to Armando Rioda
It’s the perfect gift from Italy: a handmade leather wallet. Or purse. Or passport-holder. But in Rome, figuring out where to go for an artisanal leather souvenir can be tough. There’s not even a leather market here, like there is in Florence (not that most of the leather there even seems to, ahem, be from Italy).
Enter Armando Rioda.
Although it’s in the heart of the Spanish Steps neighborhood, Armando Rioda is a molto local secret. It’s hidden on the second floor of a residential palazzo, and you have to ring the buzzer to enter; its name doesn’t even hang outside the building’s door. But it’s where leather-lovers in the know go.
Since 1949, the workshop (above… and below) has been turning out handmade leather goods by request. As proof of Armando Rioda’s craftsmanship, well-heeled Romans come here to get their Gucci purses and Prada jackets repaired (talk about trust!).
For 50 euros and up, you can get a wallet handmade here; for 100 euros and up, a purse. They also do luggage, tote bags, even jackets. Pricey, perhaps—but for a unique, handmade leather gift, hardly unfair.
I first ventured there last year, looking for a Christmas gift for my father: a leather passport holder. I wasn’t satisfied with the machine-made ones I’d seen in stores, so decided to give an artisanal shop a try.
I can’t remember how I found out about this place. But I was glad I did. The guys inside, including the owner, were friendly and passionate about their work. (I’m not sure, however, how much English they spoke, so if your Italian is zilch, you might want to call first to ask).
Although there were some already-(hand)made passport-holders, wallets and purses for sale, I decided to have one made from scratch. I got to pick the leather (smooth or pebbled, brown or black—and, for that matter, leather or something zanier, like snakeskin) and the monogram (I went for a gold stamp). As well as being on a money budget, I was on a time constraint: I was leaving for the U.S. at the end of the week.
In three days, I came back to pick up a beautiful, handmade passport-holder. The cost? Fifty euros.
Needless to say, my dad loved it.
Armando Rioda is located at Via Belsiana 90. Like lots of traditional shops, they have traditional hours: from 9am-1pm and 4pm-8pm. Call +39 0669924406 for more.
Update, April 2017: The artisans behind Armando Rioda have parted ways, meaning that Armando Rioda is now basically two locations.
One location is at Via delle Carrozze n.16, on the second floor; ring number 6 on the bell “Pelletteria Nives”. Call Nives (one of the owners) at +39 3385370233 or Vinicio (the other owner) at +39 3333370831 to double-check their hours before stopping by.
The other location, which is called Rioda, is at Via del Cancello 14/15. To double-check their hours, you can call them at +39 066784942 or email them at rioda1950@gmail.com.
Yes, You Can Buy Colosseum Underground Tours Online. But It Remains Closed
In mid-October, the Colosseum announced it would keep the hypogeum and third level open through the end of December. And then, just a few days later, it announced that, actually, the underground was closing—thanks to the flooding of the delicate underground area.
Let’s make one thing clear: Since late October, the Colosseum underground has remained closed. There has not been any announcement about when, or if, it will reopen this winter. [Update, April 5 2012: Colosseum officials just announced that the underground will reopen this Saturday, April 7].
But if, having done some research online, you’re confused about if that’s actually the case, I don’t blame you. Here’s why: You can still “buy” the underground tour online.
Different tour companies offer tours of the Colosseum underground. The first, Walks of Italy—which I freelance for—immediately stopped selling its VIP Colosseum tour, which included the underground as well as the third tier, Forum and Palatine, as soon as the Colosseum’s underground closed. In other words, you can no longer book the Colosseum underground tour on their site.
Confusingly, however, Dark Rome is still selling the Colosseum underground tour—and in their tour description, there isn’t any mention of the fact that the underground is currently closed (and has been for weeks). (Like Walks of Italy, their tour also includes the Palatine, Forum and the rest of the Colosseum). Even when I clicked all the way through to the checkout to buy the tour, there was no mention that the underground is closed.
To be fair, the underground could reopen, even in the next few days… maybe. But continuing to sell the tour as if it’s exactly the same, for €89, without a single mention that the underground is currently closed and no plans have been announced for its opening? Hmm.
To make sure I understood correctly, I emailed Dark Rome to ask if it was possible to book the tour to see the Colosseum underground for this coming week. The reservations agent replied quickly, telling me that yes, the tour was still running, although due to flooding, the underground would be closed.
I asked if the price of the tour was the same.”If you book this tour, we will refund 12% of the price of the tour after you have taken the tour. This is because we are unsure when the Underground will open,” she responded. But in a following email, she added, “This refund is only due if you take the tour and the Underground is closed. If the Underground is open you will not be entitled to a refund.”
So. Book now, and if—big surprise!—the underground is closed, something you’d have no idea of from their description, you get just 12% of your €89 back. Or about €10. After you take the tour.
Right.
You also can “buy” the underground Colosseum tour with Viator (which—can we finally clarify this?—is NOT a tour company, but a tour consolidator, one that sells lots of other companies’ offerings. In fact, I am 99% sure that this tour is the same one as Dark Rome’s). This description, too, makes it sound as if the underground tour is just fine and dandy. Even worse, the most recent comments that show up don’t mention that the underground is closed (at least they do on Dark Rome’s site). It’s sold as an “upgrade,” costing you, once again, €89.
Then there’s Tickitaly, which, from what I understand, sells the tour with an official Colosseum guide, charging more simply for the convenience of booking online. They’re still selling the underground tour, too.
At least, however, they have this paragraph: “Please be aware that it’s possible the dungeons may not be able to be visited. Recent flash flooding in Rome meant that the underground areas of the Colosseum were closed and as yet there is no firm news on when they’ll reopen—we expected it to be days, not weeks, and the authorities will give us no hard information. It’s usually the case that when something changes we’ll be given just a few hours notice and with this in mind we are still taking bookings for these tours, given that the upper levels are open and the dungeons may be open. We do not offer refunds if the underground areas are closed (for security reasons or due to flooding after heavy rain). Your guide will, nonetheless, give a full explanation and history of the subterranean zones.”
So… be aware. Even if you can “buy” this tour online, that doesn’t mean that Dark Rome, Tickitaly or anyone else has a secret access pass to get you into the flooded areas.
Underground-seekers, take heed. It’s tough to trust marketing these days.
Addendum: I thought long and hard about writing this, especially with the choice to include the names of the agencies in question. However, for purposes of transparency and delivering the most useful information to my readers possible, I’ve made it a policy on my blog to always include names of the places I’m writing about, including both places I love… and those that I think treat tourists unfairly. I don’t think vagueness serves anyone, least of all travelers trying to get a handle on a foreign city.
Finally, I’ve been following the Colosseum underground from the moment it opened. I have, for better or worse, helped create the buzz around it that there is. So I feel a little responsible for the marketing hoo-ha that’s ensued—and also feel that it’s my responsibility to expose when that marketing isn’t 100% honest. If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.
The $10 Purchase That Can Save Your Italy Trip
Rome looks peaceful at night… but looks can be deceiving.
First, let’s make one thing clear: I am a greedy sleeper.
Ask anyone who’s known me for a while, and they’ll tell you. Anything less than 8 hours of sleep and I become a grouch. That’s if I’m just sitting at home. If I actually have to do something—like move, think, write, or, worst of all, travel—then it’s simply impossible.
As well as annoying everyone around me, my underslept self is also one that could be in the most beautiful city in the world (like, say, Rome), and not even notice the little things that I moved here for, like the friendly barista at my local cafe wishing me “Buon giorno” (what do you mean, it’s a good morning) or the beautiful light on the Colosseum (ugh, what a *$&@!!!-ing tourist trap).
But here’s the thing. I may need more sleep than some most. But in not managing very well on a lack of sleep, I don’t think I’m that different from anyone else.
If you’re coming to Rome, I think that’s particularly important to keep in mind. After all, traveling can be stressful. Traveling in a city even more so. And traveling in a foreign city, one where you have to figure out everything from the local public transport system to how to order the kind of coffee you want? Still worse.
And for many people, the one thing that can dull your decisionmaking abilities, as well as your enjoyment of what’s going on around you, is not feeling physically up to snuff.
Making matters worse, it can be a little trickier to get a good night’s sleep in Rome than back home.
For one, if you’re not a city-dweller already, you might not be used to having such close neighbors. Even in that private-seeming apartment or B&B, you’ll be living practically on top of other Romans (above, the common sight of hanging laundry): I’ve written before about how common it is to hear everything from a babies’ cries to domestic spats while, say, cooking dinner.
That’s exacerbated by the fact that a lot of the walls in Italian buildings just don’t seem to be as thick and soundproof as those back home. Many apartment buildings and hotels in Rome were previously structures that belonged to one family; when they were later turned into housing for more people, walls were thrown up to create separate living spaces. Needless to say, these often can be paper-thin.
Aside from the noise from inside the building, you have what’s going on outside to contend with. Rome is (duh) a (wonderful, fascinating, beautiful, chaotic) city. With lots of traffic. And people.
And forget noise-blocking double-glazed windows. Hardly any apartments, B&Bs or moderately-priced hotels have them. In fact, I’ve done a lot of writing about hotels lately—with another article on them upcoming—and I’ve been consistently surprised by just how few of even Rome’s luxury hotels have invested in double-glazed windows.
(Tip: If your hotel is on a main thoroughfare, like Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Via del Corso or Via Nazionale, or if it’s near an area known for late-night festivities, like Campo dei Fiori or Via San Giovanni in Laterano, ask about the windows. If they’re not double-glazed, ask for a room that doesn’t face the street. And invest in the $10 trip-saver that I’m getting to).
So. All of this is to say: You could do as I’ve done many nights before, being awoken by anything from the person who lives upstairs who finds it necessary to walk in high heels across the wood floor at 3am, to the construction work that simply must start in the building’s courtyard at 7am, to the party on the street outside that continues to sunrise. Again, while these are the pitfalls of staying in an apartment or B&B, they’re more than possible at hotels, too—the last occurrence happened to me while staying at a nice business hotel in Naples two weeks ago.
Or… you could buy earplugs.
Foam ones work. My favorites, though, are wax earplugs, which (even though the idea is sound of gross) are great for molding right into your ear, and tend to fall out less. You can get them at any pharmacy in Italy (ask for “tappi per le orecchie”). Or, if you want to arrive prepared and have them for your flight, just in case you’re across the aisle from 3 screaming children under the age of 5 (…also something that happened to me two weeks ago), buy them before you go; you can even get these wax earplugs straight from Amazon
You might not need them. But if you’re woken in the middle of the night by a sound that has no sign of stopping, you’ll kick yourself for not having thought of it earlier.
Finally <startrant/>: Please keep all of this in mind when you, yourself, are enjoying a late night in Rome. As annoying as the mysterious high-heeled person upstairs from me is, I’m also plagued, at least once a week, by groups of loud Americans and Brits staying in one of the building’s many makeshift B&Bs who think it’s appropriate to leave the windows open, play music, and have shouting conversations until the wee hours of the morning. On weekdays. Please, remember that not everyone else in Rome is on vacation <endrant>.
Happy sleeping… and happy traveling!
Tracking Down Nativity Scenes in Rome, for the NYT
Nothing says “holiday season” in Italy like some good ol’ Christmas cribs. Find out where to see the best and most creative—including nativity scenes made out of pearls, marzipan, even eggs—at my newest post for the New York Times. (Photo courtesy of the “100 Presepi” exhibit).