Tips, tricks and things not to miss — in Rome and beyond.
Art looting is a serious problem in Italy. (And elsewhere). Don’t believe me? If you’re in Rome before November 5, check out the Capolavori dell’archeologia exhibit at Castel Sant’Angelo, which gives just a taste of the extent of the problem, thanks to stunning, priceless pieces that were stolen from Italy… and later recovered.
And if you can’t make it there—or want to know what to expect—make sure you check out my story on the exhibit for the BBC.
Want to go for a swim this summer in Rome? Even if you haven’t picked a hotel with a pool, you’ve still got some options.
One great pool is local favorite Piscina delle Rose. For €16 for the day (cheap for Rome… as you’ll see in a moment), enjoy full access to the Olympic-sized pool, which gets crowded with Romans, and their kids, on hot summer days. As well as being cheap, the siwmming pool has the added benefit of being in the bizarre and off-the-beaten-track, but still convenient, quarter of EUR. To get there, take the metro’s B line to the EUR Palasport stop (just 15 minutes from Termini, less from the Colosseum) and you’re right there.
The Mafia is a seriously insidious problem across Italy, including Rome. So I was thrilled to write about establishments making a stand against organized crime for the New York Times.
The article, which highlights spots in Rome where tourists can eat and support anti-Mafia causes (like Libera Terra, which I’ve written about before), ran in the print travel section of the Sunday Times this week. But you can also catch it online here.
Hurrah for good food and a good cause!
Great events in Rome happen year-round… but some of my favorites happen to take place during the summer. So when it comes to summer in Rome, don’t worry: It’s not all about figuring out how to skip the lines and survive the heat. It’s also about some great summer events.
My favorite: hands-down, the Lungo Il Tevere summer festival. This is when the Tiber River is lined with almost a mile of shops, stalls, bars, and restaurants. And it’s open until 2am. Come mid-June, every in-the-know Roman starts heading there to meet up with friends and have a drink, dance, or even just a stroll.
Visit Rome in the summer, and you won’t just want to know where the water fountains are and to remember your SPF. You’ll want to know how to skip the lines.
June, July, and August are the tip of the top of Rome’s peak tourist season. And that means several things.
When it comes to Rome in summer, let’s get back to basics: what the weather in Rome in June, July, August, and September is really like… and how to deal.
In this first installment of the Rome summer guide, you’ll find out about some surprising ways to beat the heat, why Rome’s water fountains are freakin’ awesome, which of Rome’s sights have nada shade, why dressing skimpily isn’t always the answer, and—of course—what that heat is a great excuse for (hint: it comes in a cup or a cone…).
Want to survive enjoy Rome in summer, at the height of its temperatures? Read on!
Rome in summer? Hot? Um, yes (at least for this New England girl). Rome’s average temperature in both June and September reaches a high of 81° F. The heat peaks in July, with a high of 88° F. And August isn’t much cooler, at 87°.
Even though it’s already feeling like summer in Rome, the season officially kicks off this week. Which makes it high time for a guide to enjoying Rome… in the summertime!
Turns out, I’ve got a lot to say about Rome in summer. (Big surprise, right?). So I’ll publish this guide as a series, with posts on Rome’s best beaches, swimming pools, events, and more.
Posts in the guide to Rome in summer include…
The most idyllic island escapes near Rome
…and six other top spots for the best gelato in Rome
Restaurants in Rome open in August (the summer holiday, when most places are closed)
The best swimming pools in Rome
How to survive the crowds (and skip the lines)
Happy summer, everyone!
No, I’m not moving—but I am headed to the States for the biggest chunk of time since relocating to Italy. In June and July, instead of sweltering in the Rome heat, I’ll be sweltering in New York City enjoying the surplus of air-conditioning in Manhattan.
And, of course, I’m already thinking about what I’m going to miss about Rome while I’m gone. Not to mention what I’m excited to experience in New York.
Here’s a (partial) list… so far:
1. Drinkable wine (that doesn’t break the bank). Is it terrible that this is one of the first things I thought of? Yeah, probably. But whenever I go back to the States, I can’t get over how the same mediocre bottle of wine that would cost €2 on the shelf, or be cheap “vino della casa,” in Italy, somehow gets marked up to $40 or $50 in the U.S. Eesh.
