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Page 2. ©Explore Italian Culture.
Introducing – Rome!
So you want to see Rome, but you want to do it a little differently - without
breaking the bank and without being grouped together with the millions of
other tourists visiting one of the most beautiful cities in the world?
You've come to the right place!
Rome is the most romantic, the most beautiful, the most cultured, the most fascinating, the most amazing … Rome is always “the most”! But it can also be the most overwhelming, the most tiring, the most frustrating, the most likely to make you - and your kids if you‟re taking them – feel lost, crabby, and in need of another break to recover! If that‟s what you think might happen to you – read on! Why?
Because we‟re here to help you. We will …
Page 3. ©Explore Italian Culture.
… be your personal guide to one of the world‟s most beautiful cities.
… show you things „ordinary‟ tourists never get to see.
… show you how to keep your kids happy.
… make sure that, like us, you want to come back to Rome time and time – and time! – again.
How?
Because we know Rome well - and love it more!
Because we started out as tourists too - but then we got married there and ended up seven years and many trips later as honorary Romans.
We know the best places to go, the places tourists don‟t often find.
We know how to see all the places everyone wants to see, without needing to drag along behind a tour guide. We know, in fact, what will make your stay in Rome extra-special.
And now – you‟re going to know it too! So sit back, know you‟re going to get the best possible information to make your journey to Rome the most memorable time of your life - and -
Enjoy!
Page 4. ©Explore Italian Culture.
Chapter 1 :
Relaxation – Rome style (and it’s free)!
Need a break from Rome‟s sometimes overwhelming sights and sounds?
This is our number one favourite spot to do a bit of rest and relaxation – the
Borghese Gardens.
The Borghese Park is to Rome what Central Park is
to New York. It‟s a peaceful, tranquil, green spot, five
minutes‟ walk from one of Rome‟s main squares (the
Piazza del Popolo) but a world away from the noise
and bustle of the city.
It‟s a well-kept secret as far as tourists are concerned
– after all, there‟s nothing there to earn tour guides
money – but for Roman couples and families it is the place to be, especially on
a Sunday morning.
There are 148 acres to explore. You‟ll find no less than
seventy fountains to cool you, places to sit and have a
picnic, open spaces for the kids to play. Wander, and
you‟ll happen upon a water clock, formal gardens, a
beautiful lake, tree-lined avenues which are particularly
spectacular in the autumn.
There are ice cream stands, bikes to hire, go-karts for
the younger family members, roller-blading spaces,
four-seater pedal machines to negotiate the leafy roads and occasional hills
within the park.
Page 5. ©Explore Italian Culture.
In the summer months there‟s a puppet theatre for the kids
– yes, a real, old-fashioned one - and boat rides on the
lake. The Italian mounted police and national Olympic
horse-riding team have a practice arena here, open to the
public. There‟s even a zoo!
And if you really want more culture you‟ll also find the
beautiful Villa Borghese with its beautiful orangery and flower gardens as well
as its famous picture gallery.
And here‟s the biggest secret – we love this place so much and it‟s so
unspoilt that we‟re not even sure we want to share it but – just for you …
The Café dell‟Orologia : Deep within the trees of the park is a tiny,
traditional, Italian café / bar (literally the „Clock Café – it‟s situated just by the
water clock). We discovered it by accident years ago and loved it so much we
chose it for the venue to have our wedding pre-meal drinks. It‟s run by a
lovely Italian family who will do everything they can to make you feel at home.
They don‟t speak much English but sign language can work wonders!
Page 6. ©Explore Italian Culture.
Chapter 2 :
Three of the greatest places to eat in Rome without breaking the bank.
You‟ve marvelled at the sights of ancient Rome. You‟ve walked over cobbles
till your feet are sore. You‟ve shopped till you dropped. And now …
You need to eat!
Like any major city Rome can be expensive when it comes to food, and not all
of the meals you‟ll find there are great quality. These are our three favourite
eating places. Each is different, but common to them all is the quality of the
food, reasonable prices and the fact that a lot of Italian people eat there.
Mmmmm - pizza! : Pizzeria Leoncino.
Rome isn‟t known for its pizzas, but it is known
(by people who live there) for „Il Leoncino‟.
The family who own this pizza house have
been making pizza there for over eighty years.
They use traditional wood-fired ovens and if
you‟re lucky and they‟re in a good mood, the
brothers will show you how to toss pizza
dough!
Don‟t expect elegance. This is a very Italian pizzeria : informal, noisy and
boisterous. They serve wine and beer straight from the barrel (and look
askance if you ask for anything else!) and a great selection of well-priced
pizzas.
Page 7. ©Explore Italian Culture.
Find it at the Via del Leoncino, off the Via del Corso. It‟s closed every
Wednesday and for two weeks in August and is always packed so get there
early or be prepared to wait in a queue.
Shakespeare was never like this : an evening at the Restaurant
„Otello alla Concordia‟.
This was another of our venues when we were
married in Rome – we‟d eaten at the „Otello‟ many
times before and loved it so much we decided to
hold our pre-wedding night meal there.
It‟s an informal, buzzy place with two separate
rooms : we‟ve eaten in both. One is a large open
„sala‟ decorated with vines and fresh fruits, usually
seating parties; the other, a series of smaller rooms
on the far side of the courtyard. Both are wonderful.
The food is typically „Roman‟; the wine is well priced;
the staff can appear a little brusque – but only because they‟re always busy so
don‟t have much time for chit-chat.
Find it close to the Spanish Steps, off the Via del
Corso in a little alleyway called „Via della Croce‟. Look
out for the sign above your head. You‟d be wise to
book – it‟s very popular, particularly on a Friday and
Saturday. Be careful – it‟s closed every Sunday.
The easiest way to book is either online, or go there a
couple of days before you want your meal and see the
lady who sits at the table in the courtyard!
Page 8. ©Explore Italian Culture.
Once tasted, never forgotten : chocolate truffle ice cream at the
'Tre Scalini'.
And finally - do not, under any circumstances, leave
Rome without tasting the Tre Scalini‟s „tartufo‟ or
dark chocolate truffle, ice cream. Even the thought
of it is enough to make the mouth water.
There is a double advantage to this. You get to sit
on one of Rome‟s best-loved squares – the Piazza
Navona – where you can watch street artists and
admire the gorgeous fountains as you sit and watch the world go by.
Because of its lovely location it‟s not one of the cheapest places to eat but oh,
how it‟s worth it!
Find it at Piazza Navona 30, at the top corner of the square.
Page 9. ©Explore Italian Culture.
Chapter 3 :
How to enjoy Rome with kids : go to Gladiator School!
Imagine this. You‟ve arranged the trip of a lifetime to Rome with your family. You‟ve got your plan to make sure you experience it all – the Colosseum, the Forum, the Trevi Fountain, St Peter‟s Basilica … And then - reality hits. It‟s sweltering hot, your feet are refusing to walk over any more cobbles and your kids have mutinied about seeing even one more historical site. What to do? Well, here‟s a thought …
Why not take the whole family to be Gladiators for the afternoon? Yes, that‟s right – there‟s a place in Rome where your whole family, from age seven to as old as you like, can go to learn all there is to know about being a Gladiator. And you will do it in the most fun way possible – by being one!
What is Gladiator School? Rome‟s Gladiator School is one of the best-kept secrets ever. It‟s run by a group of native Romans who are just a little obsessed when it comes to ancient Roman soldiers, battles – and Gladiators. What they don‟t know is really not worth knowing.
What happens? You‟ll be in a small group, given a toga (don‟t panic - it‟s worn over your clothes!) and a real ancient Roman name, shown the authentic pieces of equipment Gladiators used in fights, taught how to use them and then – and this is the real highlight – you take part in a real Gladiator fight in a real Arena.
Page 10. ©Explore Italian Culture.
No, it‟s not the Colosseum. And no, you won‟t be using real swords or fighting lions. But you‟ll see the authentic weapons, you‟ll hear the real story, and you‟ll use the genuine moves Gladiators took years to learn. All in one half day!
This secret Rome sightseeing tip is ideal if you‟re : Any age (from seven up), any ability, male or female, and like having fun;
A worried mum or dad, about to go to Rome and not sure whether you‟ll be able to entertain the kids without them getting bored; Organising a bachelor or bachelorette (hen or stag) party and want to give the Bride or Groom -to-be the event of their life; A visitor to Rome loving its history but wanting some time out to experience it away from Roman remains.
Want to know more?
Click this picture to open our full information page.
Here you‟ll find all the details you need to know,
together with information about how to book.
Or …
If you‟ve already decided this is for you, here‟s a link to the
place where you can read all the fabulous reviews and book in
for the trip of a lifetime. Just - Click the pic!
Page 11. ©Explore Italian Culture.
Chapter 4 :
Rome’s littlest known biggest view : Three countries through one keyhole!
Normally speaking you wouldn‟t go to the Aventino (Aventine Hill) – it‟s always
been one of Rome‟s classier residential areas, but there‟s not a lot of ancient
Rome left and most people think there‟s nothing worth seeing there.
We know better - and now, so will you.
For hidden away in a tiny, peaceful square called the Piazza dei
Cavalieri di Malta is one of the most spectacular views of St
Peter‟s Basilica you will ever see – through a keyhole in the
large, wooden door of a centuries old monastery.
This beautiful view crosses three countries : the monastery
belongs to the Knights of Malta and is one of the world‟s
smallest independent states; the view takes in
the rooftops of Rome, Italy; and it ends with a
perfectly framed view of the dome of St Peter‟s
Basilica in the Vatican City.
We know about it only because our Italian
wedding planner took Cath there to calm her
nerves on the morning of our wedding – it‟s one
of those memorable parts of the day. It‟s not an
easy photograph to take, but it‟s a memory that
stays in the mind forever.
Page 12. ©Explore Italian Culture.
Chapter 5 :
So you want to see some tourist sites after all?
Get the scoop on when’s best to see some of the most popular sites in Rome.
OK, so you want to see some places that everyone wants to see when they
come to Rome. No problem.
But there is a time for everything.
Here we give you some tips on how and when to do some all-time great Rome
sightseeing without getting caught up in the crowds.
The Colosseum, Forum and
Palatine Hill :
Everyone wants to see these and
actually there‟s no easy way.
There are always crowds inside
and hundreds of people waiting to
get in.
The best way to avoid this, and it
just happens to be the cheapest
option too, is to buy a pass for all
three - and do it at the Palatine Hill
where the queues are less long. That means you‟ll be able to skip the lines at
both the Forum and the Colosseum – and the pass lasts for three days, so you
don‟t need to do it all at once.
Top Tip : these venues are baking hot in the summer – take water with you
or you‟ll pay through the nose at the water stands.
Page 13. ©Explore Italian Culture.
The Pantheon : everyone has pictures of
the Pantheon in the sun, but this enormous
building with its famous „oculus‟ is best
seen on a rainy day, when you‟ll get
fabulous pictures of the rain cascading
through the hole in the roof.
It‟s big enough to accommodate large
numbers of visitors at any time of day, so
go whenever suits you best.
St Peter‟s Basilica : again, get there early to
avoid crowds. The Basilica itself is free but you‟ll
need to wait in line anyway.
You‟ll be turned away if you‟re dressed in shorts or,
in the case of women, sleeveless tops. Dress
respectfully.
If you want to see the Vatican museums (which
include the Sistine Chapel) we would very strongly
advise you to book a tour before you go. Otherwise you will almost inevitably
find yourself standing for many hours in a long queue in an extremely noisy,
hot, dusty street. We know, because we‟ve done it!
If you would like to book a private guided tour
of the Vatican museums now, click on this
picture which will take you to one of the best
we know. You won‟t regret it!
Page 14. ©Explore Italian Culture.
The Spanish Steps :
The best time of all to see the Steps is in May, when they‟re covered in
azaleas and the only word to describe them is “stunning”. But they‟re
impressive throughout the year. Go at any time of day or night – there are
always good-natured crowds there and often street music to entertain you.
And, last but by no means least - the Trevi Fountain :
Our very favourite of all Rome‟s
attractions.
The Trevi is beautiful whenever
you see it, but it‟s best as early as
you can get there in the morning.
After that, you won‟t get near the
fountain for the crowds.
And remember to throw a coin in to guarantee you‟ll return to Rome. Make
sure you do it from your right hand over your left shoulder or it won‟t work!
Page 15. ©Explore Italian Culture.
About the author.
Cath Andrews is originally from Liverpool,
England, but several years ago married her
husband Mike in Rome, Italy and a year later
bought an old Italian farmhouse where they
now live with their two dogs.
Both Cath and Mike love Italy and everything Italian and two years ago, Cath
started her own website : Explore Italian Culture which is shortly to be followed
by a second site, this time written by Mike, about the ups and downs of life on
their olive grove.
Cath‟s passion for Italy, and for Rome as its capital city, led her to write
„Affordable Rome Sightseeing‟ so she could share some of her in-depth
knowledge with anyone who might be visiting the Eternal City and in need of a
few „insider tips‟.
Resources.
For more information about Rome, visit the section on Cath‟s website wholly dedicated to
this wonderful city : Things to do in Rome.
For information about where to see the Pope during your stay, have a look at the Vatican's
own website which gives a full listing of his whereabouts throughout the year, or find out
how to apply for a Papal audience – it‟s free!
If you‟re interested to know more about Cath and Mike‟s life on an Italian farm, follow them
on Facebook at Casa Benessere, Italy or on Twitter at Our Italian Home.