When in Rome, hire a guide. It is a totally different and truly lovely experience to be led around the city by a native. I'll never forget this experience! Our guide was amazing!
At work yesterday, a young co worker told us about the SAVE Act , but didn't use the name, just told us about the name matching on birth certificates (she saw it on Tik Tok). Frankly, I didn't believe her and thought 'they may WANT to do that but I don't think they HAVE done it'. I was wrong! This is INSANE, especially if you can't use your marriage license to explain the discrepancy.
We've been to Rome and loved it! It was in August and it was very, very hot. Plus 40. Everyone was wiping away sweat and looking for water to drink. The water that comes down the aquaducts was fresh and clean and perfect. Many tourists were told that it wasn't safe, but our tour guide told us to try it and see. It was wonderful. One day we hid in the shadow of a stolen obelisk until cool enough to move from one to another nearby (also stolen) obelisk. In the second shadow was a young American male who was suffering horribly from the heat and lack of water. We told him to be brave and drink from the aquaduct. He did, he was refreshed and he lived. We saw him later on our time in Rome and he was effusive with his thanks. The other memory of Rome was that we had to pay to use the public bathrooms, or at least to buy TP. The other memory was the Roman pizzas. So good! So not American (or Canadian). No tomato sauce, but a very nicely flavoured cream sauce and lots of tiny, tiny cut up pieces of veggies and ham. Broccoli and cauliflower and so on. No pickles and no corn. Don't remember cheese but there must have been cheese. If I could find a recipe for the cream sauce I would be in heaven.
RE: Rome. If you see an open door that looks like a nondescript building but people are going in and out, check it out. There are so many churches with amazing art and architecture inside that look like nothing outside. We found several of these in piazzas. Also, get the extra Nutella in your gelato cones. So good!
Loved climbing St. Peter’s dome last fall. What a view! We paid for an “skip the line tour” for St. Peter’s and the Vatican museums and it was worth it. Will likely be extra crowded with it being the jubilee year.
I was in Rome the week after 9/11, so that probably heightened my senses! It was rainy the day I visited the Colosseum, I sat down in the Forum and accidentally left my umbrella. Sad. I hit all of the highlights, the Vatican (including a trip up to the cupola), the Trevi Fountain, the Forum, the Pantheon (I loved it at night), and the Colosseum being my absolute favorite spot. I was taken to a pizza place by the Italian woman who I was working with for the conference I was in charge of, NEXT LEVEL. I have never again had such wonderful pizza. And the pasta. Oh, the pasta. The one with a creamy salmon sauce was my favorite! I did all of this without a cell phone, just a map in a Go Rome! book. I'm guessing that today things are probably easier. I walked in circles a LOT! Highly recommend outdoor cafes and evening walks. I loved everything about it. I didn't know about the readily available water, I will try that the next time. Thanks for the opportunity to go down memory lane. It was my first trip abroad and all on my own. Oh, maybe watch Roman Holiday before you go!! :) Enjoy!
Thank you as always for sharing! I love Rome, it is probably my favorite place to travel. I love all of the piazzas, statues, beautiful building facades, and how much you can see while just out walking or popping into churches! Here is an assortment of some of my favorites things to do and see.
We love to walk through Trastevere, up to the Fontana dell'Acqua Paola on our way to the Janiculum Hill lookout. The Villa Doria Pamphili is nearby and is a beautiful structure and grounds surrounded by a gardens and a huge park. There are always lots of people enjoying nature amidst the city and walking their dogs or going for a run. On the other side of the Tiber near the Circo Massimo, the Giardino degli Aranci also has great views of the city.
Two of my favorite museums are the Galleria Doria Pamphilj (in a different part of town than the villa! If you go, you can also pop into the nearby Galleria Sciarra building) and Museo Nazionale Romano Palazzo Altemps. Both are housed in stunning buildings and didn't require advanced reservations and weren't crowded when we visited.
The Mercato Antiquario Piazza Borghese is a neat collection of kiosks selling framed art, prints, books, and other interesting objects.
For gelato, we go to Fatamorgana Chiavari daily when we are visiting and also loved Gelateria Panna and Co in Testaccio near the Piramide if you go to check that out. I hope you all have a wonderful time and can't wait to follow along on your adventure!
Rome is my favorite city! I love everything about it!!! Lucky you!
I left Instagram (and Facebook, but I didn't go there much) on January 20 and I miss you! I no longer wanted to contribute to and endorse these platforms, which are run by oligarchs whose values I don't share and which are open to anything that goes wrong. I'm still on WhatsApp a bit, mainly for work. I've never been on X.
I feel distanced from the world and I still don't know if that's a good thing or not... I've saved time, my mind is less overwhelmed with info and I'm less envious and less tempted to buy things! But I do miss the few positive aspects, such as your account with your reflections on the world and your renovations, which I'm mega-fan of, and being connected to others who share my values...
I so wish an alternative existed. Something healthier. We'll see in time...
If you have time, a walk through the Jewish ghetto is very interesting. The Roman Jewish community is unique and dates back to 150 BCE. If you don't make it there, it is worth ordering the classic Roman Jewish food, fried artichokes, which are on many menus (Carciofi Alla Giudia).
I visited Rome in 2009 with my then 8 year old and spent a week following Rick Steven’s book on Rome. It was the most amazing week. We did do a tour for the Vatican. Just walking the streets of Rome is delicious.
Having left instagram for political and self-care reasons I miss your posts about the renovations, about your family, about politics. I will continue to look for you on your website and substack.
Unfortunatly,I am so disgusted w Meta and their cohorts, I have shut down my Instagram. I will miss your posts but am thankful for your Emails. Enjoy Rome!!
If you love sculptures, visit the Borghese to see Bernini’s pieces! My absolute favorites, they are magnificent!
Agree!
When in Rome, hire a guide. It is a totally different and truly lovely experience to be led around the city by a native. I'll never forget this experience! Our guide was amazing!
At work yesterday, a young co worker told us about the SAVE Act , but didn't use the name, just told us about the name matching on birth certificates (she saw it on Tik Tok). Frankly, I didn't believe her and thought 'they may WANT to do that but I don't think they HAVE done it'. I was wrong! This is INSANE, especially if you can't use your marriage license to explain the discrepancy.
We've been to Rome and loved it! It was in August and it was very, very hot. Plus 40. Everyone was wiping away sweat and looking for water to drink. The water that comes down the aquaducts was fresh and clean and perfect. Many tourists were told that it wasn't safe, but our tour guide told us to try it and see. It was wonderful. One day we hid in the shadow of a stolen obelisk until cool enough to move from one to another nearby (also stolen) obelisk. In the second shadow was a young American male who was suffering horribly from the heat and lack of water. We told him to be brave and drink from the aquaduct. He did, he was refreshed and he lived. We saw him later on our time in Rome and he was effusive with his thanks. The other memory of Rome was that we had to pay to use the public bathrooms, or at least to buy TP. The other memory was the Roman pizzas. So good! So not American (or Canadian). No tomato sauce, but a very nicely flavoured cream sauce and lots of tiny, tiny cut up pieces of veggies and ham. Broccoli and cauliflower and so on. No pickles and no corn. Don't remember cheese but there must have been cheese. If I could find a recipe for the cream sauce I would be in heaven.
RE: Rome. If you see an open door that looks like a nondescript building but people are going in and out, check it out. There are so many churches with amazing art and architecture inside that look like nothing outside. We found several of these in piazzas. Also, get the extra Nutella in your gelato cones. So good!
Fantastic tip!!
Loved climbing St. Peter’s dome last fall. What a view! We paid for an “skip the line tour” for St. Peter’s and the Vatican museums and it was worth it. Will likely be extra crowded with it being the jubilee year.
I was in Rome the week after 9/11, so that probably heightened my senses! It was rainy the day I visited the Colosseum, I sat down in the Forum and accidentally left my umbrella. Sad. I hit all of the highlights, the Vatican (including a trip up to the cupola), the Trevi Fountain, the Forum, the Pantheon (I loved it at night), and the Colosseum being my absolute favorite spot. I was taken to a pizza place by the Italian woman who I was working with for the conference I was in charge of, NEXT LEVEL. I have never again had such wonderful pizza. And the pasta. Oh, the pasta. The one with a creamy salmon sauce was my favorite! I did all of this without a cell phone, just a map in a Go Rome! book. I'm guessing that today things are probably easier. I walked in circles a LOT! Highly recommend outdoor cafes and evening walks. I loved everything about it. I didn't know about the readily available water, I will try that the next time. Thanks for the opportunity to go down memory lane. It was my first trip abroad and all on my own. Oh, maybe watch Roman Holiday before you go!! :) Enjoy!
Oh yeah, and the Sistine Chapel. Amazing!!
Visit the museum UNDER the Trevi fountain!
Thank you as always for sharing! I love Rome, it is probably my favorite place to travel. I love all of the piazzas, statues, beautiful building facades, and how much you can see while just out walking or popping into churches! Here is an assortment of some of my favorites things to do and see.
We love to walk through Trastevere, up to the Fontana dell'Acqua Paola on our way to the Janiculum Hill lookout. The Villa Doria Pamphili is nearby and is a beautiful structure and grounds surrounded by a gardens and a huge park. There are always lots of people enjoying nature amidst the city and walking their dogs or going for a run. On the other side of the Tiber near the Circo Massimo, the Giardino degli Aranci also has great views of the city.
Two of my favorite museums are the Galleria Doria Pamphilj (in a different part of town than the villa! If you go, you can also pop into the nearby Galleria Sciarra building) and Museo Nazionale Romano Palazzo Altemps. Both are housed in stunning buildings and didn't require advanced reservations and weren't crowded when we visited.
The Mercato Antiquario Piazza Borghese is a neat collection of kiosks selling framed art, prints, books, and other interesting objects.
For gelato, we go to Fatamorgana Chiavari daily when we are visiting and also loved Gelateria Panna and Co in Testaccio near the Piramide if you go to check that out. I hope you all have a wonderful time and can't wait to follow along on your adventure!
oh and we loved the rick steves walking tours!
Rome is my favorite city! I love everything about it!!! Lucky you!
I left Instagram (and Facebook, but I didn't go there much) on January 20 and I miss you! I no longer wanted to contribute to and endorse these platforms, which are run by oligarchs whose values I don't share and which are open to anything that goes wrong. I'm still on WhatsApp a bit, mainly for work. I've never been on X.
I feel distanced from the world and I still don't know if that's a good thing or not... I've saved time, my mind is less overwhelmed with info and I'm less envious and less tempted to buy things! But I do miss the few positive aspects, such as your account with your reflections on the world and your renovations, which I'm mega-fan of, and being connected to others who share my values...
I so wish an alternative existed. Something healthier. We'll see in time...
in the meantime, I'm playing a bit of a hermit...
If you have time, a walk through the Jewish ghetto is very interesting. The Roman Jewish community is unique and dates back to 150 BCE. If you don't make it there, it is worth ordering the classic Roman Jewish food, fried artichokes, which are on many menus (Carciofi Alla Giudia).
Gelato di San Crispino
You know it's good because the containers have lids...
Really close to the Trevi fountains
I visited Rome in 2009 with my then 8 year old and spent a week following Rick Steven’s book on Rome. It was the most amazing week. We did do a tour for the Vatican. Just walking the streets of Rome is delicious.
Having left instagram for political and self-care reasons I miss your posts about the renovations, about your family, about politics. I will continue to look for you on your website and substack.
Unfortunatly,I am so disgusted w Meta and their cohorts, I have shut down my Instagram. I will miss your posts but am thankful for your Emails. Enjoy Rome!!
Why am I only learning about the SAVE act? Reprehensible. Another reason why I’m happy I kept my maiden name.