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A Perfect Weekend Afternoon in Rome

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This past weekend I mentioned on Twitter the hubby and I were planning to go on a gelato date to my favorite gelateria.  Well, we did, and we ended up extending the date to the whole afternoon.  It was a great (and much needed) break!  It ended up being the perfect weekend afternoon in Rome with pizza, gelato and a visit to Rome’s rose garden.We started the afternoon at a great little pizzeria in Trastevere.  I’ll be telling you a little more about the place soon, so stay tuned. 🙂  We then made our way near Piazza Navona to stop for gelato at my favorite gelateria.  After we filled our bellies, we headed toward Circus Maximus where we spent some time in Rome’s rose garden enjoying all the beautiful, colorful roses.  Below is a glimpse of our day in photos.


At the pizzeria, we started with pear and gorgonzola bruschetta.  I love the flavor combinations with the sweetness of the pear paired with rich, savory cheese. So tasty!

I had the ‘Vegetariana’ … mushrooms, roasted bell peppers, and grilled zucchini and eggplant.  The hubby had the ‘Tonno’ … tuna with sauteed onions.  Tuna might seem like a surprising pizza topping, but it’s quite delicious!  


After lunch, we made our way near to my favorite gelateria … Frigidarium.  You can read more about Frigidarium here.  Disclaimer: I got caught up in the moment and too busy enjoying my gelato, I forgot to snap a photo.  This is a photo I previously took, but my gelato this weekend looked almost identical.  I stuck with my go to flavors here: pistachio, tiramisu and spagnola (vanilla with tart Amarena cherries).  All of those flavors smothered in a chocolate shell coating.  It seriously is divine!  

With full bellies, we made our way to Rome’s rose garden.  As you can see, many had the same idea, and were out enjoying the lovely day and admiring the beautiful flowers, too. To learn more about Rome’s rose garden or to view opening times, click here.  

The bees were also enjoying the flowers.  

After touring through the garden, we made our way to the top, sat on a bench, exhaled and enjoyed the view and the lovely afternoon.  

© copyright 2013 – All rights reserved

Why Rome?

Race for the Cure: Breast Cancer Awareness Race Scheduled to Take Place in Rome this Weekend

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This weekend in Rome is sure to be an eventful one!  Not only do we have free museums, music and fun taking place on Saturday night with Night of the Museums, but the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is also taking place this weekend.Race for the Cure, the largest worldwide breast cancer awareness event, will take place in Rome, Italy on May 18th, May 19th and May 20th.  Events are scheduled throughout Friday and Saturday, with the race taking place on Sunday.  The race and events focus to raise funds, promote awareness and early detection,celebrate the women who have survived breast cancer, and honor those who have lost their lives to the disease.  


You can participate in the 5km run, or the 2km walk.  The cost to participate in either is €13.  The deadline to register is 9:00 AM on May 20th.  The race is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 20th at 10:00 AM.  The starting point is on Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, and the race route will take you through the heart of ancient Rome before returning to the Terme di Caracalla Stadium.  
 
To participate in the race, you can register online at www.raceforthecure.it, at www.komen.it, or in person at the Race Village located at the Terme di Caracalla Stadium.

The Race Village, located at the Terme di Caracalla Stadium, will be open from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM on Friday and Saturday.  There you will find activities and events for the whole family … sponsor booths, music, a children’s play area, and other entertainment.  This is where you will also take your registration receipts and pick up the goody bag, t-shirt and race number you get for participating in the breast cancer awareness race.  

Run, walk or just come out to show your support.  It’s sure to be a fun-filled weekend geared toward a good cause!

© copyright 2013 – All rights reserved

Why Rome?

Free Entrance With Night of the Museums

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On the night of Saturday, May 19th, many of Rome’s museums, monuments, galleries and archaeological sites will be open late and free of charge to the public.  La Notte dei Musei, or Night of the Museums, will actually take place all throughout Europe, with more than 3,000 museums participating in 40 European countries.

This is the fourth consecutive year Rome has participated, and more than 90 spaces throughout the city will be taking part in the program this year.  Some of the venues participating this year are the Capitoline Museums (this would be a great time to check out Lux in Arcana: The Vatican Secret Archives Revealed once in a lifetime exhibit), MACRO, Castel Sant’Angelo, the National Gallery of Modern Art, Trajan’s Markets, Palazzo Barberini, Galleria Borghese, along with many others.  Free admission will be from 8:00 PM – 2:00 AM, with last entrance at 1:00 AM.  

© copyright 2013 – All rights reserved

Why Rome?

May Flowers Bloom in Rome

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Spring is here, and in full effect with a beautiful array of colorful flowers blooming all throughout the city.  Even in the heart of the busy city, pops of color stand out and delicate, sweet aromas drift by.  It’s lovely here!

If you would like to enjoy Rome in all its flower glory, below are a few places where you can do just that.  Ancient city + historical ruins + lots of lovely flowers = recipe for swooning!  At least in my book it does. 😉

 
Rome’s Rose Garden


Rome’s Rose Garden, Il Roseto Comunale di Roma, is located on the Aventine Hill across from Circus Maximus, and has been open to the public since 1931.  It is truly a beautiful place, and a quiet oasis in the heart of the city. 

The garden contains more than 1,200 different varieties of roses.  It features two sections … upper and lower.  The upper section contains the permanent collection with classic specimens, and is currently open to the public.  The lower section showcases the competition entries from the international floral competition of ‘Premio Roma’, an annual competition among international floriculturists.  The 70th edition of the Premio Roma competition will be held on May 19th.  After the prize ceremony, the lower garden will be open to the public for viewing until June 24th.

 
Entrance to the garden is free.  It is open from May throughout the summer months from 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM, although the best time to visit the garden is during the May/June flowering season.  The garden is located at Via di Valle Murcia, 6.  For additional information, or to schedule a free guided tour of the garden, email premioroma@comune.roma.it, or call +39 06 574 6810.
 
Flowers on the Spanish Steps

Each day thousands of people pass by the Spanish Steps in the heart of the city.  The grand staircase is the perfect place to stop and rest, visit with friends, relax, people watch and watch the world go by.  Now throughout the month of May, you can do all that amongst flowers.  Each year the city decorates the steps with an abundance of pink azaleas.  Below is a short video on the yearly blooming event.
 
 
Flowers on the Palatine Hill 

When visiting the Palatine Hill from now until October 14th, you will be able to step back in time and visit the ancient area in all its glory.  New flower gardens have been added in an attempt to recreate the vibrant gardens the area held 2,000 years ago.  The exhibit features a variety of vegetation such as, flowers, plants, trees and fresh produce.  The chosen vegetation derives from years of study by Italian archaeologists.  You will be able to walk in the path of emperors, and experience the Palatine Hill almost as they did 2,000 years ago.

Tickets to the Palatine Hill are €12.  Tickets also include admission to the Coliseum and Roman Forum.

 
 

 

Will Italy Shrink?: A Video Detailing the Country’s Current Disaster

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Here is a great video I found while surfing the web, and wanted to share.  It is titled Power Shift Europe: Italy Undone.  I watched it, then sat down with my husband to watch it again.  Although it’s a little long (20 minutes), it’s very informative and worth your time.  It speaks about Italy’s current economic crisis.  It gives an overview of how Italy arrived to its current state, and it also touches on job competition, depopulation, and the risk of the Euro.

The video is put together nicely, and shows some of the beauties of Italy while a few of the gloomier details are being discussed.  If you’re not aware of what is taking place in Italy, this video will bring you up to speed.  If you happen to live in Italy (like we do), some of the topics discussed will ‘hit home’ with you.  Want more?  Click here for a text version.

Although impacted by the economic crisis as a whole since we live in Italy, we are also  personally affected by the glass ceiling (so to speak) Italy has implemented over the years with the guilds (groups who limit licenses to keep jobs for a set number of people … read – Italians with connections) with my husband soon to be entering into the pharmaceutical industry.

Would love to know your thoughts after watching the video!

 

 

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Why Rome?