Trips outside the city’s gates, from Ostia to Frascati

The area around the city of Rome has lots to offer for furthering your knowledge of this complex city. Knowledge that can range from archeology, art and wine-making. All you need is a little time it can give you a hand here, suggesting some trips outside the city’s gates, near to Rome. If however, you have the chance to take things easy, book a hotel near Roma and use it as a base for your trips.

As always, tourist’s guide to Rome and surrounding areas has tried to group together the places to see into various sections of interest, trying to satisfy everyone’s tastes:

Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica was founded in the 4th century B.C. For a long time it was Rome’s only river port: once upon a time, the Tiber ended its course in this very town, whose name actually means “mouth”, before flowing into the Tyrrhenian Sea. Ostia was a cosmopolitan city and essential from a military and commercial point of view. There were various temples dedicated to the various “foreign” divinities that were uncovered during archeological digs. Ostia Antica was rediscovered fairly recently in historical terms: digs began around 1800 and are still continuing today.

Piazza delle Corporazioni, with its floors entirely made up of mosaics, and that was once home to the offices of the “trade representatives” of ancient times, is an interesting site to see. From the steps of the Theater, that is still used during the summer season for shows, there is a wonderful view of the area.

Tivoli

Tivoli

Tivoli (about 20 km from Rome), which was used by the Romans as a holiday resort in ancient times too, is famous for its magnificent villas. One of the most spectacular is Villa Adriana that became the residence of the Emperor Hadrian when he retired from political life. This is the place where Hadrian wanted to recreate the wonders of the world that he had seen during his travels. For this reason, spread out over the one hundred hectares of parkland, there are groups of buildings that remind us of Greek constructions, such as the reproduction of the Athens Academia and Egyptian buildings such as the reproduction of the city of Canopus.

Another Villa of great artistic interest is Villa d’Este, the residence of Cardinal Ippolito d’Este. It is famous for the amazing amount of fountains and waterfalls built using the principle of connecting tubs, vases and grottoes inside the park, which totals 35.000 square meters.

Frascati

Frascati

Lying amongst the Colli Albani and Colli Tuscolani hills, there is an area that groups together about 15 villages and towns full of history, which make up the area known as the “Castelli Romani”. We have chosen one of these towns, perhaps the most well-known and popular with visitors: Frascati, about 20 km from Rome. Famous for its wonderful villas and above all for the wine, usually white, that is produced in this area.

Frascati bianco D.O.C. is produced from a mix of grapes grown in the surrounding countryside: Malvasia di Candia and Malvasia del Lazio, Trebbiano Greco and Toscano. The result can be tasted in Frascati directly, in one of the many wine cellars in the town, accompanies by a few typical snacks from the area. As well as your glass of wine, if you go to Frascati, don’t miss a chance to visit the Renaissance-style Villa Aldobrandi that stands over the beautiful town square, which was once invaded by carts that overflowed with the wine sellers’ barrels.

Events

Rome Vacation Guide | Events

Rome is, together with Milan, the city where most cultural events such as exhibitions, concerts and shows take place in Italy. Our guide to Rome suggests a list of regular events that take place in the city each year.

Keep in mind the fact that if you want to plan a trip to Rome in a period when one of these events is taking place, you should book a hotel in Rome well in advance.

Roma Europa Festival , September-October
This has been an annual appointment since 1986 for modern art and theatre, music and dance, with artists from all over Europe appearing.

Festival Romics , October
The Comics and Cartoon Festival: exhibitions, cartoon film showings and meeting with the most famous designers and publishing companies.

Roma Jazz Festival , October
This annual festival totally dedicated to jazz music was organized for the first time in 1876 Italian and international artists all appear in concert.

Sana a Roma , April
This Mediterranean Trade Fair for Natural Products has been organized for a few years now at the Rome Trade Fair District. Exhibitions of bio-products, conferences and tasting.

Estate Romana , from June to September
This includes all kinds of events, from music to theater, literary meetings and cinema. Events that take place in the most characteristic places in Rome that attract the participation of thousands of artists from all over the world.

Donna Sotto le Stelle , July
The annual Roman appointment with high fashion. Creations by the most famous fashion designers are modeled on a catwalk in a truly magnificent setting: on the Spanish Steps in Piazza di Spagna .

Many international musical events are organized in the new Rome Auditorium , a kind of City of Music that is located near the Olympic Village in the Flaminio area of the city. The Auditorium, that was designed by the famous architect Renzo Piano, comprises three large halls that hold a total of 5000 people, set amidst a park where a wonderful amphitheater has been built, together with some recording rooms

Hotels and Lodgings

Rome Vacation Guide | Hotels and Lodgings

If you plan sleeping in Rome you have several alternatives to choose from. Depending on your budget, you can choose the most suitable accommodation in Rome.

Would you like excellent service and comfort just a stone’s throw from the old city center? You can choose from among the many hotels in Rome, indicated in our guide to Rome, from the simple-style one-star hotels to the luxurious five stars establishments. For anyone who is planning to spend more time being enchanted by the charm of the Eternal City, we recommend that you rent a villa or an apartment in Rome or nearby.

Many real estate agencies have a wide range available, so that you can choose the one that best suits your needs. If you don’t have a large budget available, we suggest you try one of the many Bed & Breakfast in Rome : accommodation where the lower prices do not mean that service and comfort are lacking. Do you only have a really small amount of money available for your holiday? Then a campsite is the right place for you.

On the very outskirts of Rome there are some campsites that have all facilities and are well-connected to the city center. If you want to stay in the center, you can opt for a hostel : there are several in Rome that offer beds in both dormitories and in single or twin rooms. If, on the other hand, you would like to set up base a long way from the chaos of the city, you can choose to stay in rural farmhouse accommodation near Rome

Shopping in Rome

Rome Vacation Guide | Shopping

This short compendium of Roman shopping is for all shopping lovers. A compendium for all tastes, from high fashion chic to the cheap items on the market stalls, and with a mention of the new frontier of shopping, halfway between chic and cheap outlets.

Remember that if you want to go shopping in Rome, you will need a bit of time time, so book a few nights extra in the hotel in Rome that you are staying in. Roman labels: from Sorelle Fontana to Gai Mattiolo Many famous names in Made in Italy fashion from Rome and elsewhere started their careers in this city, often opening an atelier that soon began to attract the curiosity of aristocrats, politicians and film stars who then made them famous.

Sorelle Fontana
– a historical label that dressed the Roman upper middle classes in the post-war period until the Dolce Vita era and then went on to the United States and Hollywood, designing and making film costumes for international stars.

Capucci
- Capucci opened his first atelier in Paris and then finally opened one in Rome in Via Gregoriana. One of the few “independent” designers: Capucci detached himself from the traditional fashion circuits and personally organized the presentations of his collections almost as if they were art exhibitions. In 1995 he exhibited his designs at the Biennale in Venice.

Fernanda Gattinoni
– She opened her Rome atelier in 1945 near Via Veneto. Her clothes were worn by famous people such as Anna Magnani, Evita Peron, Ingrid Bergman and Audrey Hepburn.

Lancetti
– Roman by adoption, he opened his first atelier in Via Margutta, the famous street of artists. This was almost an omen of his fame as a designer-painter that he later obtained.

Valentino
- Valentino opened his first atelier in Rome in Via Condotti, and hit success after a fashion show at Pitti Immagine in Florence. He is one of the cinema world’s famous designers: stars such as Liz Taylor, Joan Collins, Julia Roberts and Claudia Cardinale wear his creations at gala evenings such as the Night of the Oscars.

Laura Biagiotti
– Renamed the “Queen of Cashmere”, Laura Biagiotti is famous for her fine cashmere knitwear and for her frequent use of the color white in her creations.

Fendi
- This maison was set up in 1925 in Rome as a fur coat and leather goods shop. Later, the five Fendi sisters created the label that is famous worldwide.

Brioni
– Male tailored elegance. Famous worldwide for the high quality of their clothes and for being 007’s tailor, embodied by the actor Pierce Brosnan Battistoni – A historical, male tailors’ atelier in Rome, which was a favorite of the Duke of Windsor.

Gai Mattiolo
– Born in 1968 in Roma, he began his career as a fashion designer very early and is now one of the most popular “young” names in fashion.

Famous names outside the city: the outlets Let’s ignore the single-label outlets that spring up here and there in the province and let’s concentrate on the new McArthurGlen

Designer Outlet in Castel Romano: a kind of consumer orgy concentrated in 20,000 square meters. This huge shopping city, 25 km south of Rome, was opened on October 9th 2003. We will bet that after a day spent here, even the most hardened consumer will feel the need to have a rest from shopping for at least a month!

The Castel Romano outlet center has 95 shops including the famous labels (Etro, D&G, F.lli Rossetti, Moreschi, Mariella Burani, Calvin Klein, La Perla), younger brands (North Sails, Mandarina Duck, Liu-jo, Guess, Diesel, Levi’s, Stefanel, Tommy Hilfiger) and manufacturers of various accessories (Lagostina, Bassetti, Samsonite).

Go there, choose, buy and take it for granted that you will have a strange feeling in your stomach for a few days. Don’t worry: whenever you go to places like this, post- consumer guilt is normal! Markets and flea markets: visiting the stalls looking for a bargain. For the more alternative consumers who snob the artificial lights of shopping malls and those who are attracted by the idea of owning something that is out of the ordinary, we recommend a visit to the Roman flea markets. Get rid of the concept “in a hurry” from your minds for a while and take all the time you want: rummaging among the stalls requires considerable concentration. Your efforts will most definitely be worth it though: from the bottom of the stall, the bargain of a lifetime or a valuable item could crop up, or even just the issue of Tex Willer that you were really fond of but that you lost during your last house move.

Porta Portese that veiled air of illegality that it inherited from its origins still persists: during the Second World War, this was the city’s black market. Today you can find old furniture, clothes, records, books, plants, CDs and a lot more too (Via Portuense and Via Ippolito Nievo, every Sunday).

The Mercato delle Stampe will literally drive fans crazy; magazines, prints and old books (Largo della Fontanella di Borghese, every morning except Sunday). Finally, if you are looking for vintage clothes or just second-hand clothes, you have to go to the market at Via Sannio (Via Sannio, every morning from Monday to Saturday)

Monuments

Rome Vacation Guide. The greatest historical architecture from the Roman Empire:

Colosseum
This is the most ancient monument from ancient Rome. Its building began in 7.5. A.D. and was opened in 80 A.D., an opening celebrated with a full day of bloody games during which, according to legend, five thousand animals were killed. This was a gruesome leisure activity for the ancient Romans: prisoners condemned to death were torn to pieces by ferocious beasts, animals were killed by archers and there were fights to the death between “professional” gladiators. The surface area of the Coliseum, which totals about 19,000 square meters, was arranged into four sections, each of which could hold up to 70,000 spectators. The Emperor’s box was placed in the center from where he could decide the gladiators’ fate with a simple hand gesture. The underground area of the Coliseum was used to organize and create the settings for the games, such as how to make the ferocious beasts appear unexpectedly in the arena, bringing them up to the main area with an elevator hoist that was hidden in the sand. In 438, the games were prohibited and the Coliseum was gradually abandoned.

Pantheon
This is one of the best-preserved buildings that date back to ancient Rome. This building dates back to 27 B.C., but was partly destroyed and then rebuilt between 118 and 125 A.D. It later became a Christian place of worship where the tombs of Raffaello, Vittorio Emanuele II, Umberto I are still kept, The huge dome and the fine marble decorations inside the Pantheon are worthy of note

Roman Forum
The Roman Forum was built in the 6th century B.C. on marshland that was drained by the creation of a sewer and drainage network. It rapidly became the center of social and political life in Ancient Rome, and new palaces, statues, temples and courts were added to the area century after century. From Via Salaria (parallel to Via dei Fori Imperiali) it is possible to enter this amazing archeological site, which is almost a city within a city.

Circus Maximus
This enormous structure was used for entertainment events such as the gripping chariot races that were a huge favorite of the Roman people. The area could hold up to 230,000 spectators and is one of the oldest areas in Rome.

Domus Aurea This structure was built on the ashes of a terrible fire that destroyed a large part of Rome in 64 A.D. Domus Aurea was built on the wishes of Nero, who was also probably responsible for the fire. During one of his famous ravings of omnipotence, the prince wanted a more majestic Rome with his enormous, new residence as the center of this newly-styled city. Inside this new palace there were buildings, gardens and a lake called “Stagnum Neronis”. The palace was disproportionately large, but was in perfect harmony with the 35-meter high bronze statue of the prince that was sculpted and placed at the entrance to the Domus Aurea. The Domus Aurea has recently been opened to the public after years of restoration work.

Castel Sant’Angelo
The original building, dating back to 123 A.D., was very different from the one that stands on the site today. Around 1200, Castel Sant’Angelo became the property of the Vatican and a sort of fortified corridor was built to connect the building with the Vatican Palaces.

Catacombs
The catacombs were the places where the early Christians celebrated funerals and where they were buried when they died. The catacombs, the oldest of which dates back to the 2nd century, were built outside the city walls.

Terme di Caracalla
These were the most luxurious and sophisticated thermal spa baths in ancient Rome. They were built using the finest marble and had a sophisticated plumbing system that supplied the baths with hot water. It is still possible to imagine the original splendor of this place when we visit what is left of the site today.

Museums and Churches

Rome Vacation Guide | Museums and Churches

St. Peter’s Basilica
A huge sanctuary of Christian religion. Its façade is 45 meters high, and its enormous dome is 136 meters. St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world, overlooks the square that carries the same name that was designed by Bernini and which is surrounded by a colonnade. Grandeur and majesty: this is the sensation that one gets walking up Via della Conciliazione towards Piazza San Pietro. One of the most important works of art inside is the “Pietà” sculpture by Michelangelo, that was created between 1498 and 1500.

The Sistine Chapel
This chapel owes its name to Sixtus IV, the Pope who commissioned the building of the chapel at the end of the 14th century. The Chapel was decorated by famous 15th century painters such as Botticelli and il Ghirlandaio. Later, in the 16th century, Michelangelo was called upon to paint all the frescoes on the chapel’s vaulted ceiling: about 1000 square meters. He painted frescoes representing stories from the Bible such as the amazing Universal Judgment, which caused a scandal because of the nudity of about four hundred people in it, and the Creation of Mankind.

San Giovanni in Laterano
This is the Cathedral of Rome, the most important church after St. Peter’s. The first church was built in 314, when the Emperor Constantine gave the land to the Pope. The current building complex is made up of the Church, the Baptistery, Palazzo Lateranense, the Scala Santa and the Hospital of San Giovanni.

San Paolo fuori le mura
This church is in Via Ostiense and was founded in 330. It was only finished, however, in the 5th century. The Church was built on the wishes of Constantine, who wished to commemorate the Deacon Lorenzo, who became a martyr together with Pope Sixtus II in the middle of the 3rd century, with a magnificent tomb.

Santa Maria Maggiore
This church stands on the Esquilino hill and is the first Roman church to be named after the Holy Virgin. Its bell tower is the highest in Rome. There is a story that this was the site where fragments of wood from Jesus’ crib were kept. For this reason, the church was called Santa Maria ad Praesepe for a certain period of time.

The museums and galleries that can’t be missed:

The Vatican Museums
This group of museums is divided into several sections such as the Egyptian Museum, the Ethnological Museum, the Painting Gallery and the Raffaello Rooms to name a few. As well as the ancient artifacts, the Vatican Museums contain hundreds of works of art commissioned and collected by the Popes over the centuries and created by the most famous artists in history. The statue of Laocoonte in the courtyard of Palazzo del Belvedere is not to be missed.

The Capitoline Museums
This museum, founded in 1471, houses findings and works of art that tell the full history of Rome, from the antique sculptures and bas- reliefs portraying the acts of the emperors to the paintings on show in the Picture Gallery. Galleria Borghese This is one of the largest collections in the world. The collection was begun in 1600 by the Borghese family; it was plundered by Napoleon at the beginning of the 19th century and then partly recompiled once more and was acquired by the State at the beginning of the 20th century. There are many works of art by painters and sculptors to see: Amor sacro e Amor Profano by Tiziano, la Pietà by Rubens, Davide con la testa di Golia by Caravaggio, Apollo e Dafne, David and Pluto e Prosperina by Bernin.

History and Culture

Colosseum Rome

Rome Vacation Guide. The founding of Rome is enveloped in myth: the story goes that the first city center sprang up in 753 B.C. on the Palatine hill, built by Romulus after he had killed his twin brother Remus. Romulus was the first of the seven kings of Rome, who started off the basic characteristics of this city that would go on to make Rome powerful throughout the ancient world: public works, institutional reforms, aqueducts. With the arrival of the Republic, Rome increased its expansion policy and after the Punic Wars, Carthage, Corsica and Sardinia were all annexed to the Republic. The end of the Republic determined the beginning of Silla’s dictatorship (82 B.C.) The dictator Caius Julius Caesar oversaw a period of heavy expansion overseas.

He was assassinated in 44 B.C. The Emperor Octavius Augustus brought Rome to its “golden era”: a lengthy period of peace and stability, which was celebrated with monumental works of art. Many emperors came after him, each of whom was famous for some work, conquest or edict. Under Traianus, the empire enjoyed its period of maximum expansion and reached as far as ruling land that stretched from the Danube to the Nile.

With the passing of the years, the city became increasingly Christian, while the empire fell into a fatal period of difficulty. The Pope became more and more powerful, building the grounds for the birth of the Holy Roman Empire (800 A.D.), which gave rise to the coronation of Charlemagne by the Pope. The Church’s power continued to increase and Rome became the representation of this power on earth. Between 1300 and 1600, many churches were built, beautifully painted with frescoes by Renaissance artists such as Raffaello and Michelangelo. Crowds of pilgrims flocked to the Eternal City from all over the world to admire its Baroque squares , its fountains and its monumental basilicas.

After the patriotic unrest that started in 1848 and which was headed by Garibaldi , a plebiscite approved the annexing of Rome to the Kingdom of Italy in 1870, which set up its official center in the city soon after. Starting from 1920, Rome was shaken by the terrible rise to power of Fascism that culminated in the pact made between the Italian Government and Nazi Germany. After Italy was liberated by the Allies during the Second World War, a referendum held on June 2nd 1946 sanctioned the end of the monarchy and the beginning of the Republic .

One Day Tour in Vatican St Peters Basilica and the Vatican Museums

Rome Vacation Guide. Take part in a special day-long pilgrimage the most important four major Basilicas of Vatican followed by the treasure trove of art through the ages in the Vatican Museums. See the most beautiful sites of the Vatican in a single day, including the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peters Basilica, the Holy Stairs and more. Your journey traverses a traditional pilgrim route covering the four major basilicas of the Vatican (the highest-ranking Catholic churches in the world) St. Peters, St. John of Lateran, St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. Mary Major, as well as the Holy Stairs.Skip the legendary queues at the Basilica of St. Peter to enter and marvel at the exquisite beauty of Michelangelos Pieta. Stand within the payer-soaked walls to absorb the atmosphere of one of the holiest places in Christendom. One Day Tour in Vatican St Peters Basilica and the Vatican Museums

Private Tour Portraits in Rome

Rome Vacation Guide. Be it a wedding, an anniversary or any other special occasion in Rome, let an expert bilingual photographer capture these memories for you forever. For one hour he will photograph you in some of the most iconic places in the Eternal City and also lead you to little-known small typical streets. You have four options from which to choose and each promises a mesmerizing glimpse into the ancient city of Rome. From the imposing opulence of the St Peters Basilica, the worlds largest church, to the famous Trevi Fountain, from the much-photographed Spanish Steps to the lively and bustling Piazza Navona, this tour has it all. Private Tour Portraits in Rome

Monumental Rome Tour

Rome Vacation Guide. Explore the historic heart of Rome and see the citys magnificent buildings and monuments on this excellent tour.See some of Romes renowned water features the gorgeous Trevi Fountain, arguably the most beautiful in the city and Bernini's famous Fountain of Four Rivers.Admire Piazza Colonna, site of the Column of Marcus Aurelius, and visit the splendid Pantheon, with its vast dome. Make your way to St. Peters Square in Vatican City and where Papal blessings are given, and enter St. Peters Basilica, one of the holiest places in Christendom. Stop to pay homage to Michelangelos masterpiece La Pieta, one of the finest artworks ever created. Monumental Rome Tour

Walking Tour of the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's

Rome Vacation Guide. Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of art, history and religion of the world's smallest state official: City Vaticano.Usufruisci a privileged tour with a guide of the Vatican Museums during the most peaceful time of the day, before the official opening.

Walking tour of the Vatican Museums : Vatican Museums, Raphael Rooms, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, St. Peter's Square, entrance to the Vatican Museums, Headphones for comment, entrance to the Vatican Museums privileged before the official opening.
duration: 3 - 4 hours

Secrets and Mysteries of Rome

Rome Vacation Guide. At the going down of the sun, mysteries and legends come to life, the reality is mixed to the imagination as your guide explains the dark side of the history of Rome.

Look around carefully : surely you walk beside spirits of the past and present. While strolling along the poorly lit streets , the guide will tell you tales of ghosts and will shed light on the darkest mysteries of Rome.

This night walk takes you across the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, Campo de Fiori, Piazza Farnese , Via Giulia, Via del Governo Vecchio and Castel Sant'Angelo. It is the only tour of the ghosts of the Roman capital : the darkest secrets of the city are finally revealed.

Included in the price of Secrets and Mysteries of Rome vacation:
* Night walk tour of Rome
duration : 1 ½ hours

The Golden Age of Dutch Art Roma

For the first time in Rome, an exhibition of Johannes Vermeer , the greatest exponent of Dutch painting of the seventeenth century. The exhibition at the Quirinal Stables includes, in fact, a valuable selection of works by Johannes Vermeer - rare and distributed in museums around the world, neither in Italy - and about fifty works of Dutch artists of his contemporaries. The visitor can, therefore, not only familiar with this artistic genius from life still shrouded in mystery, starting with his birth date is still unknown, but also understand how the work of the master of Delft has been compared with other artists active in his native city and in the nearby towns of cultural ferment, such as Amsterdam, Haarlem and Leiden.

In addition to the artist's masterpieces , famous and enchanting as the road today in Amsterdam, the exhibition will feature works by Carel Fabritius , one of the most famous artists of the time, died in the explosion of the powder magazine in 1654 that destroyed great part of the city of Delft , Pieter de Hooch and Emmanuel de Witte , along with celebrated artists at the time but today we have less well-known such as Gerard ter Borch , Gerrit Dou , Nicolaes Maes , Gabriel Metsu , Frans van Mieris , Jacob Ochtervelt and Jan Steen and many other masters refined and surprising . The specific character of the paintings of Vermeer and his contemporaries reflects the culture of middle-class Holland of the seventeenth century. The subject’s housewares and the strong sense of realism characteristic of their style fascinated by private collectors of the time, mostly merchants, bakers, brewers, exposing the paintings in their homes always asking for new subjects. In the same period in Italy, by contrast, large institutional commissions, such as the Church and the princely courts, required forms of public art and large format: very different, so the painting intimate and nuanced Vermeer which dealt mostly themes focused on the private sector. The family , gestures and moments of everyday life , reading and writing (especially the private correspondence ) , courtship , the music and the study of science , and then the views of the city, the glimpses of a world silent and industrious , light of irony and thoughtful tenderness. These themes vermeeriani .

In recent years the Dutch art has been widely and universally studied and several exhibitions have been dedicated to the exhibition in England, Holland , Germany, Japan, Spain and the United States, all memorable but distant in time and space. Although connoisseurs and lovers of art in Italy are now fully aware of the virtues and the variety of Dutch painting than they were the previous generations, there was still a really comprehensive review of that happy period of art that was the seventeenth century, both for the extreme difficulty in the works available find rare and precious, very jealously preserved by a few museums and refined collectors, both because of their fragility. Today, the Quirinal Stables are proud to offer this exhibition and its catalog that will help you to understand and know the Dutch painting and this big, absolute and undisputed master.