Movin' on down to Trastevere

This week myself and six roommates packed up our first apartment on the Via Montecatini between Via Del Corso and the Pantheon. Montecatini was an incredibly spacious apartment with five bedrooms and enough beds for eleven people. We had two full bathrooms, kitchen, living room, dining room, and floor to ceiling windows in each room. We even had a balcony off the front of the building, which you can see in the picture. From the hardwood floors to the incredible excess of room, I loved Montecatini.

Not so much can be said for our current dwelling in on Viale di Trastevere. We are now about seven times as far from where classes are held and six floors higher with a minute elevator. The most aesthetic part about our apartment complex in Trastevere is the hobos that took up housing on the front sidewalk. One of the homeless men actually has a mattress set up full time.

I should not make it seem like an absolute nightmare however. Financially, Trastevere is a great weight lifted off my bank account. In the first 18 days of the trip, my average spending was $68 (U.S.) per day. I think the fact that the groceries in my new neighborhood are half the price of those near the Pantheon is a great step up. Hopefully, I will find more “upsides” to living here – and for once I am optimistic!

Tombs @ the Pantheon

When I was inside the Pantheon, admiring the beauty of the architecture, I paid closer attention to what was around the room rather than glancing around and snapping a picture. On my first trip to Rome, I mostly just toured things without researching the amazing artifacts inside and around the places. This time, I am learning more specific things about the historic places by reading and being aware of the artifacts. Inside the Pantheon at Piazza Della Rotonda, two of Italy's kings are honored by tombs. The tomb I found the most striking is Vittorio Imanuele's; however, if you read my previous blog on him, you would find out that it is not surprising his tomb is so extravagant. The black really stands out from all the lighter marble around the interior of the Pantheon. Other tombs inside include that of famous Renaissance artist Raphael and Baldassare Peruzzi. I can spend so much time in the Pantheon. This single space has so much to look at and learn about.

Vino, Vino, Vino

A delicious Italian wine is perfect to complete any meal when in Rome. In Italy, vino (wine) is rosso (red) or bianco (white). Most restaurants will have a house wine (vino della casa) available for you to order in a carafe (un litro) or half-carafe (mezzo-litro). I love trying new wines in Rome as the lists are extensive in most restaurants. I have noticed that Chianti is one of the most popular wines since you can find it almost anywhere. One of my favorites, Chianti is a red wine bottled on the border of Tuscany. The majority of other bottled-reds are from this region.

DK Eyewitness Travel: Rome

La Fontana a Piazza Della Rotonda

The fountain in the center of the Piazza Della Rotonda is a favorite spot for people to sit. At all times of the day you can see people resting their feet near the water works. During the scorching afternoon when the sun is the hottest, the running water makes you long for a cold swim. Many people stick there hands in to feel the refreshing flow. The steps up to the fountain, designed by Giacomo della Porta and carved by Leonardo Sormani in 1575, are my favorite place to sit once the sun goes down passed the surrounding buildings. The impressive Egyptian obelisk of Ramses II was added to the piazza in 1711.

Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides: Rome

Coastal Cocktails

Take a trip to coastal southern Italy and you will find some tasty delights. Throughout southern Italy (Amalfi coast, Sorrento, Capri, etc.) you will find a lemon tree just about anywhere you look. One of the local specialty drinks you can have there is Limoncello, a tart, lemon liqueur. You can find it at just about any eatery, bar, or gift shop in southern Italy as well as many other places. It is best to enjoy Limoncello after dinner, but that's up to you! If you are not into alcoholic drinks, try a Lemone Ice (pictured above). I enjoyed one while sunning myself on the coast of Capri. You can indulge in this semi-sour ice with a spoon or straw.

The Pantheon may be one of the best neighbors I will ever have. By living a stones throw away from it, I have the luxury of passing by almost daily. Often times I will walk inside just to get a view of the incredible ceiling. Pictures do not do the dome of the Pantheon any justice; actually being there will take your breath away. The ceiling is the widest masonry dome in all of Europe (precisely 142 ft high and 142 ft wide). A beam of sunlight enters through the center, called the oculus (27 ft diameter), which also provides structural support for the dome.

Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides

Roma Eating: Avoid hidden charges

It is easy to get enticed by the friendly, persuasive nature of the Italian server. They know all the tricks to charm you into eating at their ristorante or pizzeria. Even when trying to avoid "tourist trap" eateries it is sometimes a challenge when you are tired and hungry. One good thing to know is that by choosing something like a panini or slice of pizza and not eating at the establishment can save you the "bread charge" of about 1-4 euro. Sometimes the charge is just for sitting and you do not even get bread! Today, I went to lunch and paid 17 euro for a slice of pizza and a Fanta orange soda just because my friends and I wanted to sit and relax. I much prefer grabbing a fresh panini or sandwhich (like the one pictured above) and relaxing in a piazza or shaded area. Buon appetito!

Padre della Patria

When you travel through Rome it is quite hard to miss Il Vittoriano, the monument honoring Victor Emmanuel II (Mar. 14, 1820 – Jan. 9, 1878) (Pictured above). Pictured below, the shear size and blinding white color of this monument draws almost all tourists to comment on the spectacle. Even though most modern Romans find the monument to be gaudy, years ago Italians gave him the epithet Father of the Fatherland - "Padre della Patria." Immanuel was the King of Piedmont, Savoy, and Sardinia from 1849 to 1861. In 1861, he assumed the title King of Italy and gloriously became the first king of a united Italy until he died in 1878. His tomb is located in Pantheon. He will not be forgotten all long as his monument shadows Rome.
Wiki: Victor Emmanuel II of Italy

The Piazza della Rotonda: Morning, Noon, Night.

Visiting the Piazza della Rotonda at various times of the day will offer different kinds of crowds and observations. In the morning, approximately 9 a.m. (pictured above), you can see the tourists beginning to emerge from their lodgings. The slow slew of people that walk toward the front of Pantheon have the warm sun on them from the east. In the afternoon, the piazza is alive with multitudes of people admiring the area, eating gelato by the fountain, or enjoying some lunch. The piazza is the hottest in the afternoon with the sun heating up the black cobble stones which pave the area. Late at night, the whole scene is cool and calm with couples sitting near the columns of the Pantheon or walking home from a fun night out.

Chiesa del Gesu

The Chiesa del Gesu, or Church of the Gesu, is located in the Piazza del Gesù in Rome. I stumbled upon this baroque church while taking a walk down the Via del Plebiscito. This Church is a highly traveled area in Rome near Palazzo Venezia making it a great stop on your route through the city. Inside this church you will find some of the most beautiful marble work in the city. The most striking feature inside the church is the ceiling and cupola with frescos by Giovanni Battista Gaulli.


Chiesa del Gesu

The food in Italy is definitely some of the best in the world. When in Rome, however, it is quite expensive to dine out all the time. The prices will catch up with you just like they would at home. Perhaps they might faster than home because of the value of the Euro. It is easy to prepare delicious meals for yourself. Some of them can be as simple as a ripe tomato with fresh mozzarella cheese and a chunk of rosemary bread. Once you can navigate the open air market or the supermercado you can begin cooking authentic meals in the heart of a culinary center of the world.

Vuole qualcosa da mangiare?

"Would you like something to eat?" Then come to Rome, where some of the best food and drink in the world is prepared daily. Since my family has owned an Italian restaurant for over 70 years, Italian cuisine is an important part of my life. In Rome, there are many fantasic places to eat. A ristorante is the most formal and expensive eatery; a trattoria is a family-run, moderately priced place; an osteria is anything from a simple trattoria to the equivalent of a pub with a few small dishes. I had the privelege to eat at the beautiful Cafe Veneto two years ago. This pricey ristorante, which is right in the heart of the famous Via Veneto, specializes in Argentine beef, game, and truffles.

Picture
Eyewitness Top Ten Travel Guides: Rome

The Pantheon @ Piazza Della Rotonda

Since Roman Emperor Hadrian designed the Pantheon, or temple "of all the gods," people have admired it for its massive scale an beauty. It is located in Rome and is the main attraction at the Piazza Della Rotonda. In the piazza many tourists stand and admire the ancient masterpiece. there are also a number of open-air dining restaurants here where you can sit admire the piazza. It is a very busy place throughout the day but if you happen to pass through on the way home from a late night out it is peaceful and quiet. The Pantheon and Piazza Della Rotonda is a must see when traveling in Rome.
[DK Eyewitness Travel: Rome]

Benvenuto!

Welcome to my blog which will be showing you some of my adventures while I am studying in Roma, Italia. I am a student in the Communication Arts and Sciences program living in the heart of Rome off the Via del Corso and near the Pantheon. I will be exploring as much of Roma as possible and hopefully seeing a little more of Europe. This is my second trip to Rome and I hope there are many, many more to come. Hopefully my blog will encourage you to visit this wonderful city. I hope you enjoy reading! Ciao, amico!