Once in life everybody should go to Rome, and see all the greate artworks in the city…

If you are planning some days in Rome, here you will have some good advices for yur stay, the things to do and the places to visit!

Let’s have a brief description of one of its precious artwork, the Vatican Museum Setting, The Sistine Chapel.

“The frescoes that we are contemplating here introduce us into the world of the contents of the Revelation. The truths of our faith speak to us here from all ses. From them human genius took its inspiration undertaking to clothe them in forms of incomparable beauty” . With these words pronounced in the Homily during the Holy Mass celebrated on 8 April 1994, on the occasion of the completion of the restoration of the Last Judgement, the Holy Father John Paul II wished to place emphasis on the sacredness of the place in which the paintings, like the images of a book, serve to render the truths expressed in the Holy Scriptures more understandable.

The Sistine Chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV della Rovere (pontiff from 1471 to 1484) who had the old Cappella Magna restored between 1477 and 1480. The 15th century decoration of the walls includes: the false drapes, the Stories of Moses (south and entrance walls) and of Christ (north and entrance walls) and the portraits of the Popes (north and south and entrance walls).

It was executed by a team of painters made up initially of Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Cosimo Rosselli, assisted by their respective shops and by some closer assistants among whom Biagio di Antonio, Bartolomeo della Gatta and Luca Signorelli stand out. On the Ceiling Pier Matteo d’Amelia painted a starry sky.

The work on the frescoes began in 1481 and was concluded in 1482. This is also the date of the following works in marble: the screen, the choir stalls (where the choristers took their places), and the pontifical coat of arms over the entrance door. On 15 August 1483, Sixtus IV consecrated the new chapel dedicating it to Our Lady of the Assumption. Julius II della Rovere (pontiff from 1503 to 1513), nephew of Sixtus IV, decided to partly alter the decoration, entrusting the work in 1508 to Michelangelo Buonarroti, who painted the Ceiling and, on the upper part of the walls, the lunettes. The work was finished in October 1512 and on the Feast of All Saints (1 November), Julius II inaugurated the Sistine Chapel with a solemn Mass. The nine central panels show the Stories of Genesis, from the Creation to the Fall of man, to the Flood and the subsequent rebirth of mankind with the family of Noah.

For a short stay in Rome, try Rome Cheap Accommodation a Bed and Breackfast in Rome near the major touristic attraction and the strategic points of interests of the Eternale City…

HAve a good stay in Rome and Rome Cheap Accommodation!

Versione Italiana

Here you can find a brief itinerary to visit the beautiful city of Rome in less than 48 hours!

Some of the most famous places all over the world, and the must to see once in Rome…

FIRST DAY
1-Piazza San Pietro – St. Peter’s Square: you’ll be immediately impressed by the size of the memorable square facing St. Peter’s, surrounded by the magnificent four-row colonnade masterpiece of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The building is 136 m. high, the diameter of the Cupola, designed by Michelangelo, measures 42 m. It is possible to reach the top of the Cupola climbing 330 steps: once up there the view of the square below and of Rome is unforgettable.
2-Castel Sant’Angelo – St Angelo Castel: from St. Peter’s walking along Via della Conciliazione one can reach the second stop of our itinerary: Castel Sant’Angelo. The unique monument houses the National Museum where, besides the stuccoes, frescoes and furniture of the papal apartments, one can also admire an important collection of ancient arms.
3-Piazza Navona – Navona Square: from an air view, the arena-like shape of Piazza Navona can be easily noticed. As a matter of fact, the piazza was built on the Stadium of Domitian, whose ruins can still be admired in the adjacent church of Sant’Agnese in Agone. Traditionally, from the beginning of December till the Epiphany, this piazza is occupied by stalls selling sweets and toys.
4-Pantheon: The Pantheon is an impressive example of the exquisite architectural technique of ancient Rome. It consists of a huge cylindrical body of equal height and width, covered by a great hemispherical dome.
5-Piazza di Spagna – Spain Place: a meeting place for both Romans and tourists, Piazza di Spagna is famous for its theatrical staircase, a creation of Francesco De Sanctis, and for its fountain known as La Barcaccia, designed in 1629 by Pietro Bernini and his son Gian Lorenzo in the shape of a boat semisubmerged in water.

SECOND DAY

1- Il Colosseo - The Colosseum: it owes its name to a colossal bronze statue, representing the Emperor Nero, more than 35 m. tall, that used to stand in this area. Symbol of Rome worldwide, the Colosseum was built by the emperors of the Flavian dynasty between 72-80 A.D.
2-I Fori Imperiali - The Roman Forum: they are the most important archaeological area in Rome, extends from the Capitol Hill to the Palatine. As far back as the 7th century B.C., the Forum was the centre of political, commercial and religious life.
3- Il Campidoglio - The Capitol: Piazza del Campidoglio, designed by Michelangelo, is surrounded by three noble palaces: the central one, Palazzo Senatorio, is the seat of the Municipality whereas the two on the sides, Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo, host the treasures of the Capitoline Museums.

Have a pleasant stay… and for a comfortable accommodation near the train station and to the tube line, so that you can easily visit all the touristic attractions below, stay in Hotel il Papavero, a very nice accommodation in the heart of Rome!

Versione Italiana

If you are planning to visit Florence, even if just for a week end, I advice to book a hotel in the city centre.
A central accommodation is perfect for who wants to visit the city by foot, without needing buses: for the one that wants to go round and round without the fear of arriving behind schedule.

Moreover, in the historic centre you can find a hotel made inside an historic palace.
The Hotel Santa Croce, for example, is situated in an ancient area of Florence, where there’s the Basilica of Santa Croce, and has created an ancient Florentine atmosphere also on its inside.

The hotel is placed near to monuments and historical buildings, like Michaelangelo’s house, the Uffizi Gallery, Santa Croce square and the Ponte Vecchio.

A perfect location to visit Florence!

Italian version.

Appia teritur regina longarum viarum

That’s how’s called the Appian way, one of the most important Roman roads, that connected Rome to Brindisi, in Apulia (south of Italy).
The Roman army’s military success depended on the use of this type of ways and Appian way was used for military supplies for many years since the mid 4^th century BC and it remained an important connection to the southern Italy for centuries.

Now the Appian way has many fascinating remains near Rome, very interesting for the tourists that want to discover a unique part of the eternal city: you can follow the way in the country just outside the city, where the road is flanked by pine trees and cypresses and find out some of the earliest Christian cemeteries like San Callisto’s and San Sebastiano’s catacombs.
But the most interesting part of Appian way is the one which goes from the tomb of Cecilia Metella to Casal Rotondo, near 5 km of marble ruins and statues covered by grass: a sight that have inspired poets like Goethe, Byron of D’Annunzio.

Stay close to Appian way means have a quiet holiday in a very silent place, being well connected to the centre of the city.
Daniel’s Inn is a bed and breakfast placed 100 metres far from the Colli Albani Metro A station, two steps away the new Appian way.
Born in 2007, Daniel’s Inn is a nice accommodation in Rome with comfortable and fully equipped rooms, either with or without bathroom.

Close to the city, far from the noise: Appian way is one of the best place to enjoy Rome.

Roma Termini (in Italian, Stazione Termini or Stazione di Roma Termini) is the main train station of Rome. It is named after the ancient Baths of Diocletian (in Latin, thermae), which lie across the street from the main entrance.

The station has regular train services to all major Italian cities as well as daily international services to Paris, Munich, Genève and Basel. With its 29 platforms and over 150 million passengers each year, Roma Termini is one of the largest train stations in Europe.

Termini is also the main hub for public transport inside Rome. Both current Rome Metro lines (A and B) intersect at Termini metro station, and a major bus station is located at Piazza Cinquecento, the square in front of the station. However, the main tram lines of the city cross at Porta Maggiore, some 500 metres east of the station.

On 23 December 2006, the station was dedicated to Pope John Paul II, more or less like Rome’s main airport at Fiumicino is dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci.

The Termini station is, obviously, very central and well linked to every part of the city.
If you want to visit Rome and want to accommodate near the station, try out Hotel Mari. It comprises two hotels (Hotel Mari 1 and Hotel Mari 2), and you can ask for a bedroom with private jacuzzi…

Italian version.

Texts taken from Wikipedia.

What do you know about Calabria?

Calabria is a wonderful Southern Italian region, that has been part of Magna Grecia, of the Byzantine Empire and of the Kingdom of Naples.

Catanzaro is the capital of the region, and it’s, obviously, impregnated with history.
Wikipedia tells us that the old town was built over three hills (St. Trifone or St. Rocco Hill; Episcopate’s Hill; St. John’s Hill) in Byzantine times.

In the 15th century, under the Aragonese domination of southern Italy, Catanzaro was the silk producing capital of the world that created silks and lace for the world’s courts and Vatican.

During the revolt of Calabrian barons of 1528, the Spanish viceroy Pedro Alarcon de Mendoza with 11,000 loyal troops resisted a long siege, gaining for the city the title of magnifica at fidelissima by emperor Charles V and the right to mint coin.

Catanzaro was once a flourishing Byzantine center as well as an early Norman outpost. The former Norman castle still remains today.

If you want to visit Catanzaro, you can accommodate at the Niagara Hotel: it’s situated near to the sea and to the historic centre.

Italian version.

Avoiding the typical Italian clichè of mandolino, pizza and mafia, discover the real Italy can be a surprising experience. Go to Sicily and its capital Palermo is indeed the best way to debunk the myth of a backward-looking region, characterized only by waste of public money and corruption.

The fascinating beach of Mondello, the open air market of Vucciria, the historic theatres of Politeama and Teatro Massimo are only the most foregone places to see.
Palermo hides many and many things to discover and historical wonders to go visiting: there’s only to get carried away form the atmosphere of a 3000 year old city.

History is everywhere: in the little alleys of the centre or in the large main roads like Vittorio Emanuele or Maqueda street, in the baroque cathedrals or in the medieval churches, in the fusion cuisine or in its wonderful beaches, and even in the eyes of the old people.

The best way to see Palermo and feel the history is to make the most of the warm climate and go around on foot in the centre, cause the main monuments can really easily be reached with a nice walk.
Choosing a central accommodation is required, if the place is in a perfect Sicilian baroque style is great.

That’s why I write about Palazzo Amari Bajardi, a bed and breakfast in the very centre of the city, 500 mt away form the Central Station and a stone’s throw from Vucciria market and via Maqueda.
There are two suites, furnished with historical furnishing and equipped with all the comforts: private bathroom decorated with valuable maiolicas, tv, minibar, and every facilities.

Every morning a big continental breakfast with Sicilian specialties is served in the dining room: that’s the right way to start a Palermo city tour!

Italian version

Science and technical foundation of Florence in December has organized meetings for groups of people and students at the Planetarium.

The Planetarium is settled in a dome of 8 meters in diameters and allows visitors to see a simulated movement of the earth and the various stars and corps of our galaxy.
It’s a particular effect that allows people to see  the sky for any latitude of the earth and the precession of the Earth, thanks to the digital images technology.

Florence is now connoted by a new point of view: it’s famous also for its Museum of Science and Technology and the attention given to Leonardo’s invention and innovative ideas.

In December you will have the opportunity of visiting also this new side of our wonderful Cradle of the Renaissance…

If you are looking for a friendly accommodation in Florence, I think that Hotel Fedora will suite you. A few steps from the historical center, well served by buses and vehicles and with very pretty rooms.

Enjoy the sky – observation and the city of Florence staying in Fedora Hotel.

Italian Version

Near the city of Cagliari ther’s a very plesant B&B where people can stay passing a very particular period of time…

Casa di Maria Rosa is a naturopathy bed and breakfast where many treatments are offered : Shiatsu massage, bioenergetics, massage therapy, holistic treatments and many others pursuing a total psychophysical welfare.

Why not combine the pleasure of a vacation and a naturopath personalized therapy for your welness?

In Casa di Maria Rosa Bed and Breakfast people will have the possibility of visiting one of the most beautiful places of the world, like Sardinia, with its beaches and coves and a marvellous white sand.

The accommodation offers to its guests very well furnished rooms and details of a particular attention for the general welfare and welness of the people…. so If you agree with these ideas and type of relaxing holiday that’s your place to go!

Casa di Maria Rosa, in Cagliari, Sardinia, will welcome you with essenzial oils, burning incense and other products for aromatherapy: the owner, Maria Rosa, wish to make your stay relaxing and rejuvenating!

Italian Version

Mona Lisa (in Italian Monnalisa or La Gioconda), with her enigmatic expression, is among the most famous works of art ever. Few other paintings or sculptures have been subject to as much study and parody.
La Gioconda is a portrait painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1503.

This portrait was one of the first portraits to represent the poser before an imaginary landscape. Mona Lisa is seated with a huge landscape recedes to icy mountains behind. Just a  bridge and the tortuous lines give an indications of human presence.
The sense of harmony reached in the painting indicates a link between humanity and nature.  This was Leonardo’s idea of the nature that surrounded him.

If you like this and the other paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, go visiting his birth place: in Vinci you will have the opportunity to see the landscapes that inspired him.

If you are searching for an accommodation in Vinci, I can suggest you Hotel Monnalisa: good position and beautiful rooms.
Have fun in Leonardo’s home!

Italian version.