Castel Sant’Angelo may be the most worthwhile attraction in Rome that requires admission. Unlike more famous sites like the Colosseo or the Musei Vaticani, Emperor Hadrian’s fortress-turned-museum is relatively uncrowded, features an art exhibition and provides brilliant views of the city. Located in front of the castle is Rome’s most beautiful bridge, the Ponte Sant’Angelo, Bernini’s bridge with ten angels spanning its length across the Tevere.

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“Paris is more beautiful in the rain,” says Owen Wilson in Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris,” still my favorite film. I thought of this line when I checked the weather, seeing that Rome would be under gray skies for the next two days. I hoped the line about Paris would translate to Rome as well. Of course, it did.

Here are some photos of a rainy day in Rome, from Prati to the Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti (Spanish Steps), complemented with a panoramic video of the Fontana di Trevi. read more »

A few days ago, some new friends and I ventured out to EUR (Esposizione Universale Roma), a neighborhood outside of central Rome built by Mussolini for what would’ve been the site for the World’s Fair of 1942 if he hadn’t gone all cray-cray into World War II. We were there for the Italia Beer Festival, a celebration of craft brewers in Italy.

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As always, my goal is delivering the experience of being at a place through writing, photos and/or video. Below are three panoramic views of the interior of the Pantheon, an impressive structure built by the ancient Romans just under 100 years after the time of Jesus, and Piazza Navona, the grandest square in Centro Storico. Highlights of the former include the oculus, an “eye” at the top of the dome that lets in both sunlight and rain. The latter features Bernini’s legendary Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, an impressive fountain sitting near the steps of Sant’Agnese in Agone.

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While today may not have been as wild as my first night in Rome, it certainly was productive. I had my first of many cups of gelato and slices of pizza during this trip, and it was certainly interesting when I tried to order a new SIM card at Telecom Italia Mobile (there are still bumps in my Italian listening comprehension). All’s well that ends well, and I now have an Italian phone number, as well as a taste for more snacks. read more »