After wandering Rome non-stop for a month, I thought I had seen all the romance the city had to offer. I’d seen the Centro Storico under a nearly supermoon, walked through the Spanish Steps in the rain, caught the sunset from Campidoglio and spent long nights in Trastevere.
But all this paled in comparison.
Gianicolo (Janiculum in English) is the second-tallest hill in Rome and one of the city’s most popular attractions. While it’s not one of the “Seven Hills of Rome,” as it sits outside the ancient boundaries of the city, it provides perhaps the best panoramic view that you can get. West of Trastevere, visitors can reach the summit by walking (or taking the bus) along the tranquil Passeggiata del Gianicolo leading up the hill. At the top, there are several monuments to the Garibaldi family as well as the Orto Botanico dell’Università di Roma “La Sapienza,” a botanical garden sitting slightly under the viewing area.
Is it worth the trip? Definitely. It’s cool and breezy up here; wholly romantic. I can only imagine that this effect is magnified many times over during the sunrise, the sunset and the night.
If you’re a film lover in Rome, a visit to Cinecittà is a must. Built by Mussolini in 1937, the studio has long shed its fascist ways (save for an eagle at the base of the flagpole), becoming one of the longest running and largest film studios in Europe. Great directors have worked here, most notably Federico Fellini for the production of his classics La Dolce Vita and Satyricon. More recently, the studio was used for the filming of Martin Scorsese’s The Gangs of New York, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ and HBO’s television series Rome, in which a multi-million dollar set was produced (photos below). Located along the Metro’s Linea A, reaching the expansive movie studio via public transit is really easy.
Continue reading “Five Things to Know Before Visiting Cinecittà, Rome’s Movie Studio (Photos)”
No need for words. More photos of Rome in the rain. Prati. Vatican City. Castel Sant’Angelo. Trastevere.
And if you like it, check out my first Rome in the Rain post.
Enjoy.
Trastevere, one of the hippest neighborhoods in Rome, is nightlife heaven when it comes to cool bars and great restaurants. And of all these bars, one of the most renowned is Freni e Frizioni (“Brakes and Clutches,” as it resides in a former auto shop). The bartenders are wholly capable, making me perhaps the best cocktails I’ve had thus far in Rome: an elegant mint julep with ice surrounding even the outside of the metal cup, and a unique Old Fashioned with blackberries and some amaro I can’t remember. The aperitivo food was also quite tasty, but the best part of it all was sitting outside in the cool Roman night with a drink and a good friend: Valeria, the new Yelp Community Manager of Rome, who was kind enough to give me an autographed copy of her novel, Invisibile.
After Freni e Frizioni, we headed to Antilia, another Trastevere bar. We met up with some new friends and enjoyed some amaro al fresco.
It was one of the best nights I’ve had in Rome, and I see now why Trastevere is so highly regarded as a hangout locale. Luckily, I had recently become accustomed with taking the buses in Rome, and I shared the ride home with a bunch of fellow night owls at 2:30 a.m., as evidenced by the last photo below.
Continue reading “Trastevere by Night – Freni e Frizioni and People in the Streets”
