Viator Rome

Music lovers planning a trip to Rome would be smart to check out the schedule for the city’s opera house, the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. The 19th century concert hall, originally called Teatro Costanzi, seats 1600 and is home to performances of Rome’s opera, ballet, and orchestra.

Rome is fascinating every time of the year, and always for a different reason but Christmas and New Year have a special impact on visitors and will certainly leave you with fond memories.

Some cities lend themselves well to bicycles as a mode of transportation, while others seem to create an atmosphere in which it is more intimidating to hop on a bike when everyone else is apparently driving something with a motor. In Rome many residents have long relied on bicycles to get around the city, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t do the same thing. If, however, you’d like to start with a set of Italian training wheels, then taking a bike tour of Rome or the surrounding countryside is an excellent option.

One of the greatest pleasures of a visit to Rome is eating your way through the city. Sampling local specialties like Roman-style artichokes, bucatini all’amatriciana, porchetta, and cacio e pepe (a “comfort food” pasta dish with grated pecorino cheese and black pepper), not to mention the city’s array of fabulous gelato shops.

But if you’d like to make those mouth-watering memories last longer than your vacation, you absolutely can – sign up for a cooking class in Rome and learn to re-create those famous dishes once you return to your own kitchen.

Located within the city of Rome is a separate city state, the Vatican. The head of this state is the Pope. Many people make the pilgrimage to the Vatican every year – as they have done for centuries – to see the Pope. Here are the best ways to do this…

Rome is brimming with historic ruins, works of art and wonderful museums. Wandering around one of the world’s most delightful cities will lead you to ruined temples in the middle of the road, intricately sculptured fountains on tucked-away squares, and beautiful Baroque churches. The Eternal City is just begging to be explored, but as well as visiting its main attractions there are many unsung sights to discover. Here are some ideas about what to see, and some tips to help you get the most out of your visit.

When in Rome it’s tempting and very easy to stay in the Centro Storico, the historic center. But as they say, when in Rome do as the Romans do, which means you need to cross the river and head to Trastevere. This is the heart of real contemporary Rome. Trastevere is the place the city’s inhabitants come in the evenings, to the bars and restaurants that give the narrow cobbled streets such vitality.

If you’re not going south to Pompeii on your journey through Italy, then this ancient Roman port is the next best thing. In fact, in some ways it’s better because it’s less crowded so you can really feel what daily life was like in Rome rather than the 21st century tourist vibe.

If you’re going to be in Rome during January, there are two dates to put in your calendar. The first is January 6th, Epiphany. This marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas and the end of the holiday season in Italy. In Rome it’s an important religious day and the Pope leads a morning mass in St Peter’s Basilica.

You could be forgiven for thinking that the Italians invented coffee. They have certainly made it their own by naming all the various ways to drink it: cappuccino, espresso, macchiato, caffé latte. But actually coffee beans as a source of energy were first noted in Ethiopia in the 13th century.