I Love Touring Rome, Italy - Hotels In The Esqualino District

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I Love Touring Rome, Italy - Hotels In The Esqualino District

The Esquilino area of southeastern Rome is named for the Esquiline hill. This lovely area is known for some special churches including the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore dating back to the Fifth Century, which contains mosaics and marble columns from that era. It is the only one of the four Roman Basilicas retaining the original structure. It sits on a Piazza of the same name. The Egyptian obelisk in the Piazza's center comes from the Emperor Augustus's mausoleum. When you tour the Ninth Century Santa Prassede Church note its frescoes and coffered ceiling. The Palazzo Brancaccio, completed in 1912, making it the last noble palace built in Rome. It hosts the National Collection of Oriental Art. The Piazza Vittorio Emanuele is the largest Piazza in Europe. So if ever direction givers say you can't miss it, they are right. For your convenience we have listed neighborhood hotels in approximate order of cost, starting with the least expensive. We have personally verified all website addresses making sure that they include English-language pages.

The Bed and Breakfast Cialdini Inn is on the fourth floor of an elevator serviced building right in the heart of this area. It is very close to the Termini Station. For some reason the Inn's prices vary almost daily, but in general they are quite reasonable by Roman standards. There are two rooms that were renovated in 2007 and a lovely garden. The address is Via Enrico Cialdini, 14 - 00185 - Rome.

The Hotel Santa Prassede has twenty rooms, singles doubles, triples, and quads, in an independent building. Its reception area is open 24 hours a day. There is a breakfast room. They advertise themselves as one of the best two star hotels in Rome. The address is Via di Santa Prassede, 25 - 00184 - Rome.

As you might guess from its name, the Hotel Antico Palazzo Rospigliosi is located in a historic palace, one built in 1585. Their website contains lots of interesting information describing the building's owners over the centuries. This brand new four-star hotel is located next to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Its courtyard has a pond and a fountain and the hotel boasts a bar, a restaurant, and a conference room. There are 39 rooms, most with a courtyard view. Some of its rooms overlook the Basilica. When you relax in the reading room remember that it was once a Cardinal's living room. The address is Via Liberiana, 22 - 00185 - Rome.

The Hotel Gallia is situated in a majestic Nineteenth Century palace quite close to the Basilica. It has facilities for the handicapped, a reading room, a bar, and a panoramic terrace. It offers single, double, and triple rooms. The address is Via di Santa Maria Maggiore, 143 - 00185 - Rome.


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Over the years Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet but simply prefers drinking fine Italian or other wine, with the right foods. He teaches a variety of computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his Italian travel website http://www.travelitalytravel.com which includes information on Italian wine and food.


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Orvieto, Umbria

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By Marcus Smith
You realize you are visiting somewhere a bit special even before you enter Orvieto. The town sits in a dramatic location on the cliffs above the surrounding plains of the Umbrian countryside - a position that lent itself well to meeting the defensive requirements of an early Italian town. On entering Orvieto you will head first to the main square, which includes the substantial cathedral, a couple of impressive palaces, and a sprinkling of interesting museums.

Orvieto cathedral is the highlight of your visit. The ornate exterior, with carved stone arches and various painted decorations provides, is impressive while the interior is covered on almost all available surfaces with paintings and frescoes dating from the 14th century. These continue into the chapels of the cathedral - note particularly the painting called 'The Damned' in the Chapel of San Brizio, for example. Of the museums, the 'Opera del Duomo' is perhaps the highlight and features many important works of art by local artists from the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries, many of them noteworthy for their use of colour and light.

Elsewhere in Orvieto, head next to the northern part of the town to follow the narrow streets that wind through the old town passed medieval townhouses and palaces, revealing occasional glimpses of quiet courtyards and decorative features that will entice you to explore further.

Orvieto also has a couple of underground secrets - a large number of passages have been carved into the soft rock to create an underground 'city' while the deep and ornate well that was once used to store water for the town is also a remarkable achievement. Stepping further back in time you can see the remains of the original Etruscan defenses for the city, built more than 2000 years ago. The Albornoz fortress and the 14th century 'Palace of the Captain of the People' are other unmissable highlights of your visit.

Be sure to allow plenty of time for your visit and to explore the town, and then to sit quietly in a cafe people-watching, ideally early in the evening and with a glass of the highly regarded local Orvieto wine to enjoy - at the same time as watching the world go by and reflecting on the many inhabitants who have passed along the same streets over the last 2000 years.

Learn more about Umbria and the fascinating historical towns before you visit. Orvieto is just one of the fascinating places to explore here - one of the other popular historical towns can be seen at Todi a little way to the east.

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Venice, Italy - Basilica Di San Marco

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By Harry Preston
Venice's most visited sight was originally the doge's private chapel, but since 1807 it has been, deservedly, the city's cathedral church. Its makeup is an eclectic mix of cupolas, spires, sculpture and mosaics, leading Mark Twain to compare it to "a vast warty bug taking a meditative walk". The Quadriga, four horses that adorn the front, are copies of statues looted from the hippodrome in Constantinople. The originals are in the loggia of the cathedral. Its altar is said to house the body of St Mark, smuggled from Alexandria in AD 829 by two merchants and adopted as the city's patron.

The building itself is built on the plan of a Greek cross. While the structure of San Marco has altered little since 1063, its decoration has changed repeatedly as more and more treasures were brought back from the Orient. Columns, capitals and friezes were added on an ad hoc basis until the basilica's ancient brickwork disappeared under marble and carvings.

The interior is dark and dense with 4,OOOsq m (4,3056sq feet) of mosaics, including bronze and gold tiles. In candlelight, the nave has an other-worldly feel but beware the uneven floors, the result of centuries of flooding and subsidence. The mosaics of the narthex (above the central doorway) show Old Testament scenes including the Creation, while the interiors of the main domes show Pentecost, the Ascension, and Christ Pantocrator. The Baptistry (usually closed to the public) is richly decorated with mosaic scenes from the life of St John the Baptist.

The multiple choir lofts were the inspiration for the early development of a Venetian style of "polychoral" music in which different groups of singers answer each other. As a result, the post of maestro di cappella at San Marco was much sought-after in the music world. The Gabrielis, Andrea and Giovanni, ran San Marco in the 16th century; one of the earliest opera composers Pietro Cavalli (1602-1676) was both chorister and organist and Tommaso Albinoni (1671-1751) is said to be buried somewhere inside the basilica.

The whole complex has been referred to as the world's biggest display of stolen property. Among the plundered Byzantine silver and gold is the Pala d'Oro, a jewel- encrusted altarpiece covered with over 3,000 precious stones. The Tetrarchy, a porphyry statue of three emperors on the south side of the building, was taken from Constantinople in 1204 and presented to San Marco. The foot missing from one of the emperors was discovered recently in Istanbul - but is being kept there. Visit early to avoid the crowds and follow the signs to Loggia dei Cavalli. From here, even if you don't visit the horses and loggia, you can look down into the basilica and get a clear idea of its shape.

For an online guided tour of Venice, Italy, or for more information about the city of Venice, visit http://www.GuidedTourVenice.com. For an online guided tour of Dubai, UAE, or for more information about the city of Dubai, visit http://www.GuidedTourDubai.com.

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Ingredients from beyond - some Neapolitan pizzas have a secret ingredient...

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From: ITALY Magazine



In yet another hit to the reputation of the city of Naples, news has emerged that certain bakeries and pizzerie may be using wood from stolen coffins to fire their pizza ovens.

Il Giornale reports that, although there have been rumours that this has been happening on a small scale for twenty-five years, the city’s Prosecutor now believes that a gang is involved and that many small pizzerie and bakeries dotted around the city may be involved. It is also possible that the daily bread of thousands of Neapolitans is being baked in this way.

The main cemetery in Naples is never closed and has become a looters’ paradise. Statues and coats of arms are regularly taken from the area where nobles are buried and last year, 5,000 flower pots were stolen in broad daylight.

There is, of course, little evidence to prove that this is a wide-scale activity but an undoubtedly otherworldly turn of events nonetheless!

In all fairness to Napoli their is also an active group of restaurants (especially in central Napoli) that are actively promoting the strict control and certification of what can be called an authentic Neapolitan pizza.

Would this put you off eating pizza in Naple
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Italian FACEBOOK SONG

And Now for Something Completely Different

Cinque Terre in the Rain - 10 Things to Do

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If you go to Cinque Terre for the hiking, as many people do, the rain can put a damper on your trip. Trails can become treacherous when they are wet, and could possibly be closed for safety reasons.

But that doesn't mean that you can't still have a fabulous time in Cinque Terre. Accept that hiking is better left for next time, and follow the suggestions below:


1. Spend more time in each village, taking the train to travel to each

2. Visit the boutiques that feature local artisans for items such as jewellery and ceramics

3. Visit at least one enoteca and have a wine tasting to expand your knowledge and experience of the local wines.

4. If it is only raining, with no thunder or lightning, you can still swim! Just avoid slippery rocks, so swim from the beaches of Monterosso or Vernazza

5. There are a lot of options for a day trip, again allowing you to spend more time in other towns than you might otherwise - such as Pisa or Lucca

6. Visit the olive oil museum in Cinque Terre

7. For a local flavor, take the bus between villages, a different experience from train, ferry or by foot, and it gives a different appreciation of the landscape.

8. Play cards with the locals whether or not you play cards when at home!

9. Have progressive meals. Have an appetizer in one village, main course in the next and dessert in another. Or, if you prefer, stay in one village, but go to different restaurants for each course.

10. Enjoy the beauty of the rain and the storm, and the quieter, less hectic atmosphere it provides.

So, regardless of the weather, it is always possible to enjoy Cinque Terre! Luckily, the best things aren't affected by the rain - the beauty, the food and the people are all still wonderful!

Hike the less-traveled trails, experience the sea, enjoy meals of locally caught and grown food and wines of Cinque Terre. Share the culture of this unique part of Italy, with charming and fun locals whose families have lived there for generations. Visit the website to learn and share information about Cinque Terre.
http://www.experiencecinqueterre.com

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The Top 5 Must See Sites in Florence

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As one of the most popular cities to visit in Italy, Florence is filled with an array of fantastic tourist attractions. Situated in the heart of Tuscany, Florence is home to some of Italy's best museums, cathedrals and churches; as well as many character-filled streets and squares which are home to exquisite buildings and both modern and traditional shops and cafes.

There is so much to see and experience in Florence that you can't fit it all in during one trip. If you are planning a vacation in Tuscany here are our suggestions for 5 'must see' site while you are in Florence.



Piazza Della Signoria is the most famous square in Florence, situated in the heart of the city. Here, tourists will find themselves standing in a place of history as the piazza has been the political centre of Florence since the middles ages. The Palazzo Vecchin town hall is situated within the middle of the piazza and is one of the many medieval buildings you can find within Florence. The Palazzo boasts many decorated public rooms and private apartments and there is an array of cafes and eateries which are dotted around this area.

When visiting Florence, it is doubtful you will not hear about Il Duomo, which is one of Florence's most popular sites. The cathedral is a great chance to experience some of the many pieces of gothic architecture which are found within Florence and is a true piece of beauty on both its interior and exterior. Consecrated in 1436 and with the ability to hold up to 20,000 people, the cathedral's exterior is made up of green, pink and white marble and includes many elaborate doors and statues. The dome of the cathedral is a piece of art in itself of which tourists can purchase a ticket to climb the 436 steps which lead to its top.

The Baptistery of John the Baptist is one of the oldest buildings in Florence having been originally built during the 11th century. Its exterior constitutes of green and white marble and also boasts three sets of astounding bronze doors. Inside the Baptistery, visitors will view many mosaics and marbles pavements which illustrate the zodiac- a truly stunning sight.

Art lovers will flock to visit the Galleria degli Uffizi which holds the world's most important collection of Renaissance art. As Italy's most popular art museum, this can often be extremely crowded, but tickets can be purchased in order to avoid queuing up for entry. The gallery holds many historical paintings from medieval artworks to modern art and an array of antique sculptures and tapestries. Some of the art works visitors can hope to see include Botticelli, Leonardo di Vinci and Raphael.

One of the largest Franciscan churches within Italy is the Santa Croce. This church is home to the tombs of many important Florentines such as Michelangelo and Dante and its stunning interiors include beautiful pieces of stained glass windows and frescoes. Those who love historical artworks will also enjoy the Cappella dei Pazzi by Brunelleschi which can also be found within the Santa Croce.

When it comes to visiting Florence in Tuscany, there is plenty to be seen and inspired by, no matter what types of historical sites you normally enjoy. Whether you love viewing historical art, architecture or places of worship; Florence is sure to provide all this and more and is sure to see you return again in the future in order to take all of its brilliance in once again.

Mark Scriven is an online marketing expert and has written many articles on business, travel and the internet. For a wide selection of luxury villas in Tuscany visit Cottages to Castles, specialists in luxury holiday accommodation in Tuscany.

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The Leopard

The Leopard: "This month marks the 150th anniversary of Garibaldi's landings in Sicily as part of the national unification movement - and nobody in Sicily seems to care. Fact is often stranger than fiction, and the historical novel that provoked serious reconsideration of the unification war and its aftermath remains the bestselling Sicilian work of fiction half a century after its initial publication.

The Leopard is the story of an aristocratic family of Palermo beginning in 1860. Important themes abound within its pages, and it remains as fresh and readable today as it was over fifty years ago. It was published shortly after the death of its author, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, himself a Sicilian nobleman.

What's interesting is that this unique novel is still fairly popular. More than any other book, it has shaped the opinions of many Sicilians over the last five decades, challenging what - until the fall of the House of Savoy and the end of Fascism - was advocated by the Italian police state as the 'official' view of Italian unification.

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How to read a TrenItalia ticket | Vineyard Adventures

How to read a TrenItalia ticket | Vineyard Adventures

Surprise! Your TrenItalia ticket…is in Italian! This is for a ticket issued at the ticket window (sportello) or from a self service machine. If you’ve purchased single tickets in advance from Rail Europe (which I do NOT recommend) your ticket may look different as it may not have actually been issued in Italy!

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The Least Italian You Need to Know

The Least Italian You Need to Know

I've spent more than 25 years learning as much Italian as I possibly can, but the question I'm often asked is "What do I need just to get by in Italy?"

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EUROPE A HOT TICKET FOR U.S. TRAVELERS IN 2010 ACCORDING TO TRIPADVISOR SURVEY
Volcanic Ash Doesn't Deter Tourists: 60 Percent Taking European Trips in the Coming Year, Up 10 Percent from Last Year
33 Percent Wooed by More Favorable Exchange Rates

NEWTON, Mass. — May 13, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — TripAdvisor®, the world's most popular and largest travel community, today announced the results of its annual European travel survey of more than 1,200 U.S. respondents. Trans-Atlantic trips look to be more popular in 2010, with 60 percent planning to visit Europe in the coming 12 months, up from 50 percent who did so last year. The majority of travelers appear undeterred by the recent volcanic ash cloud, with just six percent reconsidering their European trips as a result. Thirty-three percent say more favorable exchange rates have increased their interest in traveling to Europe this year.

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Style City: Florence

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Style City: Florence

Florence is one of the most beautiful and inspirational cities in the world. Florence is where the Italian vernacular language was founded; it is the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and of course is home to the famous and oldest bridge in Italy the "Ponte Vecchio", which is flanked on either side by magnificent, ornate jewellery shops that ...
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Full story: Irish Independent
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Do You Know You Could Acquire a New Passport in Twenty-four Hours From an Emergency Passport Service

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We just about all consider that a Passport may need weeks or maybe even a few months to be able to renew. This is actually very wrong and generally there are solutions where your passport can actually be renewed and sent back to you within 24 hours. This piece talks about the options and recommends exactly what you wants to look for in an emergency passport service company.



Once you discovered the problem with your passport you probably had premonitions involving waiting about within the passport office for several hours, simply to end up being informed it could be at the very least seven days before you received your replacement passport - almost no help when you're arranged to take a trip abroad in the next 4 days. You can stop fretting since there is an emergency passport service where at a little extra cost, you should obtain your passport without having to go through the hassle of standing about inside the passport office.




You may get your passport replaced speedily, safely and securely with an on-line passport and visa service. When you submit your application additionally , you'll need to send in your payment, or pay by credit or debit card over the phone. It's possible to have your passport renewal application handled in 24 hours, of course , if you really have left it until the last second you can have your passport shipped by courier at the airport. It may cost you a little more to have your passport brought to the airport, but at any rate you can be assured this service is accessible if you need it.



Take a look around online and see how quickly you could have your passport renewal application processed. Their are a number of businesses with many years of experience in working with passport applications and passport renewals indicating that your application process will probably go smoothly and also you should obtain your brand new passport in a short time and with the minimum of hassle.



The price of this service may differ subject to whether you may need your passport in twenty four hours or 10 days as well as the provider. What you can be guaranteed of is a efficient service without the hassle of standing around in queues only to end up being informed you will have to come back again in the morning. Waiting around with no noticeable results is often truly aggravating, you'll save all this extra worry when you apply on-line for an emergency passport.

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Learn additional in depth facts on how to acquire a Quick Emergency Passport by visiting www.passportandvisaservice.co.uk or contact info@passportandvisaservice.co.uk



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Celebrating May Festivals in Italy

Celebrating May Festivals in Italy: "

Dianne Hales is author of LA BELLA LINGUA: MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH ITALIAN, THE WORLD'S MOST ENCHANTING LANGUAGE, now available in paperback.

Le feste di maggio

May festivals

"Aprile con il fiore, maggio con il colore" Italians say, "April with its flowers, May with its colors.” The wonderful colors, sounds and flavors of Italy are on full display durings le feste (festivals) of May.

If you’re heading to Italy this month, you can cheer the drivers in the famous Mille Miglia (1000 mile) car rally, celebrate Pinocchio’s birthday in Collodi (Tuscany) or sip Chianti at the wine festival lin Montespertoli.

Here are some other not-to-be-missed festivities:

*Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, one of the oldest music festivals in Italy. This year’s program features opera, concerts, ballet and exhibitions, including Indian dance and Canadian ballet. The outdoor performances at night often end with dazzling fireworks displays, like the one in the photo above that I snapped at the festival finale in the Piazza della Signoria a few seasons ago.

While in Florence, be sure to go the city’s famous Iris Garden, open to the general public only in May. You’ll gain an entirely new appreciation for the root of Florence’s Italian name: Firenze, derived from the Latin for “to flower or blossom.”

*Giro d’Italia, the largest cycing event of the country. This year’s race covers much of the Italian peninsula, rolling from Piedmont on the northern border with France south to the Amalfi Coast, then zipping cross-country to the Adriatic Coast. From Bitonto, the Giro travels north along the Adriatic and passes through l’Aquila, the town devastated by last year’s powerful earthquake. The cyclists push on to Venezia and Monte Zoncolan near Italy’s northern border before whirring through Trentino and Lombardia and then crossing the finish line in Verona.

*Corsa dei Ceri (Race of the Candles). The stony, silent town of Gubbio in Umbria explodes into frenzied excitement every May 15. Three teams of men run up and down its steep streets carrying Ceri, gigantic wooden constructions, each weighing about a thousand pounds and bearing a statue of a saint on top.

The Ceri and the Corsa dei Matti (Race of the Crazy Ones, as it's nicknamed), may date back to the twelfth century, when Gubbio was miraculously spared from defeat at the hands of Frederick Barbarossa. Its citizens credited Sant'Ubaldo, who died on May 16, 1160, for its salvation, and the town has held a ceremony on the eve of his death since the Middle Ages. The celebration culminates with La Tavola Bona, a banquet for 700 people, including the "crazy" Ceraioli or candle-bearers.

Other options include:

*Calendimaggio, a series of medieval and Renaissance spettacoli (shows) with concerts, dances, archery, flag-waving, cross-bow displays and torch-lit processions held in Assisi in early May.

*La Barabbata, a procession in which men wear costumes and carry tools representing the traditional trades while white buffalo pull floats displaying the fruits of the trades, celebrated May 14 in Marta on the shores of Lake Bolsena.

*La Festa di San Domenico, a procession on the first Thursday in May in Cocullo in the Abruzzi highlighted by the carrying of a statue of the town's patron saint covered with live serpents.

*Sposalizio dell’Albero, the wedding of the tree, on May 8 in Vetralla in northern Lazio, in which townspeople decorate a couple of oak trees with garlands and plant new trees in a ceremony that asserts the town's domination over the forest.

*Infiorata di Noto, a huge festival with flower petal art displays and a parade in Noto, Sicily, the third weekend of May.

*Il Palio di Ferrara, a historical horse race dating from 1279, run the last Sunday in May, with events every weekend. including a procession with over 1000 people in Renaissance costumes on the Saturday night before the race.

Words and Expressions

festeggiare -- to celebrate, welcome, entertain

festaiolo -- party animal, merry maker

il festeggiato / la festeggiata -- the guest of honor

festino -- banquet, party, feast

festicciola -- get-together, gathering, small party

far festa a qualcuno -- to welcome or greet someone warmly

guastafeste -- party pooper

Dianne Hales is author of LA BELLA LINGUA: MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH ITALIAN, THE WORLD'S MOST ENCHANTING LANGUAGE, now available in paperback.

La Carbonara

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La Carbonara: "Now that it's getting warmer, pasta with a rich meat sauce is beginning to seem a bit much. This, coupled with our being in the midst of egg season (yes, there was a time when chickens laid most of their eggs in the spring) brings spaghetti alla carbonara to mind.

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La Carbonara originally appeared on About.com Italian Food on Monday, May 10th, 2010 at 07:39:05.

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