Revealed Rome

Can You Guess Where, and What, These Little Bits of Roman Antiquity Are?

It's no secret that Rome is a city chock-full of the ancient past. Reminders of a city, and empire, of 2,000 years ago aren't just rife in the Forum, Palatine and Colosseum, but beneath churches like the Basilica of San Clemente and San Nicola in Carcere, acting as the main event in open spaces like the Park of the Aqueducts, and even serving as forums for everything from ballet and opera to light shows and displays. In short, ruins are everywhere.

Maybe that's why some of my favorite ancient ruins in Rome aren't the big, famous monuments. They're the little bits of antiquity that you simply stumble across: an ancient column sunk into the wall of an otherwise-unassuming apartment building, a still-running fountain with a wornaway face that you just know must be 2,000 years old. These can be tough to find. That's part of the fun.

Here, I'll share with you my favorite "secret" bits of antiquity, tucked into street corners and buildings all across the city.

Can you guess where—and what—they are?

Post your guesses in the comments. I'll hit "publish" on them all in exactly one week, Jan. 31. Test your revealing-Rome skills and see how close you can get!

Ready? Set? ...Go!

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Don't forget... test your Rome knowledge by writing what you think each of these are in the comments!

 

Weekend Trip to Verona (Maybe for Valentine's Day?)

Verona—an easy day trip from Venice, or a weekend trip from Rome—just happens to be one of the most romantic cities in Italy. And not just because Shakespeare set Romeo and Juliet there. It boasts everything from gorgeous scenery (hello, sunset over the River Adige) to atmospheric ruins, medieval palaces to what might just be the loveliest piazza in Italy.

Out today in the Guardian, here's my pick for 10 of the best hotels, restaurants, and activities in Verona.

By the way: Yes, you can get there easily from Rome. The fast train, which takes just 3 hours, costs 63 euros on Trenitalia's MINI fare or 70 for full-price. Valentine's Day escape, anyone?

 

The Tombs of the Scipioni Reopen in Rome

Excellent news: After being closed for 20 years, the 2,300-year-old tombs of the Scipio family have been reopened to the public. More over at my post for the New York Times here.

Two More Art Opportunities in Rome

A fan of art? And of Rome? Then you'll be happy to know that two new opportunities for viewing some of the city's best pieces have just opened up—on both the modern and Renaissance sides.

Check out my two latest pieces, "Palazzo Farnese Now Offers English Tours" and "A Home for Art Reopens in Rome," for the New York Times. (Photo: Massimo Siragusa for the Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Roma Capitale).

Obscured Frescoes See the Light in Rome, for the NYT

A fan of restorations that reveal art as it was meant to be seen? Me too. So I'm liking the "big reveal" that took place this fall at the Palazzo Quirinale, unveiling decorations by Cortona and his students for the first time in 200 years. For more, check out my latest In Transit post here. (Photo: Palazzo Quirinale press office).

Christmas in Rome: Some Serious Lights

This year, Rome is celebrating Christmas with some of the glitteriest, prettiest lights I've seen. Ever. And since that includes the decorations that glitter-bomb American shopping malls and cul-de-sac neighborhoods every year, that's saying quite a bit.

Here, just a few twinkly tastes of the most Christmas-sy corners of Rome. Photos—and even a couple of short videos—to follow.

Prepare to be dazzled.

    Piazza Venezia

Via dei Coronari

Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina

In the NYT: Show Explores Rome's Role in the Renaissance

Turns out, it's not all about Florence: A show at the Fondazione Roma proves just how much of a role Rome played in the Renaissance. Learn more by checking out my post on the "Renaissance in Rome" show over at the New York Times' In Transit blog.

10 Things to Do This Christmas in Rome

If you're in Rome for Christmas, you're in luck! As always, there are absolutely tons of ways to get into the holiday spirit.

Here, the best of what to do.

1. See the Pope. Over the Christmas season, you've got lots of opportunities, from midnight mass (although getting tickets can be tricky) to "Urbi et Orbi" on Christmas Day (no tickets needed). Here's more on how exactly to see the Pope throughout December and January, updated for 2011.

2. Celebrate Christmas at the Auditorium. Like last year, Rome's Auditorium hosts a number of Christmas-themed events (link in Italian), running from Dec. 8-Jan. 8 (with some events running later, too). Goings-on include a Christmas fair, ice-skating rink, and lots of concerts, from Christmas Italian music to gospel.

3. Head to a Christmas market. They pop up all over Rome this time of year, the most famous being, of course, that in Piazza Navona (both at top and below). Here's a list of other Christmas markets in Rome (be aware that they're farther afield, and the list is in Italian). 

Looking for Leather in Rome? Head to Armando Rioda

It's the perfect gift from Italy: a handmade leather wallet. Or purse. Or passport-holder. But in Rome, figuring out where to go for an artisanal leather souvenir can be tough. There's not even a leather market here, like there is in Florence (not that most of the leather there even seems to, ahem, be from Italy).

Enter Armando Rioda.

Although it's in the heart of the Spanish Steps neighborhood, Armando Rioda is a molto local secret. It's hidden on the second floor of a residential palazzo, and you have to ring the buzzer to enter; its name doesn't even hang outside the building's door. But it's where leather-lovers in the know go.

Since 1949, the workshop (above... and below) has been turning out handmade leather goods by request. As proof of Armando Rioda's craftsmanship, well-heeled Romans come here to get their Gucci purses and Prada jackets repaired (talk about trust!).

For 50 euros and up, you can get a wallet handmade here; for 100 euros and up, a purse. They also do luggage, tote bags, even jackets. Pricey, perhaps—but for a unique, handmade leather gift, hardly unfair.

Yes, You Can Buy Colosseum Underground Tours Online. But It Remains Closed

In mid-October, the Colosseum announced it would keep the hypogeum and third level open through the end of December. And then, just a few days later, it announced that, actually, the underground was closing—thanks to the flooding of the delicate underground area.

Let's make one thing clear: Since late October, the Colosseum underground has remained closed. There has not been any announcement about when, or if, it will reopen this winter.

But if, having done some research online, you're confused about if that's actually the case, I don't blame you. Here's why: You can still "buy" the underground tour online.

Different tour companies offer tours of the Colosseum underground. The first, Walks of Italy—which I freelance for—immediately stopped selling its VIP Colosseum tour, which included the underground as well as the third tier, Forum and Palatine, as soon as the Colosseum's underground closed. In other words, you can no longer book the Colosseum underground tour on their site.

Confusingly, however, Dark Rome is still selling the Colosseum underground tour—and in their tour description, there isn't any mention of the fact that the underground is currently closed (and has been for weeks). (Like Walks of Italy, their tour also includes the Palatine, Forum and the rest of the Colosseum). Even when I clicked all the way through to the checkout to buy the tour, there was no mention that the underground is closed.

The $10 Purchase That Can Save Your Italy Trip

Rome looks peaceful at night... but looks can be deceiving.

First, let's make one thing clear: I am a greedy sleeper.

Ask anyone who's known me for a while, and they'll tell you. Anything less than 8 hours of sleep and I become a grouch. That's if I'm just sitting at home. If I actually have to do something—like move, think, write, or, worst of all, travel—then it's simply impossible.

As well as annoying everyone around me, my underslept self is also one that could be in the most beautiful city in the world (like, say, Rome), and not even notice the little things that I moved here for, like the friendly barista at my local cafe wishing me "Buon giorno" (what do you mean, it's a good morning) or the beautiful light on the Colosseum (ugh, what a *$&@!!!-ing tourist trap).

But here's the thing. I may need more sleep than some most. But in not managing very well on a lack of sleep, I don't think I'm that different from anyone else.

If you're coming to Rome, I think that's particularly important to keep in mind. After all, traveling can be stressful. Traveling in a city even more so. And traveling in a foreign city, one where you have to figure out everything from the local public transport system to how to order the kind of coffee you want? Still worse.

And for many people, the one thing that can dull your decisionmaking abilities, as well as your enjoyment of what's going on around you, is not feeling physically up to snuff.

Making matters worse, it can be a little trickier to get a good night's sleep in Rome than back home.