Many people affected by the economic crisis will be willing to bid what will probably in a few decades become known as the year of the recession goodbye, with a hope for a brighter tomorrow. While a great many of the world’s cities have fantastic New Year’s parties, we’re focusing on specifically the best ones in Europe. Enjoy!

1. London

There are multiple ways to have a great New Year’s in London this year, with something to suit all ages. The London Parade is held on New Year’s day, full-on with circus performers and marching bands and much more, and on the Eve there will be an epic fireworks display over the Thames to properly usher in the new year. However, it’s likely the viewing areas by the waterfront will fill up fast (often by as early as 9pm), so it’s probably worth getting there early. Also worth mentioning is the famous Ministry of Sound Nightclub and Record Label hosting a massive party at the O2 Arena (Formerly known as the Millennium Dome). The tickets aren’t too expensive either but book as soon as possible as they will sell out!

Top London Hotel for a New Year Break : Hotel Club Quarters Grace Church

2. Paris

Paris’s shortage of accommodation can grow particularly acute during the New Year, so book well in advance. Some of the most notable celebrations include the Fireworks Display most visible from the Champs- Elysees. A quieter place to visit on the Eve is the Sacre Coeur Cathedral Plaza in Montmartre (close to where Amélie lived in the 2001 hit Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain ,film buffs!). A highly expensive but also extremely romantic way to while away the final hours of 2009 is a dinner cruise on the Seine which sets off from the Eiffel Tower at 8pm, with a menu featuring Champagne Cocktail and Duck foie gras, among other delicacies. Not to niggle about the ticket price, but let’s just say that you shouldn’t expect much change from €500 a table!

Top Paris Hotel for a New Year Break:  Hôtel Résidence Lord Byron

3. Amsterdam

Amsterdam’s really jazzing it up this year with countless parties and events. The Dutch are famous for their love of partying and DJ’s, so there’s no exception this year at the amount of clubs and bars holding celebrations. Firework displays are promised all over the city, particularly in areas such as Nieuwmarkt and Dam Square. The quietest places to view them are said to be the bridges overlooking the Amstel River. Also, look out for strangers hurling firecrackers around to shock the more gullible bystanders!

Top Amsterdam Hotel for a New Year Break: Rho Hotel

4. Rome

The former capital of what was arguably the greatest Empire ever seen has got entertaining events happening this year, with many of the New Year’s activities taking place in the traditional squares. The Piazza del Popolo will feature attractions such as a firework display and musical concerts. Rome is a particularly attractive destination for families, as on New Year’s Day the attractions shift more to suit children. It goes without saying that Rome’s also a great city for those on “gastro holidays” as there are a great deal of restaurants serving New Year feasts.

Top Rome Hotel for a New Year Break: BB Corso 22

5. Vienna

Long established as one of the worlds’s most cultured cities, Vienna has no shortage of things to do, particularly around the New Year. On December 30th there is a tour, dinner, and concert at the Schloss Schönbrunn, which can only be described as totally majestic. The Palace has a fascinating history, from the reign of the early Habsburg Monarchs (the last of which died in 1922), to Franz Josef’s I occupation and death in Schönbrunn. The evening concludes with the dinner and the concert featuring classical works from the likes of Mozart and Strauss. Additionally, from midday onwards, there are a massive series of street parties, with tents and marquees lining the street and passageways of the old city, hosting parties with DJ’s and other live music where hedonists can dance from New Year’s Eve through to the dawn of New Year’s Day. Exciting, eh?

Top Vienna Hotel for a New Year Break: Hotel Kaiserpark Schönbrunn

Guides to steer us around the eternal city, Top 5s, and the “Best” lists are as a result plentiful to say the least. But we are often ultimately confronted with the harsh reality of the check: glamorous Roman holidays are potentially by no means cheap. The “best” restaurants are often unaffordable. Or, quite simply, we pay much more than what the food actually deserved. Here are some suggestions for upscale but honest, well-priced and truly enjoyable eats and drinks in Rome and beyond.

1. Tutti Frutti

Via Luca della Robbia, 5,

This unpretentious restaurant in Testaccio is certainly worth the visit. The food is 100% seasonal and fresh- and did I mention delicious? Let the friendly owner talk you through the menu (in English-albeit broken- too!) and indulge in pizzelle as a starter, and certainly eventually in desert- even simply in vin santo with traditional Italian biscotti and chocolate. Price: approx. 20-30€ per person.

2. La Vecchia Locanda

Vicolo Sinibaldi, 2, Tel. 0668802831

Oddly enough this little place is hardly reported on, which is a shame- or perhaps a blessing- because it is truly worthwhile. Tucked away in a little alley behind Largo Argentina, this restaurant serves quality food full of ambiance. The wine list is excellent, and in the summer you can sit outside and enjoy the breeze. The insalata di polpo e patate is a recommended starter, the trofie are a divine first course and the steak cooked in Barolo is also very good if you’re interested in a second course. La Vecchia Locanda is certainly worthwhile in terms of food, quality and service- and won’t break the bank. Price: approx. 25-35€ per person.

3. La Cantina Tirolese

- Via G. Vitelleschi, 23, Tel. 0668135297

If you’re in the mood for a slightly different culinary experience from traditional Italian fare head to La Cantina Tirolese, a restaurant behind Castel Sant’Angelo and St. Peter’s Cathedral specialized in Tyrolean cuisine- yes, that means Italo-Bavarian. The restaurant is, apparently, one of Pope Ratzinger’s favorites. Especially tasty are the knodel, bourguignonne, and if you really want to lead your palate to Bavaria the strudel. Price: approx. 25-35€ per person.

4. Lago di Martignano- Enoteca Spirito Di…Vino

Via Garibaldi 43/45, Trevignano Romano. Tel. 069999085

If you’re in the mood for a fun and relaxing Saturday, take the train (Roma-Viterbo line) to Anguillara Sabazia, take the bus (from Lepanto metro stop, for instance), or drive up the Cassia, if you’re perspicacious enough to have rented a car, and head to Martignano Lake, approximately 30 km from Rome. During the summer it is a veritable beach but lucky for us is not as frequented as Ostia or actual seaside, coastal locations. The scenery is beautiful, you can buy a beer in one of the several kiosks and even enjoy a horseback ride from the nearby Il Casale di Martignano farm and bed and breakfast. You can also rent boats to take across the lake.

Once you’ve had your fill of the lake, head to Trevignano Romano, a small lakeside town on the much larger but nearby Bracciano lake and have dinner at the Enoteca Spirito…Di Vino, a delightful little restaurant on the lakeside. The owners are friendly and talkative and believe in the relaxing, slow food experience- be prepared to be there for 3 hours or more. But it is certainly worth it- the starters are excellent of course but the best treat at Spirito Di…Vino is the fiocchetti filled with caramelized pear on a bed of melted taleggio cheese. And not to be missed are the polpette (meatballs) of veal cooked in white wine. The wines are excellent, and the desserts, especially the cialde, deserve to be eaten. Price: approx. 30€ per person.

3 Rome Hotels with a Restaurant

• Hotel Excel Roma Montemario – 4-star Hotel – Room Price €75
• Hotel H10 Roma Città – 4-star Hotel – Room Price €144
• Hotel Holiday Inn Rome Parco De’ Medici – 4-star Hotel – Room Price €130

Photo of pasta by Rev.Santino

Walking Off The Big Apple lists some of the best things to do for Halloween Week in New York. This year’s special events include ‘Halloween Wonder Cabinet’ at the New York Institute for the Humanities, ‘Talk to the Dead with Concetta Bertoldi’ at the Gramercy Theater as well as All Souls’ Day celebrations  and more scary Halloween parades, shows, parties and exhibitions in NYC.

With over 50,000 costumed participants and 2 millions spectators, the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade is one of the craziest events in Manhattan.  Check out BrilliantTips for more info of  this not to be missed Halloween party in New York.

Things to do for Halloween in Rome

Tourism in Italy recommends the best places to visit in Rome on Halloween from the city’s catacombs to Dario Argento’s ‘Profondo Rosso’ shop of horros the the Museum of Zoology which organizes the ZooHalloween party.

Halloween Festivities in Paris

I Prefer Paris shares photos of Halloween graffiti posters taken on the Champs Elysées and recommends the Tim Burton Film Festival  and the Rocky Horror Picture Show to the travelers visiting Paris during the Halloween season.

Día de los Muertos Destinations

Matador Trips lists the best places to celebrate Día de los Muertos including Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area in California as well as Mexico City and more destinations in Latin America.

Photo of Jack ‘o lanterns by Just Us 3

Fate or not, I’m happy to tell you why I think these three cities are some of the best for travelers who love the spookier side of things.

It may be worth noting, however, that these three cities didn’t make the list because they have some big Halloween celebration every year, or because there’s some kind of haunted house in any of them. In fact, Halloween just isn’t a big deal in Europe. Throughout my travels, I’ve seen elements of the holiday creeping in here and there – jack o’lanterns decorating a few front windows, scary movies being shown on October 31st – but those sorts of things are few and far between (and, at least in my experience, primarily in the U.K.).

Instead, the three cities I think are the best places to spend Halloween in Europe make the grade because I just feel like they exude a splendidly creepy quality year-round. Which is a bonus if you can’t make it in time for Halloween this year.

• Halloween in Rome

As far as I’m concerned, any city that’s housed as many people over the millenia as Rome has is bound to have some scary corners. Just walking through the Colosseum and thinking of the countless gladiators who fought and died there is enough to give you the creeps. But Rome’s got more going for it than a city full of ghosts that you may or may not believe in – it’s got bones, too.

Like many other cities in Europe, Rome has catacombs which have become tourist attractions. There are more than 40 different catacombs in Rome, many of which you can visit, that served as the main burial places for the ancient Romans for centuries. They’re artistically interesting as well as slightly unnerving, if you’re into that kind of thing.

But perhaps the most famous collection of bones in Rome is at the Cappuccin Crypt, where you’ll make a small donation to get an up-close-and-personal look at five tiny chapels decorated (and I do mean decorated) with the bones of more than 4,000 Cappuccin monks. And just in case you forget that the “wallpaper” is made of the human bones of thousands of dead people, the message in the last chapel should send a chill down your spine: “As you are, we once were. As we are, you shall be.”

Rome hotel near the Colosseum: Bed & Breakfast Santiquattro Al Colosseo

• Halloween in Paris

Paris is known as the “City of Lights,” but there’s a dark side to the French capital, too. And as you’ll soon see, that dark side has been drawing tourists for more than 200 years.

One of the more well-known tourist attractions in Paris is a cemetery, but it’s not just any cemetery. Père Lachaise is the kind of cemetery where they actually sell a road map at the entrance, with points of interest marked. Those points of interest? Graves of famous people – like Chopin, Oscar Wilde, and Jim Morrison. But despite the pretty tree-lined “avenues” of Pere Lachaise, it still positively screams “spooky” to me. I mean, those tree-lined “avenues” aren’t punctuated by houses, they’re punctuated by tombs. Of dead people. Plus, any cemetery for which you need a map is a cemetery you could get lost in. Enough said.

I’ve already mentioned Rome’s Catacombs, but there’s something even scarier to me about the Paris Catacombs. They were opened in the late 18th century in order to move the city’s cemeteries away from the living, and became a tourist attraction less than a century later. But most disconcerting in my opinion is the maze-like quality of the catacombs – there are more than 300km of tunnels full of bones, and you could quite literally get lost in them. If getting lost in a maze of the bones of more than 6 million people doesn’t make your pulse race, you might already be dead yourself.

Hotel near Paris catacombs: Hotel du Lion

• Halloween in Prague

I love the creep-out factor of Rome and Paris (and, really, of several other places in Europe, too), but I think my favorite spooky city in Europe has to be Prague. And this time it’s not just about cemeteries and bones.

Prague is home to one of the coolest cemeteries I know of – the Old Jewish Cemetery in the Old Town Jewish ghetto. It’s not the scariest of cemeteries, as it’s compact and almost always crowded, so you’re not likely to get lost or feel abandoned, but the collection of tombstones is unsettling in its haphazardness. The stones are toppling in every-which-way, largely because the Jews were forced to bury their dead in layers after being given only a small parcel of land as a cemetery. To give you an indication of how gloomy the cemetery must have been decades ago, Czech author Franz Kafka used to hang out in the cemetery just to think.

Just outside Prague is one of the best-known ossuaries - or bone churches – in the world. The Sedlec Ossuary sits underneath a church and, like the Cappuccin Crypt in Rome, it’s not just piles of bones but bones used as interior decor. At Sedlec, the “artist” got quite creative – a local family’s coat of arms is on one wall, an enormous working chandelier hangs from the ceiling in the center of the chapel, and near the stairway he even left his signature and the date of his work – all in human bones.

But the thing that makes Prague my pick for the top Halloween destination in Europe is the city’s Old Town Square. By day you might focus more on the pastel-painted buildings or the hordes of tourists following flag-toting guides. But even on the brightest summer day there’s no denying that the Gothic Týn Cathedral that peers over the square from behind another building is downright menacing. It still looks to me like it’d be the perfect place for the bad guy’s lair in some Batman movie. And at night? Sure, it’s lit up and could be considered pretty, but those lights aren’t fooling anybody. One look at those pointy black spires will tell you all you need to know.

Hotel in Prague’s Jewish Quarter: Hotel President

Photo of Rome’s Catacombs by jimforest

The Villa has an amazing décor with each room having it’s own specific theme. The renaissance architecture is completely outshined by the sprawling fountain dotted gardens. You can find Villa D’este in the town of Tivoli. Tivoli itself is a beautiful town that sits between rolling green hills and tumbling waterfalls. You can really see why the Cardinal chose this town to set up his getaway.

The outstanding mansion is built on a hill overlooking the gardens, every window you will pass will give you an remarkable vantage point. The gardens are the real treasure of Villa D’este, after snaking your way down the balconies and grand staircases you will find your senses bombarded. The colors and smells of beautiful flowers and the sounds of hundreds of fountains of all shapes and sizes.

The garden is constructed on a series of hills, at the lowest point lies three fish packed reflecting ponds. Out of over 500 fountains you will have your own favourite choices. I loved walking next to the Fontana Delle Cento Cannelle or The Hundred Fountains. This line of one hundred water jets dropping into a decorated stone trough leads you to the Fountain of Neptune and another one of my favourites: The Water Organ Fountain. The Fontana dell’Organo is a huge crowd drawer and is an impressive display of Villa D’este hydraulic water pump technology. The Fontana dell’Organo is an elaborate hydraulic water-powered fountain that sounds off for the public every two hours (the first performance is at 10:30 AM). The water organ truly is unique and the music it creates is as beautiful as the fountain itself. The garden is the perfect place to spend a relaxing afternoon, strolling past fountains, grottoes, and ponds; the sound of the moving water really sets the mind at ease.

One of your options for arriving at Villa D’este is to take the train on the Rome-Pescara line and get off at the Tivoli station stop. Villa D’este is located near the center of town and is easily accessible by foot after you arrive in the Tivoli train station. The Villa opens at 8:30 AM and closes one hour before sunset but is closed on major holidays and all Mondays. The tickets cost around €10 depending on whether there are extra exhibits on display. Spend a day at Villa D’este and enjoy the relaxed ambience, but make sure you go to the bathroom before making your rounds; those fountains can really get to you.

Top 5 Hotels in Tivoli on Venere.com

• Town House Sibilla Albunea – Guest Rating 8.8 – Double Room from €70
• Hotel Tivoli – Guest Rating 8.2 – Double Room from €70
• Hotel Aurora – Guest Rating 7.7 – Double Room from €85
• Grand Hotel Duca d’Este – Guest Rating 7.6 – Double Room from €85
• Hotel Dimora Adriana – Guest Rating 7.6 – Double Room from €80

Photo of Villa d’Este, Tivoli, Italy, by Lanci Daniele

Pompeii is a household name but what about the intriguing ancient harbour city just outside Rome?

Head west from the capital on the SS8 and you’ll be on your way to the Mediterranean and to the town of Ostia. The first thing you need to know is where the confusion sometimes lies in terms of the name Ostia. There is the new town of Ostia, which is also known as Lido di Ostia. This is not far from the larger town of Fiumicino, where the airport is.

Lido di Ostia

The town of Lido Ostia boomed during the middle of the first half of the 20th Century. Thanks to a new and improved railways and roadways, that brought Romans out of the city to the seaside, many people flocked to the beaches and waterfronts for their holidays. Art Nouveau buildings were erected, bathing pools were constructed and it became the place to be seen in the summer months. But sadly the latter half of the century led to poor water quality and then a dramatic decline in tourist numbers. Today the town is almost like a satellite orbiting the ever-expanding city of Rome. The distance between the two is now much less, as Rome gets bigger and bigger. Some fear it will one day be part of the city.

Ostia Antica

Men and women from the 20th Century weren’t the first people to head west from the great city. The ancient remains of the town of Ostia Antica now pay host to some of the country’s most impressive archaeological remains that pays host thousands of tourists into the area every year. But back in the reign of the like of Claudius it was a bustling seaside town and harbour with boats and with goods being brought in and out of the mighty Empire’s capital.

There is proof of remains from as far back as 4th century BC but it’s believed the area is much older. There are military camps, temples and vast banqueting halls. Over the years the site has been something of a target for pirates fresh off their boats and in 68 BC they sacked the town and it had to be built again.

The dizzy heights of the town came in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries AD. Population topped roughly 80,000 and the Emperors Maximan and Constantius Chlorus raised it to become one of the most fashionable and popular city retreats. There is the remains of a very impressive theatre, which dominates much of the site. There are baths, taverns and even a fire station.

If you fancy a visit to the site then get on any train heading that way from Rome – the Metro is only about 1 Euro. Admission is pretty cheap too and is usually around 5 Euros per person so it’s well worth it.

Popular Ostia Hotels on Venere.com:

• Ostia Antica Park Hotel – 3-star Hotel – Double Room from €79
• Il Giardino Pensile – Bed & Breakfast – Double Room from €75
• Residence Rodrigo de Vivar – Farm House – Double Room from €100

Photo of mosaics in Ostia Antica, Rome, by Dane Larsen

When visiting Rome, Italy, the city bus system can be your best friend- or it could be a logistical nightmare.

Many European city bus systems, including the one in Rome, Italy, are not designed with tourists in mind. Rome’s bus system is heavily utilized by locals, but it often scares site-seers away with its complexity. However, you do not need to be one of these fearful tourists. Here are a few tips so that you can use the bus system just like a local.

Types of Bus Passes

There are several different types of bus passes that you can buy. The type that you buy depends on how long you will be in Rome and how much you think you are going to use the city transportation system (all of the Rome bus passes can also be used on the metro system. A little more on that later).

• BIT (Biglietto Integrato a Tempo/Integrated Time Ticket): €1.00. This is a single use ticket that lasts for 75 minutes. It is good for as many bus rides and transfers as you can get in within that timeframe after validation. You can also use it for a single ride on the metro system. You are allowed to transfer the ticket from a metro ride to a bus within 75 minutes. However, you may not use the same ticket when transferring from a bus to the metro.

• BIG (Biglietto Integrato Giornaliero/Integrated Daily Ticket): €4.00. You can use this ticket for as many bus and metro rides as you would like up until midnight on the day of the ticket’s validation.

• BTI (Biglietto Turistico Integrato/Integrated Tourist Ticket): €11.00. This ticket is good for an unlimited number of metro and bus rides for three days from the day of validation.

• CIS (Carta Integrata Settimanale/Integrated Weekly Ticket): €16.00. This ticket can be used for 7 days from the date of validation for an unlimited number of bus and metro rides.

• Monthly Pass: €30.00. This ticket lasts for one calendar month and is good for an unrestricted number of bus and metro rides.

Where to Buy Bus Passes

Bus passes can be purchased at tobacco shops, or tabacchi, all over Rome. These little shops often, but not always, have signs outside with a ‘T’. There also machines that dispense single use, daily, tourist, and weekly tickets at all metro stops. These ticket machines also exist, though rarely, at a few bus stops.

Unlike many public bus systems, tickets usually cannot be purchased on board buses in Rome. There are a few buses that do have machines that dispense tickets, but these are incredibly rare, so do not count on being able to buy a ticket after boarding a bus.

Validating Your Bus Ticket

After purchasing your bus pass, it is necessary to validate it as soon as you board the bus. If you have a daily, weekly, tourist, or monthly pass, you only need to validate it the first time you use it. Each bus has at least two yellow validation machines, generally with one on each end of the bus.

The Roman buses operate on a kind of honor system; it is up to everyone to buy their tickets and validate them. There are ticket checkers that check to make sure that bus passengers have validated tickets, but they are few and far between, so statistically, you do have a good chance of getting away without paying for your bus rides.

However, if you do happen to get caught, the fine is either €50 on the spot or €104 if you choose to pay later. All of the ticket checkers speak English and have no mercy for tourists that appear to be unaware of Roman transportation laws. You cannot escape getting a fine once they zero in on you. If you get off the bus, the ticket checker will follow you until they are done writing the fine.

Deciding Which Bus to Use

When deciding which buses to use when getting around the city, the website for the Roman transportation system, http://atac.roma.it, is invaluable. On the right side of the top of the homepage, there is a small British flag symbolizing an English version of the website. Also at the top of the homepage is a tool for determining the best bus route between any two addresses and/or landmarks in Rome. Simply input your starting and ending destinations and press ‘Enter’.

If you plan on using the bus system a lot, it might be worth your while to buy a map showing all of the bus routes in Rome. These can be bought at most of the newsstands you see on the street for just a few Euros.

When planning your bus routes, ignore the bus schedule entirely. The official bus timetables in Rome are merely formalities and are completely useless in practicality. Buses hardly ever come on time, and locals never expect them to. So, when using the bus system, plan for 45 minutes to an hour in travel time to allow for late buses and transfers to get most places in central Rome.

Knowing When to Get Off the Bus

The majority of the Roman buses do not have any internal system that tells you which stop is coming up. Locals rely on experience and external surroundings to know when to get off, but unfortunately, tourists with little knowledge of the city layout do not have this advantage. The best way to know when your stop is coming up is to follow the bus route on a map in real time while you are on the bus. Make sure you mark your stop on the map before you leave for the day, or better yet, just use the bus map you purchased.

Do not bother attempting to count stops to know when to get off. Oftentimes, a bus driver will skip a stop if no one wants get on or off, which throws off anyone trying to count stops.

Furthermore, while you can attempt to the bus driver for help, do not rely on this method for getting around. Many Roman bus drivers are not eager to help people, particularly non-Italian speakers. Oftentimes, they will just ignore a tourist who is trying to speak to them in English. It may seem like a sweeping generalization to say that all Roman bus drivers are unwilling to help tourists; however, this generalization has a more than just a grain of truth to it. If you get confused, try asking a local bus passenger for some help. Romans understand that their bus system is not particularly easy to use and are often happy to help as much as they can. However, it is probably best to prepare as much as possible before boarding the bus.

On a side note, make sure that you get off at the middle door of the bus. Sometimes, the driver will not open the other doors for people to get on and off.

Night Buses

At midnight, the regular buses in Rome stop running, and the night bus service begins. Night buses follow completely different routes from the daytime buses, so it is important to plan accordingly. They run from 12:00am to 5:30 and come every twenty minutes during the week and every ten minutes on Fridays and Saturdays. The night bus service, while sometimes still a little unreliable in terms of its schedule, is more dependable than the daytime service.

The Roman bus system is not the easiest thing in the world to use; even locals have problems with it sometimes. However, do not let all this information overwhelm you. The public bus system is a highly economical way to get around Rome, and if you spend a little time planning your bus routes, you should be fine. Just try to enjoy the organized chaos of the buses, because it is uniquely Roman and should be part of any real Roman experience.

Popular Rome Hotels near Termini Station:

• Yes Hotel Rome – 3-star hotel – doubles starting from € 71 / $ 101
• Crosti Hotel – 3-star hotel – doubles starting from € 85 / $ 120
• Hotel Artemide – 4-star hotel – doubles starting from € 149 / $ 211

Photo of bus on Piazza Venezia, Rome, by Ambrosiana Pictures

You can enjoy some of the same benefits as tourists. You have access to all the cool restaurants for dinners. Then there are those nighttime sightseeing walks after business is done, where you can enjoy the architecture – without the crowds, and in a different light…

But of course there is work, you’re traveling to produce results, and that means you need to get productive quick. Let me outline some of the challenges, and offer some solutions to them for the business traveler in Rome.

Getting Around

Getting around used to be super easy for the traveler on an expense account. Taxies are invented for this! You get a taxi at the airport, at the office, at the hotel, or at the restaurant, a friendly chap will zip you to your destination, and you might even get some restaurant or bar tips on the way. Now we’re in a recession, travel budgets are shrinking, and you just know that outrageous taxi bills will give you unnecessary visibility. Here are a number of ways you can shave off some Euros from your travel expenses:

• When you arrive at the Rome Fiumicino Airport, consider taking the Leonardo Express into the city. It takes you to a main train and bus hub, Roma Termini. You can take a taxi from the Termini, and many of the major hotels are actually in a walking distance from there. The train ticket costs 11 Euros.

• The subway system is not extensive, but see if you happen to go to a location that is close to a metro station along the two subway lines. See the subway map here: http://www.romebuddy.com/givesadvice/subwayroutes.html

When you do decide to travel by taxi, here are some local phone numbers that you can use to call a cab for yourself: 06 3570, 06 6645, 06 8822.  If you call from a non-local phone, dial +39 and then the number, including the zero.

Note that while some airport taxies will take credit cards, the taxies you order by phone or pick up on the street will usually only accept cash.

Talking to people

Yes, you can get by with just speaking English; Italians will probably understand you even if they don’t necessarily respond back in English. But just a few key phrases in Italian will make everything easier and more pleasant for everybody, so let’s learn some Italian:

Numbers are important, you will want to go to addresses, get prices for products or you will want to give a tip at a restaurant. I think you can get away with just counting from 1 to 10, and put together numbers from that, but you might go the extra mile and go up to 1000.

Counting from one to ten: uno due tre quattro cinque sei sette otto nove dieci

When booking hotels or tables at restaurants, you may need to know the names of days.

From Monday to Sunday: Lunedi Martedì Mercoledì Giovedi Venerdì Sabato Domenica

OK, we got the numbers and days out of the way. You’ll want to add a “please” to your request: “per favore”. Now that you managed to get to places and buy stuff, you will want to thank the taxi driver or your waiter for the nice meal. “Grazie”. And finally, “You’re welcome” is “prego”.

Using this 15-20-word vocabulary will make you more welcome in Rome!

Business Communications

Mobile roaming charges slowly start to crawl downwards within the EU, but participating in a couple of long phone conferences while abroad will still cost you a lot. The easy solution is to get a pre-paid SIM card at any phone shop. I got mine at a TIM shop, which is the local subsidiary of T-Mobile. For around 10 Euros, you get a local number and a SIM card, which you can use in any unlocked GSM phone. Bring a secondary mobile with you, or buy a local one for as low as 30 Euros. If you don’t have to pay roaming fees on a one-hour conference call with the head office, you already saved money.

When I get a local number, I always send out an email with this new number to my coworkers and business contacts I expect to talk to during my stay. I also add the phone number to my email footer so that people can quickly find it when they want to respond to an email message over the phone.

Internet access is not this easy. You can get a pre-paid 3G Internet account, but it’s quite expensive, and the per-megabyte charges are also quite high. Your best bet is to find a Wifi-enabled coffee shop in your neighborhood; they typically have a Wifi Zone logo outside. As a bonus you can enjoy a nice cappuccino or espresso while cleaning your email inbox online.

Eating Out

There are many articles and even books written about eating out in Rome, so let me just offer a couple of guidelines that can help you make a quick decision on your breakfast, lunch or dinner.

While you can fill yourself up at the breakfast buffet in your hotel, you might want to venture out and have a breakfast in the city. There are many tiny cafés around, you can mingle with the locals there, soak in the atmosphere, and even save a few Euros. Many cafés are open from 7. You can get a very nice Italian croissant called cornetto and an excellent cappuccino to start your day. My suggestion is to look for places where you only see local people and no tourists, and you’ll likely have an excellent experience. Remember the Italian words we discussed above to order your breakfast.

While many food scientists study how Italians can stay so slim on the local diet of pasta, breads, and olive oil, my experience is that they just don’t really eat much. In the offices I’ve been in Rome, many coworkers just skip lunch. So have a backup plan if you’re not offered lunch on your visit. Make sure you have a breakfast, and try to find lunch for yourself. It’s usually very easy to find a place where you can get a slice of pizza or some pastry to survive until dinner.

Romans tend to have dinner from around eight in the evening; restaurants serve food until around 23:00. Selecting the restaurant can be a daunting task though, as Rome has hundreds of restaurants. Many of them primarily cater to tourists, not necessarily aiming for culinary experiences, so try to get some recommendations from your local coworkers or business partners. TripAdvisor has great recommendations on restaurants.

If you don’t have the chance to do research before dinner, you can try to rely on the following general rules:

• If the place has more than 5-10 tables, don’t go in
• If it’s named after a tourist attraction, don’t go in
• If you see people in tourist hats and cameras hanging in their necks, avoid it
• If you have waiters standing outside inviting you in, don’t do it
• If it’s a small restaurant, in a tiny side alley, and there are local people, families with kids, or old guys having a spirited discussion in Italian, you’ve found your authentic Roman dinner!

Enjoy your stay in Rome, and remember to fill in your Expense Claim for the business trip as soon as possible.

Top Business Hotels in Rome Eur:

• Hotel H10 Roma Città
• Mancini Park Hotel
• All Time Relais & Sport Hotel

Photo of businessman having a break on Piazza Navona, Rome by thapgood

1. Beach Town near Rome: Sperlonga

Looking for nice beaches near Rome, Italy? Rob recommends Sperlonga, a pictures seaside village halfway from Naples and the Italian capital. Do not miss his blog post if you’re planning a day trip from Rome to Sperlonga.

2. Top 5 Digital SLR Cameras for Travel

An article for the avid travelers who want to buy a new SLR camera. Paul lists the five best digital SLR cameras from the most expensive SLR to the best value for money digital camera to take beautiful travel pictures.

3. The Best Burlesque Shows in London

Want to have fun and spend an exciting evening in London, UK? Sarah takes you to Burlesque London and lists the best male burlesque nights in Soho. Burlesque clubs and shows reviewed in her article included Working Men, Bearlesque, Madam Jojos, High-End Class and Have A Go.

4. Amsterdam Red Light District: Tacky or Tasteful?

What to think about Amsterdam’s Red Light District? Will draws quite a negative pictures of one of the most popular tourist attractions in Amsterdam, Holland.  Read his blog post and drop a comment to share your thoughts about the Red Light Distric of Amsterdam.

5. 5 Packing Tips for the Tour de France

If you are planning a 2010 Tour de France vacation, read this travel blog post by Liz.  A huge fan of bike racing, she shares all the useful Tour de France packing tips she has learnt along the way of the the world’s most popular cycling race.

Photo of sunglasses on sandy beach by Katie@!

• Italian Summer Drink.  To those of you enjoying a summer holiday  on the shores of Lake Maggiore, Dana at Stresa Sights recommends drinking a delicious Shakerato coffee at the Lido Beach Club in Baveno.

• Tuscany Gardens. If  Pisa is on your holiday itinerary, visit At Home in Tuscany and read a blog post on the city’s  lovely gardens. You’ll learn that the world famous Leaning Tower is not the only things to see in Pisa.

• Italian Design. If you are a shopaholic, Milan is with not doubt in your ‘Top 5 Italian cities to visit’. So check out La Bella Città and find information on the new beautiful Rinascente Design Supermarket situated just next the Duomo.

• Italian Liqueur: The Urbino-based Valle Nuova blog shares a Nocino recipe, a green walnut liqueur very popular in Modena and produced in different areas of Italy.

• Rome for Gourmets: If you are in Rome and want to sample some yummy local  sweets and Italian cakes,  NYC/Caribbean  Ragazza recommends you an excellent pastry shop near Circo Massimo.

Italy Postcards collage by Storm Crypt

In a city like Rome you can actually feel yourself sinking into the melting asphalt. Of course you can scramble for some shade, maybe in the eclipse of some colossal monument or in the refuge of a cool air-filled marble church. You could take a trip to some of the many green parks such as Villa Ada or Villa Borghese but will that really cool you off? Sure shade helps but when it feels like you can cut the air with a knife the sun isn’t your only problem. I would suggest starting from the core and downing something frosty. With all of the freezing cold choices in Rome from gelato to tiramisu, I usually go for the most arctic.

Granita is a combination of ice, sugar, and a multitude of different flavorings, such as coffee or fresh summer fruits. This frozen dessert is traditionally from Sicily, so finding a good authentic cup of granita can be a challenge in Rome. You will see plenty of granita machines in gelaterias; big plastic containers churning red or yellow slush, these machines produce a granita that is far from the real thing and should be avoided.

When you ask around for a good granita most people would direct you straight to Giolitti’s. Located on Via Uffici del Vicario this historic gelateria has been operating and serving up Italians and foreigners alike for over one hundred years. Giolitti’s was recently visited by Barack Obama’s two daughters while the US president was attending the G8 summit in L’Aquila. The location is great, being smack in the middle of the historic center, near both Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. The shop is huge and offers a wide variety of flavors in both gelato and granita (€3 a cup) but unluckily I cannot award Giolitti’s with the best granita in Rome. I would suggest the mammoth gelato cones over the granita anyday, though it still is a million times better than the standard plastic blender.

If you really want to taste the true Sicilian granita then you have to head towards Piazza Venezia. Straight across the street from the flight of steps leading to Campidoglio there is a much lesser known gelateria. Gelateria Artigianale serves up cups of granita that would cool off the hottest Roman wanderer, it is located right next to Vittorio Emanuele II (#10 Piazza D’Ara Coeli) . Unlike Giolitti’s when you take a bite of Artigianale’s concoctions you can really taste the diced fruit. The € 3 price tag is very much worth it especially when the sun is constantly hanging over your shoulder.

Popular Rome Hotels near Piazza Venezia:

• Hotel Cosmopolita
• Hotel Hosianum Palace Roma
• Town House Suite Kame Hall

Cup of Sicialian Granita picture by Fantasmic

However, there are a few places in Rome that are considered “must-see” attractions due to their high-profile artistic, historical, and cultural values. They are some of the world’s ultimate sites to be seen and are on every world traveler’s checklist.

Ideally, you should plan to spend at least two days in Rome in order to see all of its main sites properly. Unfortunately, sometimes circumstances allow a tourist a limited amount of time to enjoy the city. Given Rome’s historical significance in world history, though, it is important to make the most of the time you have there. With careful planning, though, Rome’s biggest attractions can be seen in only one day and one night.

8:30 AM: The Roman Forum

Arrive at the Roman Forum entrance on Via dei Fori Imperiali as it opens and buy your combined ticket for the Forum and the Colosseum and wander around the Roman Forum for a while. The ticket line at the Forum entrance is always much shorter than the one at the Colosseum, so it saves a lot of time to purchase tickets there.

Many people opt to skip seeing the Forum in favor of heading directly to the Colosseum, but the Forum is full of history and is awe-inspiring in its own right. However, the Forum is, at first glance, a jumble of rocks and columns, and there are no museum-like plaques to speak of, so take a decent guide-book with you to make sure you leave with a decent understanding of what you have seen. You also might consider picking up some pastries from an Italian café on the way there and having breakfast while sitting on top of the remains of a 2,000 year old building.

9:30 AM: The Colosseum

Leave the Roman Forum from the exit closest to the Colosseum on the East side of the Forum. On your way between the Forum and the Colosseum, make sure you note the The Arch of Constantine to your right. Built in the early 300s, it is well-preserved for its age, and its size is nothing short of impressive. Like the Forum, it is often underappreciated due to its proximity to the Colosseum.

Now onto the main attraction: The Colosseum. Go to the entrance, and make sure not to get into the line to purchase tickets; you already have yours from the Forum. Go inside the Colosseum and wander around a bit.

10:30 AM: Getting to the Vatican

Leave the Colosseum and head across the street to either get a taxi, or if you would like to save some money, go to the Metro stop. The Roman metro system is reliable, clean, and easy to use. In this case, taking a taxi will not get you to the Vatican much faster than the metro will.

When you arrive to the Vatican area, head to the Vatican walls by Piazza del Risorgimento. There, you will find about a dozen people selling guided tours to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica on behalf of several fly-by-night tour companies. While they have unorthodox advertising methods, these tour companies are generally a good value for the amount of knowledge they impart, and most importantly, will allow you to skip the line to get into the Vatican Museums, which can be hours long at the high point of tourist season. The price will be about 40 euros per person. Ask when their tours are, and choose a company that has a tour in the early afternoon (usually around noon or 1 PM). Be sure to double-check as to whether the tour company has permission to skip the Vatican Museum lines.

While you are waiting for your tour to start, poke around the tourist shops in the area and go eat some lunch at one of the nearby restaurants. If you are really pressed for time before the tour, most Roman cafes have sandwhiches to go. Your tour should start at 1:00 PM at the latest, since the Vatican Museums close at 4:00 PM.

4:00 PM: View of Castle San Angelo

You should be done with your tour around 4:00 PM, if not earlier. It all depends on which company you used and what time you started your tour.

Walk directly East from St. Peter’s Square up the Via della Conciliazione. As you are walking, be sure to turn around every now and then for the picture-perfect view of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Veer off to the right onto Via San Pio X and go onto Ponte Vittorio Emanuele, one of Rome’s many bridges over the Tiber River. This particular bridge is a work of art in its own right, and almost everyone that crosses it overlooks the statues that decorate it. However, the real goal here is to see the impressive view of Castle San Angelo, the ancient fortress that has also served as a tomb, dungeons, and papal refuge throughout its long history. Unfortunately, there is not enough time to go inside, so the view from the outside will have to suffice.

5:00 PM: The Pantheon

Hail a taxi and direct the driver to go to the Pantheon. While there are bus routes that could get your there, I do not recommend using the Roman bus system if you have a limited amount of time in the city. The buses are notorious for never being on schedule, and it is often difficult to know at which stop you should get off. A taxi ride should set you back no more than 10 euros.

After you see the Pantheon, you can do the rest of the itinerary at your own pace, since the rest of the attractions do not have closing times you have to worry about.

6:00 PM: The Trevi Fountain

Make your way from the Pantheon to the Trevi Fountain (the street you want to take is to your left when you are facing the front of the Pantheon). It is about a ten minute walk, although you might want to poke around the souvenir stands that line the pedestrian street leading up to the Trevi Fountain.

Once you get to the fountain, spend some time looking at it. You might consider getting some pre-dinner gelato from one of the nearby gelaterias to eat while you sit on the steps of the fountain.

7:00 PM: Piazza Navona and Dinner

From the Trevi Fountain, walk the 20 minutes to Piazza Navona. Wander around the piazza a bit and perhaps buy some art from one of the many artists who sell their wares there. Find a place to have dinner. There are dozens of little restaurants to choose from in the area.

9:00 PM: The Spanish Steps

When you are finished with dinner, find your way to any of the main roads near Piazza Navona and hail a taxi. Direct the driver to go to the Spanish Steps. When you arrive, find yourself a seat on the steps and absorb the lively atmosphere around you. Bring a bottle of wine or a few beers with you and drink at your leisure- sitting and drinking (in moderation) on the Steps is a fairly popular nighttime activity during the summer.

When you have finished your drinks and seen your fill of the nightlife at the Spanish Steps, you can head back to your hotel room to collapse after your busy day.

Top Rome Hotels near the Spanish Steps

• Hotel Centrale
• Hotel Brunetti
• Hotel San Carlo

Photo of the Spanish Steps, Rome, at night by fspugna

• BeAtRome recommends La Ruta de la Paz exhibition at Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome, Italy.

• USA Today share a link to an interesting article on airport food prices.

• VisitOslo recommends shopping at the Farmers’ market in Majorstua, Oslo, Norway.

• WhyGoGreece shares Tripso’s Top 5 Naked Events and Nude Beaches in Mykonos, Greece.

Photo of beach in Cancun, Mexico, by mdanys

Or simply someone sick of the usual yuppie hangouts and the eurotrash clubbing experience? In that case here is a list of alternative clubs in Rome that may catch your fancy.

1. SUBBACULTCHA- Alien Club/Saponeria

The reigning king of the Roman alternative scene is Subbacultcha, held at the Alien Club on Friday nights (Via Velletri 13, Salario district) during the year, with three separate rooms for three separate alternative tastes (rock, metal, and goth) and at the Saponeria Club on Saturdays (Via degli Argonauti, 20, Ostiense district) in the summer season. It is beyond doubt the biggest, most popular and most worthwhile alternative clubbing experience in Rome, combining live music with DJ sets for all tastes: rock, indie, metal, new wave, 80s, electro, alternative, industrial, and much more. Entrance is 5€.

Top rated hotel in Rome Ostiense district: Hotel Abitart

2. SCREAMADELICA- Circolo degli Artisti

If you’re more of an indie art-rocker a fitting alternative experience is Screamadelica, held in collaboration with Radio Città Futura. It is hosted by Circolo degli Artisti, one of Rome’s most popular live music joints on Via Casilina Vecchia, 42. It also combines live music with DJ sets and while it is geared towards the skinny-jeans/big glasses crowd it plays a variety of genres including new wave and punk. Entrance is 5€.

Accommodation near Via Casilina Vecchia, Rome: Bed and Breakfast Abitazione Pigneto

3. RADIOROCK- Qube

The Qube (Via di Portonaccio, 212) is one of the largest and most important clubs in Rome, and usually hosts a different genre or even club on each of its three floors. On Thursday nights it is dominated by Radiorock, Rome’s premier alternative radio station, creating a fitting ambiance with the ex-factory look of the Qube. In the summer Radiorock moves to the fresher shores of La Spiaggetta, Ostia beach (Lungomare Caio Duilio 34), spinning beats and playing live music 6 days of the week. The DJs of Radiorock also take over after the concerts held for the Rock in Roma festival, at the Capannelle hippodrome, with the likes of Motorhead, Nine Inch Nails and The Killers taking the stage. Entrance to Radiorock’s summer outpost is free.

Top rated hotel in Ostia: Aran Blu Hotel

Photo of  ‘Stick My Car’ exhibition at Circolo degli Artisti, Rome, Italy, by OMINO71 -STICK MY WORLD-

Enter the travel writing competition organized by GlobalGiving.co.uk in partnership with The Travel Foundation and supported by  Expedia and Hotels.com. The lucky winner will win a trip to the destination of his/her choice and will visit a GlobalGiving charity project.

St Tropez Nightlife

Globorati shares insiders tips on star-spotting and partying in St Tropez, Southern France. Listed in the article are some of the hottest nightclubs on the French Riviera, such as Le Club 55 and Pampelonne Beach.

Budget  Restaurants in Barcelona

For budget travelers planning a trip to Barcelona, Spain,  PlanetEye lists 10 cheap restaurants which offer good Spanish food at reasonable prices.

Pet-friendly destination in the US

Dog Travel Company shares vacation ideas for holidamakers traveling with their dog and suggests a weekend break in Washington DC.

Beautiful Mosaics in Trastevere, Rome

Planning a vacation in Rome, Italy? RomePhotoBlog invites you to discover the amazing mosaics in the Church of Santa Maria In Trastevere.

Photo of local helping a tourist in Chiang Mai, Thailand, by Leozaza

But Rome is still haunted, and rightly so, by an Italian reputation- an inefficient bureaucratic nightmare, if you don’t know your way around (and sometimes even if you do!). Here are some useful tips for tourists and expats alike that will come in very handy when navigating Italian society as whole, and Rome in particular.

1. Between around 1 and 4 p.m. Italy rests

As you may have heard, between around 1 and 4 p.m. Italy rests (besides restaurants, of course). And there is no way to get around it- you either abide by this unfortunate custom or you get irritated. And I’ve done plenty of the latter- and it doesn’t get you anywhere. So eat lunch, have coffee, and get back to your day eventually- in the summer it’s too hot to be out in those hours anyway. And be wary of religious holidays- it’s not just Christmas and Easter here. Saints are often celebrated individually and cities are affected as a result- a good example is the 29th of June, Saint Peter and Paul, a holiday for Rome. So inform yourself before setting out for a productive day, you may be en route for some unpleasant surprises!

2.Think strategically

When it comes to trying to get things done, think strategically. Post offices are best handled in the morning when people are actually working, rather than around 12:30 or 1 p.m. when there is the mad rush to mail letters and pay bills before it closes. And on the subject of post offices, don’t let your mail get sent out as standard, or ordinaria- make it prioritaria, or raccomandata, for instance, so you have a better chance of actually getting it delivered successfully. And as to banks, they are hardly ever open, or at least it would seem as little as possible. So if you really do need a bank account (unless you’re here for a shorter amount of time, in which case it probably isn’t worth it) choose the option that offers online banking- it is the only way forward. And it works!

3. Do not rely on public transport

Do not rely on public transport, unless you aren’t in a rush at all. This isn’t London, or New York- there are only two metro lines, and you will have to wait 20 minutes or so for a bus usually. If you plan to stay here for a while, invest in a motor scooter- one would normally suggest a bicycle in this day and age but unfortunately Rome is not equipped for cyclists in a meaningful way.

4. Market your language skills!

Unlike other European countries Italy has a low level of English knowledge in terms of quality and quantity of people, so to speak. So whether its teaching English at places like the British Institute or serving drinks at the essentially bilingual Drunken Ship, remember, you have an advantage over many others.

5. Book your museum tickets online

If you’re a tourist, do us all a favor and book your museum tickets online. No one likes to queue for three hours to see the Vatican Museums in the burning sun- go online beforehand and buy your tickets, you skip the line and avoid the painful queuing exercise so many are willing to undertake especially during the summer season. And think outside the box- the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums aren’t the only attractions in Rome. The Capitoline Museums and the Complesso del Vittoriano, in Piazza Venezia, are extremely beautiful and hardly anyone is ever there- the former is the oldest public museum in the world.  Interested?

Photo of Colosseum, Rome, Italy by Sweetdevil

As waves upon waves of frantic tourists crash down around me I feel like I am sometimes drowning. Rome is a beautiful city with so much to see, but you will most definitely be accompanied by a mob of likeminded tourists around every corner.

I’ve currently been living in Rome for three months and every now and then I crave for a bit of escape. Escape in any form, in a small trip out of town, a good book, movie, or concert. Or best of all; some foreign food. I recently stumbled upon a tiny alley near Piazza Navona and there I found Il Clan. F rom the outside of this cosy Brazilian restaurant you will see that it is completely tattooed. Covering the walls around the outside dining area is praise and thanks written in twenty different languages. Il Clan is authentic Brazilian food, opened by two amazing sisters. If you aren’t in the mood for Brazilian they offer a variety of Italian dishes but if you want something unique then you have to order from the Brazilian approach; after all it is a Brazilian restaurant and that is their specialty.

Budget travellers rejoice! For only five Euros you can order a specialty plate, which includes white rice, black beans, and a delicious cooked spinach. Along with that are my favourites, a vinagrete made with red pepper flakes, tomatoes, and olive oil and a tapioca flour which are absolutely incredible when used as a garnish. Now this isn’t Italian cooking so that means we are not eating in courses and you have a mountain of food all on one plate. The sisters actually encourage you to mix it all together in the true Brazilian fashion. And it really mixes perfectly, sprinkle a little bit of the provided fixings over the top and you are good to go. If you are with a group there is a super sized version of this Brazilian dish for fifteen Euro, they will bring all of the pieces to the puzzle out separately and allow you to dish up yourselves with these awesomely big portions. It will usually feed three people depending on how greedy your friends are feeling. Il Clan has outdoor seating in summer and every table is candle lit. After dinner you have to try the house special dessert, a Brazilian spin on the Crème Caramel.

This will be the last article to push you over the edge of falling in love with these sisters and Il Clan altogether. Make sure to express your new found love on the outside walls of the restaurant, tuck it in between the Mandarin Chinese and Hebrew. Then take a food drunk jaunt over to Piazza Navona and join back into the throngs of fountain photographers. Il Clan is number 21/22 on Via Sora and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily; I suggest dinner. Great atmosphere and very kind people.

Photo of Brazilian food by stu spivack

Of the many things we know about Italy we also know that it is certainly not a wintry place. That goes for the warm people and friendly culture but also for the weather itself: the country isn’t used to and isn’t prepared for the cold (aside from the fact that it never is very cold at all.) So Italy thrives in summer, and Rome is full of events and festivals that take full advantage of the most pleasant and privileged season. Here are 5 summer festivals in Rome that shouldn’t be missed:

1. Villa Celimontana Jazz Festival

The Villa Celimontana Jazz Festival has been a Roman institution for more than a decade, located in the gardens and the shade of the 16th century villa designed in harmony with nature by a student of Michelangelo, Giacomo del Duca. Today artists of national and international fame take the stage, including Enrico Rava, Javier Girotto and Roberto Gatto, including the conservatories of Santa Cecilia and Luigi Cherubini. The festival runs until September 20th, and tickets cost approximately 10€. (Via della Navicella, Metro: Colosseo) http://www.villacelimontanajazz.com/ita/index.html

2. Roma Incontra Il Mondo Festival, Villa Ada

Villa Ada is one of the most beautiful and largest public parks in Rome, and since 1994 has housed a world music festival called Roma Incontra il Mondo, running from the 16th of June to the 8th of August. A truly varied range of artists play here, from pop to rock to classical to reggae to world music, effectively: this year a few notable names are Nouvelle Vague, Ludovico Einaudi, Avion Travel, and Patti Smith. Tickets vary between 8 and 13€. (Laghetto di Villa Ada, Metro: Campi Sportivi) http://www.villaada.org/

3. Isola del Cinema

One of my favorite events is the Isola del Cinema festival held on the Isola Tiberina right in the center of Rome, wedged in the river Tiber. Every year one has the pleasure of watching films in the open air on the island. The festival runs from the 18th of June to the 30th of September and screens both national and international cinema. The program includes a 21:30 and 23:30 screening for perfect “dinner and a movie” dates. The upcoming week provides a taste of the event: Milk, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, La Dolce Vita, Let the Right One In. Tickets are 5€ for the first screening ( if you are part of the Isola del Cinema Facebook group, working for ATAC or have a Metrebus card) and 3€ for the second screening. http://www.isoladelcinema.com/

4. Teatro dell’Opera di Roma at the Terme di Caracalla

Every year the Teatro dell’Opera moves its productions to the atmospheric Caracalla baths, and is certainly not to be missed even just in light of this. This month and in August the program includes A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with the corps de ballet and the orchestra of the Opera house, Tosca and Carmen. While the Teatro dell’Opera is not nearly at the same level as La Scala of Milan, for instance, the location makes the night. Tickets and seating arrangements can be found on the website: http://www.operaroma.it .

5. Lungo Er Tevere

For a more informal, relaxed and truly enjoyable evening with friends head down to the Lungotevere degli Anguillara and head down the stairs onto the river bank. Every year the city of Rome organizes this event on the shores of the Tiber from the Ponte Sisto to Ponte Mazzini, over 1 km of shops, stands, bars, restaurants, and clubs. For more information check out the website: http://www.lungoiltevereroma.it/cultura.html. These events are certainly not the only ones – be sure to check the official website of the Estate Romana, http://www.estateromana.comune.roma.it/.

Photo of Mike Stern band playing at Villa Celimontana, Rome, Italy by Padesig

With everyone looking for a place to lay their beach towel it can become quite difficult to find the perfect spot. In my search for a strip of sand I wandered into the town of Sperlonga.

Sperlonga is just one hour south of Rome by trail and is very easily accessible. After a short bus ride from Sperlonga’s train station (Fondi-Sperlonga) I was dropped into the middle of this charming little town. The first thing that I noticed was that Sperlonga resembled Greece more than Italy; with it’s small alleys and stacked sun bleached buildings layered with balconies overlooking stretches of sea.

After a short walk through town I heard the shore calling me. I swiftly strolled down the zigzagging stairways past the sun bathing cats and made my way to the beach. Once I reached the sand I started scanning the prices for umbrella and beach chair rentals. Sperlonga does have public sections of beach but I would really recommend renting an umbrella; the sun can be very cruel and during midday it can be dangerous staying in direct sun. Sperlonga has an amazing beach; and they know it, you will be paying an average of sixteen euro for two lounge chairs and an umbrella (depending on how near to the water you want to be positioned). I paid twelve euro for two chairs with an umbrella in the back row; it was a mad dash on burning hot sand to get into the water but definitely worth saving five euro.

The sea was perfect, the water was clean and as clear as glass. From the coast you have a great view no matter where you look; whether up at the white hilltop town or out at the waves lapping in from the sparkling sea. I do have a few warnings though, mainly for your wallet. This town is beautiful but small, that means a bit on the expensive side. I would suggest buying all of your supplies before leaving Rome, packing a lunch and using the spare cash on something cold to drink on the beach.

A train for Sperlonga leaves every hour from Termini station (Rome) and costs €6,50 for a one-way ticket; when you arrive at the Fondi-Sperlonga station their will be a shuttle bus waiting to take you into town (€1 per one-way trip). That shuttle runs between the town and train station every hour all day; making it easy to get into and out of town. You really can’t beat this town; with it’s clean stretch of sand and sea and beautiful hilltop views. If you need a place to get away and cool off make your way towards Speronga.

Photo of Sperlonga by Lostajy

• Air France US recommends a trip to Marseille, France, for the city’s great food, wine and weather.

• Adrian Reynolds found a good Persian restaurant in Milan, Italy.

• Krishna De tweets about the Celtic Music Festival that will take place 22-29 August in Dublin, Ireland.

• The Spot of Main is looking for volunteers for this weekend’s Bellevue Strawberry Festival.