Smart Guide Italy: Rome and Lazio Published by Smart Guides Smashwords Edition Copyright 2011 Alexei Cohen Discover other Smart Guide titles at Smashwords.com: Smart Guide Italy: Florence and Tuscany Smart Guide Italy: Milan and Lombardy Smashwords Edition, License Notes This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. CONTENTS FOREWARD INTRODUCING ITALY PLANNING YOUR STAY TOP STOPS ROME Sights Forums, Palatino and Capitolino Aventino and Testaccio Trastevere Campo Dei Fiori and Piazza Navona Tridente Vatican Entertainment Events Shopping Sports and Recreation Food Accommodations Information and Services Getting There Getting Around NEAR ROME Appia Antica Garbatella Eur Ostia Antica SOUTHERN LAZIO Tivoli Frascati And The Castelli Romani Parco Nazionale Del Circeo Terracina Sperlonga Gaeta Le Isole Ponziane Itri Cassino NORTHERN LAZIO Cerveteri Lago Di Bracciano Viterbo Tarquinia Tuscania Montefiascone Foreward Dear Traveler, Congratulations! You are setting off on a unique journey to an incredible destination. But before you set foot in Rome put your preconceptions about the Eternal City aside. Forget Ferrari, forget Fellini and forget Fettucini. Pack you curiousity and prepare to make new discoveries, fresh impressions and open your eyes to culture so thick you can spread it. This eBook is meant help you make those discoveries as well as lighten your load. It balances historical insights about Rome’s major monuments with practical information about accommodation, food, entertainment and events. It was created to indulge your senses and help you see, smell, and taste Rome and Lazio in unexpected ways whether you are headed for the Vatican or Ostia Antica. Although we’ve strived to be, we are not perfect. Restaurants close, prices change and you may come across something interesting we’ve overlooked. So talk to us. If you make a discovery or have any observations that will improve future editions don’t hesitate to write. Enjoy your travels Alexei Cohen Digital Editor INTRODUCING ITALY No matter how much time you have Italy will leave you feeling like you missed something. Even if you concentrate on a single city or region the possibility of seeing every painting, piazza, or church is impossible. It’s best therefore not to cram too much into whatever time you do have and take a relaxed approach. Although the country is not very large it’s incredibly dense and there are a thousand places to get sidetracked. Five days is usually enough to see a couple of large cities or start to explore a region. Ten days and you can get off the beaten track, stop checking your watch and cross over to one of the islands. Anything over two weeks is ideal and will be appreciated by all your senses. Air, train, and road transportation make getting around easy. If you want to explore some of the wilder landscapes or are heading to the mountains a car saves time and provides the freedom to make discoveries that you’d miss otherwise. When To Go Tourism is a year round reality in Italy that peaks in August and during the Christmas and Easter holidays. There is no single best time to visit and what period you choose depends on personal preference in weather, cost, service, and elbow room. As far as climate is concerned summers are warm and winters are mild with regional variation between Alpine and coastal zones. The Tyrrhenian is generally warmer than the Adriatic and July and August can be unbearably hot while mountain areas remain cool. Temperatures drop the higher you climb up the Alps and snow covers the Central Apennines until April. Italy is drier than North America and there’s less humidity. Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta are wet in spring and you can count on rain in Rome throughout November. Spring and fall are pleasant throughout the country. With the exception of Easter there are less tourists waiting in line and hotels charge mid-season rates. Some resort towns, especially on islands may be closed, but dining al fresco is possible and restaurants start putting out tables in April. Mediterranean vegetation doesn’t provide the spectacular fall colors of New England but there is bright foliage in Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo and along the back roads of Umbria. Autumn is also harvest time when sagre festivals celebrate everything from apples in Trentino to truffles in Tuscany. New vintage are bottled and wine flows freely in Chianti. By September Italian schools have started again and beaches are virtually abandoned. Summer is by far the most popular time to visit. Everyone wants to see Italy under blue skies and hotels take advantage of demand to raise their prices. Airlines also charge their highest fares and tickets should be purchased well in advance. You’re more likely to hear German, French, and English in Florence and Venice than Italian. Reservations are mandatory and if you’ll be traveling by car expect traffic. The majority of Italians go on vacation in August and over 70 percent decide to remain within the country. Weather is good up and down the peninsula and waters are at their warmest. Sardinia is the most popular destination and sand disappears under a thousands of beach towels. The flip side of this mass exodus is that you’re less likely to be hit by a moped in Naples or Rome. Temperatures, however, can rise into the 100s and many bars, shops, and restaurants close. Nearly every city has a summer festival with nightly events in historic piazzas and villas. Paul McCartney, Simon and Garfunkle, and Billy Joel have all played in the shadow of the coliseum in August. Siena’s famous Palio horse race is held in July and Rossini operas are sung in Pesaro the entire season. Winter is packed with religious festivals and nativity scenes start to appear in churches on the first of December. Some cities have their own particularly holiday. Milan celebrates St. Ambrose, Trieste gives thanks to St. Giusto, and there’s St. Nicola in Bari. Each comes with mouth-watering delicacies and flavors vary month-by-month. Children look forward to January 6th when La Befana brings them an assortment of treats. Christmas is generally less commercial and if you want a white one it’s best to spend it in Aosta or Trentino. There are dozens of picturesque Christmas markets in the north and locals stay warm with hot wine that’s served with pretzels in Alto Adige. Carnival isn’t just held in Venice and the Tuscan and Sardinian versions are equally festive. Winter is also the best time to hit the slopes and Italian ski resorts offer a variety of activities besides classic downhill and cross country. Many Italians take a settimana bianca or white week in February and lift lines are longer than usual. Weather remains mild in Southern Italy and temperatures in Puglia and Calabria remain in the 50s. There are less tourists in winter and even St. Marks Square is unusually quite. Art lovers will get to spend quality time with their favorite paintings without standing on their toes. Accommodation is more affordable and last minute travelers will have no problem finding a room. What To Bring The contents of your suitcase depends on the season and length of stay. Beware of overpacking and select comfortable clothing that can easily be mixed and matched. Layers are important in spring and fall when mornings are chilly and temperatures vary throughout the day. A bag with wheels will make getting around airports and to the next hotel easier. Backpacks or handbags are good for storing items you’ll take on daily excursions and should have zippers to dissuade pickpockets. It’s probably best to leave expensive watches at home and travel without any flashy jewelry. A money belt can be useful for storing necessary valuables and cash. Some formal clothes may be necessary if you plan on any fine dining or clubbing. Italians generally like to dress up and rarely let their fashion guard down. Flip-flops are fine for the beach but the Swiss Guard won’t permit them inside the Vatican. Keep in mind knees and shoulders must be covered when entering religious buildings. Sun glasses are essential during the summer especially if you’ll be doing any driving and baseball hats are useful even if they aren’t often worn by Italians. A high spf sun lotion is vital if you’re heading for the beach and bug repellent will come in handy in the countryside or sitting around the campfire. You’ll probably do more walking in Italy than at home and it’s hazardous for your feet to break in a new pair of shoes on cobblestone streets. Bring at least two comfortable pairs especially if you’ll be hiking. If you’re only off for a week it may be useful to buy sample size shampoo, toothpaste, and soap that will keep weight down and cause less damage if they accidentally open. If you forget something you shouldn’t have a problem finding it in Italy and pharmacies are especially useful for replacing lost toiletries or picking up aspirin. If you take prescription drugs make sure to bring enough and have a copy of the prescription in case you need a refill.