English
Français
Deutsch
Italiano
Español
ONLY BE ROMAN
Only-Be Roman
Rome with Children: Visit the Bioparco
When traveling with family, one must choose plans that can amuse and entertain the little ones as well. And although Rome is famous for its historical attractions and the beauty of its art, the city also offers interesting activities for children. One of the places you should definitely visit is the Bioparco, which children usually enjoy the most. It is one of the first zoos in the world to allow its guests to meet the animals while they are educated and made more aware about the importance of conserving flora and fauna. From its location within the glorious Villa Borghese, which was opened in 1911 as a place of entertainment for the Romans, you will be able to admire rare and exotic animals. Despite its initial success, it deteriorated over the years and was restructured several times as a result. The idea of converting it into a bio park emerged in 1994, and the project was based on the principles of the Gilman charitable foundation. It currently has more than 1,000 animals of some 200 species, including some endangered species: Dendrobates, geckos, Egyptian turtles, mangabeys, Madagascarboas, crocodiles, lions, leopards, elephants and seals are just some of the many animals that will surprise your little ones. The most recent additions to the family are an Asiatic lion named Asoka, Pipa (a hippo) and three meerkats. Animals are not the only attractions of the garden. There’s also the magnificent botanical collection (with mainly Mediterranean species) that enchants visitors with its beauty and exoticism. The Bioparco also organizes many activities for children and families that will make...
3 open-air pools in Rome
Do you feel hot visiting Rome? Is the heat not going away? Is it hampering your progress through all the landmarks you want to see? Of course, one always prefers going to the beach when it´s hot in summer and, although the beaches aren´t far from Rome, many go to Rome to visit monuments and the idea of leaving the city breaks all the plans. Don´t worry. Here´s a list of a few small oasis where you can cool down without having to rent a car to go to the beach. Here they are from most expensive to cheapest: If you want to treat yourself Pretty Woman-style and show off that great body around the glamorous pool of the Hilton Hotel, you can do so for 45€ on weekdays and for 85€ on weekends (as long as you´re not staying there, in which case it would only cost you 18€) OSClub: Right behind the Trajan thermal baths, is this pool, which has a fabulous bar that also serve you fresh drinks and homemade food. If you go all day long, from 10am until 7pm, it costs 20€ but if you go from 2pm, it costs just 15€. However, these prices are only for weekdays, with it being more expensive on weekends. Circollo belle arti: This pool finds itself in the Flaminia district. Pros: it only costs 12€ all day or half a day if it´s a weekend. Cons: there are many activities going on, which means there are a lot of children and teenagers running up and down. However, it´s good to keep it handy in case you want to...
To Rome with Love. Rome seen through the eyes of Woody Allen
To Rome with Love, Woody Allen´s latest film, has perhaps not received many positive reviews, but thanks to it the lights focusing on Rome have been switched on once again. Actually, many have defined it as a campaign to promote tourism rather than a work of a film great. However, nobody can deny that the beauty of the Eternal City, no matter how advertised it was in the film, still takes one´s breath away. One of the bitterest reviews has come from one of the main Italian film personalities, Carlo Verdone. The Roman actor and director didn´t like Allen´s representation of Rome too much. According to him, the portrayal of the city does not correspond exactly with reality. His remarks do not refer to the beauty of Rome, which is a given, but to the everyday life of the city. “It´s a Rome seen through the eyes of the Americans, who when they come here they expect to find it just like that: pleasant people, a bit coarse, monuments and good food… Rome in fact is a city with many problems […]”, referring to the city chaos in all of its aspects: double and triple-line parking, loud noises, public and historical places not cared for enough, etc. Perhaps its charm also derives from its untidiness and carelessness, or perhaps he´s looking for an excuse to not see the real problem (which, as an Italian citizen, I know that it exists). However, I´m not here to bore you with a socio-cultural analysis of Rome or a tedious review of To Rome with Love, don´t worry. I´ll talk about the beauty...
The lakes of Rome
Tourists who go often to Rome know what they´re doing. Rome is a great cultural, artistic and leisure centre at the disposal of all those who want to have fun in their free time. We all know its Roman remains, the Vatican and its villas with gardens. Today, we´re going to escape from all Roman cliches and go a few miles outside the city to arrive to these two lesser-known gems of the Lazio region. The lakes of Bracciano, Martignano, Albano and Di Nemi are just a few of the places favoured by Romans to spend a day of fun, whether it´s with their family or their partner. Let´s begin with the biggest of them all, Bracciano. It´s located in the northeast, some 20 miles from Rome. Anyone can get there by road in barely 20 minutes. It´s a lake of volcanic origin and, as it usually happens in these cases, the perimeter is circular. There are routes for volcanology lovers which go around different craters and prints of the evident volcanic activity that took place here thousands of years ago. Lake Bracciano has over 18 miles of coast and three cities grew around its waters, Bracciano, Anguillara Sabazia and Trevignano Romano. Tourism linked to water sports is a rich source of income for the inhabitants of this area. You can enjoy its beaches and canoe rides on its crystalline waters. Bracciano is the water feeder of rRome, that´s why contamination control is very strict and motorized boats are not allowed. One of the main incentives are its restaurants. In them, you can enjoy fresh dish recently fished out of the lake and various types of seafood, an excellent choice...
Fashionable Gay Discos and Clubs in Rome
The gay community in Rome had a late start due to the influence of the Catholic Church, meaning that specialized entertainment spaces have only recently appeared. But there are now a number of entertaining gay discos and clubs with a trend-setting style. According to historical research, homosexuality in the Roman Empire was considered natural. It was part of the power relations among members of wealthy families and also accepted by the lower classes. Despite its history, this city is the most backward in Europe in regard to recognizing the rights of the gay community. One example of this is that the city’s first Gay Pride march was held only in 2000. In 2007, the city opened its first gay street, which is called San Giovanni in Laterano but commonly known as Gay Street. This street is located steps from the Coliseum and there are several specialized and gay friendly establishments. One of the clubs with a longer history is L´Alibi, which has spent 40 years dedicated to the gay nightlife in Rome and offers the best sensory experience for those who are open to experimentation. It has an interesting ambience with an African style and a romantic terrace in the summer that offers great views of the Monte dei Cocci. There are two good bars where you can get incredible cocktails at great prices. The ballroom is ideal for summer partying to the beat of house and techno. Prices vary. It is located at Via di Monte Testaccio 40. The Club Apeiron is a good club with daily entertainment, strippers and videos. Every Friday they...
Luglio Suona Bene in Rome
Rome is one of the most beautiful cities to visit during the summer. Its intense cultural scene and nightlife, can give you many moments of fun, joy, and magic. Arriving in Rome is an experience that involves all your senses. If you love music, you’ll be able to find a wide range of styles through the streets and avenues of the Italian capital. From street musicians, concert halls, bars and auditoriums, Rome is definitely a city dedicated to musical arts throughout the year. When it comes to summer, a festival like Luglio Suona Bene offers interesting alternatives. The festival Luglio Suona Bene is without doubt one of the best options to enjoy live music during the months of June, July and August in beautiful Rome. This festival is dedicated to a diverse audience, while offering very affordable prices. The gap between each concert and artist allows you to choose in advance what performances to see without missing any of your favorite ones. That is why, there are no additional expenses or the disappointments of having to attend a concert you won’t like. Usually during the summer festivals, there are large companies that only seek to raise more money without judging, or having any idea of what really means to organize an event with artists of different styles, in an efficient way and above all, affordable to the public. Generally, festivals are usually packed with tourists that sometimes, just come to drink and destroy the spaces designed to listen quality performances. In the case of Luglio Suona Bene, this is just the opposite. While the influx of tourists during the...
Patti Smith in Concert in Rome
The video that I included below, which was posted on YouTube, has a comment from a fan asking who pushed the dislike button by mistake. There are two people who indicate their displeasure with the song, but this fan does not understand how this is possible. How is it possible that anyone would not fully appreciate this truly memorable song? It is a sad but beautiful song that the veteran Patti Smith dedicated to the ill-fated Amy Winehouse. “This is the girl” (“This is the girl”) is the song’s title. It’s only possible that these two persons are mistaken in their commentary. And so we go from one great to another with our hearts on our sleeves. Too bad it’s only possible to include one single from this great lady of song, Patti Smith I mean! Although a mix with “little” Amy, wouldn’t be bad either. Well, to get to the point… Patti Smith will perform in concert as part of an international tour with her latest album, “Banga”, giving her fans (those who always mark “like”) an opportunity to see her live at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome. It takes place on July 20 at 9 p.m. Here’s the link where you can find out all of the practical information about attending and buying tickets: http://www.auditorium.com/eventi/5274394 The organizers of this space dedicated to the arts are proud to once again present Smith (as they were ten years ago). The American artist demonstrates her fascination with Italian culture in this new work, which is named “Banga”. As an artist committed to various causes, a painter, a singer,...
The Cure concert in Rome
The musical career of The Cure is one of the most unique and prolific in the history of rock and pop. The Cure is one of those bands that are essential to hear at some point in childhood, adolescence, and then as an adult, a bunch of different times, different musical styles combined in songs both happy with party mood but also dark and with introspection. At the time when we still heard the radio, The Cure was always on the top lists; this legendary British band has managed to cover in their songs so many emotions within the broad spectrum of the human psyche. All of course, thanks to the lyric of the charismatic Robert Smith, one of the best rock and pop composers of the last thirty years. The beginnings of The Cure are of course marked by “Three Imaginary Boys” (1979), their first album with a slight dark punk influence that was shown as a solid band but still with a lot to discover their full potential, both in the studio and on the new sounds composition. It is known that around 1979, The Cure was on tour with Siouxsie and the Banshees. Unexpectedly, the guitarist of the Banshees left the band and Robert Smith took his place during the rest of the tour, while still playing with The Cure. Based on this intense experience, Robert Smith got to know about the potential that his music could reach, a density much deeper and a new staging. As a result, the style of The Cure changed drastically, leading to their three classic albums of post punk: “Seventeen...
Anais Mitchell in Rome
One of the queens of new American folk, Anais Mitchell will make a stop inRomeon May 17 as part of her 2012 European tour. She will perform at Crossroads Live Club (a.k.a. XRoads), one of the best nightclubs featuring live music in the Italian capital. Anais Mitchell is an artist worth seeing even if you’re not a big fan of folk music. With an abundance of talent, intense and melancholic songs, and elaborate and deep lyrics, nobody who has the pleasure of hearing her can remain indifferent. A fan of Jane Austen and miniskirts, this girl fromVermontis the daughter of a writer and professor of English who was educated to have a passion for music, literature, and poetry. As a result, she began to write her first songs at age 17 when she began her studies in political science and languages. At 21, in 2002, she self-released her first album, which was recorded in one afternoon. The following year, she participated in the Kerrville Folk Festival and received the folk artist revelation award. Her second album, “Hymns for the Exiled (2004), was recorded on a small independent label inChicagoand attracted the attention of folk icon Ani DiFranco. Afterwards, her subsequent albums were produced by DiFranco’s label, Righteous Babe. In 2006, Anais Mitchell undertook an original project, Hadestown, a kind of folk music which critics have dubbed opera folk. It is based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. What started as something small and self-produced eventually became a tour with 22 musicians all over England. It was recorded in 2010 and featured collaborations with musicians such as Justin Vernon...On Road Rome
On Road is a motorbike rental company in Rome that incorporates a GPS or navigator to all of its vehicles.
