Glimpses of Christmas Past: Photos from Rome 2017

7 Acts of mercy presepe

Joe and Patricia Gartman have spent the Christmas seasons from 2017 to 2019 in Italy. Here are photos from their time in Rome in 2017. When the City of Rome’s official Christmas tree – a72-foot Norway spruce from Trentino – was erected in Piazza Venezia on the 8th of November, it was shockingly bare of […]

Marching Arches

Rome park

In the far southeast of Rome is a park with a long and watery history, Joe Gartman writes… Images by Patricia Gartman  There is a place, not far from the old Via Appia, where you can step outside of Rome without leaving the city. You can almost step outside of time too, into a landscape […]

Discover Villa d’Este

Villa D'este

The 16th-century Villa d’Este at Tivoli, a UNESCO World Heritage Site sits just outside Rome. The palace and gardens were created from a desire for status, yet a legacy that spans centuries has been left… How does a newly declared governor of Tivoli ensure that an old monastic building befits his new political status? He […]

Avoiding Bernini in Rome

The sculptor and architect created many of Rome’s most iconic sights – you can hardly take a selfie without him bombing you. Words by Joe Gartman, photos by Patricia Gartman   Let us imagine that you are standing in Piazza Barberini, in Rome, gazing at the famous Triton fountain. Triton, the giant son of Poseidon […]

Five foodie reasons to visit Rome

We could give you 100 reasons to visit Italy’s capital, but here we’re focusing on just the gastronomic highlights – here are our foodie tips for Rome! Images by iStock and iStockfood       1 One of the best ways to start the day in Rome, as it is in the rest of Italy, is […]

Viewpoint: Miracle of Summer Snow

summer snow

People gather outside the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore on Rome’s Esquiline Hill to witness a soap foam re-creation of the Miracle of Summer Snow… Photo by Getty Images Legend has it… that on the night of 4th August, a long, long time ago, it snowed in Rome. Not everywhere, and not a lot, but […]

Rome for families travel guide

Pantheon, Rome with kids

Rome may not seem like the obvious choice for a family break, but if you plan it right, it can be a fantastic destination for the whole clan, says Beth Al Rikabi… Photos by Beth Al Rikabi If you’re planning to head to Rome with little ones, these quick tips for happy family travel in […]

Rome for families

Rome for families

Having explored Rome’s nooks and crannies several times over, Beth Al Rikabi delves into the city once more on a multi-generational family holiday… Photos by Beth Al Rikabi  It was while I was cheffing at a yoga retreat amongst the mellow green folds of the Sabine Hills, with the city an hour’s train ride away, that […]

Past Italia: Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica, Italy

The Mithraic Mysteries was once the predominant religious practice in Rome, and some archeological remains of this pre-Christian religion still survive… Photo by Getty Images Before Constantine converted to Christianity and changed Europe for ever, the most worshipped figure in Rome was Mithra, a divinity of Persian origin about whom little history remains. By the […]

Italia Guide – Rome and The South 2019 is now on sale!

Order your copy online today from just £9.99 (inc.P&P) here.     The brand-new Rome & the South travel guide from the publishers of Italia! magazine has 132 pages packed with expert travel know-how, stunning imagery and itineraries to make the most of your next trip to both Italy’s capital and the lands beyond – the captivating […]