Our travels

Sunday in Piazza di Spagna and vicinity

We are staying at 6 Via della Croce, 50 meters from Piazza di Spagna. This place never sleeps. Thousands (in February hundreds) of tourists throng that famous place. Piazza di Spagna is one of the most visited places in Rome; shops attract them all: Romans and tourists. In the eighteenth century, t...

The Quirinale

One of the seven hills of Rome – The Quirinale is the place where since the sixteenth century there has been the Palazzo del Quirinale. It was the first papal palace, and at the end of their reign  it became the residence of the kings of Italy. Since 1947 it has been the seat of the President of the...

The museum and Gallery Borghese

Villa Borghese a park and palace were designed exclusively for relaxation and entertainment. A young sculptor Bernini sculpture was commissioned to perform a sculpture task that brought him fame and money. The villa is a wonderful collection of paintings and sculptures of the Borghese family. The...

Monte Gianicolo

The Gianicolo in Trastevere used to play a major role in the defense system of the city. That's why there are statues of Giuseppe Garibaldi and his wife Anita Garibaldi. The Gianicolo currently serves as a popular place for walks. For many tourists the view of the city allows them to check their kn...

"Rome of Black Aristocracy!"

To my question how to title today’s entry, Olaf replied:  "Rome of Black Aristocracy!" Each family which gave a pope, received the title of prince. As nothing was done without big money of the bishops and cardinals, we can safely say that the aristocracy during the Renaissance was born in black cas...

Rome from day to day

On Saturday, we can see "ordinary" Rome in the centre of the city. The weather is a little better - more sunshine, but the temperature still does not exceed 10 °C. Not too many tourists in town, so we can freely move around the city. Many restaurants seem to be empty at daytime, only the "beaters" ...

Caravaggio

Life of Michelangelo Merisiego called CARAVAGGIO has been described in many books and a scandalous film was shot. His life and work intrigues and inspires many artists. A casual tourists simply rave about his paintings  which, although were created at the turn of the sixteenth and seventeenth centu...

The Aventine Hill

The Aventine Hill is one of the most peaceful places within the Roman walls of this crazy city. At the top stands the Basilica of Santa Sabina with a lovely patio (a garden inside the walls of the monastery) which can be seen only through a small window. From the top one can overlook  the Trasteve...