Christmas in Rome

Christmas is a vibrant time of year for Italy and particularly, in Rome! If you are here for the holidays, this is probably your first Christmas in Italy and haven’t got a chance to live the Italian holiday spirit. So many families travel for the holidays nowadays and Christmas is no longer ubiquitous to staying at home. Take a tour around Rome to see if this festive city might not be your next holiday tradition.

Rome really caters to families and provides many family friendly activities for children, like visiting Santa or ice skating. For the non-Italian speaking families, indulge in some of Italy's best Christmas traditions during your holiday visit. Every Italian child (and adult) can't wait for this time of year to enjoy "panettone" or "pandoro," two typical cake like desserts eaten only during Christmas time accompanied with milk for breakfast or more commonly, sparkling wine during an evening toast. They can be found at any supermarket or pastry shop - getting a local, fresh one from a bakery is the best. Or better yet, ask a local tour guide for their favorite Christmas sweet spot. P.S. Parents, Italy stuffs their stockings on the Epiphany (6 th of January), when the Befana (witch) comes and gives well- behaved children candy. So, if your child has made an Italian friend over the holidays, I suggest slipping a candy underneath its pillow that night!

Then, go out with your family to see the famous "presepi" (nativity scenes) that move and light up. The most famous is in front of the Vatican. The vast amount of details and work that goes into them will impress any adult or child. Check out the 100 Presepi exhibition as well.

Europe is famous for its Christmas markets (mercantini di natale) and Rome doesn’t fall behind. This year’s favorites are the classics in Piazza Navona and Piazza di Spagna but as well as near the Auditorium and in the neighborhood of rationalist architecture, EUR.

Finally, Rome is truly festive with Christmas trees and lights everywhere. Take a stroll around and finish at one of their ice-skating rinks (pista di pattinaggio) around the city. Particularly unique is the rink right under Castel del'Angelo. Happy Holidays!!! or... Buone feste!

Day Trips in Lazio from Rome

The region surrounding Rome, Lazio, is under loved in comparison to its neighbor, Tuscany. There is a plethora of great spots to visit near Rome that represent various characteristics of Italian culture, north, south and central.  With a car, these places are easy to reach and frankly, it’s shocking how quickly the micro climates and cultures change. Closet to Rome and located in the central part of Lazio, lie Tivoli, Frascati and Braccaino.   Tivoli is a town rich in culture. There are two popular bourgeois villas famous for their art and architecture. Villa d'Este has hundreds of fountains and a water powered organ! Villa Adriana is a 2nd century AD imperial home to the Roman emperor Adriano. The town is also full of cute shops and restaurants. Frascati is Lazio's famous town for wine. The light bodied white wine is perfect for tasty fried treats and snacks. There are tons of little tasting shops around town but even better, stop to have a wine tasting at one of the many lovely vineyards.  

 

Lastly, for nature lovers and sun soakers, Lake Bracciano is about an hour by train from Rome's Termini Station. The lake is beautiful and enormous surrounded by little medieval towns and woods. The town of Bracciano itself is also well-known for its famous celebrity style weddings at the Bracciano castle. A lovely lunch can also be had at the town. 

In northern Lazio, the city of popes, Viterbo, is a stunning example of medieval architecture.  This city has always had a special relationship with the Catholic Church and pilgrims, as the Via Francigena pilgrimage passes through the city.  The surrounding agriculture is primarily based off hazelnuts, chestnuts and walnuts, so the cuisine like soups with chestnut and beans or the chocolate sweets with hazelnuts, is not to be missed.  

Gaeta is at the very tip of Lazio, practically in Campania, and you can feel the difference in climate compared to Viterbo.  The seaside city overlooks the Tyrrhenian sea and has an amazing medieval tower and baroque church. Its historic origins are linked to commerce, such a productive port city that Dante Algieri put it on par with Naples in his Divine Comedy.  Today, Italians know it for its seafood and black olives.

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Exploring Roman Cuisine

Roman cuisine is so tasty, creamy and flavorful. The basis of many typical dishes are “poor man’s” ingredients, like the bits and pieces of meat that weren’t sold at the daily market. The old and large Jewish community has also deeply influenced the cuisine. 

Roman cuisine features seasonal and simply-prepared ingredients from the Roman countryside such as: peas, artichokes, fava beans, roman broccoli, milk-fed lamb and goat, and cheeses like the salty Pecorino Romano and ricotta. Strutto (pork lard) is used for frying while olive oil is reserved for vegetables.

The Roman diet is very seasonal. For example, in April and May, the fava beans come out. Typically, they will eat them crude accompanied with pecorino romano cheese, some bread and a bottle of wine from Frascati. But some dishes are true classics year-round. For your pasta try: an amatriciana (red sauce with pieces of guanciale - pigs cheek - and pecorino cheese) or a cacio e pepe (pecorino cheese with lots of black pepper), a gricia (pecorino and guanciale), or the famous carbonara (pecorino, guanciale and egg). All have unique flavors but are rich, creamy and very filling. If you are more into the meats then try: trippa alla romana (tripe cooked with tomato sauce, wild mint and topped with pecorino), Saltimbocca (veal with ham and sage), Scaloppine alla romana (veal sautéed with fresh baby artichokes) or the Coda alla vaccinara (oxtail stew). For non-meat lovers, the vegetables are a must try. The artichokes either Carciofi alla Romana (whole artichokes filled with minced garlic and parsley and cooked in olive oil, leaving them soft and sautéed like) or Carciofi alla guidia (Jewish style artichokes where whole artichokes are filled with chili peppers and deep fried). Don’t forget supplì (fried rice balls with cheese and other flavors) and a thin crust Roman pizza for a popular and lighter dinner. Finish with a smooth hazelnut or pistacchio gelato on your way home. 

There is no way like understanding Roman cuisine than trying it and there is no better way than on one of the delightfully tasty food tours available in Rome.  We, Romans, even learned way more about the history and ingredients of these dishes that we grew up eating!

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An Honest Look at Driving in Rome

It’s not uncommon to hear, “I would never driver in Rome, the Italians are crazy drivers!” Or maybe, you’ve heard the story of your grandmother who was stuck on one side of the street for twenty minutes because they were too scared to cross with the traffic and there was no stoplight.  These stories have inspired us at Italy’s Best Limo to take an empathetic look into driving in Rome. Beyond our business, could we really recommend our clients to drive in Rome?

One, the traffic is real.  We wish it wasn’t because then we could get to work faster too! If you are new to the city and do not know the small shortcut or more importantly, the license to drive int eh center, then the traffic jams on major roads are daily and unpleasant.

Two, the infamous ZTL.  The ZTL is the traffic limited areas of Rome where only those who have the correct permits can drive through and park.

It is part of the city’s way of controlling over crowded streets in the city center, but this also means fines for anyone who passes.

Three, parking is a game of luck.  The trees, old Roman ruins and small streets do not make the ideal formula for efficient parking.  Even though it is a pain for us, could we really ever move that precious 2,000-year-old carved stone from the side of the road? Beyond jokes, no, we probably can’t – and, that’s why we love Rome!

To sum up, we don’t think we are that crazy of drivers, but driving for the first time in Italy and particularly in Rome, can be complicated and stressful.  If you’re not up to the challenge, have all the rewards of a car without driving it with us 😊

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