Rome runs for the cure..

Every year Rome turns pink. It's not because of the romantic twilights you can behold in late Spring. It's not because of the old fashioned buildings that takes you centuries back. This time Rome is pink because of the 12th edition of Race For The Cure, a great event that every year helps the research for breast cancer.

Houndreds of people gathered in the city center this weekend and applied for a fun run around the most important areas of Rome. Last Friday to Sunday you could see men, women, children and even a few dogs running at Piazza Venezia, rushing all the way thru the Forums heading to the Colosseum, and then Circo Massimo to the Caracalla Therms. All the fund raised are going to support our scientists in their own race. A very important run to find a cure for the most common cancer for the women.

Some people contributed with money, others took part in the race. Everyone ran with a smile and with the fullfilling feeling that the winner would anyway be the women's health.

Mamma Roma

Let's see, we had Mother's Day last Sunday and May which is the Mother Mary month. This is an opportunity to tell our moms how much we love them and also to remember that Rome is a mother itself! According to the myth, the twin Romulus and Remus were demigods born from the god of war Mars and a priestess.

Their mother's uncle ordered to kill the babies by throwing them in the Tiber river. There, a wolf found and raised them in its den by the Palatine hill...kinda like Mowgli from the Jungle Book! The children were breast-fed by the wolf and eventually Romulus founded the city of Rome, and became its first king.

No wonder the wolf is now the symbol of Rome. You can see many statues of the Capitoline Wolf, some of them as old as the city, the oldest being almost 2000 years old. The logo of Rome's soccer team is also a wolf head. Romans have a special link with this animal. They all feel like they're sons of Rome as well as the sons of a wolf. Quite an unusual mom to have, but as lovely as all the moms!

Visit the Capitoline hill with Walks Inside Rome to learn more about its fascinating history in the following tours:

• Ancient & Christian Rome
• Rome for Kids
• Underground Rome
• Classic Ancient Rome
• Small Group Ancient Rome

Sunday busy Sunday

Last Sunday has been a pretty busy one, due to the beatification of John Paul II and the Labor Day concert. Just as we expected in our previous post! Starting from Friday afternoon, pilgrims from all over the world gathered in Rome.

Saturday was a nice evening to walk the streets by Saint Peter to witness thousands of people arranging for the night. Yes, most of them slept outdoor, assisted by a huge organization of professionals and young volunteers helping the visitors with water and fresh fruits.

If Saturday night was one of a kind sight, Sunday was just crazy. Over 1.5 million people came to celebrate the former Pope John Paul II. One of the biggest event for the Catholic Church thus far!
Meanwhile, in Piazza San Giovanni, the traditional Labor Day concert took place. As every year, the first day of May is the opportunity for workers and students to get together and participate at this amazing festival.

Many famous Italian singers showed up on the stage, including Ennio Morricone and Gino Paoli. Good thing the audience was way lower than last year: "only" 500,000 people! This made a total of over 2 million people gathered in the center of Rome in less than 24 hours. Can you think about something more amazing?

Easter goes faster...

I hope you had a wonderful Easter spending great time with your relatives and friends! In Italy Easter is a double-sided celebration and you get to enjoy both sides of the fest.

On one hand, you have the religious event. On Friday the Pope walks with thousands of believers to commemorate the Via Crucis: the path Jesus Christ walked carrying the cross. Between blazing torches and psalms, the crowd arrives at the Colosseum and the Pope celebrates a special mass. On Sunday every church distributes small olive branches, which are a symbol for peace, and the Easter mass is celebrated.

On the other hand, you have the food & fun fest which are also grand. On Sunday you have a huge lunch that usually lasts until 8 or 9 PM. The traditional course is baked lamb and chocolate eggs for dessert! The Monday after Easter is called Pasquetta (Little Easter); it is also the bank holiday. We usually spend the day outdoors with friends: country, mountain or sea, every place is a nice place when you have good company, good food and a few bottles of delicious red wine!

How did you spend your Easter?

HAPPY 2,764th BIRTHDAY ROMA!

They call it “the Eternal City” and it almost is. Founded on April 21st 753 B.C., Rome is one of the oldest cities in the world and we would like you to join us in celebrating its birthday today! We call it “Natale di Roma” which means “Birth of Rome.” Both citizens and tourists are invited to the fest.
What to do? Last Sunday we already had a professional swimming tournament, ancient Roman dance exibition and a Roman poetry contest. Plus today the 21st, all the public museums will be free. The MACRO, Villa Torlonia Museum, Fori Imperiali, Ara Pacis and the Napoleonic Museum are just a few examples to mention.

What’s a birthday party without some music? Of course we are going to have it! The army bands will play in the Campidoglio and other 6 historical plazas, and the night at the Augusto Foro will be lit by the opera, orchestra and video performances.

 

Arts, music, culture and fun looks like the proper way to wish Rome a happy birthday. Just come to the party, your presence will be your present!

Nero the Hero

If Nero is recognized as one of the most famous Roman emperors, it is thanks to his weird behaviors. You know, things like beheading Saint Paul, crucifying Saint Peter and burn the whole city down. Although most of these acts are still to be confirmed, there is no doubt that Nero lived an extravagant lifestyle. Which by the way, ended with suicide at the age of 30.

Back in 64 A.D., this little rascal tried to burn Rome to a crisp. Good thing Rome is as friendly as its citizens and didn’t hold a grudge against Nero. On contrary, it is celebrating the emperor with an exposition lasting until September 18th. Visitors will witness the places where Nero lived and worked: from the Roman Forum to the Curia Lulia, passing by the Palatine hill all the way to the Colosseum. 

The Walks Inside Rome Team will cover parts of these exhibits during the following tours: Ancient & Christian Rome, Small Group Ancient Rome, Rome Highlights, and Classic Ancient Rome Walking Tour.

You will get the chance to see in person what’s left of his residences and watch a 3D reconstruction of how they looked like 2000 years ago. Yes, they were partly destroyed by the fire he set!

There is even a movie session at the Romulus Temple. You will be impressed to find how many movies Nero starred on, starting from 1900 to now!

Here's an example of one of those films...

Rome by Caravaggio

Thanks to the strength of his paintings, Caravaggio is one of history’s most appreciated artist. When you stand in front of “Judith Beheading Holofernes” or “The Calling of Saint Matthew,” you can feel the intensity of the chiaroscuro conflict striking straight to your heart. Just like his masterpieces, his life was an ongoing struggle between his brilliant artistic talent and the deep shadows cast by an excess of sex and violence. 

Rome offers the opportunity to fully understand Caravaggio’s art by visiting the places where he created, lived and went through neverending troubles. He only lived 10 years in Rome, between 1595 and 1605, but it was a critical period for his growth as an artist. 

As you walk through the city center, you will discover every building exactly as it was 400 years ago -- even the same atmosphere can be felt. You can pay a visit to Palazzo Madama where Caravaggio lived; although you may have difficulties entering for it now hosts the Italian Senate. While shopping at Via del Corso, take a turn to Piazza di San Lorenzo in Lucina. There you can see the places of his apprenticeship. Visiting these sights will be a wonderful way of experiencing his art rather than just simply looking at them.

Oh, and when you are enjoying the romantic lights at Piazza Navona while eating gelato by the fountain, keep in mind that Caravaggio was arrested at this square for illegal weapons!

You can see the current Caravaggio exhibit at Mondo Mostre just around the corner of Piazza Navonna.