Villa Pamphili November 2008

Villa Doria Pamphili is a roman villa, built in the 17th century for Camillo Pamphili, the nephew of Pope Innocent X and is designed by Alessandro Algardi. The villa is situated next to the western walls of Rome. The Romans used to call it ''Belrespiro'', beautiful breath.
The park that surrounds the villa is definitely worth a visit. It's the largest park (9km) of Rome and is rich of trees and plants. A wonderfull lake is the base for the many animals living there, for example marsh turtles, moorhens, herons, swans, geese and fish.
Many Romans enjoy the park while walking, sporting (it's a perfect place to run, also due to the special circuit set up for sporters), tanning etc..
You can reach the park easily by bus: 31, 44, 75, 710, 870.
The entrance is free and the park is open daily from dawn to dusk.

Impression Manifestation 25 October 2008 Rome

Rome Gayguide

Pubs and Bars:

Omogenic (C/o circolo degli artisti) Via casilina 42 (Every Friday)
Skyline Via Pontremoli n.36 (San Giovanni) www.skylineclub.it (Monday closed)
Coming out (Birreria cocktail bar) Via san Giovanni in Laterano 8 - www.comingout.it
Phag off Via di Monte Testaccio 38/A (Every Saturday between 23:00- 4:00)
SO! Via di Libetta 3 (Open from Friday till Sunday between 23:00- 4:00)

Discotheques:

L'alibi Fab New Age Via di Monte Testaccio www.lalibi.it
Gloss C/o vodoo bar Via dei Magazzini generali www.glossi.it
Muccassassina C/o qube Via di Portonaccio 212 www.muccassina.com (Every Friday)
Alpheus ''Gorgeous'' Via del Commercio 36 www.alpheus.it (Every Friday)

Hard, Trash and Cruising

Frequency Via Enea 34 (Monday closed)
Il Diavolo Dentro Largo Itri 23/24 (Open Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
Sphinx (Leather bar) Piazza M. Fanti. 40
K Men's Club (Leather bar) Via Amato Amati 6/8
MAX's Bar Via Achille Grandi 7/A
Desnudo Via Gaio Melisso 37 (Open only in the weekends, dresscode: in underwear)

Restaurants:

Asino Cotto Via dei Vascellari 38
Citta in Fiore (Chinese Restaurant) Via Cavour 269
Edoardo II Vicolo Marganana 14 www.utenti.lycos.it/saroi/edoardo
Lunallegra Via Giacinto De Vecchi Pieralice 40

Sauna's and health centres:

Apollion Bath Via Mecenate 59
Europa Multiclub Via Aureliana 40
Mediterraneo Via Pasquale Villari 3 www.saunamediterraneo.it
Rio's Via dei collio albani 10 www.gayo.it/rios
Terme di Roma Via Persio 4
Horeon Club Via Piero De Francisci 44

Libreries:

libreria Babele Via dei Banchi Vecchi 116
La Bancarella Piazza Alessandria 2
Libreria Rinascita Via delle Botteghte Oscure 1

Shops:

Hydra II Via Urbana 139
Franois Boutique Via del Boschetto 3
Too Much Via S. Maria dell'Anima 29
Bed guys de Marcha Via del Tritone 44
Intimo Gigolo Via Nazionale 181/A

Castle Santa Severa

The Castle of Santa Severa and the ancient area of Pyrgi are one of the most important archaeological site of the tyrrenian coast. The whole area around the Castle has been frequented since the IV millennium BC,as the researches, made by the Arehaeological Superintendence and the University of Rome in 1956, witnessed. In the Bronze Age a little village lay south of the Castle, by the sea shore and near a source of fresh water, becoming a landmark for the ancient sailors. In the archaic period Pyrgi,was certainly a commercial landing-place of great fame, where people from all the Mediterranean, especially Greeks and Phoenicians, came for their trades.

Map Castello Santa Severa

Piazza di Spagna

Welcome to the pearl of Rome. Here you breath the atmosphere of fashion and business in an area with its origins and the remains of Imperial Rome.

Guide 1
As a starting point for this guide we suggest Via di Ripetta, that leads you to Piazza del Popolo. Three baroque churches face onto this square. In the church of Santa Maria del Popolo which is along the side of the Porta del Popolo you will find the "Conversion of St. Paul" and the "Crucifiction of St. Peter" by Caravaggio (1601 – 1602) and the Chigi chapel designed by Raffaello, which are a must. The twin churches divide the trident that consists of Via del Babuino, Via del Corso and Via di Ripetta. Via del Corso takes you up to Piazza Venezia with various shops, while Via del Babuino which goes to the Spanish Steps has elegant antique shops and exclusive boutiques. The parallel Via Margutta is instead the dominion of art, this is an enchanting street with terraced gardens. The Spanish Steps with Bernini's Barcaccia fountain (1627 –1629) and the Trinità dei Monti staircase are in front of you. Via dei Condotti and the streets that intersect it are well worth a wander.

Guide 2
The second itinerary is just as interesting and starts at the Trinità dei Monti, goes along Via Sistina up to Piazza Barberini with Bernini's Fontana del Tritone. The area is the most regal with offices and banks. Across the square going up Via Quattro Fontane (why four? You will find out when you get to the top.) and turning right you walk along the side of the Palazzo del Quirinale. Don't miss the churches of the two rival architects of baroque Rome (S.Andrea al Quirinale by Bernini and S.Carlo alle Quattro fontane by Francesco Borromini) The Piazza del Quirinale once the home of the papal see, faces onto a panoramic terrace. Going down Via della Dataria and turning right you will arrive at the Trevi Fountain (1732 – 51). From here you can get to Piazza Colonna ( going along Via delle Muratte) and see Palazzo Chigi home of the italian government. At this point you are close to the Pantheon that is surrounded by small streets full of life.

Guide 3
A third itinerary is suggested in order to visit another Rome. From Piazza Barberini go up Via Barberini, which ascends in an ample curve, and you will get to Via Veneto that has maintained the elegance and bars that made it famous. Via Veneto ends at Porta Pinciana (one of the roman gateways that delined the city) on the other side is the Villa Borghese park. Not far on the right you will find the Villa Borghese museum which has such masterpieces as the "Paolina" by Canova, the "Davide" by Bernini, "l'amor sacro e l'amor profano" by Titian and many more. Villa Borghese is a big park with a small lake, a zoo, museums and paths where it is possible to travel by bike. Entering from Porta Pinciano you will come out at the Pincio which over looks Piazza del Popolo.

Via dei Condotti

Martignano lake

Enjoy a wonderfull day at the Martignano Lake near Rome.

Map Lago di Martignano

Colosseum

Guide 1 (archeological)
Starting at Piazza Venezia which is dominated by the Altare della Patria (or Vittoriano), go up the stairway to the Campidoglio.
In the square designed by Michelangelo towers the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, the Capitoline Museum (on the left) offers an excellent collection of ancient art. Visiting the museum takes some time. It is also worth visiting the church of S. Maria in Aracoeili.
Going down to the Roman Forum you can visit the archeological area which leads up to the Colosseum and the arches of Constantine and Titus. For the more hardy walkers you can take the avenue in axis with the arch of Constantine to get to Circus Maximus.
Walking in the direction of the river it is possible to see another archeological site from ancient Rome considered the emblem of Rome, the Bocca della Verità (mouth of truth) in the portico of the church of S. Maria in Cosmedin (VI century). In front are the temples, the first mistakenly known as Vesta and of Fortuna Virilis. Next you will find the Arch of Janus in front of the church of S.Giorgio in Velabro (VI – VII century). Via Petroselli which runs along the side of Teatro Marcello, where up until a few decades ago the roman horse drawn carriages were kept, takes you back to the bottom of the Campidoglio, your starting point.

Guide 2 can also start from Piazza Venezia and takes in the Ghetto. Go down towards Teatro Marcello and turn right into Via Montanara arriving at Piazza Campitelli where Carlo Rinaldi (1662 – 67) had a church built in order to preserve the Madonna del Portico, a sacred image which was believed to have defeated the plague in 1656. On the left of the church take a lane which takes you to an extremely picturesque passage under the Porticus of Octavia ( built for Augustus in 23 b.c. and dedicated to his sister Octavia). This area has preserved medieval houses and the synagogue which faces Tiber Island. Walking through these streets and alleys you will find small squares and patrician buildings. From Largo Argentina, where the remains of the ancient Roman city are below street level you can see the church of Gesù (1568 –1575) with a frescoed ceiling by Baciccia. Continuing along Via del Plebiscito you walk along side Palazzo Venezia with the famous balcony where Benito Mussolini spoke to the people.

Guide 3
The Colosseum area is in a part of the city that has grown from the Colosseum in the opposite direction of the centre. Via San Giovanni in Laterano takes you to the church of the same name. There you will find the church of San Clemente (pre 385) which has developed on three different levels.The very unusual church of SS.Quattro Coronati (IV century), which you will find going towards San Giovanni in Laterano, with its cloisters is possibly the most beautiful in Rome and is definitely worth a visit. On the side square is a small building which contains the Holy Stairway. On the other side of the roman walls is the metro A (San Giovanni) stop which will take you to the centre of Rome in a few minutes.

Saint Peter's area

Excluding the Basilica and Castel Sant'Angelo, this neighbourhood does not require any particular visit. Built in the 19th century where up until then there were fields (todays name for the area is Prati (fields)). This area has a different traffic system from the rest of the city with wide streets and large buildings, some very beautiful, and lovely villas from the beginning of the last century.
You should, although visit the area on the side of the Basilica and on the other side of the Vatican walls which is called Borgo.

Map Saint Peter's area

Guide Saint Peter's/ Castel Sant'Angelo

The itinerary must start from St. Peter's square. Visiting the Basilica will take a while but the queue for the cupola with its beautiful panoramic view will probably take longer.
Out on the parvis of the church passing the walls on the lefthand side you will find an area of small streets and alleyways which intersect with buildings of relativly poor origins but which are now considered "luxury". The many sacred aedicula on the building facades or on street corners are generally dedicated to the Madonna.
Once you have visited this area you can reach Castel Sant'Angelo that is surrounded by a moat which now contains gardens. Inside Castel Sant'Angelo is the museum.
The bridge of Angels (Ponte degli angeli) which is often portrayed in ancient prints and paintings of Rome allows one of the most beautiful views of the Tiber , the Janiculum hill and of the city.
If you are lucky there will be a small queue for the Vatican Museum, the entrance of which you will find on Via delle Mura Vaticane, it is worthwhile dedicating a whole morning.

Map Saint Peter's area

Guide Trastevere

We suggest an itinerary which starts with Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere,
which is in the heart of the neighbourhood. The basilica was founded by St.Calixtus in the 12th century, and was built by Pope Julius I (1337 –1352).
Some scholars indicate this church as the first to be dedicated to the Madonna. Inside there have been conserved some ancient works of art and the mosaics of Pietro Cavallini (from 1391) which illustrate the life of the Virgin Mary. From this square you take Via della Paglia and turn right into Piazza Sant 'Egidio where it is possible to visit the museum which is housed in a convent.

Taking Vicolo del Cinque, one of the most elegant of the neighbourhood, you will arrive at Piazza Trilussa with its 16th century fountain and statue dedicated to the romanesque poet (1871 –1950). In front of the square is Ponte Sisto which takes you to the Campo de'Fiori area. Staying on this side of the Tiber you can take Via del Moro which ends at Via della Lungaretta, if you head towards Piazza Sonnino which is dominated by the towers of Anguillara (XIII century) you will find Viale Trastevere, do not go down this big and noisy street but cross directly and head towards Via della Luce and Piazza della Gensola to enjoy the beauty of Ponte Rotto and the Aventine hill.

Continuing with the river at your back cross Piazza in Piscinula going towards Piazza Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. The church is beautiful. Founded at the beginning of the V.
Century it now has an eighteenth century facade by Ferdinando Fuga. On the inside you will find the splendid ciborium built by Arnolfo di Cambio (1283). Beneath the altar is the statue of Santa Cecilia by Stefano Maderno (1600). Going along Via di San Michele you get to the church of San Francesco di Ripa which takes us back to Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere.

Another Itinerary starts in Piazza San Cosimato going towards the Janiculum. Go up Via Luciano Manara which takes you to Via Mameli and Via Garibaldi that goes up the hill. You will find the church of San Pietro in Montorio with the Tempietto of Bramante(1502) in the courtyard next door. Continuing you get to the so-called Fontanone (Fontana Paola, built under Pope Paul V in (1612) with its vast panorama.

You can get back to the city by taking Via di San Pancrazio and then back on Via Garibaldi down to Porta Settimiana which opens onto Via della Lungara where we suggest you visit the Corsini Gallery of ancient art, the Farnesina with its frescoes by Raffaello(1511) and further along to the Botanic Gardens.

Map Trastevere

Villa Pamphili

Gianicolo hill

Standing on top of the Gianicolo hill,

Experience a breathtaking view over the city of Rome.

Acqua Paola fountain,

The monumental acqua Paola fountain on the gianicolo hill was created for pope Paolo V Borghese (1605-1621) .

Garibaldi monument,

Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) was an Italian patriot who fought for and brought an independent Italy. He is considered a national hero.