Viva Rome!

I have been away from this blog for far too long. Quite honestly trying to get stories published in newspapers today is quite a hassle. The reason behind this is because many newspapers are going out of business and do not have a budget for any freelance writers. So I have been changing up my tactic and writing for the online publications which seem to be somewhat immune to this downturn.

However, I did want to put up a review of my experience at TorrediBabele in Rome, Italy. This was the language immersion school I attended while I was there and it was the reason I went to Rome in the first place. Now to be honest it was not always a pleasant experience but that is to be expected when you are in a foreign country for one month. You have to realize that not everything is going to go your way.

The best word that would describe the first week in Torredibabele would be stressful. But this is honestly what you want when trying to learn a language. If you go with the apartments that the school will set you up with then you are going to learn Italian much faster. This is because they choose to put you in apartments in non-tourist areas of Rome where very little to no English is spoken. I was put in Piazza Bologna area which is very near to the school. This area is extremely Italian and extremely Roman as well. This means that you better start talking Italian very fast otherwise you will have a very hard time.

The first task is just learning to survive when you can not speak the language fluently. This means finding and learning all you can about shopping for food and going out to eat. These are by far the two most important subjects in Italian you should learn first. If you do not know how to get food you will starve. Being a single guy in Rome is also a disadvantage. Most Italians seem very helpful to all the single girls but guys not so much. I am not sure why but I did notice a difference when ever I went out in a group.

Now as far as the lessons were concerned the school teachers will only speak to you in Italian. You can not speak a word of English, Spanish, or any other language while you are in class in this school. It is a forced language immersion school. But this is okay as the first day of class they do teach you how to ask questions in Italian so that you can try to understand what they are talking about. Some people found this forced immersion technique to be a bit stressful and either quit or broke down. I actually found this technique stressful as well but was lucky to find a friend in the school to help me out.

The very first day of class you are given your textbooks and a list of cultural events sponsored by the school. I would highly recommend that you attend these during your first week as that is one great way to make friends while you are away. Without some sort of friends your stay is going to be miserable.

The first week was a stressful one but I learned more Italian in this week then I ever would if I had studied it on my own. This is because of the classes and the environment as well. Rome is one hectic and noisy city and you best have your game face on if you want to learn the language. Italians do not like to speak English and would prefer to speak their own language. That is one great motivator in learning the language so that you can get along with more people while you are away.

Well I guess I am getting settled here. I went out to eat in my first real day in Rome. Nothing really fancy but something I have been longing to do for a while. I ate my first Roman pizza in a small pizza shop in Piazza Bologna. I had your typical Neapolitan pizza or the Margherita Pizza which is real simple pizza of tomato, basil and cheese. While many people may scoff at such an idea this is a typical Italian experience and you should really try this. The restaurant I ate at was called Pollo Dorro which I am not sure of the meaning.

Now the price of this mean was under 4 Euros so I guess I really made out. You see a pizza like this from a chef I know would cost close to double that amount of money. The prices of the meals in Rome do not have to be extraordinary.

One thing I am really regretting doing is not taking my camera along as I am sure many of you would probably like to see what I am talking about. I am going to have to make sure I bring my camera in the future.

Oh and one thing I am I am kind of proud of is getting a better feel for the traffic here. While I did almost get run over by a car I am actually kind of proud of that fact. I wear it like a badge of honor as I feel more like a local.

It is good to be back in the city again. Of course there was a bit of apprehension when I first arrived as I am not fluent in the language the locals are very accommodating and you should try to speak their language.

All in all I would say that today was a successful day. It does take time to get accustomed to a different culture. But in time you do start to get a feel for a place. After some time I am sure I will get more of a feel for this city as well. Only time will tell and I have plenty of it right now.

Finding the best restaurant in any city is certainly a passion of mine. I have a certain affinity for the pizza as well. It is one of the best street foods that Italy has ever invented. Originally created from a small restaurant in Naples, Italy this dish rapidly spread throughout the country and the rumor has it that a full one quarter of the restaurants in the country are pizzerias. Since there are so many pizzerias in the country it is important to eat at the better pizza restaurants if not the best pizza restaurants in the country. But how do you find these places? By asking friends or family that live in the area. That way you will get the best advice. If that is not available for you then it is vital to visit some well trusted travel forums that give unbiased advice.

Fortunately for my readers I have already scoured the travel forums and asked some of my friends in Rome as to what is the best pizza restaurant in Rome. For many the choice was unanimous to be Remo which is in the Testaccio district of Rome.

Since this restaurant is known all around to be the best it is always best to be early when eating here. Otherwise you will most likely have to wait in line. This place offers some outdoor eating and captures the spirit of the city through the dishes, people and of course food. There is one major drawback however as this restaurant is closed during all through the month of August. So if you are visiting the city during this time I am sorry but you will be out of luck.

Below you can find the details about this restaurant.

Remo
Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice 44
Rome, Italy
Tel: 06-5746270

Open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 pm to 1 am.

If you are planning a trip to Rome it is always a good idea to make sure that there are no major events planned for the city that might interfere with your vacation plans. It is always a bad idea to plan on staying in a major city such as Rome when there is an international sporting event. Such events like this can snarl up traffic and make finding a table at a restaurant almost impossible! Also the locals do have a tendency to get a bit on the edgy side when there are too many “tourists” in their city and they are trying to just go about their lives.

So for your benefit I have broken down some of the more important events that occur each year in Rome. Every month is covered and this post may be subject to updates as I learn of more activities that occur in Rome. Of course I will try to keep you up to date on this blog in regards to the local happenings of the city but I will probably miss something so please be sure to check other resources to make sure you do not plan a vacation during one of the more hectic times of this city.

January

News Years Day

Following the nights celebrations there is a fair for the children that is sure to attract many families. Clowns, fire eaters and other street performers that are child safe perform at this time at the Piazza del Popola. Please be sure to avoid this area if you do not like kids as I am sure there will be many of them here. 

Underground Antiques Market

This takes place in an underground parking lot near the Via Sistina. This market is mostly for art collectors and is not a flea market of any kind so please keep this in mind.

Roman Purim

A Jewish holiday the Moed di Piombo goes back as far as 1793 A.D.  where the Jewish temple is lit at night and the rabbi goes through an explanation of this Jewish holiday.

February

Rome Film Festival 

The most important event in Rome during the month of February is the Independent Rome Film Festival where 40 films are shown from 25 different countries. If you want to be part of this event it takes place at the Cinema Pasquino and the Cinema Roma and also some events are held at the Ripa Hotel

March

Eurochocolate week is perhaps a great attraction to many chocolate lovers from all across Europe. In this week everything chocolate is celebrated with over 500 stands that serve the sweet substance. Definitely if  you have a sweet tooth then it would be worth your hile to check out this celebration.

April

Rome’s Good Friday Celebration

This celebration is a reenactment of the procession of Jesus Christ as he carried his torture device throughout the city of Rome. This procession goes from Via Crucis and up to Monte Palatino. For the religiously inclined perhaps this would be a time for you to visit Rome.

Monthly Bargain Market

In April there is a bargain market that takes place at La Soffitta Sotto I Portici where Rome basically has a more modern flea market selling collectibles and other memorabilia

May

May Day Festival is celebrated on the first of the month by a world renowned music festival. This celebration is supposed to celebrate the arrival of Spring to the city of Rome and takes place at Piazza San Giovanni.

Spring Antiques Market

The Grande Mercato di Primavera or the Great Spring Market is a time for most antique dealers as many tastes are covered here and much that you cannot find anywhere else will be sold here.

Tennis Masters Series

This is a professional match with over 120 tennis masters arriving in the city to pit their strengths against one another. For the tennis fans this is surely a time for you to visit the city as I am sure you will not be bored.

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

This is a walk a thon that is supposed to raise money for breast cancer. For those that want to make a difference in the world perhaps participating in this event would be proper.

June

Dolce Vita Jazz Festival

Here about 60 Jazz musician arrive in the city and participate in this event which takes place at the Palma Club and the Auditorium Parco della Musica. This event normally takes place some time in May and in June so plan accordingly.

Fotograhia

This is a major event for many modern photographers as this is the time to showcase their work to the city.

Estate Romana Festival

This event starts in June but actually ends in September and is a time when there are many jazz musicians and other musicians from all types of music that participate. To be honest I am not really sure what this celebration is all about but it does look interesting.

July

Festival of Latin-American Music & Culture

This is the time when all things Latin American is celebrated in the city of Rome. This festival seems to be geared towards the Cuban immigrants or those of that descent so there is a heavy emphasis on that type of culture in this festival.

Gay Village

This is a celebration of all things gay from late June through August as the Testaccio’s becomes a mecca for all things of this persuasion. The idea is to create a small village in Rome where tolerance of this type of lifestyle is at the forefront.

August

This is a month where both the Estate Romana Festival and the Festival of Latin-American Music & Culture continue their celebrations. There really is no specific celebration offered in this month in Rome which I find interesting since the month of August was named after a Roman Emperor so you would think that there would be some sort of celebration.

September

International Urban Theatre Festival

This is when Rome celebrates theatre of all its kinds and Rome becomes a virtual stage to all of its inhabitants and visitors. If you are at all interested in the theatre then this seems to be the time to come.

White Night

This is a time when all of the shops in Rome stay open later at night and various open air events take place making Rome a virtual stage on which actors can hone their craft.

October

Roman Jazz Festival

In October there is a Roman Jazz festival where a lot of international and well renowned Jazz artists come to play for the city in various venues.

November

100 Painters in Via Margutta

This is  a great time to be an art collector as this is one of the best open air Art markets Italy and If not the world has to offer. All types of artwork are on sale at this time of the year and you should check this out if you are into collecting art of any type.

December

New Years Eve Celebration

This is like most of the world when Italians celebrate the end of the year with Champagne and other alcoholic drinks. Most of the action takes place at Piazza del Poplo where the fireworks and the rock bands perform.

That should be enough for most people to keep busy in Rome regardless of when you actually go. Every month it seems to be packed with events and celebrations of some kind. No matter what your taste the city seems to have an event just for you. I am sure many will not be bored if they visit Rome when one of these major celebrations take place.

Rome is a large and exotic city and very safe however thera are some dangers that every traveler should be aware when traveling in and around this city. Like every large city Rome is susceptible to thieves, murderers and other nefarious types that will surely ruin your time if you are not careful.

Hanging your expensive camera equipment around your neck while traveling is a sure sign of an inexperienced traveler and you will be prey to gangs of thieves that hang around the various tourist traps of the city. It is better to keep a camera that is small enough in your pocket so you do not stand out too much as a tourist. Perhaps even dressing like a local might also be a good idea. This can be done with a help of a local friend if you are fortunate enough to have one.

The most dangerous areas for tourists are the Termini and bus line number 64 as these are areas that are especially prone to gangs of pickpockets. One way to counteract these gangs is by wearing a money belt. Also if you feel that your money or goods has been stolen do not pursue these gangs or you will be sorry as they are often armed. The best way to combat these gangs is to shout for help at the top of your lungs and hopefully there will be a police officer nearby who will be willing to help.

Many con men are around the areas of the coliseum and the circus maximus so be aware of the many tricks that they try on tourists. One of the tricks is to pull up in a car besides yours and ask for directions to some other tourist destination in the city. Once you approach the car these thieves will try to get you to accept a gift of theirs that they have in the car and once you approach they will start shouting and demanding money. Do not even approach people like this as these con men are very good at what they do and are sure to ruin any vacation.

One way to stay safe in Rome is by not driving at all and hiring a private driver but I do realize that is far out of reach for many budget travelers out there. However if you do insist on driving in Rome be sure you know about all the street signs and all of the traffic rules. The traffic in Rome is very dangerous and hectic and one way to get yourself hurt is by getting into a heated argument with a local regarding a traffic violation. Italians are not known for being calm, cool and collected by the way so it is never a good idea to get into an argument with them if you can avoid it.

Staying safe also involves not drinking too much. Drinking too much will most likely make you much more vulnerable to the very seedy people that prey on people who indulge in too much alcohol. So keep sober and this will most definitely keep yourself safe.

Would you go down a deserted alleyway at night at some major city in the United States or where ever you may be from? So then do not do the same for this city as well. You do not know what is down that alleyway or quiet street so do not venture alone anywhere near these areas.

Carrying too much cash around you is just asking for trouble so do not do this as well. Make sure you spread your money in different places on your person such as a wallet, money belt or even a sock would be a good place to keep money. Be creative when hiding money on your person and do not carry too much but carry enough to get back home to your hotel if you should encounter a thief. Also do not carry all your debit and credit cards with you as well. Store these in a secure locations such as a hotel room safe or other secure location.

Speaking of hotel rooms sometimes it is better to get a pricier hotel room that has more of a central location then a quiet out of the way hotel. This is because those quaint out of the way hotels are usually far from anything that many people want to see and therefore can be in dangerous neighborhoods.

I would also recommend that you purchase some really good quality travel health insurance from reputable sources. Make sure you do not buy your insurance from someone you have never heard from as they are most likely a fly by night company that is just out to take your money.

Staying safe while traveling can be done and many people do it on a daily basis. However using some common sense and good judgment you can keep  yourself safe and have a more enjoyable vacation.