Travel Guide Rome Seven hills and a thousand discoveries to make 02 Quick view 06 Top 10 sights 13 Crew Tip 02 Italy 08 Shopping in Rome 13 Best of ... 04 Travel etiquette 08 Restaurants 14 24 hours in ... 04 Health 09 Nightlife 05 Phone calls & Internet 10 Calendar of events 05 Getting around Rome 12 Hotels © Luciano Mortula/shutterstock LH.com/travelguide Rome 01/17 Travel Guide Rome 02 Quick view Rome: Seven hills and a thousand discoveries to make Roma, non basta una vita! so the popular saying goes. It means, in Rome, one lifetime is not enough – there’s simply too much to see, eat and experience. Here you’ll find the great icons of the Western world: the Colosseum, the Forum, the Pantheon and St Peter’s Cathedral. Layered atop are neighbourly medieval piazzas, Renaissance palaces and baroque churches and fountains, each corner revealing priceless Bernini sculptures and haunting ruins. Unfazed by it all, Romans go about there daily business. Take a leaf out of their book: choose selectively and then soak up the dolce vita vibe by lingering over long, lazy lunches and romantic evening aperitivo. Italy General Information Country overview Despite incessant praise, travelling in Italy remains one of those rare experiences in life – like a perfect spring day or the power of first love – that cannot be overrated. In few places do history, art, fashion, food and la dolce vita (the good life) intermingle so effortlessly. There are sunny isles and electric blue surf, glacial northern lakes and fiery southern volcanoes, rolling vineyards and an urban landscape that harbours more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other country in the world. Few places offer such variety and few visitors leave without a fervent desire to return. Geography Italy is situated in Europe, with a long coastline of approximately 7,600km (4,720 miles) stretching into the Mediterranean Sea and a mountainous northern border adjoining France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. This northern Alpine region contains some of the highest peaks in Europe and is a good area for winter sports. In central Italy, Tuscany has a diverse landscape composed of fertile rolling hills, lush river valleys, minor mountain ranges and a long sandy coastline. To the east is Umbria, known as the ‘green heart of Italy'; hilly with broad plains, olive groves and pines, and Le Marche – a region of gentle mountains, rivers and small fertile plains. Further south lies Rome, Italy's capital city. Within its precincts is the Vatican City. The south of the country is hotter, wilder and much, much drier than the north, characterised by dry sierras, rocky mountain ranges and volcanic outcrops, including three of Europe’s most active volcanoes: Vesuvius, Etna and Stromboli. Puglia, the ‘heel of the boot', is a mixed landscape of fertile plateaus, expansive olive groves and flat, ochre-coloured plains. The islands of Sicily and Sardinia lie offshore to the southwest and west respectively. General knowledge Key facts Area: 301340 sq km (116348 sq miles). LH.com/travelguide Rome 02/17 Travel Guide Rome 03 Population: 60.5 million (2015). Population density: 204.0 per sq km. Capital: Rome. Government: Independent kingdom of Italy declared in 1861. Republic since 1946. Language Italian is the official language. Dialects are spoken in different regions. German is spoken in the South Tyrol region (bordering Austria). French is spoken in all the border areas from the Riviera to the area north of Milan (border with France and Switzerland). English, French and German are also spoken in the biggest cities and in tourism and business circles. Currency Euro (EUR; symbol €) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. Standard time zone UTC/GMT +1 hour Electricity 230 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are of the two round-pin type. Public holidays In addition to public holidays, local feast days are held in honour of town patron saints, generally without closure of shops and offices. These include: Turin/Genoa/Florence: 24. Jun (St John the Baptist) Milan: 7. Dec (St Ambrose) Venice: 25. Apr (St Mark) Bologna: 4. Oct (St Petronius) Naples: 19. Sep (St Gennaro) Bari: 6. Dec (St Nichola) Palermo: 15. Jul (St Rosalia) Rome: 29. Jun (St Peter) Siena: 2. Jul + 16. Aug (Palio) Trieste: 3. Nov (St Giusto) Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2017 - December 2018 period. 2017 Capodanno (New Year's Day): 1 January 2017 Epifania (Epiphany): 6 January 2017 Pasqua (Easter Sunday): 16 April 2017 Lunedì dell'Angelo (Easter Monday): 17 April 2017 Festa della Liberazione (Liberation Day): 25 April 2017 Festa del Lavoro (Labour Day): 1 May 2017 Festa della Repubblica (Republic Day): 2 June 2017 LH.com/travelguide Rome 03/17 Travel Guide Rome 04 Assunzione di Maria Vergine (Assumption): 15 August 2017 Tutti i santi (All Saints' Day): 1 November 2017 Immacolata Concezione (Immaculate Conception): 8 December 2017 Natale (Christmas Day): 25 December 2017 Santo Stefano (St. Stephen's Day): 26 December 2017 2018 Capodanno (New Year's Day): 1 January 2018 Epifania (Epiphany): 6 January 2018 Pasqua (Easter Sunday): 1 April 2018 Lunedì dell'Angelo (Easter Monday): 2 April 2018 Festa della Liberazione (Liberation Day): 25 April 2018 Festa del Lavoro (Labour Day): 1 May 2018 Festa della Repubblica (Republic Day): 2 June 2018 Assunzione di Maria Vergine (Assumption): 15 August 2018 Tutti i santi (All Saints' Day): 1 November 2018 Immacolata Concezione (Immaculate Conception): 8 December 2018 Natale (Christmas Day): 25 December 2018 Santo Stefano (St. Stephen's Day): 26 December 2018 All information subject to change. Travel etiquette How to fit in Social conventions The social structure is heavily influenced by the Roman Catholic Church and, generally speaking, family ties are stronger than in most other countries in Western Europe. Normal social courtesies should be observed. Dress is casual but smart in most places, and beachwear should be confined to the beach. Conservative clothes are expected when visiting religious buildings and smaller, traditional communities. Formal wear is usually indicated on invitations. Smoking is prohibited in public buildings, transport and cinemas. When visiting an Italian home for dinner, bring a small gift of sweets or chocolate, and dress well. Let your host lead when sitting and starting the meal. Take a small portion of what’s on offer as you will surely be cajoled into having another helping. If you do not want more wine, leave your glass full so it cannot be refilled. Health Health Main emergency number: 112 Food & Drink Tap water is generally safe to drink. Bottled water is available. The inscription 'Acqua Non Potabile' means water is not drinkable. Milk is generally pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Past outbreaks of brucellosis in southern regions means unpasteurised buffalo mozzarella is best avoided. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are considered safe to eat. LH.com/travelguide Rome 04/17 Travel Guide Rome 05 Other Risks The World Health Organisation (WHO) also recommends vaccinations for measles, mumps, rubella, polio and hepatitis B. Contractual physician of Lufthansa Dr. Heinz, Andreas Via della Stazione di San Pietro 45 00165 Rome Italy Tel. +39-06-39387984 Please note that Lufthansa accepts no responsibility for the treatment nor will it bear the cost of any treatment. Phone calls & Internet Telephone & Internet Telephone/Mobile phones International dialling code: +39 Telephone Telephone kiosks only accept phonecards, which can be purchased at post offices, tobacconists and some newsagents. Mobile phone Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good. Internet Rome, Venice, Milan and Bologna have now instituted city-wide Wi-Fi hotspots, and the majority of hotels, B&Bs and even farm stays now offer free internet access. In most towns, internet cafés also offer access at €2 to €6 per hour. Getting around Rome Getting around Public Transport Rome’s two-line metro system is of limited use to travellers. It’s easier to get around on foot, or use the city’s extensive bus and tram system, which is operated by ATAC (tel: 06 57003; www.atac.roma.it). Single tickets are valid for one metro ride or 75 minutes. Daily and three-day passes are better value. Tickets are purchased from vending machines and newsstands and need to be validated at the metro gate or in the machines onboard buses and trams. Taxis Pick up cabs at designated ranks. Taxis can be booked over the phone, and are metered as soon as you book. Try Radio Taxi (tel: 06 3570) or La Capitale (tel: 06 LH.com/travelguide Rome 05/17 Travel Guide Rome 06 4994). Tipping isn’t necessary. Top 10 sights Top 10 sights in Rome Vatican City Built above the tomb of A-list apostle St Peter is Rome’s iconic basilica, forming the epicentre of the Vatican complex that incorporates Michelangelo’s worldfamous Sistine Chapel frescoes and an exhausting feast of art in its adjoining museums. Piazza San Pietro mv.vatican.va 00120 Vatican City Italy Tel: 06 6988 4676 Museo e Galleria Borghese If you only have time for one art museum make it this one, housing the heavenly private collection of bon vivant Cardinal Scipione Borghese (1577-1633). Piazzale del Museo Borghese Opening times: 00197 Rome Tue-Sun 0830-1930 Italy Tel: 06/ 84 13 97 9 www.galleriaborghese.it Musei Capitolini The world’s oldest public museum, the Capitoline is crammed with Rome’s finest classical statuary as well as paintings by Titian, Tintoretto and Rubens. The iconic She Wolf, depicting the city’s suckling twins Romulus and Remus, was donated by Pope Sixtus IV in 1471. Piazza del Campidoglio 1 Opening times: 00186 Rome Tue-Sun 0900-2000 Italy Tel: 06 0608 www.museicapitolini.org Galleria Doria Pamphilj Still home to the aristocratic Pamphilj family, this 15th-century palace is lined with masterpieces, which you can tour with a free audio guide narrated by resident Jonathan Pamphilj, who will fill you in on all the palace scandal. Via del Corso 305 Opening times: 00186 Rome Daily 0900-1900 Italy Tel: 06 679 7323 www.doriapamphilj.it Palazzo Massimo alle Terme LH.com/travelguide Rome 06/17 Travel Guide Rome 07 Wander amid a painted garden of climbing roses and pomegranates and sample the good taste of Roman burghers Augustus and his wife Livia Drusilla who commissioned these outstanding frescos. Largo di Villa Peretti 1 www.coopculture.it/heritage.cfm?id=58 00187 Rome 4 Italy Tel: 06 3996 7700 Palatine Hill This gorgeous hillside shaded by towering pines was the Beverly Hills of ancient Rome. The chosen suburb of emperors and celebrities, its ruined villas and gardens make for a wonderful wander with atmospheric views over the Forum. Via di San Gregorio 30 www.coopculture.it/heritage.cfm?id=4 00186 Rome Italy Tel: 06 3996 7700 Via Appia Antica This cobblestone highway, which once linked Rome with the Adriatic port of Brindisi, is lined with creepy Christian catacombs. Tour them to see the graves of 16 pontiffs and faded frescos of saints Peter and Paul dating back 1,600 years. Via Appia Antica Rome Italy Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano Despite its bombastic baroque makeover, this gleaming cathedral is Rome’s oldest basilica, founded by Constantine in the 4th century. It’s full of surprising treasures including a fabulous Cosmati tiled floor. Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano 4 Opening times: 00184 Rome Daily 0700-1830 Italy Tel: 06 6988 6433 Museo d’Arte Contemporanea di Roma (MACRO) MACRO’s combination of industrial and contemporary architecture provides the perfect showcase for post-war Italian and international modern art. Via Nizza 138 Opening times: 00198 Rome Tue-Sun 1100-1900 Italy Sat 1100-2200 Tel: 06 6710 70 400 www.museomacro.org LH.com/travelguide Rome 07/17 Travel Guide Rome 08 Trastevere Hop over the Tiber to sample Rome’s ‘left bank’ counter culture amid the cobbled alleys, galleries and bars of Trastevere. It’s less about blockbuster sights here and more about soaking up the vibe. Piazza di Santa Maria, Trastevere 00153 Rome Italy Shopping in Rome Shopping in Rome Key Areas Via Condotti is Rome’s designer strip, with similarly upmarket tributaries running off Piazza di Spagna. For something more authentic, check out the independent boutiques along Via del Governo Vecchio in the historic centre and in the Monti district. Antique and art stores line Via Margutta, Via dei Banchi Vecchi and Via dei Coronari, the latter famous for its antiques fair, while high-street labels concentrate on Via del Corso and Via Nazionale. Markets Rome’s biggest and busiest markets are the enormous Porta Portese Flea Market in Trastevere, the Trionfale food market in Prati and the Testaccio covered market near MACRO. A smaller, more picturesque market is the Campo dei Fiori food market in the historic centre. Shopping Centres Shopping in Rome is all about small independent stores. Of the few shopping malls that exist, the art nouveau Galleria Alberto Sordi is the most convenient on Via del Corso. Otherwise, the enormous RomaEst is situated 20km (12 miles) east of town. Restaurants Restaurants in Rome Roman cuisine is rustic and earthy, and the city teams with small, family-run trattorias, wine bars and pizza take-outs.But while old-school flavours still dominate, new-school chefs are sexing them up with increasingly creative twists. Glass Hostaria Trastevere’s foremost dining address combines modern décor and inventive cooking. Vicolo del Cinque 58 Price: Expensive 00153 Rome Italy Open Colonna New Roman cooking in a stunning glass-roofed dining room in the Palazzo delle LH.com/travelguide Rome 08/17 Travel Guide Rome 09 Esposizioni. Via Milano 9 Price: Expensive 00184 Rome Italy Armando al Pantheon Wood-panelled Armando has been serving traditional Roman dishes for over 50 years. Salita dei Crescenzi 31 Price: Moderate 00186 Rome Italy Palatium Enoteca Regionale A rich showcase of regional wines accompany artisanal cheeses and trad slowroast pork. Via Frattina 94 Price: Moderate 00187 Rome Italy Pizzarium A gourmet surprise masquerading as a simple takeaway. Via della Meloria 43 Price: Cheap 00136 Rome Italy Nightlife Nightlife in Rome Rome’s drinking dens range from dressy lounge bars to grungy counter-culture hangouts. Between 6pm and 9pm most of them offer aperitivo (drinks accompanied by a free buffet food bar).Later, the scene moves on to clubs in Trastevere, Testaccio and Ostiense. Stravinskij Bar Impossibly romantic cocktail bar in the celeb-magnate Hotel de Russie. Via del Babuino 9 00187 Rome Italy Lettera Caffè A bookshop, bar and gallery hosting live gigs, jazz, comedy and new wave DJ LH.com/travelguide Rome 09/17 Travel Guide Rome 10 sets. Vicolo di San Francesco a Ripa 100101 00153 Rome Italy Tel: +39 06 97 27 09 91 Circolo degli Artisti Rome’s best club offering top gigs and DJ sets as well as a cool garden bar. Via Casilina Vecchia 42 00182 Rome Italy ConteStaccio Under-the-stars dancing and gigs featuring emerging groups. Via di Monte Testaccio 65b 00153 Rome Italy Calendar of events Calendar of events Mostra delle Azalee The internationally renowned International Chamber Ensemble continues to present every year to Rome audiences a popular series of concerts and fullystaged and costumed opera, recognized and appreciated in particular for its artistic excellence. March 2017 www.interensemble.org Venue: Courtyard of S. Ivo Rome Marathon Rome and Marathons have been connected for centuries. This is a great opportunity to be a part of or simply observe a sport that's been a tradition for ages. 2 April 2017 www.maratonadiroma.it Venue: Rome Procession of the Cross By far the biggest event of Easter is the famous Via Crucis or 'Way of the Cross' LH.com/travelguide Rome 10/17 Travel Guide Rome 11 procession, when the Pope leads a solemn torchlight procession from the Colosseum to the Palatine Hill to commemorate Christ's last walk to Mt Golgotha. Along the way, the faithful stop at each of the 14 stations of the cross to say a prayer. 14 April 2017 Venue: Colosseum Natale di Roma (Rome's birthday) Not every city celebrates its birthday, but Rome does on 21 April each year. It was Romulus, suckled by a she-wolf as an infant, who went on to found the city in 753BC. Romans today celebrate the event with bands on Piazza del Campidoglio and fireworks over the River Tiber. Rome's monuments, archaeological sites and many museums allow free entry on the day. 21 April 2017 Venue: Aventine Hill Primo Maggio Each year on Labour Day, Rome celebrates with a free rock concert on Piazza San Giovanni. Over 700 artists line up for a turn on the stage before a huge crowd, occasionally joined by a high profile guest artist. The event began in 1989 and quickly grew into a major popular event, heavily covered by TV and the press. Get there early for a good view of the stage. 1 May 2017 Venue: Piazza San Giovanni Festa di San Giovanni Many celebrate the birth of St John the Baptist especially around his namesake church the monolithic, white Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano. During the festival, stalls serving pork roasted with herbs, snails and other local specialities are set up in front of the basilica. At night, the piazza is lit by torches. 24 June 2017 Venue: Piazza San Giovanni Rome International Film Festival A real red-carpet event Rome’s nascent film festival showcases a varied programme of international premieres, documentaries, retrospectives, exhibitions, concerts and live shows. Inaugurated in 2006, it draws a bevy of A-list celebrities such as Martin Scorcese, Meryl Streep and Susan Sarandon as well as local stars such as Monica Bellucci. 26 October - 5 November 2017 www.romacinemafest.it/ecm/web/fcr/online/home RomaEuropa Festival Dedicated to featuring the very best contemporary artistic performances in the LH.com/travelguide Rome 11/17 Travel Guide Rome 12 fields of music, theatre, opera and dance, the RomaEuropa festival is a huge cultural undertaking. Performances by emerging and leading international artists are showcased is special locations throughout the city as well as the main arts centre, the Auditorium Parco della Musica. October - December 2017 www.romaeuropa.net Venue: Auditorium Parco della Musica Christmas Mass The second largest church in the Christian world, the 16th-century St Peter's Basilica in Rome provides a moving setting for the celebration of Christ's birth. Each Christmas Eve the Pope gives Midnight Mass in St Peter's Square. Attended by a vast crowd of pilgrims, the speech is broadcast to over 40 countries. Visitors to this occasion need to reserve tickets through the Prefettura della Casa Pontificia. 25. December 2017 www.papalaudience.org/papal-mass Venue: St Peter's Basilica Hotels Hotels in Rome Rome’s outward beauty can often mask overpriced, under-serviced hotels. While five-star beauties are thick on theground, you’ll need to look harder for good-value mid-range options and book early, particularly in summer. Lord Byron An art deco beauty situated on the north side of the Borghese Park. Via Giuseppe de Notaris 5 Category: Expensive 00197 Rome Italy Hotel Farnese Boutique rooms in a neoclassical villa with rooftop views of St Peter’s dome. Via Alessandro Farnese 30 Category: Moderate 00192 Rome Italy Residenza Domiziano Sleek, stylish modern digs within walking distance of Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps. Via San Nicola da Tolentino 50 Category: Moderate 00187 Rome LH.com/travelguide Rome 12/17 Travel Guide Rome 13 Italy Romance Hotel Baroque furniture and walls dressed in yellow silk give the Romance Hotel a gilded sheen. Via Marco Aurelio 37A Category: Moderate 00184 Rome Italy Amica Roma B&B This friendly B&B provides a home from home in pretty Prati. Via Antonio Baiamonti 2 Category: Cheap 00195 Rome Italy Crew Tip My Rome The absolute insider tip some Romans passed on to me was to take a taxi out to the Aventine Hill in the evening, where the Order of Malta has its embassy. There’s a fantastic view of St. Peter’s Cathedral from its gateway! Very romantic! © Lufthansa GmbH Best of ... Mozzarella Bars Jewelry was once the centerpiece of his presentations, today it’s mozzarella. Silvio Ursini, former creative director at Bulgari, has created a new gastronomic concept: mozzarella bars. There, he presents the small spheres of meltingly mouthwatering cheese with hitherto undreamt of sophistication – and brings the taste of his home to the world. Silvio Ursini is a master in the art of arousing desires. As Bulgari’s creative director, he spent 20 years developing advertising campaigns and new products for the luxury market – and then decided it was time for a break. After traveling the world for Bulgari, he felt the tug of his hometown, Naples. “One day, I found myself standing outside a small grocery store, amazed at the line of people standing on the doorstep,” he says. “After waiting patiently, they would finally emerge from the store carrying a plastic plate of mozzarella, which they then proceeded to eat right there on the sidewalk.” It was a rainy winter’s day, people were pushing past, and there was neither space to put anything down, nor a glass of wine. Pity, Ursini thought to himself – and then: I can do better. But it was on a trip to Japan that the idea finally came to him. Why not present and sell something as delicate and pure as mozzarella in the same way as sushi? In April 2004, Silvio Ursini opened the first Obiká on Via dei Prefetti in the heart of Rome. “Obiká” means “Here it is” in Neapolitan dialect. The concept behind the name is as simple as it is good: a stylish bar, where people can enjoy a light, healthy snack and order a good glass of wine to wash it down. “I wanted it to be a place where you can eat the best Italian mozzarella without having to go to a restaurant, or buy it at a store and take it home,” Ursini explains. The Romans liked the idea and so did Italy’s biggest newspaper, Corriere della Sera, which praised the “new style of culinary break.” The concept closes the gap between the Italian capital’s basic street food joints, where you can pick up a hearty hog-roast sandwich, porchetta panini, and its many proper restaurants; and it’s modern and uncomplicated, and at the same time agreeable and quality conscious. On the terrace of the Obiká located right behind the imposing Piazza del Parlamento, just a few steps away from Piazza Navona, dark metal tables and chairs stand beneath bright sunshades, shielded from the gaze of all-too inquisitive passersby by a dense hedge of bay laurel. On the entrance LH.com/travelguide Rome 13/17 Travel Guide Rome 14 side, a large window front reveals the long counter inside, where mozzarellas and a variety of vegetables and salads are stored in large glass containers. “The place was an overnight success,” says Valentina Spurio, the manager. “At lunchtime, we mostly see local businesspeople,” she says, “but in the evening, we get lots of young people and families coming in.” Ursini has since expanded his gastronomic network by opening Obiká bars not only in Palermo, Milan, Naples and Florence, but also in London, Los Angeles, New York and Tokyo. The menu specializes in taster dishes, although the portions tend to be on the generous side given that the Italians have no time for minimalism on their plate à la nouvelle cuisine. “It’s well worth sampling the different kinds of mozzarella at the same time,” says Spurio, “a mozzarella from Paestum in Campania will taste different from one produced in Latina in Lazio.” The mozzarelle are delivered three times a week by a consortium of a good dozen hand-picked cheese dairies between Rome and South Salerno. In the Obiká kitchens, the shimmering cheese orbs are handled like raw eggs. “We barely touch them,” says Signora Spurio, “and prefer to serve them whole and just as they come, in other words without salt, pepper or olive oil, so as not to impair their delicate flavor.” Connoisseurs maintain that mozzarella should be eaten at room temperature and not be more than 48 hours old. “That’s true,” as Antonio Lucisano, head of the producers’ consortium confirms, “getting the logistics right to ensure this is our biggest headache.” The elite among mozzarelle never leave the south of Italy, much less do we export them. “For all those who do not live in Rome or Naples, Obiká is the second-best option,” says Ursini, “our mozzarelle are at most four days old.” A native Neapolitan, he knows what he’s talking about. From a small boy, he has known the tender buffalo-milk balls as a fixture on his breakfast plate, and he still eats them every day. “A good mozzarella appeals to all the senses,” he says, “ it is smooth, firm and has the shimmer of finest Chinese porcelain. When you cut it, it feels a bit rubbery, but not too soft. The skin separates cleanly from the soft mass inside, which has little hollows containing a milky liquid that runs out as you cut. When you eat it, it has bite and tastes of milk and butter, slightly nutty and aromatic.” The taste of childhood in a nutshell. Purists can sample pure, unadulterated mozzarella at Obiká. They can also order a couple of slices of hearty, pistachio-studded mortadella or wafer-thin San Daniele ham from Friuli to go with it. The menu also includes a delicious rocket salad with orange slices, fennel and mozzarella, and a mozzarella wrap. But the absolute bestsellers are the classic bufala with cherry tomatoes and Obikà’s own pesto, and the pasta sorrentina with tomatoes and mozzarella. For dessert, there’s buffalo mozzarella laced with honey, pine kernels and orange peel, which is best accompanied by a glass of the rare sparkling wine Asprinio d’Aversa that harmonizes perfectly with the delicate flavor of mozzarella. 24 hours in ... Rome © Getty Images/iStockphoto 09:00 a.m. – Auditorium Parco della Musica Three concert halls, their contours inspired by musical instruments, lie like giant LH.com/travelguide Rome 14/17 Travel Guide Rome 15 beetles gathered around an amphitheater. Each seats between 750 and 2800 visitors. Flexibility is the key feature of the interiors, all of which are lined with cherrywood paneling to ensure good acoustics. “A second colosseum,” was how the German broadsheet FAZ described the building at its opening in 2002, a reference to the checkered history of the new auditorium designed by Renzo Piano. In Rome, you cannot delve more than a couple of meters down, not even outside the historical center, without the risk of uncovering ancient walls.In 1995, when the ground was dug in preparation for the auditorium’s foundations, the remains of a Roman villa dating from the 4th century B.C. came to light – and construction promptly ground to a halt. Architect Piano took the only course open to him and incorporated the ruins into his design, so that today there is an archeological museum in the middle of the Parco della Musica. Piano, who designed the Centre Pompidou in Paris and contributed to the creative work on Potsdam Square in Berlin, also planned the Parco della Musica. The Sala Santa Cecilia is the largest of the three concert halls – and with just under 2800 seats also the largest auditorium of its kind in Europe. Viale Pietro de Coubertin 30 00196 Rome Italy Tel: +43-06/80 24 12 81 11:00 a.m. – MAXXI National Museum of XXI (21st) Century Arts The MAXXI Museum is just a stone’s throw away from the Auditorium Parco della Musica. But is it the art or the building in which it is housed that’s the star of the show here? Visitors to the museum, which opened in the Flaminio district of the city in 2010, are initially fascinated by the passageways, corners and loops formed by the concrete inside the building. The Romans call it “tagliatelle” because the building designed by Zaha Hadid (seemingly) features the same lack of order as a plate of pasta. Beginning in the foyer, staircases wind upward, walls curve, light channels flow along ceilings. The views upward and outward are a delight to see, which sits perfectly with the British-Iraqi architect’s intentions. In her view, “architecture must give pleasure. People entering a room should gain a sense of well-being and harmony.” After recovering from the impression of the foyer and entering the first of the five galleries intended for architectural exhibits,the visitor will immediately recognize how well – for all its extravagance – the building works as an exhibition space. One of the first exhibits is “Widow,” an installation created in 2004 by the Indian artist Anish Kapoor. A black double funnel almost completely fills the room, and as before in the foyer, the eye strains to see inside and through it, but fails because the shape is impenetrable. Ramps and stairs lead into the other galleries, which offer ever-new spaces and corners for artworks from the past 50 to 60 years by the likes of Mario Merz, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Sol LeWitt, Ed Ruscha and Rosemarie Trockel. The high point of the museum is gallery number 5, nearly 23 meters up, which extends out over the piazza and affords fascinating views. Tip for people who enjoy a sense of vertigo: There’s a window set into the floor through which you can see down into gallery number 3. Via Guido Reni, 2 00196 Rome LH.com/travelguide Rome 15/17 Travel Guide Rome 16 Italy Tel: +39-06/320 19 54 03:00 p.m. – Macro Museum for Contemporary Art Red and black: A lipstick-red auditorium and a former brewery hall painted matte black form the core of the new exhibition rooms of the Macro Museum. Parisian architects Odile Decq and Benoît Cornette used contrasts and color to create smooth transitions between the museum’s different levels, the old substance of the industrial building and the new core, the abstract art garden on the roof and the exhibitions rooms on different floors. Domenico Bianchi, Tony Cragg and Wolfgang Laib have already staged showsat the Macro, which also uses space in a former abattoir in Testaccio. The permanent exhibition includes postmodern Italian art that spans the works of the Forma 1 group to those of the Nuova Scuola Romana of Piero Pizzi Cannella, Marco Tirelli et al. The museum’s bathrooms provide an eccentric highlight with washbasins set in a central block of white plastic and equipped with motion detectors, which not only dispense water and hot air, but also produce a crazy flashing of red lights. Via Nizza, 138-140 00198 Rome Italy Tel: +39-06/67 10 70 400 07:00 p.m. – Palazzo della Civiltà It’s a well-known fact that Benito Mussolini had crazy plans for Rome. El Duce wanted to pick up where the Ancient Rome of Augustus left off – generally and also on the urban development front. The Esposizione Universale Romana (EUR) was the site created for the planned world exhibition of 1942.The layout following the same lines as the urban plan of Ancient included a main axis that would connect the historical center with the sea and be lined by monumental buildings. After the war, the area was left to itself. Some of the buildings had already been completed, however, and over time, the usual, faceless style of office buildings filled the gaps between them. Today, EUR is a residential and administrative district, and its most imposing building is the Palazzo della Civiltà, known to Romans as the “Colosseo quadrato.”Thanks to its arcades, the Neoclassicist building resembles a picture by Giorgio de Chirico. It is no coincidence that the number of round arches that make up the arcades – vertical six, horizontal nine – corresponds to the number of letters in Benito Mussolini’s name; this was a deliberate gesture of subservience. The building designed by Giovanni Guerrini is not open to the public at present, but has served as a magnificent backdrop in a number of films, including Fellini’s Boccaccio ’70 (1962), Peter Greenaway’s The Belly of an Architect (1987), the comedy Hudson Hawk (1991) and Titus (1999) the movie adaptation of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus. Quadrato della Concordia, 2 00144 Rome Italy LH.com/travelguide Rome 16/17 Travel Guide Rome 17 10:00 p.m. – Jubilee Church Dio Padre Misericordioso Light comes from a divine source, but few modern buildings use it to such virtuosic effect as the Dio Padre Misericordioso church, or “Jubilee Church.” The American architect Richard Meier built it in the rather drab Tor Tre Teste district on the outskirts of Rome as one of 50 new churches in a millennium project sponsored by the Archdiocese of Rome. The church was consecrated in 2003 and immediately celebrated as one of the city’s loveliest houses of worship.By day, the church’s interior is flooded with natural light that enters between three pure-white concrete sails – representing the Holy Trinity – and illuminates the altar of white Roman travertine. From the outside, the building is a magnificent sight, especially at night, when the interior is illuminated and its sculptural lines are accentuated. So whatever time of day you choose to visit, your lengthy journey will certainly be rewarded. Largo Terzo millennio, 8 00155 Rome Italy Tel. +43-06/231 58 33 LH.com/travelguide Rome 17/17
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