Porta Portese

There are many open air markets throughout Rome that offer many items to buy but Porta Portese is a must to make time for. Every Sunday an open flea market is held on the street of Via Ippolito Nievo inTrastevere. This outdoor market is a must see and experience, but, is only open on Sundays from 6:30 am until 2:00 pm. Porta Portese outdoor flea market offers such a variety of items including, handbags, clothing, jewelry, linens, luggage, CD's, flowers, etc.

This market is extremely large and stretches up the road at least a good mile or so. I had walked the entire market and found some excellent deals. The key to this market is bargaining. Make sure you do not take the first price offered. Make sure you work the vendors to a price that is comfortable for you. Be prepared to walk away if you have your heart set on an exact price because they may not be willing to go lower. I had to walk away from these bracelets due to the uncompromisable price that I wanted. Overall, my experience was excellent and I was able to talk down the prices of jewelry and clothing walking away with three pieces of jewelry and two tunics for a total of forty-one euro's. I strongly suggest to make a Sunday free to go to this market. It is a great market to get great deals at and I hope everyone has the same luck that I found!

Baccanate

If you are looking for a casual, quick meal check out Campo de' Fiori. Campo de' Fiori has many restaurants to offer within the square and on the outskirts at all prices. The side street as well as the square offers panini and pizzeria places for many to enjoy their delicious foods.

Before the Championship football game started here in Rome, I decided to grab something quick to eat so I did not have to sit down and pay extra for sitting. I chose a panini place on a little side street called Via dei Baullari. Via dei Baullari is off the main square of Campo de' Fiori. The small panini shop was named Baccanate. Almost every time I arrive to a panini shop I order mozzarella and tomato so I decided to stick with the same order to see how it tastes in comparison to the other places I have eaten at. I usually get my panini's toasted or heated which always turn out to be so good!

Baccanate was extremely yummy and the price was just right. I was able to get a panini and a soda for around 6 euros. If you are interested in grabbing a quick bite to eat to go I suggest this panini shop. They have a variety of panini's to choose from and are quick to serve. However, if you are looking for a place to sit down and enjoy a leisurely more expensive meal, this is not the place to go. There are no tables outside of this shop but they offer reasonable prices for a nice size panini.

Roma Finale 2009

Last night Rome held the Championship game, Barcelona vs. Manchester United. My roommates and I had gone to the Campo de' Fiori bars to watch the game that started at 8:45 pm. The bars throughout Campo de' Fiori were all crowded with plenty of people swarming a television trying to get the best view of the game. After shimmying my way through a packed bar my roommates and I got a view directly in front of a television. However, inside the bar we were squished like sardines in a hot, humid and smelly place.

The end result of the game was Barcelona winning which seemed to be the picked over choice within Campo de' Fiori. After the game there was plenty of chants and cheers going on throughout the streets of Rome! I even saw people jumping into various fountains located in Rome celebrating the win of Barcelona. This experience was much like a Penn State football game that is extremely important or another big game with die hard fans, like the Phillies winning the World Series. This was an excellent opportunity to experience even though I was not rooting for one team over the other.

Hotel Searching?

At the end of my stay here my parents and my brother are going to be joining me in Rome! They have been looking around at different hotels in various locations that will suit a convenient location to close day trips and night life. Since I have visited Campo de' Fiori a number of times I stopped in at the Hotel that is located on Via del Biscione, right around the corner from the square of Campo de' Fiori.

Upon walking into the Hotel I was greeted by two receptionist who spoke English. After figuring out that the Hotel itself only accommodated visitors of one to three they recommended that my parents go online and apply for the apartment accommodations that they offer all around Rome. They supplied me with a card including their website and phone numbers to search for an apartment.

Once you accessed the website you would apply to stay in one of their wonderful apartment accommodations and later received a confirmation accepting your interest in staying. This process only took minutes for my parents and they received a confirmation within five days. If you are looking for a reasonable priced hotel for your family to come visit I would suggest Campo de' Fiori to many. It is in a convenient location, close walking distance to many historical sites around Rome and offers great markets, restaurants, shopping and night life. If you would like to see more information please visit; www.hotelcampodefiori.com .

H&M

If you ever get a chance while in Rome, make sure you take a stroll down Via del Corrso which is filled with many shops. If you are familiar with the shops in America you will see some stores that may interest you being that they are the same. Today in between my classes, I had taken a walk down Via del Corrso to take a look at some of the shops close to Sede di Roma, where my classes are held.

I had found an H&M while I was walking down the street and decided to take a look in to compare to the one I am fond of, King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania. Upon walking into the store, I spotted an elevator and stairs, automatically knowing that there were more floors to this store. The store was filled with clothing, shoes, and jewelry on all of the four floors that were available to shoppers. H&M offered cashiers on every floor as well which made the set up of the store more unique than the King of Prussia H&M which consists of one floor with one line of cashiers. The clothing are marked at reasonable prices and they have a variety of selection in terms of types of clothing. The prices in Rome in some stores can get expensive so look around for a more familiar store and take a look inside!

Capri

Over the weekend a group of us decided to take a trip to the Amalfi Coast. On Saturday we took a boat out to Capri (picture above) which is only twenty minutes away from our bungalow in Sorrento. While visiting the beaches and amazing views from Capri, a group of us walked up at least three hundred steps to get to the main road and town of Capri. Along that shopping strip there were many shops and restaurants with wonderful views at all angles. The stores included clothing, high end jewelry, glass vases and bowls, and shoes. Most of the stores were pricier than some of the stores in Rome. However, down near the beach area there was little stands that offered an array of collection of jewelry in different colors. I had bought a bracelet for about five euro. So needless to say these type of stands that are randomly placed on the island are cheaper than some of the small shops along the main stretch of the town. But, these small stands still offer nice looking souvenirs to remind you of a place where you had visited.

Michelangelo

Today as a class, we visited the Vatican and we also climbed 448 feet high to the Dome of St. Peter's to get a magnificent view of Rome! Because our class climbed up to the Dome of St. Peter's we got to be extremely close to the inside top of the dome (picture I took to the left)! Being practically at the top of the dome was an amazing experience and only got better from there. After climbing more narrow and curved stairs we were at the top of Rome. The view looking out over the city of Rome was such a beautiful view that could not compare to any pictures! Looking over such a historical city was a much recommended experience!

Michelangelo (1475-1564) has a huge importance in the structure of St. Peter's and the Sistine Chapel. The Dome of St. Peter's (both of the pictures) was designed by Michelangelo, thus never to be finished before his death. He also created a masterpiece called The Last Judgment (picture to the left) for the walls, as well as the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo also has a sculpture called Pieta revealing the Virgin Mary holding Jesus in her arms in St. Peter's. Santa Maria sopra Minerva also holds a sculpture designed by Michelangelo, again never finished by him, called Risen Christ. Michelangelo has played a major role in the history of paintings, churches, sculptures, etc. in the beautiful city of Rome!



Links:
"St. Peter's Basilica, Rome." Sacred Sites at Sacred Destinations - Explore sacred sites, religious sites, sacred places. 21 May 2009 .

"The Pieta by Michelangelo." Statue.com | Home and Garden Statues, Fountains, and Statuary. 21 May 2009 .

Just a City Girl

Tuesday night a group of us visited Campo de' Fiori which was a very welcoming experience. Campo de' Fiori was crowded with people in all directions and there was a broad choice of bars. The two bars that a group of us chose to visit within the square for the night were The Drunken Ship (picture to he left) and Sloppy Sam's. These two bars were both a great time. In both of these bars they played many songs that were previously huge hits in America such as Neyo, Beyonce, Shakira, etc. The bar tenders spoke English also which had been a huge help when ordering a drink and getting to know the prices. These bars were not overly crowded and had offered a laid back atmosphere. However, Campo de' Fiori is a different experience from day to day and night to night. Campo de' Fiori is an extremely welcoming place and offers a great night out in Rome!




Photograph link:

http://image28.webshots.com/29/7/55/85/275575585hNDffd_fs.jpg

Open Markets

Campo de' Fiori offers an open-market Monday through Saturday from 7am until 1:30 pm. The market looks beautiful with the flower tent neatly placed by the fountain, vegetables and fruit stands placed one after another, and a couple of clothing and scarves stands. The wonderful array of colors makes this market a popular place to shop for better deals on all kinds of foods and some clothing. Campo de' Fiori was much less crowded and relaxed in the morning than the night life in the Campo de' Fiori square. While the open market was taking place the restaurants around the square were serving their meals to their customers. Even though Campo de' Fiori can be quite busy at times, it offers great places to eat and shop.

Santa Maria sopra Minerva

Santa Maria sopra Minerva is a beautiful Gothic architectural church dating back to the 13th century. S. Maria sopra Minerva is one of the few Gothic churches located in Rome. This Gothic church draws many tourists to this site because of the history, paintings, sculptures, and obelisk standing outside. This church is located close to the Pantheon which draws tourists as well.

Upon entering this magnificent church you are hit with history in all directions. The church is known for its famous paintings on the walls as well as the ceiling. The stained glass lets some light into the church to shine upon its intricate architecture. The pillars that align down the church are made of marble and draw the eye upward to the wonderful paintings on the ceiling. Throughout the entire church are intricate sculptures up towards the ceiling looking down upon everyone. These sculptures are aligned to make a picture as well.

Towards the front of the church, the alter, stands Michelangelo's started sculpture, Risen Christ, but then was later finished by Raffaele da Montelupo. Outside of Santa Maria sopra Minerva stands Bernini's, famous for his churches, palaces, statues and fountains, Egyptain obelisk and a marble elephant. Both Bernini and Michelangelo were well known during their time for transforming Rome into a beautiful city. S. Maria sopra Minerva holds famous sculptures and paintings which draw tourists into the historic church itself. This Gothic church is currently active. The church draws many tourists as well as locals to look at the beautiful history the lies in Santa Maria sopra Minerva.


Hyperlink:
"Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome." Sacred Sites at Sacred Destinations - Explore sacred sites, religious sites, sacred places. 19 May 2009 .

Publishing, DK. Rome (Eyewitness Travel Guides). New York: DK Travel, 2003.

Via Del Corso

Today a group of us decided to go shopping down Via del Corso. Via del Corso is a main street aligned with quaint shops, restaurants, pizzaria's, gelato stops, ATM's, and side streets. The shopping experience in Rome is quite different than shopping in the States. Some of the shops are small clothing shops or souvenier shops. Except for the Galleria Alberto Sordi. Galleria Alberto Sordi appears to be small shops along the street of Via del Corso. However, upon walking into and out the other side of a store names Zara, we realized that it was a mini inside mall that connected the shops (picture to the left). It is a nice inside area to cool down from the hot sun and heat. The Galleria Alberto Sordi included clothing stores as well as a book store. The ceiling was beautiful as well as the wood architecture in the Galleria Alberto Sordi.

Along Via del Corso there are many small clothing shops, one in which I entered and bought a dress! The stores name was named Sconti which was filled with dresses, shirts and pants. This experience was different than shopping at the King Of Prussia mall. The clothing sales woman was helping me pick out things and try them on for the entire time I was there. The dressing rooms were never able to be fully closed so people could see me changing. Once I got up to the register I showed her my student ID card. She proceeded to tell me there was no discount but she gave me a beaded necklace because I was a student! Sconti was a very nice little story with affordable clothing and the service was very nice. I would suggest the store to many women while looking for a nice outfit for a night out in Rome!

Campo De' Fiori

Also, for my class I have to choose a place to blog about every week. One of my first night life visits took place at Campo de' Fiori which is how my decision became this amazing square that has more to offer than just night life.

Piazza Campo De' Fiori is one of Rome's "most entertaining squares." This market square hosts shopping, restaurants, nightlife, and open- markets. During the Renaissance and medieval period in Rome Campo De' Fiori was extremely lively and continues to be to this day. This squre is consumed by open-markets in the morning and changes to a restaurant and bar scene in the evening. During the week after exploring around, Campo De' Fiori seems to be less populated at night. Whereas on weekend nights, Friday and Saturday, seem to be more crowded as many like to gather in the center visiting restaurants and bars in the sqaure. Campo De' Fiori is a lovely square that many enjoy mingling at all hours or the day for various reasons.


Picture link:
www.romeapartmentslive.com

Publishing, DK. Rome (Eyewitness Travel Guides). New York: DK Travel, 2003.

Lido di Ostia

On this beautiful morning a group of us decided to go to Lido di Ostia, a beach about forty five minutes away from the city of Rome. Unlike most of the beaches that cost money, one of the beaches at Lido di Ostia was free to get on which is ideal while living in an expensive city! A group of us hopped on the metro accross from the Colosseum, Colosseo, and arrived at Lido di Ostia about forty five minutes later. Lido di Ostia is one of the closest beaches to the hustle and bustle of Rome, so it tends to get crowded. More so on the weekends when many tourists and city living people want to get a sunbathe in. Lido di Ostia was a nice place to go for a day trip with friends when one wishes to get away from the busy but amazing city of Rome.

Picture Link:
www.italyheaven.co.uk/.../venice/images/lido.jpg

You Better Shop Around

For my class, I have to select a theme of my interest for my blogs. I have chosen shopping since Italy has such a selection of streets and open markets to shop in. Thus far, I have enjoyed roaming the wonderful shopping areas that Rome as to offer.

This wonderful day in Rome, after class, a group of us went to the Via Della Condotti. Via Della Condotti is home to the most traditional Rome designers such as Giorgio Armani and Versace. Along this popular shopping street lies stores such as Tiffany&Co., Bvlgari, Prada, Gucci, Cartier Jewelers, Valentino, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Puma, Foot Locker, H&M and many others. This famous strip of shopping hosts an array of stores. The experience was amazing and convenient with pizzaria's, cafe's and other eateries along Via Della Condotti.

The streets were extremely busy with shoppers and tourists walking down one of the "smartest shopping areas in the world." Via Della Condotti has a beautiful view of Piazza di Spagna. The Spanish steps aligns with the street of Via Della Condotti which forms a magnificent view. Many of the visitors of the Spanish steps miander down Via Della Condotti because of its neatly placed convenience.

Picture Link:
www.ewh.ieee.org/.../Via%20Condotti%20notte.JPG

Publishing, DK. Rome (Eyewitness Travel Guides). New York: DK Travel, 2003.