Shopping in Rome... in pictures

There is another way you can shop that doesn't cost you an arm and a leg. In fact, it doesn't cost you anything: take photos of your favourite items and shop fronts.

This is what the Allen family did when visiting Rome last February. The blog’s author introduces the post saying:

here’s a look at shopping in the eternal city. after a couple of fruitless days, i accepted that the italians, for the most part, do not make clothes that fit my body and i would have to be content with acquiring things in another manner: by photographing them.

A great idea and some great photos too. Check them out on her blog post titled rome, 2010 shopping pictures.

A blog to bookmark: Ron in Rome

Ron is an American who has been living in Rome since 2007 and sharing his experiences and giving advice on his blog.

Search Google for information about Rome and much of the stuff you get is out of date, the same information repeated for the 1,000th time or regurgitated blog spam.

So it was refreshing to come come across Ron’s blog – Ron in Rome – which provides clear, useful and thoughtful information via an uncluttered design. It’s rare to see a blog with such good content not taken over by adverts.

An example of what to expect from Ron’s blog is the very useful post titled 20 tips on Visiting the Vatican Museums. This find was particularly relevant to us as we recently launched the Vatican area of the site. Ron’s post should be required reading to anyone wanting to visit the Musei Vaticani.

Apart from writing up about what to see in Rome Rob provides a guide service for small groups of people who want to explore Rome at their own pace including what he describes as ‘aimless wandering’ (which is often when one discovers the best things).

Ron’s blog is available at: www.roninrome.com

A spacious apartment near Piazza Mazzini

Introducing Apartment Berna and it's 3 bedrooms that can accommodate up to 8 people.

Vacation rentals featuring 3 bedrooms or more are fairly rare and often quite pricey, especially if they are located slap bang in the middle of the historic center.

Apartment Berna is not as central as most other apartment we offer, finding itself north of the Vatican City. But this has its benefits:

• Great prices starting from less than €40 per person per night!
• Good transport links directly to the heart of the historic center
• Very near Piazza Mazzini with is fountain and green space
• Located in an elegant area of Rome

This area of Rome is called ‘Quartiere della Vittoria’ and is particularly elegant. There are palaces and villas that were built after an international architectural competition as part of the International Exhibition of Art that was held in Rome in 1911.

Given the location you are less likely to cross paths with tourists and, inevitably, those who try and profit from tourists (eg. bars where a coffee is 4 Euros if you don’t speak Italian).

The apartment is big and can accommodate up to 8 people (bargain hunters) or half those with plenty of space to spare.

Habemus Vaticanum! Vatican area of Rome added to the website

This is an important area of Rome, home to the Vatican City, but also a good spot for those who want to stay in a quieter location on the perimeter of Rome's historic center.

The affiliation of Apartment Franca prompted us to add the Vatican area to the site.

Needless to say this is a very significant area of Rome for pilgrims, theologists, lovers of history and culture and even those who prefer staying in a quieter spot.

Walk across the Vittorio Emanuele bridge and you will be soon approaching Campo de’ Fiori and Piazza Navona. Walk south along the Tiber and you will reach Trastevere.

If you’re interested in visiting the Vatican Museums over a few days you may want to stay nearby. Especially if you’re keen to beat the queues by getting at an ungodly hour (pun intended).

For the record, there is not Vatican neighborhood as such. We have defined this area by proximity to the Vatican City – map readers will be interested to know that our virtual border cuts through official areas such as The Borgo, Prati and the Quartiere Aurelio.

To learn a little bit more about this area visit our one pager about the Vatican. Please let us know of any interesting fact, event, link or anything worth sharing on these pages.

Related stuff

Useful to those that don’t read and just scan pages…

• Apartments in the Vatican area
• Articles about the Vatican City and things going around it
• Vatican resources & links

Any questions? Feel free to post them below.

No pets allowed in Rome Rentals Co. apartments but Pet Society is!

Planning a trip to Rome and are concerned about the well-being of your Pet Society pet? Don't worry, our apartments are Pet Society friendly.

Please note that we’re not talking about old fashioned pets in flesh, blood and… fur. The question people are asking themselves is what will happen to their virtual pet they tend to with love, affection and perhaps a little bit too much much time on Facebook’s Pet Society.

Don’t know what Pet Society is?

Maybe it’s for the best. In a nutshell, it’s as digital pet that you need to feed, clothe, wash and entertain. The more you do the more gold coins you earn to… do more of the same. Pets have made on to the property ladder and own houses that they can furnish as they please. Still confused? Have a look at this YouTube clip. Better still, give it a go.

Rome Rentals Co. is Pet Society friendly!

Meet robottomatospace. She is a Royal Pet (level 31) that recently stayed 5 days at Apartment Paradiso, thoroughly enjoying her time away from online:

This was the first time away from Pet Society and into the real world. I loved Apartment Paradiso… it was so charming! But I did miss my soap bar and the Mystery Boxes I’m addicted to. But I must admit that shopping in Rome is great… I got a good exchange rate for my gold coins

robottomatospace sent us this picture when she got back to her own place:

Sorting out your internet access

We prefer to work with apartment owners that offer broadband connections in their properties. When this is not the case we can let you know where there closest internet cafe. Just let us know when you book your apartment. We wouldn’t want you to miss your pet too much (and we know that if you don’t wash them frequently enough they start to smell).

New apartment on Piazza San Cosimato, Trastevere

Apartment Roma Libera has been recently renovated specifically for short lets and is located at one corner of the piazza.

Piazza San Cosimato still retains some of Trastevere’s ‘soul’ and hasn’t sold out to the modern times. Change is inevitable, but you can still experience what Rome used to be like before tourism became one of it’s main industries.

Stay away from the new trendy bars and look out for shops that haven’t had a re-fit in what would seem like a couple of centuries. You’ll smell Rome as it was then (and it’s not necessarily a nice smell).

Apartment Roma Libera

This is a 2 bedroom apartment that can sleep up to 6 people. It has been recently renovated specifically for short lets, so you’ll find all you need including air conditioning.

If you have any questions about this or other apartments please get in touch or submit a comment below.

Calling big families who want to stay near Campo de' Fiori

A new apartment has been added to our portfolio: Apartment Argentina can host 6 people in 3 rooms and is only 200 meters away from Campo de' Fiori

This is a spacious apartment of 100 square meters, a double-height living room, 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Apartment Argentina can accommodate 6 people comfortably.

Flexible sleeping arrangements (and having 2 bathrooms does help)

• 2 double bedrooms, one on the first floor and one on the second level
• A twin room with two single beds

And if there are 6 people staying having 2 bathrooms rather than 1 is a good thing!

We think Apartment Argentina would suit families of 5 or 6 that need space or even 3 couples staying in a room each. Business people should also give this apartment a try.

If you have any questions please get in touch or submit a comment below.

Job Vacancy - Blogger

Rome Rentals Co. is looking for freelance bloggers based in Rome to contribute blogs, articles, photos and whatever best expresses the 'Rome experience'.

Are you passionate about Rome? Have you seen it all twice over and are keen to discover what’s off the beaten track?

We would love to collaborate with experienced freelance bloggers and ‘articolisti’ to help us articulate what the true Roman experience really is. We’re not after blog posts about Piazza Navona, the Vatican and what has been already written 1,000 times over.

The type of person we are looking for can be described in these terms:

• A local. He/she will necessarily be living in Rome
• Excellent writing English writing skills (better than our own, anyway)
• Good at taking photos
• Knowledgeable about every-day life in Rome as much as its history
• Able to write original, witty, intelligent and insightful content
• Have enough time to write up to 4 blog posts and / or articles each month
• Experienced. You will know already have written a website or blog.
• Reliable. Professional. Puntuale.

Interested?

Then send us an email (webmaster@rome-rentals-co.com) to introduce yourself, stuff you’re written before (links please) and what your rate is.

Rome to quieten up

Rome's council is taking steps to reduce youth-generated noise pollution during the evenings and at night.

Two resolutions have been approved to help reduce noise pollutions in the historic centre. The source of which tends to be the younger folk enjoying their nights out, rather loudly, in in spots such as Campo de’ Fiori and Trastevere.

The first resolution tackles the noise issue and the second one is an increase in the number of vigili urbani to patrol areas that are prone to noise and trouble.

As of next August anyone under the age of 16 will be prohibited from purchasing alcoholic drinks and underage kids will not be allowed to work in any position selling alcoholic drinks. Also, bouncers will be replaced with ‘stewards’ and CCTV cameras.

It will be interesting to see if these initiatives will help make Rome a more quiet place. As with most Italian rules there is usually a big discrepancy between what is agreed on paper and its implementation.

Oldest depiction of Saint Paul discovered in Rome

The discovery was made during the restoration of the Santa Tecla catacombs on the Via Ostiense.

Archeologists were using an innovative laser-based technique when they suddenly came across one of the most expressive and elaborate depictions of Saint Paul. The hope is that more of the same will be found.

The fresco dates back to the 9th Century and its style is typically classical, depicting a big nose, eyes and a face full of expression. The red background and yellow ring shape around it are similar to iconography found in Pompeii.

The archeologists believe that Saint Paul was chosen to protect those who were buried in the catacombs.

The fresco was discovered on 19 June during work carried out by the Pontificia Commissione di Archeologia Sacra, a commission created by the Pius IX in 1852 to “ take care of the ancient sacred cemeteries, look after their preventive preservation, further explorations, research and study, and also safeguard the oldest mementos of the early Christian centuries, the outstanding monuments and venerable Basilicas in Rome, in the Roman suburbs and soil, and in the other Dioceses in agreement with the respective Ordinaries.”