Living it up in Rome

Rome is the top destination of choice for holiday-makers and the average length of stay is usually 3 nights. The Eternal City continues to hold its premier position this year according to a survey carried out by leading holiday home rental web site Holiday-Rentals.co.uk. It says that enquiries have shown an increase of 18% over 2005 and that the web site receives treble the site average of enquiries per property per month. The top 5 destinations for a visit are Rome, Barcelona, Paris, Prague, and Lisbon according to the survey.

So what is it that makes Rome such a perennial favorite? It definitely has everything to do with the entertainment, food, recreation, culture, and history that the city has to offer. 

Rome offers a variety of entertainment facilities appropriate to a major capital city. Movie theaters show current Italian, American, and other films with Italian soundtracks. One or two theaters offer French, English, and American films with original soundtracks. Several theaters present classics, modern plays, and revues, usually in Italian. Rome’s formal opera season opens in December and continues through May, with excellent productions and performances by leading Italian artists. During the summer, opera moves outdoors to a variety of interesting stages. In the past, these have included the Baths of Caracalla, the Olympic Stadium and the archeological site at Ostia Antica. Concert performances are given frequently during the winter season; outdoor performances are held in summer, usually in the late evening. Prices for most of these musical events are reasonable. Visiting theatrical groups, as well as local pageantry, offer additional interest.

In September the biggest party of all, the notta bianca or “white night” takes place. Perhaps this accounts for the fact that September is the second most popular month to visit Rome. According to the survey, 27% of travelers visit during this month. During the notta bianca, the city is awake through the night and visitors can enjoy round-the-clock culture served up in the form of musical performances, art shows, film screenings and other offerings. All this comes at no charge and public transport is available through the night.

Rome has many discos and a vibrant nightlife. Good restaurants are plentiful, some steeped in atmosphere and others featuring famous food specialties. Many places offer outdoor dining in summer. Meals in fine restaurants can be expensive, some very expensive, but the discerning diner can often find a good buy as well as a good meal. Coffee and gelato are two of Italy’s culinary delights that are not to be missed.

Almost any form of sports activity can be enjoyed in the vicinity of Rome, including golf, tennis, skiing, swimming, riding, boating, bicycling, hunting, and fishing. Spectator sports include soccer, boxing, horseracing, and auto and motorcycle racing.

Many recreation areas and campgrounds are found in the countryside. Good, but often crowded, beaches with cabanas and some beach equipment for rent lie within 20 miles of Rome and can be reached by public transportation. To the south, 2 hours or less by car, are beautiful and spacious beaches. Terminillo and Ovindoli, 2 hours by car or bus, are the nearest ski resorts with tow systems and equipment for rent. Some hunting and fishing is available in the countryside around Rome, but most hunting is generally limited to invitation-only private reserves. Horses are available from several riding academies in Rome at reasonable prices. Hikers and mountain climbers will find a wealth of possibilities in the nearby Apennines. The Club Alpino Italiano offers 1-day trips for mountain hiking and, in winter, cross-country skiing. Naples is less than 3 hours by car and Florence is almost as close

Rome has many parks for children. The large, beautiful Villa Borghese park has a zoo, a small theater where children’s movies are shown in Italian, Punch and Judy shows, pony rides, small bicycles for rent, a lake with boats for rent, and a large playground.

Founded in the year 625 BC., Rome is a city of great antiquity. An incredible number and variety of places of historical interest are found in and around Rome like the Arc of Costantine, St. Paul’s Basilica in Vatican City, Circus Maximus, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Pantheon, the Baths of Caracella, the Colosseum and the Theater of Marcellus.