Lucci Hotel Rome Blog

Roman hot summer tires a lot of tourists, who still are attracted by the charm of the Italian Capital, the Eternal City. Yes, of course, all the roads lead to Rome, and I would add, especially, to Colosseum.  This year as a continuation of a good tradition, “Castellum” agency organized from the 21st June an initiative, called All’Ombra del Colosseo (In the shade of Colosseum), and it reached this year its nineteenth edition  becoming a cornerstone of Estate Romana (Roman Summer) and  a reference point for all  the Romans who remain in city during the summer.  This initiative will last till September 2008.

“Eventhough this season certainly is  not easiest one for the new municipal administration – said the president of Castellum – we  still decided to revive this event to be  the flagship of proposals  for the capitoline summer.”
And this year there are some great innovations and inventions. 
First of all, has been put an outdoor pool with panoramic view of the Colosseum with aperitifs served on the boards of the pool every day from 19.00.  Swimming lovers can enjoy a  true  pool, sized 10 x 20 metres, and not a  plastic swimming pool. This pool is a jewel of transportable engineering, placed strategically in front  of the Anfiteatro Flavio. 
Then  there will be tons of art, culture, music, cabaret shows with the presence of many famous artists, solarium, poker tournaments, different sports, swimming courses for children, theatre performances and a draft catering Food & Fashion: dishes combined with color creations, tailored and signed by Emi Fabbri.

All’Ombra  del Colosseo will be open free of charge from 9 am to 2 at night. Admission  to the shows is  from 8 to 16 euros and cost of the pool from 10 to 12 euros. Do not hesitate to take advantage of so many Summer Special offers of My Hotel in Rome, and take yourselves and your children to enjoy the summer roman heat and summer roman relax in the shade of Colosseum.

Your summer stay in Rome should not be only focused on the eternal beauties of the Eternal City. But once you have walked and walked around again the whole city, choose an alternative path for your final dot of top vacations. My suggestion is simple and it is good food and especially good wine. An excellent opportunity is given in Tuscia area of Lazio these days.

"VinTuscia" guided tastings of wines of Tuscia  will  be held on Saturday, July 19th in Viterbo by the Chamber of Commerce of Viterbo and associations for the Notte Bianca  (famous so called White, or Sleepless Night) organised by the city of Viterbo this year.  A little historical overview will help you to understand why Tuscia is famous for wine. The territory of Higher Tuscia is a land of wines since the times of Etruscans. This famous way of wine runs between six Doc Vignanello, Aleatico di Gradoli, Orvieto, Colli Etruschi Viterbesi, Montefiascone "East! East! East!, revealing us some of the most picturesque corners of the Region. To get an idea of beautiful landscape of these lands and the particularities of settlements built on the tuff ideally one should  visit the area north of Viterbo, near the Tiber River and the border with Italy. Important in terms wine – to report the DOC wines Orvieto and Colli Etruschi Viterbesi . This area is also full of interesting historical and cultural outline.

The  wine tastings  on the 19th July will be  held at the conference room of the Chamber in Via Fratelli Rosselli, 4 starting from 21.30 with white wines offered by wineries Villa Chiarini Wulf, Tenuta La Pazzaglia, Sergio Mottura, Tenuta di Nepi Ronci and Antica Cantina Leonardi.
Around 11 pm it will be the right time for red wine cellars Isabella Mottura – Tenuta Corte di Tregoniano, Fattoria Madonna delle Macchie, Tenuta Sant’Isidoro, Viticoltori dei Colli Cimini and Caprigliano.
To lead these tastings will be the journalist Alessandro Scorsone, sommelier Master Class co-editor Bibenda, Sommelier of the Year and the winner of the Prova del Cuoco. 

"With this initiative-declares Ferindo Palombella, the president of the Chamber of Commerce of Viterbo – we want to give the importance the wines of Tuscia do deserve, which will also appear in trade fairs and national competitions. An opportunity of this extraordinary visibility for our growers and their products  is as a prologue to the Wine Festival of Tuscia scheduled to last until August 24.
The entrance to the tastings is free. It is  recommended  to do the reservation by Saturday, July 19  before 13;00 at no 0761.234441, or directly at the conference room from 15  till 20.

Do not hesitate to plan your visit to Rome and to Tuscia Romana.

Book a great DES ARTISTES Hotel in Rome, which is strategically located just  few blocks away from the Central Station, from where you can take a train to Viterbo and enjoy all night long absolutely unforgettable wines of Lazio and will keep these Italian memories for a long, long time.

As the days in Rome this summer becoming hotter and hotter, and your stay in Rome allows you to spend some more time, in order to hide away and enjoy the nature, the beauty and the sea, I highly recommend to go to the Sea. But let us avoid a bitten track of going right away to Ostia from Piramide station, but let us explore and visit a pearl of Lazio’s seashores- Sperlonga!

Sperlonga is a beautiful tourist town of low Lazio: is located in the province of Latina, a few kilometers away from Gaeta, Formia, Itri, Fondi and Terracina, hosts about 3300 inhabitants, a figure that grows significantly in the summer because of the numerous tourists who choose Sperlonga  is notable for its beaches, clean and equipped, accommodation facilities, which offer a good value for money, premises where exclusive dancing and having fun, many of them along the way Flacca, which in summer nights overcrowded by many young people in search of fun and relax.

The town of Sperlonga is located on a rocky spur at 55m above sea level: here lies the ancient heart of the city, with its narrow streets and small shops, old churches and small bars where the evening you can see many young people  sipping a cocktail; walking along the alleys, you arrive on the seafront of Sperlonga: here there are the most exclusive of Sperlonga bathing establishments and the villa, where both during the summer and winter young people can play outdoors on swings, springs and other games designed for them. The lovers of art also remain certainly satisfied with the visit to the Grotto of Tiberius, dating back to Roman times, and the National Archaeological Museum , where are preserved numerous archaeological findings.

How to get to Sperlonga
The town is 116 km away from Rome and to 114 from Naples. Coming by car from the capital, is reachable with the  Pontina highway up to Terracina and then continue along the Via Flacca. For

Sperlonga and its beauties

those travelling on the Autostrada del Sole Roma-Napoli, the exit closest to Sperlonga is Cassino. From your hotel close to the station, you can reach it by a  train (FS, direct Rome-Naples)  and should get off at the station Fondi. . A small tourist port allows the docking and storage for about 150-200 boats with draught not exceeding 0.50 m
The Museum is located on the Via Flacca, about two kilometers from the Borgo. It is from 9 am until sunset. The ticket costs 2 euros.

Between 20 June 2008 and 14 September 2008 , the Ara Pacis  Museum in Rome (via di Ripetta 190) hosts a traveling exhibition on the creations of one of the greatest French architects and designers of the 20th century.

Jan Prouvé developed the idea of nomadic architecture, whereby a chair was given the same iconic importance as a house, designing both with transportability in mind. His work has had a lasting impact on furniture and industrial design.  His main achievement was transferring the manufacturing technology from industry to the architecture, without losing the aesthetic qualities.

It demonstrates how Jean Prouvé (1901-1984) had a remarkable capacity to combine entrepreneurial skills with craftsmanship, design and architecture.
More than 100 of his works, executed between 1924 and the mid 70s are included in this exhibition:

50 objects of design(chairs, tables, desks, beds, lamps), architectonic elements, various architectural models as well as a rich selection of signed drawings and studies for the Péchiney pavilion in Paris.

Prouvé is considered a leading exponent of industrialized building.

Jean was born in Nancy. In Nancy in 1923 he opened what would be the first in a string of his own workshops and studios. He produced wrought iron lamps, chandeliers, hand rails and began designing furniture. In 1947 he built the Maxéville factory. After Maxéville he started "Constructions Jean Prouvé" In 1957 he started the Industrial Transport Equipment Company and built the Rotterdam Medical School, the Exhibition Center in Grenoble and the Orly Airways Terminal façade.The metal furniture of Jean Prouvé was produced copiously in every studio and workshop. Prouvé was influential in the development of the idea of nomadic architecture, likening a chair to a house, and designing both with portability in mind.He died in Nancy in 1984.

Opening hours

Tuesday – Sunday 9.00/10.00am – 7.00/8.00pm

Entrance ticket

ordinary: € 6,50; reduced: € 4,50;

How to get to the Ara Pacis Museum  with Rome  public transport :

Museo Dell’Ara Pacis, Lungotevere Augusto (near Piazza del Popolo) . If you stay in Rome central Hotel this is going to be easy to get there.

From Termini station take line A metro and get off at the stop "Spagna"

If you happen to be too tired to always walk about the famous sights in Rome and would like something more folk like then you must not miss out on the various festivals in Rome and its county scattered all through the month of July.

Sagra della Cozza from 4th to 6th July 2008 based in Anzio, near Rome :

The Mussel Festival takes places in Anzio, the small sea town where the Americans first arrived during the 2^nd World War. It is in the area of the quarters of Colonia that you will be able to taste the mussels made in many different sauces and ways. This area of Anzio is highly populated and was chosen purposefully in order to put it on stage and for visitors to discover it.

Sagra dell’olio di oliva e pizzafritta on 12^th July 2008 in Monteflavio, near Rome :

The festival of the olive oil and fried pizza will open at 4.30 pm on the main square. You will enjoy tasting the “pizzafritte” which are basically doughnut fried in olive oil. Another typical food is the bruschetta (toasted bread) topped with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic and olive oil from the Latium. For meat lovers you cannot miss out on the “coppiette” of smoked dry meat , sausage shaped. To wash it all down you will taste good wine also and for dessert there will be a variety of local italian pastries and cakes….

At night from 9.00 pm, a musical festival will start until late at night and you will be able to dance away all the food you have eaten….

Monteflavio is a location not far from Rome in the Regional Park of the Monti Lucretili.

Festival della Birra e della Bruschetta, in Allumiere, near Rome :

The Beer and Bruschetta Festival will take place between 24 and 27 July . You will be able to taste over 30 different types of bruschette all made with local breads and local toppings and olive oil. The local bread in Allumiere is the yellow bread cooked in the wood oven.

The beer provided is from Munich, Germany !

Summer months in Italy Latium are great to chill outside in cooler regional areas outside the buzzing city of Rome, so you can actually relax and meet different people and get to know more small towns which are always warm and welcoming and plentiful of traditions and great food and wine. All the above are good  for a day trip.

Enjoy !

And for your stay in Rome, watch out our My Hotel Rome special deals !