Jaunted - Rome

Zaha Hadid Opens An Art Museum In Rome With No Art

JetSetCD — 2009-11-17T09:29:28-05:00

Oh my gosh, would you believe that another building by Zaha Hadid got built? The Baghdad-born architect is famous for her futuristic designs, but most only stay looking good on paper. She has a few buildings scattered around the world, but the newest one in Rome takes the cake in terms of scale and space.

Dubbed the MAXXI Museum, or National Museum of the XXI Century Arts, it is a triumph for Zaha. Having opened only several days ago and described by the NYT as "less a unified lone structure than a convergence of long, shiny, serpentine modules — a bit like a space-age highway interchange," the Maxxi is already going down in architecture history. And since we've got a thing for good design, modern art and any new museum exhibitions, the Maxxi is fresh on our radar as well.

A Museum Fit For A Pope And A Prince: Rome's Galleria Doria Pamphilj

Jennifer Kester — 2009-08-31T14:09:43-05:00

When art aficionados plan their trip to Rome, they usually fill their itineraries with popular picks like the Musei Capitolini and the Galleria Borghese. And while those places are nothing to sneeze at, they overshadow one of the city's best private museums: the Galleria Doria Pamphilj.

At the Doria Pamphilj, you can cross out two sightseeing items on your to-do list, since you get a top-notch collection of art as well as a palace. The 18th-century palace and its collection are owned by the aristocratic Pamphilj family, who have held numerous important posts in the country, including Pope. One of Pope Innocent X's modern-day descendants, Prince Jonathan Doria Pamphilj, narrates a great free audio tour of the gallery. He provides a unique intimate perspective, explaining how and why the family acquired some works and which ones are his favorite.

When In Rome, It's Gelato And G8 For The Obamas

JetSetCD — 2009-07-10T09:27:19-05:00

When it was announced that President Obama would make a visit to Rome and The Vatican this week, we couldn't hardly wait to see goodies the Eternal City had in store for them, and Rome didn't disappoint. As the whole family moved on from their museum-hopping in Moscow earlier this week, some casual sightseeing and of course, a few scoops of famous gelato, were in order.

As Barack met with G8 leaders, Michelle quickly took in the Colosseum with her daughters and the Capitoline Museum, which houses ancient Roman art and archeology, with the other G8 wives. Then the adults promptly headed deeper into the Abruzzo region to the town of L'Aquila, which suffered that fatal earthquake back in April.

Gladiator Get-Down: A Night at the Colosseum

BS — 2009-06-22T09:32:15-05:00

Europe's oldest tourist trap is offering a brand new spin: visitors to the Colosseum can now visit the ancient amphitheatre at night. Rome officials are hoping the prospect of nighttime visits will reel in an extra load of tourists to the city this summer and maybe thin out those dreaded daytime crowds a bit as well.

Usually, The Colosseum closes one hour before sunset, but starting this week visitors will get a few extra hours of pondering gladiator games—and the chance to view the night sky from inside the monument. Sounds like a great idea to us, especially if the haunting arena looks half as cool inside at night as it does lit up from the exterior.

Also new on the Eternal City itinerary this summer are two ancient attractions: the recently restored Temple of Romulus and the 2nd-century B.C. House of the Griffins, both now open to the public for the first time.

Related Stories:
· Nighttime Colosseum tours now offered in Rome [AP]
· When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do: Avoid Tourists [Jaunted]
· Rome travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: lightmatter]

On the Road Again: How to Reach Rome-Fiumicino

JetSetCD — 2009-05-22T10:06:58-05:00

Your flight has landed, you've claimed your luggage and now you're trying to get the hell out of the airport. To erase confusion and get your on your way, all week long at Jaunted we will be detailing the various ways to get to and from major airports, and what those modes cost, from cheapest to the big blowout entrance. Got any tips or an airport suggestion? Let us know.

· COTRAL/Schiaffini Buses: As the cheapest option, taking a bus obviously involves the most hassle. Purchase tickets for the bus in the sundries shop down by baggage claim, and don't forget to validate it in the the little box machines inside of the bus. Head to Terminal A's ground transportation area to find the bus stop, and make sure you board the right bus. The one to Rome's main Termini station is "Aeroporto-Termini-Tiburtina," or there are also "Aeroporto-Roma Cornelia" to connect with subway line A and "Aeroporto-Roma Magliana" to connect with line B.
Total cost: €1.60 to €3.60 per person, each way depending on your route.
Total time:35 to 45 minutes

Rome Field Trip Audit: Less Water, More Vespas

egw — 2009-05-15T15:45:32-05:00

Is there really no place like Rome? This week Ellen Wernecke chronicles her first visit to the Eternal City.

Into every trip a little rain must fall, and while I only found myself in one literal cloudburst, I came away with a few ideas for a return trip -- as well as notes on things I would have done just the same.

I would consider doing again: Flying Delta. Looking for a ticket I was shopping on price alone, but aside from the horrendous movie choices ("Inkheart"? "Bride Wars"? Really?) I found the flight, an Alitalia codeshare to boot, to be just fine. The meal was the same going both ways, but at least there was a meal. They also gave me a very funny leaflet on arrival about what to know in an H1N1-infected country which will be a treasured souvenir of these heady days.

Finding The Illuminati in Rome...and Los Angeles

cmb — 2009-05-15T13:42:22-05:00

Like its predecessor, “The Da Vinci Code”, which created a tourism frenzy in Scotland and France, "Angels and Demons" already has tourists flocking to Rome, Italy. All this week, Ellen has been recapping her recent Rome Field Trip which is blessedly free of any "Angels and Demons" mentions. But we understand that there are some of you out there who need to retrace Robert Langdon's steps across the Eternal City.

But if you care less about where the movie is supposed to take place and more about where it was actually filmed, then you’re better off catching the next flight to Los Angeles then a flight to Rome. Most of the film was actually made on a sound stage in L.A., thanks to the Catholic Church’s hatred for all things Dan Brown.