There are some good things about Rome's Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport. It's has some very pretty diplays, for instance, and there are rotating exhibits showcasing Italy's history that are kind of interesting.

But there are also some unpleasant things about FCO. It's the international HQ of Alitalia for instance, and the service is predictably chaotic. It is not unheard of to see the entire Alitalia customer service desk staffed by a single person during the height of morning rush hour. That's not a problem though, because when Italians complain about customer service they do so quickly and efficiently, without any extravagant hand waving or embellishment (no, not really). Also the security sucks. Also it's a pain to get to. Also it's one of the world's worst airports for spending the night. And we thought Budapest was bad.]]> Omri 2010-10-22T14:00:07-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/21/21740/8128

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] ]]> BS 2009-06-22T09:32:15-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/5/18/162455/633

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 ]]> JetSetCD 2009-05-22T10:06:58-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/4/22/111643/748

Are you sitting down? Yes? Okay good, because we are about to burst a travel bubble: Pompeii isn't all that great. If you're still planning on making an Italian pilgrimage this spring or summer and want to get the usual ration of ancient ruins, then please let us suggest taking a day trip to the less crowded but no less impressive Ostia Antica, the old port city for Rome.

Only some twenty miles outside of downtown Rome and accessible by extra-urban train lines (yay, no bus tours!), Ostia Antica is a playground of multi-story Roman ruins just waiting for you to run amok down its cobblestone streets and in its amphitheaters—after paying the €6.50 entrance fee, of course. Like Pompeii, the place is an active archaeological site packed with mosaics and frescos. Unlike Pompeii, Ostia wasn't destroyed by a flippin' volcano, meaning that most of the city is as intact as possible for a place that's been booming since the 3rd century BC. ]]> JetSetCD 2009-04-22T15:16:42-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/7/112051/0405

There are plenty of cities that could credibly claim to be the center of the world, but only one has gone through the trouble of marking the exact spot. The timeless city of Rome is home to the Umbilicus Urbis Romae (the "navel of the city of Rome"), a spot in the Roman Forum from which all distances in Rome and the Roman Empire were measured. Constructed by the Emperor Augustus around 20 B.C., it was once marked by a grand marble tower, but all that's left of it is a sad little pile of bricks with a plaque. Still, it represents an excellent starting point or endpoint for any Roman adventure, and it's just one of several neat facts about Rome I picked up from a new book called the Mental Floss History of the World.

Other nifty tidbits include some trivia on Roman manners. Did you know that it was considered polite in ancient Rome to vomit between meals so you could eat more? Well it was, and the mess never got too out of hand, thanks to an army of slaves charged with cleaning up the spittle. Talk about lousy jobs. Rome was also the first civilization to use central heating systems, and even had hot and cold running water (in upper class homes, naturally) so residents could switch between hot, cold, and tepid baths. Why not just find a temperature you like and stick with it?

Humanity has evolved in the ensuing generations, and some of these ideas have been embraced (plumbing), while others, like the between-meal vomiting, have been rendered obsolete (save for the occasional fashion model). Still, it's interesting to take a look at a society that's at once ancient and far removed, and at the same time mirrors our own to a frightening degree of accuracy.

[Photo: personal.ceu.hu]

Related Stories:
· 5 Things You Didn't Know About Rome [askmen.com]
· The Mental Floss History Of the World [mentalfloss.com]
· Ancient History Travel [Jaunted]]]> Victor Ozols 2009-02-07T11:20:51-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/22/215323/49

If you're a jaded tourist who's seen everything in Rome already, then there's an odd game to play that's meant to get you interested again. Put together by a group called Whai Whai, you can get a bunch of clues and a book to direct you on a kind of treasure hunt.

The Ruyi is the name of this unusual activity and it's designed to get you wandering the back streets and seeing the "real Rome" while also learning a bit of history. You buy everything online and need to use a cell phone to get further clues once you've got your first few answers.

The UK Times tried it out recently but their description didn't really convince us it's that much fun. But perhaps for competitive types, it's the right way to see Rome. Other cities are coming soon, but we're not hopping on one of these tours until they promise a great prize at the end of the hunt!

Related Stories:
· Whai Whai [Official Site]
· A Mystery Tour of Rome [UK Times]
· Rome Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Giara]]]> amandak 2008-10-24T11:39:15-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/3/12/7230/13863

The heart of commerce in ancient Rome is going back to its roots. The Roman Forum site, which has been free to enter for years, started selling tickets to visitors as of this Monday.

Some say tourists won't mind too much, because it is now covered by a joint ticket with the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill. Maybe so, but not all travelers plan to race around every single famous sight in Rome, and on top of that, many are saddened that locals won't be able to wander through spontaneously without having to pay €9.

The official reason for the introduction of a charge for the Forum is that money is needed for restoration work and to increase security. Reasons that are hard to argue with, but we don't like seeing anything get taken off the "free activities" list.

Related Stories:
· Rome: The Forum's No Longer Free [Budget Travel]
· Where to Swim Nude in Rome [Jaunted]
· Red Pompeii Pictures Turn Up In Rome [Jaunted]

[Photo: vgm8383]]]> amandak 2008-03-12T09:20:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/