Sebastiano del Piombo at the Palazzo Venezia

Until May 18th, the Museo Palazzo Venezia (via del Plebiscito 118) is holding an exhibition of the Renaissance Venetian painter, Sebastiano Luciani, known as "del Piombo." Rival to Michelangelo and Raphael, del Piombo spent many of his most productive years in Rome and the city is adorned with many of his works. While you are at the Palazzo Venezia, be sure to visit the "Secret Garden" of Pope Paul II.

Cooking School at Renato e Luisa

Not far from the Campo dei Fiori and Largo Argentina is a restaurant that specializes in traditional Roman fare-and teaches anyone willing to learn how to make it! Renato e Luisa (Via dei Barbieri 25) is run by Renato Astrologo, a native Roman who learned the meat business from his butcher father. Renato has taken many of the old-fashioned Roman recipes and lightened them up for today's lifestyle. You can find out how to do the same on your next visit to Rome by emailing him at info@renatoeluisa.it. See a recent article in Tastes of Italia magazine for a personal account of the cooking lessons.

Trains in Italy

As you may be aware, driving in Italy is not for the faint-hearted. Unless you are going to a villa in Tuscany or to the remote countryside, you should probably avoid cars altogether. You will certainly not want a car in Rome-there is nowhere to park it and you can't even drive in the historic center without a special residential permit. Stick to trains. The Italian government has an extensive website for its train system, Trenitalia. Here you can purchase tickets, find up-to-date schedules (that may or may not correspond to when the trains actually arrive and depart!), and special deals. Currently Trenitalia is focusing on Smart Price, a promotion offering tickets around Europe starting at 15 Euros. Buon Viaggio!

Chic Retreat in Rome

The Casa Howard Guest House in Rome is a 10 room hotel in two locations near the Spanish Steps. The hotel is really more like a private residence, decorated with antiques and family heirlooms. Each location has a Turkish Hammam (bath) to help you wash off the day upon your return from sightseeing. 3 of the rooms at the Via Capo Le Case location do not have en-suite bathrooms (the White, Blue and Chinese rooms) but your bathroom is just next to your room and is private, much like in a real residence. The room rates start at 180 Euros in the low season and 220 in the high season. The hotel is part of the Chic Retreats group which specializes in luxurious boutique hotels with less than 30 rooms.

Rome at Night

Ian Fisher, the chief of the New York Times bureau in Rome, has a wonderful article on the attractions of the Eternal City at night. He suggests after-hours Vatican tours, outdoor musical performances, restaurants with a view of the ruins, and must-see piazzas and fountains illuminated at night. The Modern Traveler has always been a firm advocate of Rome after dark, especially in the warmer months. There truly is something magical about the gentle summer air and the golden glow of the light in the piazzas.

Via Appia-A Sore Spot for Roman Archaeologists

The Via Appia, the ancient road leading from Rome to Brinidisi, is lined with tombs, villas and all sorts of archaeological attractions. But modern Romans seem to be more interested in exploiting the ruins to make money than preserving them for posterity. Ruins have been turned into restaurants and banquet halls and are subject to vandalism on a nightly basis. Yet the Via Appia is a national park, protected by Italian laws, and truly a fascinating escape for the visitor. There are ancient tombs, catacombs, villas (like the Villa of the Quintili, pictured) and bath complexes lining the road in a park-like setting. See a recent New York Times article to read more about the issues facing this valuable historical resource.

Alitalia in Trouble

Dozens of articles in the past few weeks have highlighted the trouble that Italy's airline, Alitalia, is facing. Because the EU has ruled that governments can no longer fund private airlines, Italy has been forced to pull its funding from Alitalia. This has left Alitalia with not nearly enough cash to run for more than a few more weeks. The newly reelected Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, has vowed that he will make saving Alitalia a priority, but until another company comes along to bail them out, you should definitely avoid making any reservations on Alitalia. See Budget Travel for some tips on making the most of your reservation if you already have booked with Alitalia for this summer.

Palazzo Massimo Exhibit of Pompeian Frescoes

The Palazzo Massimo, one of the galleries in the National Museum of Rome, is hosting a collection of frescoes from houses and villas of Pompeii, destroyed in the 79 CE eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. The exhibit, titled "Rosso Pompeiano" (Pompeian Red, for the color of the pigment that has made the Pompeian style of painting so iconic) features scenes of daily life, mythology, and nature. Most of the Pompeian frescoes have been borrowed from the Naples Museum of Archaeology and they are displayed with the permanent collection of the Palazzo Massimo, which includes sculptures, coins, pottery and other frescoes from the same time period and beyond. To read more about the exhibit, see a recent New York Times article or visit the exhibit website. You can also make reservations on-line. The exhibit runs until June 1st.

Low Airfare to Rome from NYC in May

A recent search on Kayak.com produced a $706 airfare from JFK to Rome on British Airways for May 14-21. The flight stops at Heathrow, but maybe you'll get lucky and they'll put you in their new terminal! Non-stop flights for the same period start at $990. If you have the time, it may be worth it. $290 dollars saved could buy you another night in Rome!

The Best Sales During "Saldi" Season-Fendi?

According to Suzy Gershman, author of Born to Shop Italy, the best place to shop during Italy's twice yearly sale season is the Fendi in Rome (Via Borgogna 39). In January and July, heaps and mounds of discount Fendi items appear at this store (one of the most fabulous in the Piazza di Spagna shopping district) from recent seasons and seasons past. Handbags, shoes, clothing-all at a fraction of the regular price! For more on shopping in Italy from outlets to outdoor markets, see her book-and watch out for her biting wit!

Readers: What are some of the best deals you've found during Saldi season in Rome?

Ristorante Da Pancrazio-Dine Where Caesar Met His End

Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE in the Theater of Pompey. Today nothing of the Theater remains above ground, at least, nothing beyond a hint in the curve of the street where buildings were erected on the remains of the theater. But go below ground and you will be amazed. If you care to mix sightseeing with dinner (and who doesn't?) try Ristorante da Pancrazio near the Campo dei Fiori (Piazza del Biscione 92). The menu is classic Roman (carbonara, amatriciana, artichokes, antipasti) and the setting is Classical Roman, with one of its dining rooms nestled right into the ancient theater's alcoves. Be sure to make a reservation requesting a table in the theater ruins. The restaurant is closed on Wednesdays.

La Torre di Babele-Italian Language Courses in Rome

Located in an Art Nouveau villa near La Sapienza (Rome's university) and just a few Metro stops from the historic center, La Torre di Babele offers language courses ranging from intensive two week courses to long-term 24 week courses. They promise that at the end of a long-term course (12 weeks minimum), you will be fluent in Italian! They will even arrange for accomodations for you if you choose an intensive two-week course. The school, which is accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education, also offers cooking and cultural courses, and is an authorized examination center for international students seeking the certification which allows admission to Italian universities. The school comes highly recommended by Francesca Gaspari, director of the Italingua Institute in San Francisco and a Modern Traveler's Guide to Rome contributor.

Travel and Leisure Finds the Best Sandwich in Rome

An Italian sandwich (or panino) can be a simple affair-but it is all about the bread. Travel and Leisure's May issue raves about Il Forno Roscioli on Via dei Chiavari (#34), which bakes its own white dough (pizza bianca) and puts the perfect handcrafted mortadella on it. Take your sandwich to go (lo porto via) and stroll through the nearby Campo dei Fiori. For dessert, have your pick of the gorgeous fruits for sale in the square.

"The Secrets of Rome" by Corrado Augias

A recent book by Italian author Corrado Augias is a lyrical exploration of every facet of Rome for the past 27 centuries. Each paragraph is a short story of its own, describing a corner of Rome and its deepest secrets. The book reads as if Corrado Augias is next to you in Rome, narrating the lives of people in history who walked the very streets you walk. Included are some rare historical photos of Rome in the 20th century, including Benito Mussolini at the Cinecitta film studios. The Secrets of Rome is a book you can read at your leisure, picking up a chapter here and there, always learning something new.

Town and Country Magazine Recommends: Il San Lorenzo

There are so many restaurants in Rome. It is hard to choose from among the seemingly endless choices of tourist traps and neighborhood trattorias. If you are looking for something a little more sophisticated than the standard simple Roman fare (which is actually wonderful) try Il San Lorenzo, located at Via dei Chiavari 4-5. The April issue of Town and Country Magazine raves about the moody lighting, dark wood, and contemporary art decorating the three levels of this restaurant located near Campo dei Fiori. They also recommend ordering the catch of the day-for fish is the speciality at Il San Lorenzo.

Santa Maria della Concezione-The Height of the Macabre

On the Via Veneto is an old Capuchin church built above an underground ossuary (bone depository). The bones of four thousand friars who died in the 17th through 19th centuries have been gathered here and arranged in a mad, macabre decorating scheme. Look closely-those are not mosaics but actually human bones. There is also a Caravaggio of St. Francis in the convent, but let's face it, the bones are the draw. The crypt at Santa Maria della Concezione (Via Veneto 27) is open from 9-12 and 3-6 every day except Thursdays.

Protestant Cemetery in Rome

For centuries in Rome it was illegal for non-Catholics to be buried in churches or consecrated ground. In the 18th century, the pope decreed some unused pasture land as suitable for burying foreigners. This land was bounded by two impressive ancient monuments, the Pyramid of Cestius and the Aurelian Wall. In the centuries since then the poets Shelley and Keats were buried in the Protestant Cemetery as well as the founder of European Communism, Antonio Gramsci and Gregory Corso, the "4th Beat Poet." Even Henry James buried his character Daisy Miller in the cemetery. Some have compared this cemetery to Pere Lachaise in Paris, not only because famous artists, writers and thinkers are interred there, but because the setting is dramatic, romantic and as quintessentially Roman as Pere Lachaise is Parisian. To visit the Cemetery, take the Metro Line B and get off at Piramide.

Tablet Hotels: Boutique Experience in Rome

Tablet Hotels have a great listing of boutique properties (with reviews!) in Rome. You can find hotels to suit your every desire, whether you want a trendy, chic vibe or a more traditional, elegant feeling. The hotels range in prices from 48 Euros in the low season (The Inn at the Spanish Steps, pictured) to over 400 Euros in the high season. The hotels are in all the most exciting neighborhoods of Rome and include some of the grand old properties as well as new spots. Tablet members also receive privileges like late check out, complimentary upgrade, and continental breakfast at a few of the hotels.