Christmas in Rome: Where to Go, What to Eat

National Geographic's Intelligent Traveler Blog is celebrating Christmas all over the world. With recommendations from locals and experts, the most authentic ways to experience the season are now in your grasp. Among their recommendations are the Christmas market in Piazza Navona, the hundreds of nativity scenes in every church around the city (St. Peter's pictured), Christmas Mass in St. Peter's, and eating roasted chestnuts and panettone. The Modern Traveler also suggests panforte, an Italian riff on fruitcake (and naturally a thousand times better!). If you can't get to Rome to try it, Whole Foods always sells it!

This is Rome

Another holiday gift idea for the young romantic is the children's classic This Is Rome by Miroslav Sasek. First published in 1960, the book has been updated to reflect changes in the 21st century. Children and grownups who remember the book from their own childhoods will love the charming pictures and stories about the famous monuments of Rome.

Madeline in Rome: The Perfect Children's Christmas Gift

If some little girl you know is a fan of the Madeline series (or you are!), the newest edition in the series is about Rome. Madeline and the Cats of Rome is the first new Madeline book in 50 years and was written by John Bemelmans Marciano, the grandson of Ludwig Bemelmans, the author of the original series. Madeline and her classmates head to Rome for a spring vacation and find all sorts of trouble-including thieves and many cats!

Gustiamo.com For All Your Italian Cravings

Dying for a real cup of coffee? Just can't seem to get the sauce for pasta con le sarde right? Looking for that perfect holiday gift for your favorite Italophile? Check out gustiamo.com, a website devoted to bringing the absolute best products from small Italian producers to the world at large. Be sure to order coffee from Caffe Sant' Eustachio in Rome-which is actually worth flying to Italy for!

All Museums in Rome Free to Public From March 25-31!

Hurray! This week, all museums and archaeological sites in Rome are offering free admission on the occasion of the "Week of Culture." Of course, this time of year-just after Easter- is notoriously crowded, but certainly free admission to the most famous museums and sites (and the not-so-famous museums and sites) will alleviate some of your frustration with the crowds. The Modern Traveler's suggestion is to get in to museums and sites like the Capitoline Museum or the Roman Forum early-when the doors open. Or wait until the last admittance of the day. Tourists tend to hit the shops in the late afternoon!

St. Valentine's Day in Rome

St. Valentine was indeed a Roman, and the best place to spend Valentine's Day is Rome! There are actually two historical figures named St. Valentine who are honored on February 14th by the Catholic Church, both religious men who were martyred under the rule of the emperors. The older St. Valentine was a bishop of Terni (near Rome) and was killed under the emperor Aurelian in 197 CE. He was buried on the Via Flaminia which runs north through the center of Rome and is now the Via del Corso. His relics can be visited at the Basilica of San Valentino in Terni. The later St. Valentine was a Roman priest martyred around 269 CE. He was also buried on the Via Flaminia and his relics are interred at the Basilica of Santa Prassede in Rome located on the Esquiline Hill in the neighborhood of Monti (pictured). The traditional day of St. Valentine coincides with the ancient Roman fertility festival, the Lupercalia, which took place on February 15th.

Christmas in Rome

Winter can be an exciting time to visit Rome, especially during the holidays. The Italians celebrate Christmas in grand style, with decorations (see St. Peter's pictured) and food (especially sweets like biscotti and torrone) unique to the season. Watch out for crowds, however, as all of Italy seems to descend on Rome during this time -and decide to fare un passagiata (take a walk) through the city all at once. Piazza Navona even hosts a special Christmas Market, complete with Santa Claus, a Nativity, and special stalls selling holiday goods. However, shopping thoughout the city can be unpredictable as many shopowners close down between Christmas and New Year's.