Castello Ruspoli in Vignanello

The Ruspolis and their ancestors have been prominent in Italy since the days of Charlemagne, and their ancestral home, Castello Ruspoli in Vignanello, is famous for its gardens. Designed during the Renaissance by the architect Sangallo, the parterre (garden) of maze-like hedges was set up by Giulia Farnese, the wife of the famous Count Orsini who built the Parco dei Monstri in Bomarzo. You can visit the Castello and its gardens every Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (or arrange for a private tour). You may even catch a glimpse of Princess Claudia Ruspoli, who often helps to collect the tickets!

L'Espresso's Guide to the Best Restaurants in Italy

L'Espresso, La Repubblica's weekly cultural magazine, has published its top restaurant choices in Italy for 2009. You can search by region for the best of the best in every city. Their top pick for Lazio is La Pergola at the Rome Cavalieri Hilton. Also among their top ten are L'Altro Mastai and Il San Lorenzo, two restaurants that the Modern Traveler has reviewed. Buon Apetito!

Calling All Archaeologists: Excavate in Italy Summer 2009

If you have some experience in archaeological fieldwork, the University of Michigan may be looking for you. In June of 2009, UM will launch a six-week excavation at the urban site of Gabii, an ancient settlement of Rome's Italian allies. Gabii is located just east of Rome and excavators will be housed in nearby Frascati at the Hotel Villa Mercede. Read more about the excavation in UM's Literature, Science and Arts magazine. The Modern Traveler can't think of a better way to spend the summer-living and breathing Roman history!

Mario Batali's Lazio and Frascati Recommendations

Mario Batali,the famous Manhattan restaurateur whose newest project is a series on Spain with Gwyneth Paltrow, has an extensive website with recommendations for restaurants and hotels all over Italy. Of particular interest to the Modern Traveler are his recommendations for Lazio, the region around Rome. He touts two spots in Frascati, the site of the baroque Villa Aldobrandini (pictured). For gnocchi and views he recommends Zaraza and for a more upscale experience (with wine caves) Cacciani in the center of town. If you can't make it to Lazio, but you are in Manhattan and want a taste of Rome, visit Batali's Roman-style restaurant, Lupa.

Tod's Film Takes Gwyneth to Rome to Promote Pashmy Bag

Tod's, the Milanese shoe company famed for its driving loafer, recently released a film on its website starring Gwyneth Paltrow (who has her own website now-read a review here). The film, directed by Dennis Hopper, is dedicated to a new handbag, the Pashmy, and what happens when the celebrity loses hers in Rome. Campo dei Fiori and the Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati are the featured locations in this short film. Villa Aldobrandini is an incredible 17th century palace built by the nephew of Pope Clement VIII, Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini. The Villa is famous for its commanding view of the valley leading up to Rome, as well its water theater, park and Baroque wall-paintings. The Villa and the charming town of Frascati make for an excellent daytrip from Rome- and admission is free!
Watch the film here.

Most Romantic Walks in Rome

If you are on your honeymoon or you are just in the mood for romance, you will find unlimited opportunities for charming walks in Rome. The walk from the Galleria Borghese to the Pincio, one of the most famous strolls in Rome, should be done in time to watch the sun go down over St. Peter's (pictured). For you archaeology buffs, a walk on the Palatine Hill will take you out of the crowds and into shady paths with lovely views of the Forum (and some interesting ruins-like the house of the Emperor Augustus- as well). An evening passegiata in Trastevere will inspire you to move to Rome and become a starving artist. Don't miss the Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere and its namesake church, whose 12th century Byzantine mosaics are illuminated at night. If your legs are up to it, head up to Piazzale Garibaldi on the Gianicolo (Janiculum Hill) for the best view of Rome. Don't forget to linger by the Fontana dell'Acqua Paola. And last, if you need to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city for a day, take the train to Ostia Antica. Pack a picnic lunch and wander among the ruins for the afternoon. Be sure to visit the amphitheater, public baths and forum.
Readers: What's your favorite walk in Rome?

Day Trips from Rome: Lake Nemi's Festival of Strawberries

On June 7th and 8th of this year, the town of Nemi (named for the volcanic lake upon which it is perched) celebrates the Sagra delle Fragole, or Festival of Strawberries. The weekend will feature all kinds of events surrounding the folklore of the wild strawberry in the region, with music, parades and free strawberries in the piazza for all who come. The town is located southeast of Rome in the Alban Hills and is not only known for its strawberries but also as the location of an ancient shrine to Diana, the goddess of the forest. Lake Nemi was home to a luxurious floating temple of Diana built by the emperor Caligula. This floating temple was discovered by archaeologists and enshrined in a museum in the 1930s. Unfortunately, when the Nazis left Rome they burned the museum and the ancient ship. The museum was rebuilt and many of the preserved artifacts can be visited today.

Day Trips from Rome- Etruscan Tombs at Cerveteri

Near the medieval town of Tarquinia, about an hour's drive north from Rome, is an Etruscan necropolis. Dating all the way back to the 9th century BCE when it was actually a Villanovan burial ground, Cerveteri is the site of thousands of tumuli, circular tombs dug into the ground. The burial ground, eerie even on the sunniest day, actually served as a location for scenes in the 1976 film "The Omen." Today you will find it a peaceful spot for a morning's diversion. To get there from Rome, take the E80 toward Civitavecchia. Not far past the exit to Cerveteri on the E80 is Santa Severa, a beachside community known for its medieval castle and the ruins of an Etruscan fortress, known as Pyrgi. Have some lunch, clear your head, and take a swim!

Day Trips from Rome-Hadrian's Villa at Tivoli

In the 2nd century CE the Emperor Hadrian built a country retreat for himself to escape the chaos and corruption of Rome. Hadrian had travelled all over the Roman Empire and used many different architectural traditions in the more than 30 buildings at the site. Hadrian's Villa was created with extensive horticultural and sculpture gardens, libraries, temples and bath complexes. Today the villa is a UNESCO World Heritage site and still provides a welcome haven for visitors from Rome. While you are in the area of Tivoli (ancient Tibur) be sure to stop at the Villa d'Este, a Renaissance palace known for its spectacular fountains, built by Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este, son of Lucrezia Borgia. For the antiquarians among you, the farm belonging to the Augustan poet Horace is also nearby. The town of Tivoli is about 30 kilometers from Rome. Take the A24 east and turn off at Via Empolitana. Follow the signs to Tivoli, Villa Adriana and Villa d'Este. Alternatively, take the train from Rome (Tiburtina Station) to Tivoli. You'll have to take a bus or taxi to the Villa from the center of the town of Tivoli.

White Wines of Rome

Certainly the wines of Italy are renowned. The wines of the region surrounding Rome (Lazio) are not as well-known as some of the neighboring regions (like Tuscany). But Roman wines, especially the whites, are quite popular within the region and some are even widely exported. You may have heard of Est! Est! Est! from Montefiascone, made from combinations of Malvasia and Trebbiano grapes. Other white wines that are worthy of note are the Castelli Romani (Roman Castles) from the Alban Hills region around Lake Nemi (pictured above). The wines from this area have an ancient reputation, and in particular Frascati and Marino have an international following. The region offers many other interesting white wines (also made primarily with Malvasia grapes), such as Colli Albani, Colli Lanuvini, and Montecampatri-Colonna. You will find that the white wines from Lazio are sweet, fruity, light, and not meant to be set down for long periods of time. Enjoy them on the younger side. Look for these wines on the menu in restaurants and wine bars or pick up a bottle at an enoteca (wine shop). Try the Enoteca Bernabei at Via San Francesco a Ripa #48 in Trastevere for a great selection and helpful guidance.
Readers: What are some of your favorite white wines of Lazio?

Day Trips from Rome-Il Parco dei Monstri in Bomarzo

About an hour's drive from Rome is the lovely medieval hillside town of Bomarzo. The town is topped by a palace built by the Orsini family. The Orsinis traced their origins to Julius Caesar and were very prominent among the papacy and royalty throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The main attraction of Bomarzo is the Park of the Monsters (Il Parco dei Monstri). In 1552 Pier Francesco Orsini commissioned Pirro Ligorio, the architect who designed the Villa d'Este at Tivoli, to design a garden as a gift for his wife, Guilia Farnese. The garden is not the typical Renaissance garden filled with manicured hedges and classical sculptures. Rather it is a fantasy of mythological structures and sculptures, monsters and deities each stranger than the next. The sculptures are on a grand scale, inspiring awe in the visitors and also allowing them to interact with the sculptures. It's a wonderful place to bring children-and adults will love it too! To get there from Rome, take the A1 toward Florence and then the exit toward Viterbo. Follow the signs to Bomarzo.

Day Trips from Rome-Ostia

Ostia Antica was the port of ancient Rome. From here Roman traders would leave for locations around the Mediterranean, and traders from all over the Roman world would bring their goods here to be taken up the Tiber River to be sold in markets in Rome. Ostia was a prosperous city with all the features of a tiny Rome: an amphitheater, bath complexes, temples, markets, apartment buildings and lavish villas. Today Ostia is one of the best preserved ancient Roman archaeological sites, due to the fact that silt from the Tiber River covered it for the better part of 1500 years. Some would say that it is even better preserved than Pompeii. To get to Ostia, it's best to take the Metro line from the Porta San Paolo ("Piramide") station to Ostia Antica. If it's a particularly hot day, feel free to take the train on to Ostia Lido (the beach) after your visit to the ruins. You'll get a taste of the typical Italian beach experience-gelato, crowds, and spirited cafe life.