The Jolly Hotel Villa Carpegna Rome is a modern hotel which is set in its very own landscaped gardens. The gardens themselves are a sight to see. The hotel is located next to the city’s expansive Villa Pamphili park which overlooks the Roman rooftops west of the historic city center, under 2 kilometers from Saint Peter’s Basilica. If you’ve gotten tired of being a tourist in the city, guests of the Jolly Hotel Villa Carpegna Rome can soak up the sun on the terraces surrounding the outdoor swimming pool. The hotel is known for comfort, value and friendly attention of welcoming staff. It will almost feel like you’ve never left home but with great scenic views.

Another hotel that I liked is Starhotels Michelangelo Rome. It’s a 4 star hotel located close to Saint Peter Square in the heart of baroque Rome. It’s the best place to stay at if you’re planning to visit Saint Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums. The Sistine Chapel is also just a short distance away. The hotel is also just walking distance from the complex of Castel Sant’Angelo with its museum and the stroll along the Tiber embankment. A stay in one of the rooms of Starhotels Michelangelo Rome also offers a magical view of the Dome of Saint Peter’s Cathedral.

The third hotel that I liked lies just a mere hundred yards from Piazza San Pietro and the spiritual home of the Catholic church. The Emmaus Hotel is a 3 star hotel in Rome that has great access to the Vatican and all its treasures. It’s a great place to stay at for pilgrims and tourists alike. Like the Starhotels Michelangelo Rome, the Emmaus Hotel also features rooms with views of the dome of Saint Peter’s Cathedral. This hotel offers a refreshing and homely atmosphere by combining practicality and convenience with the peaceful ambiance.

Is it obvious that I haven’t strayed too far away when it comes to the sights I went to see in Rome? It looks like I definitely need to expand more on the Roman horizons and see more of the city. If you have any place at all that you can suggest, feel free to say so. These are just some of my choices for accommodations. I’m open to knowing any of yours.

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One of the many museums inside Rome is the National Etruscan Museum.  Inside this museum in Piazzalle di Villa Giulia Rome are the well preserved artifacts of the great Etruscan empire. These artifacts are well kept and preserved to show how the Etruscan Empire molded the present Rome.

Another well known painter that lived in Rome is Michelangelo. He painted one of the greatest art in the world.  It is located at the ceiling of the Sistine chapel re-enacting the scenes from the bible having over 300 figures in it showing the signature style of Michelangelo itself. This chapel is a must see location in Rome.

Another well known museum in Rome is the Vatican museum. It is located at the Vatican City, Rome known to have the greatest word literature of Christianity and religious Rome itself.

The carpet museum of the National Museum of Palazzo Venezia  in V. del plebescito Rome s known for its large amount of carpets and tapestries.  It is also the former residence of a pope in Rome.

Next is the National Roman museum which is built upon several buildings in its ruins. Some ruins are assembled with addition from the collection of other historical collectors.  Rome also has a lot of ruins that can also be considered as an open museum for those people who have a short time in visiting Rome.  The pillars and roads are dated way back the Roman Empire in where some are restored or renovated.

Another museum in Rome houses a lot of artworks; a lot I mean over 100,000 pieces of artworks are located inside this museum. This museum is the Museo di Roma, it is a former palace now reformed as a museum to show how great the artistic development of Rome way back their old time.

The well known artist Vincent van Gogh also has his paintings walled at the Municipal Gallery of Modern Art.  This museum shows the great works of the modern artists from Vincent Van Gogh to the well known modern painter Jackson Pollock.

Last in my list is the Castel’ de Sant Angelo also known as the tomb of Emperor Hadrian who built the Hadrian’s Wall to protect to Roman Empire from attacks coming from the outside.  This museum is known as a plush of the Renaissance period. Inside this museum are the dark, old and dank armors of the Roman army.  The museum also has a café at the rooftop terrace ideal for the viewers above the city.

Rome houses the greatest museums showing the true Roman spirit and how the old empire evolved into one of the greatest city known in the present.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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There are a lot of bars and clubs located all over the city but the best way to enjoy the culture, vibe and spirit of Rome is outdoors. The weather is mild in Rome for the most part of the year so every little square patch of the street often turns into a big outdoor bar. The locals love their evening walks around the cobble stone streets, sipping beer while chatting with friends just outside a bar or sitting at a table outside a café. Mind you, the streets are not for walking in high heels. This takes the phrase “seen and be seen” on a whole other level.

Most of Rome’s nightlife and night entertainment areas are concentrated downtown or nearby. Each place has its own distinct characteristic. The area around Piazza Navona and Via della Pace is riddled with wine bars and cafes that make it quite chic. Campo De Fiori is loud and is where tourists mix up with the locals. Trastevere is more on the boheme side. It’s a Roman quality that’s still international in a sense with coffee shops, restaurants, pubs and wine bars. San Lorenzo is where the main university can be found so the nightlife in the area hosts a young, laid back crowd where students hang out in the many bars. The main streets of Monte Testaccio and Via Ostiense and its surroundings are packed with bars -  from hip to posh to house music clubs; from salsa bars to gay discos to resto-bars.

Another thing to note about the night line in Rome is that the Romans are found of Irish pubs so you’ll find them almost everywhere. Ironically, the stereotypical Irish drinking can’t be found though as Romans aren’t at all heavy drinkers.

When the night is almost up, locals usually like to indulge in their favorite habit connected with the nightlife in Rome. Romans like to grab a croissant and drink a hot cappuccino on the way back home. Stop in one of the coffee bars still open spread all over the town and feast on a warm croissant before saying goodbye to the night.

Rome can definitely provide you with a  whole other experience in nightlife.

Rome for singles: http://www.europetravelguide.net/2009/top-european-cities-for-singles/

Shopping in Rome: http://www.europetravelguide.net/2009/shopping-in-rome/

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Shops in Rome are generally open from 9am to 1pm, 9:30am in the center of the city, and reopens from 4pm to 7:30pm.  There are however a few exceptions: I must break every shopaholic’s heart by saying that clothing stores in Rome are closed on Sunday and Monday mornings. I know it hurts it’s when you still have lots of money right? But then, they follow the general hours of opening and closing.

For those gluttons shopping their stomachs through Rome, food stores are open from 8am to 1pm and reopen from 5pm to 7:30pm. Sadly though, that on Sundays and Thursday afternoons, these gluttons must take a break since food stores are closed during these days, except during summer since they are close on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. Vegetarians in Rome  must wake up early to catch the outdoor fresh vegetable markets such as Campo de’Fiori which is open from 7am to 2pm Mondays to Saturdays. Supermarkets on the other hand are 8am to 8pm all day, including Sundays.

Shoppers must consider the last two weeks of August as a summer holiday break for these shops as well as for their pockets.

If you’re looking for the best finds for clothes and the latest trends in Rome, you might want to try visiting the area between via del Corso and via del Babuino in the vicinity of the Spanish steps. Many of the posh shops and haute couture boutiques can be found in that area: those of Armani, Prada, Gucci, Ferragamo, Bulgari Jewelers, Cartier Jewelers, Swatch, Mont Blanc and La Perla can be found in Via Condotti. Other shops you must check out at the side streets of Piazza Mignanelli, Piazza di Spagna, Via Borgognona,  Fontanella Borghese, Via del Babuino and places surrounding the vicinity.

One top shop of hats that has a significant collection of hats worn by famous people such as Mussolini and Trilussa can be found at 7 Via Minghetti, the Fratelli Vigano men’s shop which dates back its existence back to 1873.

For those shoppers who would want to stick to a strict budget, Rome offers the lower cost clothing shops. You’ll find these budget friendly yet trendy stores near the Vatican centered on Via Cola de Rienzo and Via Ottaviano.

Cookware and kitchen wares are also very much affordable and available in Rome. You can check out C.U.C.I.N.A. at 65 Via Mario de’ Fiori for kitchenware and cookware that you might ever need and ‘Gusto at 7 Piazza Augusto Imperatore for cookbooks that will offer a variety of recipes that will surely satisfy your taste.

There are still a lot to see and a number of shops to go to in Rome. Just be ready to walk and have your feet sore as you empty your pockets in one shopping getaway of a lifetime!

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