Christmas in Rome

Christmas is a magical time of year in Rome. The city bustles with festive twinkling lights, outdoor markets, holiday foodstuffs, concerts and more.

Rome Walks' Top Picks and Tips for a Roman Christmas

Shopping

Ornaments at the Piazza Navona Christmas Market

Christmas Market at Piazza Navona 

12 Dec - 6 Jan

The delight of children everywhere, starting mid-December Piazza Navona is filled with stands selling toys, candy, ornaments, figures for nativity scenes and much more. The square really comes to life in the late afternoon and evening with a carnival-like atmosphere: street performers, an old-fashioned carousel, and giant warm doughnuts slathered with Nutella.

Bagpipes

Zampognari 

Bagpipes in Italy?! A large format bagpipe known as a zampogna is a traditional instrument from shepherding communities in central and southern Italy. Players parade around the city marking the holidays with the forlorn notes of Italy's most famous (and perhaps only) Christmas carol: Tu scendi dalle stelle.

Food

Pandoro dusted with powdered sugar

Many special foodstuffs only make their appearance during the holidays. Panettone and Pandoro are buttery yeasted cakes sold in big boxes. Torrone is a nougat made from nuts, eggwhites and honey, sold in brittle or soft variations. Addictively sweet clementines are in season -- grab half a kilo from a fruit-seller, they make a great on-the-go snack. And don't forget roasted chestnuts, sold in paper cones by vendors around the city. To experience some of the feasting that is such a hallmark of the season, reserve places at one of the many restaurants that offer special multi-course holiday dinners on the 24th, 25th and 31st of December. 

Nativity Scenes

Classical Nativity Scene

Few things are as dear to Italians as the presepe or presepio (nativity scene or creche), a  vital folk art that brings the Christmas story to life through the diorama-like recreation of the birth of Jesus in a manger, surrounded by Mary, Joseph, the Magi, angels, animals, and sometimes hundreds of other figures engaged in their everyday village activities. Every church and main square boasts their own special presepio, and an annual exhibition of over a hundred can be seen in Piazza del Popolo. 

Lights

Lights on Via del Corso, 2013

Every neighborhood in Rome is done up with fantastic light displays for the holidays, and any stroll around the center during the season will be brightened by the merry Christmas twinkle.

Music

A busy season for classical music

If the bagpipers have whetted your appetite for seasonal music, you won't be disappointed: the city comes alive with many concerts of holy music. Almost all churches in the center host free concerts - check out posters outside churches for dates and times, most begin around 9:00 pm. Here are our suggestions for special concerts in Rome:

25 December 

Beethoven, Haydn, Lizst, etc 

Tempietto, Piazza Campitelli 9

26 December

Giovanni Allievi & Orchestra Sinfonica Italiana

Auditorium Parco della Musica, Viale del Coubertin 30

31 December

New Year's Concert - Opera Solos, Accademia dell'Opera Italiana

Chiesa Angelica All Saints, Via del Babuino 153

USEFUL INFO

Official Italian Holidays

25 December - Christmas

26 December - Feast of Saint Stephen

1 January - New Year's Day

6 January - Feast of the Epiphany

The Vatican Museums are closed on all of the dates above; the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine are closed on 25 December and 1 January.

Midnight Mass and Christmas Day mass at the Vatican in St. Peter's Square - write to nacvisoffrome@pnac.org for tickets

RomaPass, Omnia Card - Are They Worth It?

If you're planning a trip to Rome you may have heard about the RomaPass and Omnia Card. But are they worth the price?

Firstly, let's look at one of the biggest conveniences of both the RomaPASS and Omnia Card: three days of unlimited 

public transportation.

Metro Stop in Rome

Rome has an extensive transportation network of buses, metro lines, and several local trains. While locals who depend on ATAC (the Rome transport authority) complain about frequent strikes (an average of about 10 per year) and service not up to the level of other European capitals, visitors usually find the metro and buses a cheap and convenient way to get around to the major sites in the city center. Do be prepared for rush-hour crowds and reduced service on Sundays, holidays and...the month of August!

A BIT ticket costs €1.50 and is good for one metro ride and unlimited buses within 100 minutes of being stamped.

A variety of combo tickets (BIG - €6 for 24 hours, BTI - €16.50 for 3 days and CIS - €24 for 7 days) are available from the ticket machines in most major Metro stops and train stations.

Although the ATAC website has updates on strikes and a route-planner, it is only partially translated into English. 

The best online route-planner is muovi.it.roma, also available as an app and updated in real time.

Ostia Antica

Ostia Lido Beach

BEST DEALS: Get your money's worth from your transport ticket! Did you know you can travel to Rome's seaside for just €1.50? Or how about visiting the excavations of Ostia Antica, an ancient Roman city in the countryside? Both Ostia Lido (beach) and Ostia Antica (scavi)  can be reached from Ostiense train station for the very convenient price of a regular BIT ticket. 

ROMAPASS

RomaPASS Website

PRICE: €36 for a 3-day pass

WHAT YOU GET: The RomaPASS offers free entrance to two museums in Rome and unlimited public transportation for 3 days. It is sold online and in metro stations, newsstands and at many sights. BUT...it is not valid for entry to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.

Let's say you decide your free entries will be 1) Colosseum (includes entry to Forum and Palatine) and 2) Borghese Gallery

Tickets to the Colosseum are €12 - €14, and to the Borghese Gallery €11 - €13. If you intend to use public transport just twice per day, that adds up to €9 over 3 days.

TOTAL: €36 - the same price of the RomaPASS!

But if you intend to use the public transport more than twice a day, you will definitely save some euro, and will not have to take the time to buy individual tickets online - or will you? Well, for the Borghese Gallery you must book in advance and claim your tickets 45 minutes before entry time. Another advantage to the RomaPASS is that the Colosseum and Borghese gallery often host special exhibitions that cost an obligatory extra 4-6 euro on top of admission, but are free for RomaPASS holders.

CONCLUSION: Yes, it's worth it IF you plan on visiting more than just the Colosseum and Vatican AND are going to use public transportation extensively. Predicted savings per person: €10

OMNIA CARD

Omnia Card Website

PRICE: €85.50 - €95 for a 3-day pass

WHAT YOU GET: Two entries to museums (INCLUDING the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel), unlimited public transportation, and use of the hop-on, hop-off RomaCristiana open tour bus.

Let's say in this case your two free entries will be the Vatican Museums (which includes the Sistine Chapel) and the Colosseum. Note that St. Peter's Basilica is free to all.

As mentioned before, an online ticket to the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine is 14 euro. Skip-the-Line Vatican tickets can be purchased from the Vatican online for 20 euro. 

Unlimited public transportation for 3 days is €16.50 with a BTI ticket.

So far, the total is €50.50. Hmmm...where's the deal?

Oh yes, the open-top tour bus, with audio guides in many languages. This runs approximately every 20 minutes and has 11 stops in main points in the center; a complete circuit is about 1.5 hours. A single ride is €15, 24-hour access €20, 48-hour access €23.

So even adding up all the services Omnia Card offers up individually, the total is €73.50, we are still shy - by a good bit, too - of the price of the card. Why would anyone buy this?

Additionally, the card must be picked up at special offices at only two locations in Rome (near St. Peter's Square and St. John of Lateran).

CONCLUSION: It's not worth it. While audioguides are offered as part of the service, we find canned, recorded commentary makes for a stale experience of the wonders of the Eternal City. Nothing can replace a knowledgeable local guide who can bring history to life.

DOES ROME WALKS RECOGNIZE THE ROMAPASS?

Yes we do! If you book either the Ancient City & Colosseum or Borghese Gallery tours, please check the RomaPass box on the booking form and the ticket price will be deducted. 

We do not accept the Omnia Card for the Vatican, since their scheduled entries do not coincide with ours.

No RomaPASS? No problem!  

We purchase all entry tickets in advance for our clients. We don't consider ourselves a ticket agency - our mission is to provide the best tours and guides in the city, but we also want our clients' experience to be convenient and hassle-free, and we are happy to take care of all tickets and reservations for you. 

LOCAL FOOD SHOPPING Part 1: Demystifying the Roman Bakery

"Pane e formaggio è cibo per chi è sano" (Bread and cheese is food for the healthy)

 -Anonymous, Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum, 12th century

Roscioli Forno, near Campo di Fiori

Il Forno, Campo di Fiori

Whether you're planning a picnic or just looking to pick up a quick snack, a FORNO (bakery) is a quick ticket to leavened happiness that won't break your budget.

But if the selection at your local bakery leaves you bewildered, here is a guide on where to start:

ROLLS (panini)

Rossetta

Rosetta the quintessential Roman sandwich roll in the shape of a rose with a hard button of crust on top. Almost tasteless and with a hollow pocket inside, these are best fresh out of the oven, becoming almost inedible by afternoon.

Ciabatta

Ciabatta or schiacciatina  another inexpensive sandwich roll with a denser crumb and mild flavor. 

Tartaruga

The Tartaruga (turtle) is something like a mix of a rosetta and a ciabatta.

Panino al latte

Panino al latte this is a soft bread suitable for sweet fillings such as Nutella or jam.

LOAVES

Filone

Pagnotta

Loaves are suitable for meals or tearing off in chunks and are sold either as FILONE (long loaf) or PAGNOTTA (round loaf). You can buy a half, quarter or even less, and it can be sliced on request.

Pane casareccio

Casareccio One of the most popular, go-to breads for everyday dining, Casareccio translates as as "homestyle", and can often differ considerably from bakery to bakery. It has a thick, hard outer crust that ranges from dusty brown to almost black and a chewy, flavorful crumb.

Pane di Lariano

Pane di Lariano Prized local speciality made only in the town of Lariano outside of Rome, from a partially whole wheat flour and baked in ovens fired with chestnut wood. Usually made into low loaves, brown in color, chewy and with a complex, nutty flavor that does not resemble most whole wheat breads.

Pane di grano duro

Pane di Grano Duro A bread with a fine yellow crumb made with durum wheat (the high protein wheat commonly used in pasta) and a longer shelf life. Altamura is a delicious regional speciality from Puglia also made from this flour.

PIZZA! 

Almost all bakeries sell "pizza rustica" for take-out. But does the addition of lots of savory toppings (olives, sausage, artichokes..) always mean a tastier pizza? 

Pizza bianca

Not according to many office-workers and high school students who line up for budget-friendly Pizza Bianca (plain, no toppings) or Pizza Rossa (tomato sauce topping). Then again, one of baby's first street snacks is a tiny strip of no-mess pizza bianca. 

SWEETS

Should you be eating this at breakfast? Don't think on it too long: the maritozzo con la panna, a sweet brioche roll stuffed with whipped cream, disappears in the afternoon.

* Disclaimer: Many names for baked goods differ not only from city to city (the beloved Roman rosetta, for example, is alleged to have been invented in Lombardy and is known in Milan as the michetta) but even within the same city! A schiacciatina can be a crisp cracker or a soft roll, and focaccia comes in so many guises it is practically undefinable.



COMING SOON: Cheese, salami and more...

Rites of Spring

Rome may be a bustling city of 3 million inhabitants, but for many Romans, the seasons are still marked by agricultural traditions that span millennia

FAVA BEANS: SYMBOLS OF FERTILITY AND DEATH

Fava beans signal the arrival of spring:  few Romans would think of celebrating the 1st of May (Labor Day) without sacks of fresh fava (also known as broad beans) accompanied by the sharp and salty Pecorino Romano sheep's milk cheese, chewy, dark-crusted casareccio bread and wine from the Castelli Romani, the Roman countryside to the south-east of the city.

Fave e Pecorino

Yet these beans have a dark and mysterious history: they were believed by the Greeks to contain the souls of the dead. It was said that the black spots on the blossoms formed the shape of the Greek letter Theta, used as an abbreviation for thanatos, death. Pythagoras expressly prohibited any contact with them, though for Aristophanes they were an aphrodisiac: in one of his comedies Hercules, after eating a plate of broad beans, deflowers 10,000 virgins. The ancient Romans offered them to divinities associated with the underworld and used them in funeral rites. Even today, fava beans are part of traditional dishes served on the Day of the Dead (1 November) in some parts of Italy.

Who's Afraid of Beans?

Starting from the last days of April, fava beans appear in open-air markets and groceries, often accompanied by a warning sign "FAVE SFUSE" (loose fava beans). Although rare, even skin contact with broad beans can be dangerous for people with favismo, a serious genetic enzyme deficiency particularly common in some isolated parts of southern Italy, where as much as 20% of the population is affected.

Favas in their Pod

Fresh fava beans are sold in their pods, which are split open and discarded. Most of those who snack on the fresh beans prefer to strip away the rather bitter, light green outer skin to get to the brighter, sweeter flavor of the bean encased inside. 

They "marry" well with olive oil, pancetta, onion and pecorino in soups, stews and pasta sauces. Most Italians would scoff at the addition of garlic or cream often seen in non-Italian recipes, as it covers up the taste of the fresh ingredients.

FRUITS OF EARLY SPRING

FRAGOLE (Strawberries)

fragola favetta - a variety from the town of Terracina, south of Rome

Spring wouldn't be Spring without strawberries. Forget elaborate desserts: one of the most sublime tastes of  spring is a cup of strawberries topped with dollops of whipped cream, now appearing on Roman menus everywhere. 

The town of Nemi

Tiny Wild Strawberries

NEMI
Once famed among the ancient Romans for its Temple of Diana, a center of worship from the early 5th century BC, today the tranquil town of Nemi is best known for its delicious wild strawberries (fragoline di bosco) that grow on the volcanic slopes of the lake. 

About 30 km from Rome, the town holds its annual strawberry festival on the first Sunday of June, preceded by the flower festival the day before.

NESPOLE (Loquats)

Oranges have gone out of season, and it's still too early for apricots and peaches. Luckily, area loquat trees are heavy with fruit.

Loquat Tree

Inside a Loquat

Originally from the far-east (China and Japan), loquats are very successfully cultivated in the Mediterranean. Due to the size of the seeds, you may not get much edible flesh from a single loquat, but it has a sweet and tangy taste that's refreshing, especially on a warm spring day or after a heavy meal.

25 APRIL 1945: The Start of a New Beginning for Italy

Liberation Day - La Festa della Liberazione

25 April - Streets in Rome will be closed for parades to celebrate the 68th anniversary of liberation from the Nazis and the end of the Fascist regime.

Women in the Italian Resistance

The date marks the liberation of Milan and Turin, where the partigiani, the Italian resistance movement, aided by a popular insurrection, forced the retreat of the German soldiers.

Just two days later, Italy's fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was captured while attempting to cross the border into Switzerland and executed along with his lover Clara Petacci.

Actress Anna Magnani in "Rome, Open City", 1945

Rome was liberated in June of that year, and in September the film "Rome, Open City" was released in Italian theatres. Filmed on meagre war-time resources, director Roberto Rossellini dramatized the plight of the capital under Nazi occupation.

The Voice of the Italian Resistance

The song "Bella Ciao", derived from a folk song from the 1800s, became a choral emblem of the Italian resistance during the social protests of the 1960s; it has been translated into over thirty languages and sung all over the world as a protest song. 

At this time of year, bright red poppies, a common weed in Italy, begin to sprout up around the ruins and the train tracks. 

A symbol of remembrance in many of the Commonwealth Nations, poppies have been associated with war since they were noted growing on the graves of soldiers and figure in anti-war songs around the world.

Urban Fauna: Birds and Beasts of Rome

In Rome, A World Hidden Beneath your Feet

University Researcher Fishing for the Freshwater Crab Potamon Fluviatile in Trajan's Forum

The Forum and Market of Emperor Trajan lie in the heart of Rome's centre, bustling with noise, traffic and thousands of visitors everyday. Yet somehow it is home to the city's most surprising animal population: a robust colony of freshwater crabs, potamon fluviatile, which live several meters below the ruins in subterranean tunnels that connect with the cloaca maxima, one of the world's first sewer systems that evolved from the drainage channels first built by the Etruscans in the 7th century BC.

 

AFP/File Christophe Simon

It is not yet clear how long this population has been thriving in Rome, but they seem to have adapted extraordinarily well to the hostile urban environment, feeding not only on insects but pieces of popcorn and even cigarette butts. The entire colony is affected by gigantism, growing up to twice as large as other members of the same species, which indicates isolation and a long, gradual process of adaptation. 

Potamon Fluviatile

Recent genetic studies link them to a Greek species introduced to Italy 3000 years ago, before the founding of Rome. Or perhaps they escaped from the nearby Forum Pisciarium, the ancient Roman fish market where vendors once hawked these crustaceans that are also known as "the poor man's lobster".

Look Up and Look Out: the Starlings are Coming

Rome at twilight, bathed in rosy, golden light, becomes the scenic backdrop for swarms of starlings that form pulsing, mutating shapes in the air in an enchanting aerial spectacle.

AFP Photo/ Gabriel Buoys

Arriving from Russia and the Baltic countries, the birds first started wintering in Rome around 80 years ago, and show no signs of wanting to leave their second home. Experts debate the exact number, but some estimate that there are 4 starlings for every human inhabitant in the city. 

Starling Murmuration seen from the Palatine Hill at Twilight

The swarming behaviour of a murmuration of starlings serves to distract predators: amazingly, each starling tracks the movements of seven of its neighbours simultaneously to be able to fly in formation with them and make an individual contribution to the swarm as a cohesive force. And all this happens 10 times faster than a human can think.

Don't Park under the Trees

They seem to adore the city lights,  noisy traffic, and smelly bus depots warmed by exhaust fumes.

The results can be devastating. Every night at roosting time, within just a few minutes, a rain of corrosive, malodorous guano covers everything from busy squares near the train station to tree-lined avenues in the outer boroughs. 

Terrorizing Starlings with Audio Devices along the Tiber River

City workers in hazmat suits patrol the targeted areas with special devices that emit a piercing distress call, a technique in use for several years that has met with some degree of success. 

But meanwhile, sit back and enjoy the show.