Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Roman Adventures and Getting to the Beach for 1 Euro




I have been to Roma about 8 times now and have just started to figure out how it all works. Roma is a big city... it is walkable but the traffic is rather dense and pretty scary. My husband, Jesse, and I take the students to Roma every summer. There are two different groups that have this excursion, so we go twice every summer. This time we wanted to extend our trip to see the beautiful beach side city of Sperlonga. On Friday, we boarded the train only to read in the newspaper that there would be a 'sciopero dei treni', train strike, from 9 pm on Saturday to 9 pm on Sunday. Knowing that the small city of Sperlonga would be impossible to travel back and forth from without a train, we had to cancel our reservation. Unfortunately that is Italy folks... it was lucky that we actually found out about the strike this time. Through the 80's they had regular unannounced strikes that really messed everyone up.

We stayed in the beautiful Hotel Fiamma, right around the block from Termini station, where the concierge gave us directions to a nice public beach just outside of Roma. Traveling in Roma is easy once you get the hang of it. Always ask the driver of the bus about the exact stop you desire. That way he knows you are exiting there and he will actually stop. The best thing to do is to buy a Biglietto BIG which is 4 Euros but is valid for all trams, buses, and metros for the entire day. It expires at midnight. We took the students to meet up with their private tour of Roma Antica with Enjoy Rome at the Piazza Navona. This is a great place to get a gelato and peruse through the art sold in the piazza. The Fountain of the Four Rivers found in the middle of Piazza Navona is a sight not to be missed.

Jesse and I have been to Roma so many times that we have really seen it all. The Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Antique Rome, etc. So, we decided to go back to the hotel and watch the Tour de France (they were in the Pyrenese this weekend). Around 6 pm we were ready to go for an Aperitivo. An aperitivo in Italy is a must-do. You have to find the right place and then you can start your dinner there. You pay for a drink and there is a buffet of food to eat. We went to our favorite part of town, Trastevere. This is where the night life is in Roma and the food is fantastic. We found the interesting Artu' Cafe'. This bar was a sight to be seen. Drinks were only 7 Euros and you could eat endlessly on the buffet of pasta and panini. I definitely recommend this place if you can find it.

Next we stopped at our favorite bar, Baccanale A Trastevere, to share a giant Mojito before going to our dinner. The seafood in this area is fantastic. When you walk down the main strip it is hard to pick the wrong restaurant! The problem is that some of the dishes are only served in twos. Meaning that if you want lobster pasta, there is a minimum of two people ordering it or you can't order it at all.

After dinner, during the summertime, there is a market along the Tevere (the Tiber) River. There is music, bars, and shops as well as fun carnival games. Make sure you get a drink in Trastevere to go and take it with you to the market. The drinks at the bars in the market are much more expensive. Getting to and from Trastevere can be very difficult. We have never figured out how to make this easier. All of the night life including the occasional street performer happens near Santa Maria in Trastevere. We have never found any public transport that gets you close. The closest is Castel San Angelo. There is a lot happening at night there too during certain times of the summer.

The next day Jesse and I decided to go to the beach. We each got a ticket for andata e ritorno (round trip) that cost 1 Euro each way. We were told to take the Metro to the Piramide stop where you get on an above ground tram that takes you along the seaside. Then we were told to get off at Lido di Ostia... this is a bad idea. We discovered that you should stay on the tram until the end stop, Cristoforo Colombo. Then, you take the #7 Mare bus up and down the seaside. We passed natural reserve and then it was public beach as far as the eye can see. Get ready for the bus ride, they drive fast, and they stop fast. I've ridden in a lot of buses in Italy, but never experienced something like this. The entire trip took about an hour and the beach is nice. It is definitely worth 1 Euro! Just remember, kite boarding is getting really big in Italy and these guys are everywhere. Be careful because you are not allowed to swim in the area marked off for them. You will see signs at the far ends of the beach.

Our train home was running 55 minutes late. There was some sort of technical issue. I recommend taking an IC (InterCity) or Eurostar train. The regional trains are almost always late.

Sibley Suggestions:

Roma is beautiful. You have to see it at least once in your lifetime. Getting to the beach is so easy and only costs 2 Euro to get there and back per person. Totally worth it! Always stay aware and in groups around the train station at night, it can be sketchy. Take a Taxi home from Trastevere. It doesn't cost much and trust me, after a fun night in Trastevere, the last thing you want to do is go looking for the night bus stop!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

A rainy day and Monster Park




I believe this story must be told... so here I am to tell it. Italy is a funny country in a lot of ways. It is very romanticized to say the least. Italians love to talk... I mean LOVE to talk.... and it can get tiring when it is not your first language. Because of all of this talking, a lot of stuff doesn't get done as fast as you would hope. This goes for organizational issues as well. From the smallest groups to city planning, lots of things go unnoticed. This brings me to my story of how we finally made it to Monster Park.

The image above is the Colossus in Monster Park. Let's back up. The night before Monster Park we were searching for someplace to go for a day trip. My husband and I love to travel, we definitely have the travel bug, so we made a decision after returning to Italy that we would go to at least one new place every week. We wanted to go to the seaside, but it was supposed to rain all weekend. So, we decided to surf the internet until something interesting popped up. Then we saw it.... Monster Park or Sacro Bosco in Italian. This park was created in the 1500's by Vicino Orsini near the town of Bomarzo. Now we begin to research the logistics, how to get there, how far, etc. We looked at a lot of travel blogs and people all said stop at the Attigliano-Bomarzo train station and then the park is just a 500 meter walk from there. Sounds great!

The next day we wake up and get on the early train. We arrive about 3 hours later in the little town of Attigliano. We get off the train, go out in front of the station.... no signs. We ask, "Scusa, qual'รจ direzione per il Sacro Bosco?" "Oh no" she says (the rest I will put in english since most of you reading this speak english) "that is in Bomarzo.... that is 15 Km away uphill." "Is there a bus?" we ask. "No, no bus... that is a different region." See the buses don't run in between regions. We were in Umbria and Bomarzo is across the border in Lazio. "You must take a taxi" she says. OK. Great. So we call a taxi. He says he has to come from Viterbo and it will cost us 70 euros for roundtrip.... 15 Km.... HAHAHA! Jesse and I look at eachother... well I guess we will walk. 

2 hours later we are in Monster Park. It was amazing! All of the sculptures were made out of the stone on the land. It was forgotten about for hundreds of years and is now open again as a public park. There are sculptures like the Colossus, the Turtle, the Unicorn, the Dragon, the Orca, and the Ogre. They are amazing. Here is a link to my pictures my husband has posted on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=100527&id=606692652&l=903c99fd97

So here we are in Monster Park and we are loving it all. We visit the Medieval city of Bomarzo. Its small winding streets inside the fortress walls makes this town and jewel to be found and treasured. But we have to get back to the station. That is when it starts to rain. Finally, a car starts to pass us and stops, backs up, and a woman leans out the window and says, "Would you like a ride?" YAY! The two wonderful ladies were from Amsterdam and were here on vacation, they had seen us leaving the park on foot. They took us up the hill to Attigliano were we ate pizza and drank beer to warm up.

 Sibley Suggestions: 

I definitely suggest going to Monster Park. It is worth the trip. As for transportation, bring a bicycle on the train or go by car. Walking is not the best option. Important things to know: No dogs allowed. You are not supposed to take pictures, but the guards turn their heads. They will not take your picture, it is not allowed. Bring a good lock for your bike since you will not be able to take it into the park.