Yes Hotel Rome Travel Blog: The Rome travel guide

The Wizard of Sound, Alan Parsons, will perform next 23 th July in Rome at the Foro Italico. No excuses, be there at 9.00 pm, so you will not miss the enchanting atmospheric vibrations of this Master of Rock.

Low profile image, with his almost ‘’shy boy’’ look, focusing all his energies in the invisible inspiring force of sound, Alan Parsons worked with bands like The Beatles and Pink Floyd, helping to give birth to authentic immortal masterpieces.

His band, the Alan Parsons Project, offers a cool and sophisticated vision of rock in all its elegance and philosophical aspirations. Just pure musical Hedonism.  For more information about the Alan Parsons concert or accommodations during July contact us at info@yeshotelrome.com.

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Is the name of the exhibition that takes place in the Museo di Roma from 5th December, 2012 until.7th April 2013. Sketches that gave birth to immortal masterpieces will provide a genuine prospective of the creation process by the great Canova.

Antonio Canova (1757-1822) became famous for bringing back the classical elegance after the fire of baroque style with all its passionate excess cooled down a bit. His solid and graceful marble nudes are vibrant and unquestionably alive, in a radiant white full of splendour.

Opening time from 10.00 until 20.00 from Tuesday to Sunday, admission ticket is 11 euros.. For booking try Infoline: tel. +39 060608 (daily, from 9:00 to 21:00) or visit www.omniticket.it.

Museo di Roma is located in Piazza San Pantaleo, 10 near Piazza Navona. (a 15 minutes bus ride from our location). For more info info@yeshotelrome.com.

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By following this simple tips you may have not a story to tell about a taxi driver that has left you with a wallet excessively empty.

Before taking a cab ask our staff about how much a fair price will be for the desired destination,  which helps you to avoid unpleasant situations.

It is true that our hotel is just around the corner from Termini Station, but also half a block from Piazza Indipendenza. The point is that from Termini you pay a supplement of  2 euros more, that you save instead from the stand at Indipendenza square.

There are two airports in Rome: Fiumicino and Ciampino. There is an official rate for taxis which is from our Hotel 48 euros to Fiumicino and 30 euros to Ciampino. This price applies for a maximum of four persons and four bags.

Any trip to the historic centre should show up as Tariffa 1 on the meter. Tariffa 2 applies beyond the Grande Raccordo Annulare and it is charged at a higher rate. Make sure that the driver has set the right Tariffa while traveling to the Roman centre.

Rome taxi drivers prefer to use taxi stands. You might be able to flag a taxi down, but it is a rarer occurence than in most cities. Romans know they’ll find a taxi stand in all the major piazze.

Official cabs are white, have a taxi sign mounted on the roof, have an insignia on the driver’s door reading “Comune di Roma,” have an official number and a meter. You want an official cab. Do not use the touts at Termini Station.

The meter starts at different rates depending on the day and time, as it follows:

Monday –Saturday from 7am- 10pm the meter starts at €2,80

Sundays and Holidays the meter starts at €4,00

Night fares from 10pm-7am, the meter starts at €5,80

Supplement from Termini Station plus 2 euros.

* Each piece of luggage with the following dimensions cost (cm 35×25x50) €1,00 each..

If you feel you have been cheated by a taxi, the driver’s license number is written on a metal plate on the left door on the passenger side. Make sure you get a receipt or ricevuta and write down the name and number printed on the plate. In addition, you should also take note of which cab company you used .With this information, you can file a complaint with the cab company and should be able to receive reimbursement.

And remember that our staff will assist you with all the information you may need. See you soon.

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Popes or their families were involved in making expensive and impressive villas, works of art or monuments for power and family prestige, now these structures account to a great deal of income.

Villa D’Este is no different story, in-fact this is byproduct of Roman Catholic priests’ luxurious and competitive life style.

Pope Julius III elevated Cardinal Ippolito II D’Este, grandson of Pope Alexander VI, to governor of Tivoli (north east of Rome) in 1550.

As a result of his new assignment, the cardinal was given an old monastery. Not satisfied with the new office, Ippolito, called famous architects, engineers and painters of that time to change an unknown monastery to ‘gardening and water-play model’ across Europe.

In the process, Villa Adriana marbles and statues were dismantled by the orders of the cardinal to making his own villa better.

The late-Renaissance villa stayed on D’Este family until the 18th C. when Maria Beatrice (daughter of Ercole II D’Este) married Duke Ferdinand of Habsburg, and automatically the villa became a Habsburg property.

As other Roman villas fate, the D’Este fell in disrepair and was neglected till the Italian State bought and restored it after the end of first world war. It is now open to the public

Villa D’Este became UNESCO world Heritage Site in 2001.
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Every country is different, here are some tips that will help you to have a more enjoyable experience in Italy:

• Assuming you can buy tickets for public transportation directly on the bus / tram.

Most big cities in Italy (Rome, Milan, Naples, Florence) require you to buy your bus/tram tickets before boarding. And not just that, but most bus stops will not have a ticket machine next to the stop. Rather, you’ll need to find a newspaper stand (edicola) or a tobacco shop (tabaccaio) to purchase your tickets.

• No validating train tickets

Depending on the type of train ticket you buy, you may need to validate it or otherwise you pay a fine. This will be indicated on the ticket.

• Assuming that cars and scooters will leave you to go first while crossing the streets

Even when they are bounded to, many drivers will not stop to let you go first and scooters will never do it (they have no obligation).

• Expecting to be waited on very attentively in a restaurant or store.

Many restaurants will be “understaffed,” (few waiters working many tables) They probably won’t ask “how are you folks doing?”, if you like the food, if you want a refill (this concept doesn’t exist) or other general “friendly” requests that are in reality superfluous to your main dining experience – they just don’t have the time. So, sit back, be patient, and flag down your waiter when you need something, but be patient in knowing they are probably working very hard.

• Tipping.

You don’t need to tip in Italy. Italians will only leave a tip for exceptional service (anniversary dinner in a Michelin-starred restaurant) or will leave the change when paying cash because it’s easier not to wait for the waiter to make change .

• Thinking you have to order an antipasto, primo e secondo at every meal.

Most Italians don’t eat an antipasto, primo, secondo and dolce at every meal – you don’t have to, either.

• Not respecting meal times, especially at lunch time.

Most restaurants and bars have specific opening times, and they will close in the afternoon. If you have a late breakfast, visit museums through lunch and hope to get a bite to eat at 2pm or 3pm, you’re going to find a very limited selection.

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• Ordering before paying, paying before ordering in a bar.

Many bars require that you get a receipt (scontrino) before ordering, especially if you see the cash register (cassa) sitting apart from where you’ll pick up the food or coffee, and you don’t see immediate table service.

• Touching fruit & vegetables with your bare hands in a street market or supermarket.

In a supermarket you should see plastic gloves and bags near the scales or throughout the fruit/veg section. Use them. In an open-air market, you won’t see these gloves because you are not expected to handle anything yourself – the people working in the stall will do everything.

Our staff will kindly help you to learn all that you need about Italian culture. See you around!

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The most exciting experience, that will take you back in time not only to understand a very special aspect of daily life in Ancient Rome, but to feel it in a unique way. The Gladiator School in Rome run by the Gruppo Storico Romano (enthusiastic volunteers willing to tell you everything they know about Rome) provides this opportunity.

First a  history lesson: weapons, costumes and models from Ancient Rome. Then, the gladiator style warm up (dressed in a kind of toga) with belt, sandals and a wooden training sword called a ‘rudis’. The rest of the time at gladiator school is about learning different techniques of attack and defence using your wooden sword. When you’ve proved yourself with that, you’ll move on to use the ‘gladius’, the heavier sword which gave gladiators their name

The activity is good for both adults and kids (thou for children over 6 years old). The price depends on the size of the group that makes the booking. The school is located at Via Appia Antica 18, which is just a short cab ride from the Coliseum and a wonderful complement to its visit.

I came to know about it for clients that tried it and found it the most interesting and funny! ( So now  I have to try it myself,  maybe I will see you there. Why not?)

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Hello music lovers! The Opera House in Rome il ‘‘Teatro della Opera’’is located near Piazza Repubblica, which is only five minutes walk from our location Eventually there are in Rome also churches where concerts take place. But for the best Acoustic the Opera House remains on top..

Undoubtedly opera and ballet in Rome is something special and carries its own magic flavour. See you very soon and enjoy it!

Here follows the season 2012-2013 program.

27 November to 11 December:  Simon Boccanegra. Opera. Music by Giuseppe Verdi

22 December to 5 January: Don Chischiotte.  Ballet. Music by Ludwig Minkus.

27 January to 3 February: Il Naso. Opera. Music by Dmitrij Šostakovi?.

9 February to 14 February: Giselle. Ballet. Music by Adolphe Adam

6 March to 16 March: I due Foscari. Opera. Music by Giuseppe Verdi

5 April to 13 April:  Samson et Dalila. Opera. Music by Camille Saint-Saëns

10 May to 18 May:  Rienzi. Opera. Music by Richard Wagner

28 May to 5 June: La Sylphide. Ballet. Music by Hermann Severin von Løvenskjold.

18 June to 25 June: Don Pasquale. Opera. Music by Gaetano Donizetti

27 June: Curlew. Opera. Music by Benjamin Britten

16 July to 23 July: Nabucodonosor. Opera. Music by Giuseppe Verdi.

28 September to 6 October: Coppélia. Ballet. Music by Léo Delibes

23 October to 31 October: Turandot. Opera. Music by Giacomo Puccini

For more info, please check: www.operaroma.it or write an email to reception@yeshotelrome.com

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If designer clothing is what you look for but want to have a have a discounted price from the retail price, there are plenty of outlet shops located in the vicinity of Rome. Shopping in outlets not only give you the same quality pieces that you normally find in boutiques but you can find them in a very discounted price. These pieces are last season ago or some are a couple of seasons ago so you might not be able to find here the latest trends in the fashions magazines, but then again, fashion comes and goes and then comes back again. And if you find a very classic piece that can last for a couple of years.

The closest designer outlet shop, located just half-hour car ride from Rome is Castel Romano Designer Outlet. This outlet carries high-end brands like Burberry, Salvatore Ferragamo, Valentino and Roberto Cavalli, just to name a few. There are other shops that are middle ranged and sport clothing like Nike and Puma, so the choices for different shoppers are endless.

Other outlets shops are located a bit further from Rome, some 2-3 hour car ride to the direction for Florence. One of the most celebrated outlet in Italy is the biggest Prada outlet which carries the exquisite Prada pieces from accessories to Ready-to-wear with discount from 30-70%. Another outlet located about half hour car ride is The Mall. This outlet carries top designer shops like Gucci, Fendi, Dior, Balenciaga, Tod’s and Bottega Veneta, to name a few. Discounts ranges from 30-70% off the retail price from the boutiques. During sale seasons in January and August, further reductions from the outlet prices are applied. Some shops even put up last item bins or racks that has really impressive discount prices!!

Our Blogger: Joseph