Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with Rome

Please help me reach out to the person who found our memory card!

lioness — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:13:18 -0800

What would you do if you found a memory card? Have you found our memory card in Rome, Italy? We've lost our Sony memory card in Rome, Italy, during our vacation at the end of July. It probably fell out of our bag while sitting on the benches on Piazzale Ugo La Malfa, near Circo Massimo. It was in its plastic encasing, so it's fairly protected and a bit easier to spot than 'just' a memory card. We probably lost it on the 25th of July.*
I know the odds of the card being found are slim and the odds of retrieving it are even slimmer, but I really have to try for my own piece of mind.

So, if you're a Roman/Italian and found a memory card, what would you do?
Or, if you're a tourist in Rome and found a memory card, what would you do?

On which Italian or English websites/forums/boards would you post? Which site with advertisements do I have to keep an eye on? Where could I place advertisements myself? Would you bring it to the police (and how can I contact them if that's the case)? What is the Italian equivalent to Craigslist?

I want to maximize the odds that if there is indeed someone trying to find the owner of our memory card, he will be able to find us.
I'm already keeping an eye on Found Cameras and Orphan Pictures and I've posted an ad on The Found Bin and Lost and found now.

Last part of my question:
Can you help me write a short Italian version of this question I could post on the Roman Craigslist? The contact information you should mention is lostandfoundinrome at hotmail dot com.

Of course, I will gladly offer a reward to the person who finds the memory card!

Grazie mille!

*If any Roman living in the neighbourhood happens to feel very warm-hearted and compassionate and would be willing to go look on the Piazzale, he/she would earn my eternal gratitude and some great Belgian sweets!

How best to swap apartments?

progosk — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 05:52:53 -0800

Apartment-swap-filter. We're thinking of swapping our place in the center of Rome with a place in Manhattan for a long week around Easter 2009. Any information and/or recommendations on reputable house-swapping sites would be much appreciated. (Also: any stories on the sort of things swapping entails, and what's important to think about and get right in preparation.)

What is the best way to travel throughout Italy?

petah — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:20:43 -0800

What is the best way to travel throughout Italy? So far we're looking at Venice, Florence, Pisa, Milan, etc. People have been recommending the Italy Rail Passes from here. Is it better to get one of these? Or would it be better to get a ticket at the train station for city to city? Or are there other options that I should know of? The biggest issue we have with these Rail Passes is that we have to get them while we're in the States, because each "day" comes out to 62 dollars in cost, but on some days, like the days where we might be traveling between Venice and Milan, or a trip that is shorter than Rome to Milan, it might not be worth it. Also, I'm not even sure how the Rail system works in Italy, it seems like Trenitalia is the big line, but then there are a lot of online vendors that sell the same "EuroRail" pass at similar costs.

Also, if you guys have any random general tips regarding Rome/Italy, feel free to post them. They'd be much appreciated. Thanks!

Discovering new works from ancient Greece or Rome?

mediareport — Mon, 19 May 2008 17:20:09 -0800

When was the last time scholars discovered a previously unknown piece of literature from ancient Greece or Rome? Has it happened at all in modern times? If you were to speculate on the chances we'll ever rediscover another play from Euripides, Sophocles, et al, are there any relatively recent discoveries of new works from ancient Greek and Roman authors you could use as examples?

When in Rome...

disillusioned — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:54:26 -0800

What area of Rome should we stay in? And what should we do there in three days? My friends and I are taking a transatlantic cruise that gets into Civitavecchia on May 10th. We're planning on staying in Rome that night until May 13th.

I've found Venere.com to be wonderful and useful thanks to AskMefi, but I'm not sure what I'm looking for. What area of Rome puts us in a good place to see the best to see of Rome?

We have all of Saturday, Sunday and Monday there so maybe a day for touristy stuff and a day for traveller/milling around stuff.

Which of Venere's "areas of Rome" would be best to stay at? Specific hotels are good too, we're looking at someplace safe, clean and decent. There are three of us, and we're looking to pay roughly $225 each, total.

Any suggestions on off-the-beaten path things and absolute don't-miss restaurants, entertainment, bars and anything else you can think of, please send my way in addition to a good recommendation of where best to stay.

We have no car so will rely on public trans/cabs or whatever's available to get around town. Is there another city/village worth traveling to for a day that's amazing as well?

Many thanks!

Need Books/Movies for Kids Going to Rome

bjennings — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 15:55:33 -0800

I'm looking for recommendations for books, movies and even music that might be relevant for a group of middle school (7th & 8th grade, ages 12-14) kids who are going to Rome over spring break. I'm a teacher, and I'm leading a group of 20 middle school kids as well as three other faculty members. I'd like to be able to recommend novels, movies and music for them.

They've all read Caroline Lawrence's "The Roman Mysteries" series. I'm very familiar with the range of children's and young adult historical fiction, especially that set in ancient times. I'd love to have any recommendations for novels set in modern Italy. Some of the students have read Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons", but teen and young adult books would be great, too.

I suggested "Roman Holiday"; all of the parents said "Oooh, I love that movie", and all of the kids were bored out of their skull. Fluff like the Mary Kate and Ashley "When In Rome" and "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" is right up their alley.

I figure music is a long-shot, but maybe there are some recommendations there as well. Thanks!

Getting from Fiumicino to Ciampino

sanitycheck — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:31:52 -0800

Rome airport transfer: Fiumicino->Ciampino with a five and a half hour window between flights. Is this doable? And if so, what's the most cost efficient way to do it? I'm flying into Rome Fiumicino Airport on March 30th (on an Air Canada flight scheduled to land at 11am). I'd like to book a RyanAir flight that leaves from Ciampino at 4:45pm the same day.

Am I tempting fate? Is it easy to get from one airport to the other? The limited web info I have found suggests there was a bus service at one point but that it is not offered anymore.

My other options are to book a later flight (more expensive, leaves around 8pm) or spend the night at a hostel near the Termini and leave the next day (which I'd prefer not to do).

i'll have the same as caesar

steinwald — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:18:50 -0800

Is it possible to find wines similar in style to what the ancient Romans would have been drinking? Or were their vinification methods so crude that no one bothers trying?

Oddly enough, I didn't come to Italy for the churches.

twins named Lugubrious and Salubrious — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 03:23:59 -0800

I just landed in Italy. Help me find the Florence and Rome that no one writes about. My family and I will be staying in Florence and Rome for Christmas and New Year's. History, museums, and churches are great, but more their thing than mine. Where can I find what I'm looking for? I want to see the local street scene: where are Florence and Rome's skate shops, the parks where the people are loitering, the secret places to stumble on tags? Where are the best streetwear stores, and the "best kept secret" boutiques? TIA.

And for those of you who celebrate it: Merry Christmas!

Chi è questo?

wfc123 — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:57:52 -0800

Hi. Who is this actor? I took this shot on the Via Veneto in Rome, so he's probably Italian. They were shooting a film or a TV show.

And who is this director? Photo taken at the same location.

Your ideas for nontraditional, off the beaten path, interesting, insightful things to do or see in or close to Venice, Florence, and Rome, Italy?

Askr — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:13:54 -0800

What are your favorite nontraditional, nontouristy, alternative, culturally-insightful things to do in or near Venice, Florence, and Rome? I mean the deeper anthropological kind of culture, not museums, opera, etc. I'm not looking for the usual must-see tourist destinations or the things that epitomize a city. I want the fascinating little finds you accidentally stumbled on and loved, but which few or no tours would have found because they aren't "sights". If it can give me a glimpse of how contemporary Italians see the world, to appreciate a bit more what it's like to be them, that's a turbo bonus. No points off for plain old fun activities either. I've read every Italy thread on here and haven't quite found what I'm after. My parents invited me on a guided package tour of Venice, Florence, and Rome next week and the following week. Italy's not high on my list of travel destinations and I'm not a package tour kind of guy at all, but it's free, foreign, and family, so I'm going and am sure I'll have a good time. I'd like your help in reducing that touristy malaise feeling and replacing some of it with interesting insights and experiences.

There is a lot of the usual museum/monument time on the itinerary. I'm not a museum/monument kind of guy. Paintings paintings paintings, churches, aaagh! Don't care! Don't wanna take all the same obligatory pictures everyone has taken for a century or follow a guide around the whole time as they tell me about this or that set of ruins. For me, travel is about learning about how the world looks through other cultures' eyes. I know some of this can be informed by their history or past cultural products such as art or architecture, but what I want is to get glimpses of what life is like for ordinary people there right now to the degree I can in a very short time - what their big issues are, what their worldview is and how it differs from mine. Optimism, cynicism, assumptions, prejudices, filters, priorities, norms, oddities. A guided package tour of sights is not a great way to do this but it's what I have to work with.

So I want to break away from the tour group at least once per city and go do my own thing - - interesting, educational, insightful, off the beaten path kinds of things, especially any that help me understand what life is like for normal contemporary Italians. I don't want to see sights (I'll already see plenty, e.g. David, Sistine, etc.); What I want is some hint of contemporary cultural anthropology. It could be anything - some interesting local custom, some political event, some unique civic activity, some un-famous piece of history that influences the present in a fascinating way, some cultural fixture (e.g., I wish there were some soccer games during my stay). What have you found in or near these three places that was your special find that people wouldn't normally find on a tour, and which enriched your experience and understanding of Italy and Italians?

One hurdle is that I speak almost no Italian, not having planned to go there. So it would need to be something observable absent language or there would need to be English speakers or literature, a tall order. Below is the itinerary, including what I'm considering skipping. There are a fair number of free afternoons and evenings built in. What is nearby that's not on this list, that you loved, that isn't a "sight" but was a great find? Not looking for restaurant/bar recommendations unless they happen to deliver what I'm looking for. If you don't have anything in the sort of cultural anthro insight category, yeah, just list anything fun or interesting or unusual that's not a major tourist sight. For example I keep seeing recommendations to go to Siena near Florence. But why? What do people like about it?

No need to focus on these knowns in your reply:
-This is a very short time to develop any real cultural insight
-Art and architecture and ruins and history are important
-Don't discount what you can learn from quality guides
-Not speaking Italian limits your options

Grazie!

Itinerary:

Nov 12-14: Venice
-backstreets walking tour (also planning on "getting lost")
-St. Mark's Basilica & Doges' Palace
-Accademia art museum. SKIP THIS
-a free afternoon
-2 free evenings and 1 planned dinner

Nov 15-17: Florence
-Accademia Gallery w/ David
-"Renaissance walk" - Duomo, Baptistery, etc. SKIP ONE OF THESE TWO
-Oltrarno area - walk/talk re Roman, medieval and 19th century Florence. SKIP ONE OF THESE TWO
-Uffizi art museum. MAYBE POP IN FOR AN HOUR OR TWO. (I know it's huge)
-2 free afternoons
-2 free evenings and 1 planned dinner

Nov 18-20: Rome
-Vatican Museum, Sistine, St. Peter's.
-Some free time in Vatican area for crypt, dome, whatever.
-Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon
-Free afternoon near area of Palatine ruins, Mamertine prison, etc.
-A few free hours in heart of city
-Evening stroll through historic heart of city.
-2 planned dinners and 1 free evening
.

Help me be romantic in Rome

edjusted — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:49:24 -0800

My wife and I are going to Italy with a tour group late November, and it also happens to be our anniversary. We'll be in Rome the day/night of our anniversary. We're staying at the Holiday Inn Parco Dei Medici. Likes/dislikes: Foodwise, we're not really info "fancy/expensive/formal" dining, plus my wife isn't really into Italian food. And no wine. Cafe/diner type places are good, and any place with good bread is a plus. (Yes, we're a really exciting couple) Sights/shopping-wise: "cutesy," "unusual," or modern beats out historical. Any place that's on a hill and/or has a nice view of the city is always nice. As an example of the things we like, when we went to Paris once, one night when the rest of our tour group went to a lavish expensive dinner at fancy French restaurant, we ended up walking around the city, buying some bread at Fauchon, and finding a nice little sidewalk eatery to eat at.

My wife is really down to earth, so she's actually not into grand romantic gestures. But I do want to make the day/night special for her.

Oh, and this is the first time we've ever been to Italy, and we don't speak a word of Italian.

Can anyone give me suggestions on how to make our anniversary special, either near our hotel or at least somewhere accessible by us tourists?

Mefites, lend me your ears (and book recommendations)

Gordion Knott — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 03:32:02 -0800

What are your favorite books on the Roman Empire? I'm looking for a captivating, enjoyable-to-read book on ancient Rome.

Ideally, I'd like full coverage of the main highlights from start to finish, but a volume concentrating on a specific period (such as the end of the empire) is okay too.

I'm sure you'll jump in and recommend "I, Claudius," and that's the spirit of what I'm looking for, but perhaps not in the historical fiction vein.

What have you read, enjoyed, and profited from most in this area of historical writing?

When in Rome...

dirtynumbangelboy — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 13:07:38 -0800

RomeFilter: What is there to do in Rome? A bunch of people are going to Rome in March 2008. What cool things are there to do? Obviosuly the usual touristy stuff (Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Coliseum, etc)... what's the unknown? What's off the beaten track? What are Rome's hidden gems?

Where can I buy 4x5 Polaroid Sheet Film in Rome?

Bengston — Sun, 13 May 2007 10:23:18 -0800

Where can I buy 4x5 Polaroid Sheet Film in Rome? I'm heading off to Italy this afternoon for a little over two weeks. Although I don't have much time to do any photography lately I still want to take some photos with my field camera and so I purchased a couple of boxes of Polaroid film, however I figure it is very likely that once I get there I am going to feel compelled to take more than a couple of photos a day. Does anyone know where in either Rome or Florence I can pick up some more 4x5 Polaroid sheet film? I currently have typ 59 and type 54 but I would be interested in other types also (but I don't have any ND filters so they would need to be rather low ISO) Is it going to cost me an arm in a leg more than what I am used to? (I normally order from B&H)

Recommend an apartment rental service for Rome?

ersatzkat — Thu, 03 May 2007 17:13:39 -0800

Please help us find a reliable source for vacation apartment rentals in Rome. We need an apartment in Rome that sleeps 7-8 for 6 days in June (18-24). Everything we're finding online is a swamp of "email us and we'll get back to you". We don't want to stay too far "out of the way", but beyond that we're not neighborhood-fussy. We'll be on foot. We'd prefer to stay under $400 per night. If you have personal experience or recommendations to share, please do.

Artist Hunt - HBO's ROME

Jujee — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:03:18 -0800

Does anyone know who the artist is that did the art in the opening credits of HBO's ROME? TIA!!!

Christmas in Florence?

tristanshout — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 18:47:58 -0800

As a first-time visitor to Rome and Florence (and Venice?) at next Christmas and New Year's, what can I expect? What is a must-see attraction that might have special holiday hours?

Hotels for a honeymoon in Rome/Venice?

PenDevil — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 02:37:34 -0800

Hotels for a honeymoon in Rome/Venice? In July 2007 me and my (by then) wife will be going to Rome/Venice on honeymoon. We're planning on 4 nights in Rome and 2 nights in Venice. I'm looking for suggestions for hotels in both that are 'honeymoon worthy' (ie not a hostel and having some class) but that won't be totally out of our price range. We've scoured tripadvisor and expedia but hopefully a MeFite out there knows a hidden gem or two. We can probably afford +- EUR 170 a night. Preferably centrally located in both cities.

7 days in Italy

cosmonaught — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 19:27:23 -0800

How to spend 7 days in Italy? My little sister and I will be traveling through Italy in just over a month. I meet her in Venice on December 8th (she's studying in the area) and we fly out of Rome the morning of the 15th.

Tentative plans are for a whirlwind tour through Florence, Naples (Pompeii), Rome, Pisa, & Lucca-- but nothing is set in stone except the flights in and out. I've been through Venice, Florence, and Rome a couple times, but although she's been in Italy for three months, she hasn't really seen anything in the country, so the big sights in Florence and Rome are definitely on the schedule.

As far as budget goes, I'm a working man, but she's a student, so it can kind of go either way, I can pitch in extra if necessary, but we're looking to do things on the cheap where we can. Hostels are great, hotels in the $60-120 range are ok. Neither of us speaks Italian, though we're both comfortable traveling in foreign countries.

With all that out of the way...

Where should we go/eat/sleep/drink/shop?

Recommendations for sights or cities to visit are greatly appreciated, and even more so, hotels/hostels or areas of cities to stay, and specific places to eat & drink.

And I do think I've read all the questions here tagged with Italy...

Why do Romans do as they do?

printchick — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 02:17:50 -0800

So my husband and I just flew back from a vacation in Rome yesterday, where we had a wonderful time. Now it's four in the morning and I'm wide awake. So while I'm sitting here pondering the stinky laundry I must tackle later today, I'm wondering if some of you can answer some of our random questions about things we saw and experienced, stuff that wasn't addressed in the guide books. Here goes: 1. Where do those guys who sell fake designer sunglasses and purses all over the place on the street come from? Is there some huge fake purse and sunglasses warehouse they report to every morning? Can they actually make a living selling that stuff, since I ever only saw a few tourists taking time to stop and take a look? I think if I were in the street vending business, I'd sell something that others weren't offering and that people on the street would actually want, like ten-minute foot rubs. Maybe one of those Massage Company places should open some streetside booths there...

2. Are there a huge amount of traffic accidents in Rome? It seemed like all the people on their scooters and little mini-cars had things pretty much under control, even with all the pedestrian tourists who weren't quite sure what to do at the crosswalks. We only saw the aftermath of one accident, and it appeared it was a guy on a scooter who got clipped by a car. I assume there are helmet laws for the scooters and cycles, since everybody seemed to wear those? Are there cell phone laws for scooters and bikes? (We saw some talking on their cells and steering with one hand, a seemingly impossible feat) How old do you have to be to drive a car or cycle/scooter?

3. Do some of the more well-known and specialty gelato places actually make their gelato on the spot? I assume the gelato sold at the corner store-type places come from a manufacturer. Anyone have some awesome gelato recipes I can try out in my ice cream maker? I am proud to say I ate gelato every day and ohmygod it was incredible.

4. Do people just generally not validate their bus tickets when they get on the bus? We tried to do the right thing by buying our tickets at the metro station and then validating them when we boarded a bus, if the validator happened to work. We only saw a few other random folks actually validate their own tickets. I didn't see them flashing bus passes or anything to the drivers. So do people just not buy tickets and risk getting caught?

5. Why, exactly, do cashiers give you your change on a little dish instead of putting it directly in your hand? Is it a germ thing? Is it a this-is-how-its-always-been-done thing? I tried hard not to automatically put up my hand to accept the change right away myself. My husband actually kind of liked the system--it kind of allowed you to collect your change on your own terms, instead of fiddling with your wallet and the stuff you bought and everything else.

6. How sick of tourists do Romans actually get? Okay, I know tourists pour a zillion dollars into the city every year, and September/October are busy months. I just know that it was hard for us to navigate around the streets and the sights while trying not to get in the way of everybody's digital photo ops or dodging tour group herds of old German men and women (who eerily looked like my all great aunts and uncles--I come from good midwestern German stock). I just know I would get sick of it, and we only had to deal with it for the time we were there. If there are any Romans on this board, thank you very much for putting up with us. You have a fascinating city.

I'll try to post some tips and suggestions of my own on some of the other Rome threads. If I come up with some more questions, I'll post them here. Thank you!

Take a tour across Italy or stay in Rome?

atmu — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 15:08:31 -0800

Going to Italy - Stay in Rome the whole trip or take a tour to several cities? My parents and I are going to Italy in mid October for 7-10 days. We plan on staying in Rome primarily, but are also considering whether or not we want to go on a tour which will include Florence and Venice.

Tour info: if we go on one of the tours, it 'll be about 3 nights in Florence, 3 in Rome, 1 in Venice. Or maybe no Venice at all.

If we do not go on a tour, we'll be staying in Rome, unable to visit Florence and Venice because of the distance.

My questions are these: are the tours in Italy worth it? Or would it be better to just stay in Rome for the whole trip and visit the close surrounding areas? If so, are there enough things to do and see in Rome, taking into account that me and my brother are 22 & 27, while our parents are 55+? Are Florence and/or Venice a must-see?

Firsthand stories of your experiences would be great =]

When in Rome, where to buy cool stuff?

printchick — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 20:31:17 -0800

We're going to Rome for ten days this fall. Whoo! Anyway, I know there's other Rome threads on here for restaurant and hotel suggestions, but who has suggestions for other cool stuff, like markets/fabric and crafty-type stores, artisan shops, antique places, kitchen and food stores; basically, any place where I can buy cool stuff? I like crafty stuff, and pretty much most of the furniture in our house came from antique places, secondhand places, or the alley (it looks nice! I promise!), and I like cooking stuff--gadgets, books, new foods, etc. Also, if anyone wants to throw in some fabulous restaurant suggestions, even for non-Italian places (Vietnamese, Thai) have at it. Thanks!

Books about city life in ancient Rome

Kattullus — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 15:46:41 -0800

Any good books/sites you can recommend about city life in ancient Rome? I used to be a classics major, and so have studied quite a bit about the ancient Romans, so imagine my surprise when I realized that I knew next to nothing about how the citizens and denizens of the city of Rome lived during the Empire. I know bits and pieces, but have nothing resembling of an overview.

historical fiction identification: rome, china

nonane — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 18:20:28 -0800

Historical fiction children's book ID filter: scholars and bandits in 1930s China and bull-jumping children in Rome. Two books of historical fiction for children/young adults, read in 1950s/1960s.

1. Set in 1930s China during tumult involving warlords and bandits. A Chinese scholar's son is sent to live with peasants because his father thinks he'll be safer there; unfortunately, the village is soon raided. The bandit chief's horse rears and a fancy ancient teapot falls from his saddlebag; the boy recognizes its age and value and catches it. This amuses the bandit, and the boy is taken with them to their camp, where he meets an American missionary's son, also captured, and another scholar. They attempt to teach the missionary child Chinese, but he has difficulty with tones and keeps using the word for "mushroom."

2. Begins with a prologue in which archaeologists are puzzled by a cameo which shows the heads of three children from widely separated parts of the Roman Empire. Story explains that they were captured/sold into slavery from various parts of the empire, thrown together in Rome, ended up bull-jumping in Crete, possibly dispersed from there by natural disaster (?). I'm pretty sure that it's not any of the Rosemary Sutcliffe novels, nor is it the (fairly recent) mystery series about children in Rome.

Any ideas?