Imagine walking among the ruins and urban buzz of Rome only to hear a parrot, then see the bright flash of its wings. Parrots in Rome are more common than you might think. However, these tropical-looking birds in Rome are actually brilliant green parakeets. Most are rose-ringed parakeets, to be precise. With so many parks, […]
Category Archives: Rome
08
Apr
Apr
I have struggled to watch some of the videos of an empty Rome, or to see normally busy sites in Italy completely deserted. It has been painful to see a country that is normally so full of beauty be laid so bare. Today is the 30th day of our national lockdown. As the curve seems […]
06
Apr
Apr
The artist known as Raphael was born in the pretty little city of Urbino in 1483. After spending much of his early career in Tuscany and Umbria, Raphael came to Rome at the request of the Pope. The High Renaissance artist spent the last 12 years of his life in Rome, creating a massive […]
04
Apr
Apr
The kitchen can be a place to turn to for comfort. Perhaps there is a trusted family recipe that always brightens your day, or maybe it is the place you go when you want to find new ways to nourish yourself and your family. If you need a little company, these are the best Italian […]
02
Apr
Apr
In case you need your dose of goosebumps for the day, this performance by young guitarist Jacopo Mastrangelo should hit the spot. As church bells finishing sounding and the sun sets in the background, Jacopo hits the first notes of a song by beloved Italian composer Ennio Morricone. The song was created for Sergio Leone’s […]
31
Mar
Mar
Towering Pandoro and Panettone cakes may reign supreme in Italy at Christmas, but Easter is all about the sweet known as Colomba di Pasqua. The cake takes its name from its shape – baked in the form of a dove, or colomba in Italian. The symbol of peace, as well as a sign of spring, […]
28
Mar
Mar
2020 marks 500 years since the death of Rennaissance genius Raphael. After years of planning, Rome was set to mark the anniversary with a landmark exhibit of Raphael in Rome. This is the largest-ever exhibit of Raphael anywhere in the world, but it was sadly opened for just a few days before all cultural institutions […]
25
Mar
Mar
This is Day 16 of lockdown in Italy and we are feeling worn down by the constant bad news from all over the world, but particularly here. We are comforted to see more people in more countries taking this seriously but we are also horrified by the number of cases and deaths that seems to […]