No, thanks, maybe: gelato, sorbetto, grattachecca, San Pietrino … spoiled for choice!

We Romans are complicated people: we are not satisfied with an “ice cream”, as happens in many other places in the world. We have a thousand ways to enjoy the “cold dessert”!

Here is a small list of the typical proposals that you will find wandering through the streets of Rome. Let’s start with the sorbetto, for those who want to keep it light, perhaps at the end of a meal, to “degrease” their mouth. In fact, sorbets do not contain milk or animal derivatives, but only water, fresh or dried fruit, natural flavors, sugars, vegetable fats or dried fruit fats. Sometimes they are flavored with alcohol. So they are delicate, fresh and  very light iced creams!

Instead, both Italian gelato and the typical American “ice cream” contain milk, whether they are cream or fruit flavored. But with a small difference: Italian ice cream makes you fat less! In fact, by law it can contain a maximum of 8% fat. And a good artigianale (homemade) ice cream, if made properly, contains 5%!

On the other hand, its American competitor, ice cream, always – by law – must contain more than 10% fat! And in fact the name itself explains how there is more cream inside: cream!

A little parenthesis on the word “ARTIGIANALE” (artisanal). Not all gelato parlors can boast this quality mark. Artigianale means gelato is produced on site, and not in a factory or even just in another location. It also means using fresh, unprocessed ingredients, and also processing without “injecting” air to inflate and store, or other chemical additives.

In fact, the way to produce an industrial “ice cream” is very different from the typical Italian gelato: industrial processing takes place at very low temperatures (-18 degrees C, -0.4 degrees F) and, by law, it can be “added” up to 100% of its weight plus pure AIR! And for this reason, you can see the crystallizations, because this humid, icy air, which creates double the product at zero price and helps keep the ice cream in the freezer even for months. On the contrary, in handcrafted gelato,that can be produced only in small quantities, it is creamy and dense, and must be consumed within 2-3 days.

And one more variant, a little more wintery (but not necessarily!). A cold-hot gelato. How about an ice cream whose cone is filled with exquisite hot chocolate and then covered with frozen gelato? You can find this either in the La Romana chain of  gelato shops, or at Come il Latte.

But I was saying, the Romans are people full of inventiveness. And then we have for example the San Pietrino, which you will find exclusively in the oldest gelato shop in town: Fassi, the Palazzo del Ghiaccio. It is a small square shaped gelato, covered with chocolate in the shape of the classic “sasso di basalto” (black volcanic stone. It reminds the little “black stones” that paves the most important streets and squares of Rome. Why is it called San Pietrino? Easy: because this type of pavement was first used in St. Peter’s Square in 1500 and has since become the typical pavement of the city.

And then, how can you leave Rome without having tried the Grattachecca? The word: “gratta”, from the verb to scratch, and “checca” which in Roman dialect means “piece of ice”, gives an idea of ​​what it is. A block of ice, grated (like Parmesan!) Strictly by hand! And then, according to the customer’s choice, drowned in delicious syrups, sprinkled with fresh or dried fruit and enjoyed first with very icy and then slowly, all the way, when it turns into a cream! Along the Tiber, the river of Rome, you can find several historic kiosks where you need to arm yourself with patience and queue up to win this delight.

You will say: but is it like a granita (slush)?! Oh no, the granita is ice already mixed with a syrup, even before freezing, and then shredded by a machine, not by hand! There is a whole other taste …!

Now the choice is yours! or maybe one a day …!

Today we reveal a little curiosity about the Pantheon, the ancient temple (dating back to 27 BC), dedicated to all the pagan gods of Ancient Rome and which can still be admired today in all its grandeur.

Have you ever noticed the writing above it? The Emperor Hadrian wanted it, when he rebuilt the building after a terrible fire. And it reports the name of the first real builder: “M.AGRIPPA.L.F.COS.TERTIUM.FECIT”, that means: Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, built this when he was consul for the third time (Consuls were the chief diplomats in Rome – comparable to a Prime Minister or a President).

But the writing we see, it’s not the original one, its characters were probably plundered, being made of bronze or perhaps other precious material. Only in 1894 the writing was reconstructed, as in the children’s game “join the dots”: every single letter was reassembled following the line that joined the holes, on which the original letters were fixed. Then, the experts had the problem of which font to use, as well as which material and which hooking system. They toured the length and breadth of museums and ancient deposits in Italy, until they found, in the Archaeological Museum of Naples, very ancient bronze letters and they were inspired by these, both in the shape of the characters, and in the interlocking technique to anchor them to the Pantheon.

The letters we see today are made of Corinthian bronze, fire-gilded and then oxidized. They are hollow, nonetheless, each one is 1 meter and 50 centimeters (about 5 feet) high and weighs 25 kilos (55 pounds)!!

Next time you pass by the Pantheon, look up and think about it!

How often it happens; You’re a tourist in a city so rich in amazing monuments, wonderful statues and incredible palaces, but suddenly you notice a very unusual type of tree that diverts your attention. Your eyes gaze up as you admire the beautiful contrast between the intense green foliage and the typical bright blue sky of Rome. You can’t help but wonder what kind of tree it is! Sure, it looks like a pine tree, yet it has a unique shape. Locals call it the “umbrella pine”, or sometimes the “broccoli pine”. They’re gorgeous, and iconic symbols of the city. When in Rome, don’t miss the opportunity to capture an umbrella pine in your vacation pictures!

Summer in Rome can be a stifling 30-35 degrees Celsius (90-95 degrees Fahrenheit), which can make walking in the afternoon heat feel daunting. Luckily, you can find little ‘oasis’’ everywhere to get some free and fresh drinking water: the Nasone.

The name Nasone literally means ‘long nose’, due to the characteristic design of the metal spout protruding at mid-height which in fact, looks like a nose! Be on the look-out for other designs such as wolf heads, lions and dragons.

These fabulous fountains were first introduced in the 1870’s, and nowadays there are approximately 2,500 in town! The water coming from the nasoni is the same which supplies the city’s households, and thus safe to drink. The constantly flowing water is very safe, and keeps the water in the pipes from stagnating, which otherwise may allow bacteria to thrive. While this has been criticized by some as a waste of drinking water, only 1% of the water is lost due to the nasoni running continuously. Compare that to an approximate 50% of water lost due to old leaky pipes in the underground of the city. According to estimates, an operating nasoni costs the city of Rome 3-5 euro per day, depending on the strength of the water flow.

How to drink from a Nasone? It’s quite simple! The spout has a small hole on the top from which you can drink by closing the main hole below (where the water comes out) with a finger. Drinking refreshingly cool water ‘Roman style’ will certainly be fun during your vacation, and definitely a highlight for your children!

• Firstly, on April 21^st is the Natale di Roma (The Foundation of Rome), the day the ancient city was founded. The city has official celebrations in many squares, along with re-enactments of ancient times at Circus Maximus and in front of the Colosseum. Despite the City’s Celebration, shops, monuments and public services are all open.

• On January 6^th is La Befana, which is a holiday very similar to St. Nicolaus in Nordic countries. It’s a holiday for children, and instead of Santa Claus, an old woman (Befana) on a broomstick takes stockings full of candy and toys to good children, and coal to the naughty ones. The centre of the celebration is in Piazza Navona. Restaurants, souvenir shops and tourist shop in general are open, not the other common shops.
• The Pentecost is a Christian festivity, and a very special day. It falls on the 50^th day (seventh Sunday) after Easter Sunday, and it commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit. On that day, if you are lucky enough to visit the Pantheon (the largest ancient Dome in the world), you will experience a beautiful shower of rose petals which fall from the large hole (oculus) in the centre of the Dome! Since the Christian Easter date changes every year, the Pentecost date changes in accordance. Everything is open as usual.
• The 25^th of April marks Festa della Liberazione (Liberation Day), also known as the Anniversary of Italy’s Liberation or simply 25 Aprile (April 25^th), is a national Italian holiday commemorating the end of the fascist regime and German occupation during World War II. If you are in Rome that day and hear a strong roar, raise your eyes to the sky to witness and incredible show by the Frecce Tricolore (Tricolored Arrows, Italian Airforce), considered to be the most spectacular air display team in the world. Being a nation holiday, many shops are closed and also the public transport may be slown down.
• May 1^st is International Workers Day, also known as Labour Day, and celebrates the achievements of workers. Almost all shops and restaurants are closed and public transportation is slown down. In the evening there is a free concert in the quare of St.John in Laterano Cathedral, with pop italian music.
• On June 2^nd there is Festa della Repubblica (Republic Day) – a national holiday celebrated throughout the country, with the main celebrations focused in Rome. The event includes the deposition of a laurel wreath as a tribute to the Unknown Soldier at the Altare della Patria (in Piazza Venezia) by the Italian president, along with a military parade. Most of shops are closed and most of Romans go out of town.
• June 29^th is the Pietro e Paolo (the Feast of Saint Peter and Paul), the day of the city’s patron saints. There is a special mass held in St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Vatican, and another at the church of S. Paolo Fuori La Mura (Church of Saint Paul Outside the City Walls). In addition, many other celebrations are held around the city. Shops are closed and public transportation may be slown down.
•  August 15^th – This holiday is celebrated throughout Italy, and has its origins deriving from Feriae Augusti (on August 1^st), which was the festival of Emperor Augustus. Later, the Catholic church decided to move the festivity to August 15^th to coordinate with the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Most of the shops, the Vatican museums, & the Sistine Chapel are close to the public.
• Ooops! Lastly but certainly not the least, how can we forget Christmas and Easter? Most of the Italians are Catholics and in these two days the churches are filled, like no other day of the year. Masses take place in all churches and the most special is naturally the one in St. Peter’s Cathedral with the Pope. Then, Roman families are gathered at home for endless lunches and almost all shops, monuments and archaeological sites are closed, with the exception of a few rare restaurant.

Driving in Rome may seem dangerous and intimidating, but for Roman’s it’s completely normal. The traffic, other cars passing you in every direction disregarding stop signs and right-of-ways, the noise, the absurd parking and scooters darting everywhere like a swarm of bees – this is the daily life of Roman traffic. For many tourists this comes as a shock, but there are actually fewer accidents than you would imagine! Certainly, if you are not an expert driver used to these conditions with an infinite supply of patience, we don’t recommend you trying – especially not at rush hour. In the summer, most Romans go to the seaside for vacation, leaving the roads less crowded and far easier to drive. Should you want to share a hand in this adventure, AppetiTours offers city tours on scooters!

Despite its large size, Rome is a relatively safe city and does not register a high crime rate. However, like any big city, there are some areas which are more at risk of crime (theft in particular) than others. Areas to be more vigilant are Stazione Termini (the city’s main train station), and some crowded subway cars and busses (Like the famous line 64, which takes tourists to the Vatican). There is no need to panic, simply follow the normal rules of caution as you would in any city, including your own.

If you love to shop until you drop, here is some useful information about store opening hours:

Downtown Stores are usually open all day, from 10 am to 7:30 pm (in winter) or 8 pm (in summer). However, in the suburbs, stores close between 1 pm and 4 pm for lunch break.

Here some of the most popoular shooping streets:

• Casual shopping: via del Corso, via Nazionale, via Barberini, via dei Giubonnari, via Cola di Rienzo, Viale Ottaviano
• Luxury brands: Via Condotti (just in front of the Spanish Steps) and all the nearby streets.

If you prefer big malls, not too far from down town (25-30 minutes by taxi or shuttle) you can find:

• Castel Romano Designer Outlet, where you can find many designer fashion collections (over 140 stores) at reduced price. You need to drive there, by car, by taxi or by shuttle. This last one leaves from Via Marsala (outside Termini Station) and costs €15 for a return trip. https://www.mcarthurglen.com/outlets/en/it/designer-outlet-castel-romano/plan-your-visit/
• Concept Mall Euroma2, it’s the closest mall to downtown. It’s about 20-25 minute taxi distance. https://www.euroma2.it/en/negozi/

And after so much work, shopping around, maybe you would like to enjoy a coffee break. If so, you should ‘do as the Roman’s do’. Cafés in Italy are actually called ‘Bar’, and because the Italian coffee (espresso or just ‘caffe’ in Italian) is very small, the locals drink it standing at the counter/bar. If you like to drink your coffee while sitting at a table, it will cost more. Why? Italian’s typically don’t tip in a Bar, and if so, just a few cents. If you sit to enjoy your coffee, the price will be higher because you will pay for the waiter’s service. You can expect the same rule if you buy a gelato to take-away vs. enjoying it at a table.