December's Monthly Newsletter
Rome is gearing up for Christmas. As well as the traditional presepi (nativity scenes), trees and lights are appearing across town. This year the usual piazza Venezia tree is, because of interminable works on the metro, instead in piazza del Popolo. After a journey from Como it will be illuminated tomorrow, the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin.
The other big tree in town is in piazza San Pietro. A Christmas tree first appeared at the Vatican only in 1982, it is after all a Germanic tradition. This year this welcome Nordic interloper is a gift from Macra in the Piedmontese Alps, jostles with the vast nativity scene. This year the lights will be switched on Saturday 9 December and the Nativity scene unveiled.
In this festive spirit on the afternoon of Saturday 16th December, following various (much-appreciated) requests, I’ll be reprising my lockdown activities and galloping through Rome and live-streaming as much Roman festivity as I can in an hour. I’ll start in piazza del Popolo as dusk begins to descend and end at piazza San Pietro.
The festive jaunt will be streamed via Zoom meeting, will begin at 4pm CET (which is 3pm GMT, 10am ET, 7am PT, 2am AEDT for example), last one hour, and will cost €25 per screen connection. Questions and comments along the way are extremely welcome. To book please email info@understandingrome.com
For those of you who are members of Tiro a Segno of New York: I’ll be doing a version of this just for you on Sunday 17th, so please don’t sign up twice!
Looking forward to warmer, longer days this spring Rachel Roddy and I will be continuing our jolly collaboration with a trio of tours.
On Friday 8 March we’ll be reprising our original Testaccio jaunt: Cocci e Carciofi. Artichokes, every Roman’s favourite vegetable, will play a big part in the day. As well, of course, will the cocci or broken pots of Monte Testaccio, ancient Rome’s rubbish dump. Cocci e Carciofi.
Testaccio is home to one of the city’s finest food markets and is a fabulous place to explore the entrails of the city, both ancient and modern. Rachel and I shall be leading you through the modern market, visiting Rachel’s favourite stalls and learning the technical trick of relieving the carciofo of his carapace and thistly choke.
We shall discuss the area’s social and culinary history and wander through the former abattoir. We also have specially arranged access to the usually closed Monte Testaccio, where we shall crunch our way over the discarded shards of olive oil amphorae for a unique view of the city and a discussion about what lies beneath our feet, and what they tell us about Imperial Rome.
We shall nibble on fried artichokes with a glass of something fizzy and, our appetites suitably sharpened, we will repair to a favourite trattoria for a slap-up lunch with a specially chosen spring menù, including (of course!) those artichokes, some classic Roman pasta dishes and, for those who wish, some of the offal for which Testaccio is so famous. Much chatter and wine guaranteed.
The day will begin at 10am and lunch will conclude at about 3.30pm. The total and all-inclusive cost is €200. To book please email info@understandingrome.com.
On Friday 5 April Rachel and I will be exploring Ostia Antica, the sea port through which the amphorae which ended up as ancient Rome’s landfill site first arrived. We shall be looking at Rome’s ancient port through a gastronomic prism, and as ever there will be delicious and historically coherent nibbles along the way and a jovial slap-up lunch back upriver in Testaccio to conclude (at a different favourite trattoria from that in March).
The day will begin at 10am and lunch will conclude at about 3.30pm. The total cost and all-inclusive cost is €200. To book please email info@understandingrome.com.
We’ll also be introducing a new jaunt on Friday 10 May to complete the spring trio. This one will take us with a comfortable (and air-conditioned) minibus and an excellent driver deep into the Lazio countryside to the monastery atop the Sacro Speco, the cave where Saint Benedict retreated in contemplation and wrote his Rule. We’ll visit the frescoed upper and lower churches built around the grotto, as well as the private areas of the monastery, including the gastronomically relevant refectory with its fourteenth century Last Supper. After all Saint Benedict knew that even monks could not live on prayer alone.
After a spot of aesthetic and spiritual nutrition we shall repair to the best restaurant in the area, Sora Maria ed Arcangelo at Olevano Romano, for an abundant and seasonal lunch and some excellent local wines. Then a soporific minibus ride back into town.
The day will begin at 9am and we’ll be back in Rome c.5pm. The total and all-inclusive cost is €300. To book please email info@understandingrome.com.
How I wish I could do all those tours! I could listen to you talk all day!