​An important roman tradition during Christmas time is to visit the ‘100 Cribs’ exhibition held in the enchanting Sala Bramante in piazza del Popolo. The event is held from the beginning of December (usually December 8th) till the Epiphany.
​
Over 150 cribs from all over the world are on display. Christmas Nativity created by artists from all over the world using all kind of materials: terracotta, clay, ceramic, cardboard and cork, mahogany, crystal, pasta, leaves and more.

Every year this is the main athletics event in the capital.

This year it will be the 38th event.

The greatest world’s athletes compete to win in the Eternal City.

​It’s held in the Olympic Stadium and 

The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is held in Rome every May. This year the 4-days events will be as usual held in the Circus Maximus, where there are all kinds of things to participate in, leading up to the race.  The dates will be: May 17, 18, 19 and the race ending the event will be on Sunday 20th.
 
The race goes through the historic center of Rome. For moore informations check  the site for the race in Rome: http://www.raceroma.it/
​
 The website is in Italian; if you want to learn more about the events or to participate. you can try to translate with translate.google.com 

During this weekend you may visit many buildings, palaces and monuments in and around Rome for free.
House Rome is an annual event that in a single weekend allows the free opening of hundreds of buildings of the Capital notable for their architectural and artistic peculiarities. You may visit historic palaces, private residences not normally open to the public.
 
It's a chance to find detailed information on the visiting programs. Check their Facebook page that is  the most up to date, and their website.
​Links are below:
https://www.facebook.com/OpenHouseRM
http://www.openhouseroma.org/pagina-base/cose-openhouse-roma.html
 

 
If you are in Rome and love tennis, you may already know that every May, the BNL Tennis championships are held at the Olympic Stadium (Foro Italico) in Rome. This year it starts on Monday May 7th 2018, with finals on the following Sunday, May 20 2018.
It will be the case of a great world event,  the season’s “Fifth Grand Slam”.
The Tournament will be a “combined event”, staging both a men’s and women’s matches during 9 days, besides the pre-qualifying draw.
This means that you will be able to watch both the world’s best men’s and women’s matches on the same day, plus both doubles, as during a Grand Slam tournament,
 
You may find more details and tickets through their website below:

http://www.internazionalibnlditalia.com/en/

Every year in May  the ADSI (Associazione Dimore Storiche Antiche) holds its annual "Open Courtyards" event.
During the all day, on a Sunday by the end of the month,  you may visit courtyards of historic palazzos and private residences normally closed to the public.
​
Right now, when I’m scheduling the blog, the date of 2018 event is not posted yet.

For information:
tel. 066832774, e-mail lazio@adsi.it, and for full Rome program  see the ADSI website.
http://www.adsi.it/
https://www.facebook.com/www.adsi.it/

Taken by My husband this morning.

One of the most beautiful and important world’s marathon is held in Rome every year in March or April. It takes place on  Sunday. This year, 2018 it will be April 8th.
The race gives the participants the chance to run 42 kilometers surrounded by art, history, archeology and architecture from the past 2000 years.
The beginning and the marathon’s end is by the roman forum and coliseum!
It’s considered one of the most impressive and fascinating marathon of the world attended by professional athletes and passionate alike. The participants came from Italy and all over the world.

​Easter week in Rome is very busy. There are many Papal celebrations in the Vatican.

​Travelers that wish to visit Rome has to remember  that the visit of Saint Peter Basilica can be difficult, while the Vatican museums are closed on April 2nd.
 
The liturgical calendar and activities of the Pope in 2018 Easter week :

This is a very popular race as it takes the runners to the beach! In 2018 it will be in his 44th edition and it's earning increasing popularity and international awards too.
It is the most participated half marathon in Italy.
It starts around 9.00am, the patecipants run along the Cristoforo Colombo road toward the sea passing through part of the EUR district, along the park of Pineta di Ostia, and ending on Lungomare Lutazio Catulo.
http://www.romaostia.it/

In Easter week there are many celebrations in the Vatican. Travelers that wish to visit Rome has to remember  that the visit of Saint Peter Basilica can be difficult, while the Vatican museums are closed on April the 8th and 9th.
 
The liturgical calendar and activities of the Pope in 2017 Easter week :
 
Sunday April 9th
Palm Sunday and Passion of the Lord 
Saint Peter's Square, at 9:30: PAPAL MASS
 at 12:00 Angelus
 

​

Next Sunday, April 27, 2014 the greatest popes of the XXth century will became saints.

There is a great excitement on town and lots of people exploring the city.

A large number of streets surrounding St. Peter square has already been closed to parking and will be not accessible to the traffic starting from tomorrow.

I'm walking to the Vatican museum entrance surrounded by large groups of smiling pilgrims heading to St. Peter basilica. It's only 8.30 in the morning!

During the excavation to create the subway stop of the new C line in Venezia square the archeologists discovered a large roman site located just few meters below the street level.

The expert believe to have found the Athenaeum built by emperor Hadrian.

The archeological area consists of three main chambers connected by corridors. One of the halls is well preserved. It has large marble steps on both side that could accommodate some 200 spectators.

Hadrian was fascinated by the auditorium within Athena’s temple in Athens and decided to build a similar structure in Rome. The floor decoration is very similar to the one of the Trajan forum libraries located close by.  The bricks are dated 123AD.    Emperor Hadrian  aimed to re-establish in Rome  the tradition of public recitation, conferences and poetry contests as in classical Greece.

In the 3 halls authors and rhetoricians declaimed, recited or taught lessons. 



The site  is preserved because it was covered by the earthquake of 849.

Since some years archeologists are at work on the slopes of the palatine hill near the arch of Constantine along the side of the sacred road. 

The archaeological excavations are directed by the University La Sapienza Professor Clementina Panella.
Every coliseum’s visitors moving toward the arch of Titus and the roman forum can see the excavations and the many students involved in the diggings

Yesterday we entered St. Peter basilica after touring the Vatican museum and Sistine chapel and I soon realized there was something going on...
While admiring Michelangelo's Pieta I heard a big wow and understood pope Francis had just entered the church!

It's amazing! There was a mass of a group of faithful from and Italian northern city and He just entered to meet them...
Nobody was expecting this, and all of us were very excited!
He gave us a speech and a blessing surrounded by the enthusiasm of thousands of people who had entered the church for touring.

It has never happened before to just see the Pope stepping inside the basilica without notice...
Pope Francis is great!!

March 13th 2013, 7.44 pm. The Swiss guards are on the sagrado together with the Vatican band, the Carabinieri band and everyone else is waiting for the new Pope who's going to be introduced to us from the benediction loggia in the facade of St Peter basilica.

March 12th, 2013 at 12.30.
sPeople who attended the mass in St Peter are exiing the church.
The atmosphere is very alive!
This morning service was open to everyone to join the cardinal in prayer for the successful election of the new Pope.
An historical moment that many faithful participated to.

The Sistine Chapel has closed to the visitors yesterday: March the 5th. 
The Conclave preparation begun. 
From now onwards it's all secret.
The Vatican museum can be visited, and are worth of, without having access to the Borgia Apartments and Modern Religious Art sections too.

Soon the largest Colosseum's restoration in the past 70 years will start. It's supposed to last till 2015 and will be divided in different phases.
The first will consist in cleaning the building with jet spray, mapping the state of preservation of the amphitheater, removing the 'ugly ' metal fencing on the ground floor arches and replacing with new railing. The northern and southern prospect will be restored too.

Yesterday night I went to Formello main churchof Saint Lorenzo to attend the Christmas concert organized by the ' Bernardo Pasquini' music and cultural association. My mom is the President of the Pasquini, I'm very proud of her!

This is a little part of the Bach performance of this beautiful and joung artist named Federico Piccotti.
He's only 16 years old and started playing violin at the age of 5.

I was really tired after a long and busy day but the music washed everything away ...
Thanks