Roma excursions

Villa Adriana

Hours: 9:00 – 90 minutes before sunset.

The vacation town of Tivoli is 30 km east of Rome, at the root of the Sabian hills. In 126-134 emperor Hadrian built a summer palace in a garden of 5 km in length about 5 km from Tivoli. Hadrian designed the area himself and copied buildings and monuments that he had seen on this travels. The ruins have been excavated and are now a museum.

We walk from the entrance through a wall remaining from an Athenian gateway called Pokile. We continue on the banks of a pond and pass a small and a big bath house, arriving at a long pond. On its other end there is Canopus, a copy of an Egyptian temple for Seramis. On our way back we cross the ruins on the right, first the barracks of the guards, Praetorium.

Then we continue past the fish pond to the real summer palace. On the highest ground there is a square, Piazza dOro. Below it are the ruins of the emperors residence, such as a dining room and a sitting room. Still lower are the ruins of a library. To the left of the libraries is a colonnade around a circular pond. We have again arrived at the Pokile.

The daily sightseeing buses to Villa Adriana also include a visit to the cardinal Villa dEste.

Ostia Antica

Hours: Open daily 9 – 1 hour before sunset.

The old harbor city of Rome is 25 km south-west of the capital. It is reachable by a train from Porta San Paolo, which is connected with the metro system of Rome. The ruins have been excavated and are now a museum. They are mainly from the 2nd C. River silt closed the harbor and the city was abandoned, hidden by silt and has thus been preserved.

The ruins are 1,5 km in length. From the entrance we walk the main street, Decumanus Maximus, part the graveyard to the bath house of Neptun with beautiful mosaics. Beside it is a well preserved theater and further on a square of shops and offices of merchant and transport companies.

On the main street we continue to the main square, Forum, with the main temple, Capitolum, from early 2nd C. The marble has disappeared, but parts of the walls are still there. There are many remains of Insulae, residential apartments of 3-4 storeys, often built around a courtyard. We can spend a lot of time to stroll around the side streets and alleys before returning by the main street.

Castelli Romani

The generic name of a few towns in the hills 25 km south of Rome. They include Castel Gandolfo, Rocca di Papa, Grottaferrata and Frascati.

They are accessible by sightseeing buses from Rome. They usually stop first at a catacomb and at Via Appia Antica.

Via Appia Antica

This ancient road was built in 312 B.C. and led from Rome to Capua, Benevento and Brindisi. Tombs were early placed alongside it, as it was forbidden to bury people inside the city limits.

We can still drive on parts of this road, past the major Christian catacombs, the tomb of Romulus, the arena of Maxentius and the tomb of Cecilia Metella, in addition to lots of smaller tombstones.

We visit one of the catacombs signposted from the Via Appia Antica.

Catacombe

Three catacombs are open on the Via Appia Antica. They are all conveniently open Monday when most of the museums in Rome are closed. Catacombe Callisto is closed Wednesday, Catacombe Domitilla is closed Tuesday and Catacombe Sebastiano is closed Thursday.

The catacombs were not a hiding place for Christians. Most of them were dug in the 3rd and the 4th C, when Christianity had become an acceptable religion. They were normal Christian graveyards, usually a few storeys down, as the early Christians had to dig deeper down when the space filled up.

We drive on to Castelli Romani and start with Castel Gandolfo.

Castel Gandolfo

The village is on the edge of the big crater that created Lago di Albano. The summer residence of the Pope and his astronomy observatory are in this town. In front of the entrance there is a balcony with a good view over the lake of Albano.

We next drive to Rocca di Papa

Rocca di Papa

This town is perched on the slopes of Monte Cavo. The streets are steep and the alleys are twisted. It is the highest town in the Castelli Romani area.

Next we drive to Grottaferrata.

Grottaferrata

A beautiful monastery is behind a moat in this town. It is a Catholic monastery with some Orthodox rituals. It has a church tower from the 12th C.

Our last stop on this trip is in Frascati.

Frascati

The center of vineyards and of wine making in the area around Rome.

The majestic Villa Aldobrandini towers over the central square.

After seeing Frascati we drive back to Rome.

Napoli

Napoli is no more a beautiful city. It is a noisy city of congested car traffic, dominated by the Italian crime society of Camorra. Robbery and theft is common.

On the other hand the city is a convenient starting point for those visitors to Rome who want to visit the ghost towns of Herculanum and Pompeii, climb the Vesuvius volcano, drive along the Amalfi coast or visit the island of Capri.

Most of the sights in the city are clustered in the center by the old harbor, including the city castle and the royal palace.

Napoli is 219 km from Rome. The trains are good and punctual. We do some sightseeing in Napoli, starting with the harbor castle.

Castel Nuovo

The giant harbor castle was built in 1282, surrounded with a wide and deep moat. The city entrance is in the shape of a triumphal arch of two storeys, built in 1467.

Adjacent to the castle is the royal palace of Napoli, Palazzo Reale. On our way we pass Teatro San Carlo, an opera house and a theater from 1737. Opposite the theater there is an old mall.

Galleria Umberto I

The oldest shopping mall in Naples, in the form of a crucifix, with an enormous glass and iron dome over the crossing.

We continue to the front of the royal palace.

Palazzo Reale

Hours: Open in the morning.

The royal palace of the kings of Napoli was built in the beginning of the 17th C. It has been renovated several times, but always according to the original style. It is now a museum.

The semicircular Piazza del Plebiscito is in front of the royal palace.

We walk further on the coastal hotel street to a sailboat harbour and a seaside castle.

Porto di Santa Lucia

This is the tiny Santa Lucia harbor, made famous by a Napoli song. It is now a sailboat harbor, nestling under a castle. From the jetty there is a good view of Vesuvius and the Napoli bay.

The Castel dellOvo is a Norman castle sitting on a seaside rock. It got its present look in 1274.

Opposite the harbor and castle is the main hotel street of Napoli.

This is the end of our walk in Napoli.

Miramare

Via Nazario Sauro 24. Phone: (081) 427 388. Fax: (081) 416 775. Price: L.240000 ($152) with breakfast. All major cards. 30 rooms.

The nicest hotel in Napoli is on the coast south of the city center, just 500 meters from the old royal palace.

It is in an old townhouse and has a good view over the bay to the Vesuvius volcano. It is modern and tasteful. A breakfast room is on the top floor with good views.

Room no. 107 is big, decorated in light blue colors, with a good writing desk, trouser press, coffee machine and an enormous mirror over the headpiece of the bed. From a big window there is a good view to Vesuvius. The bathroom is big and splendid, all done in marble, with a jacuzzi bathtub.

Royal

Via Partenope 38. Phone: (081) 764 4800. Fax: (081) 764 5707. Price: L.240000 ($152) with breakfast. All major cards. 273 rooms.

This practical hotel is round the corner on the coastal road from the Naples royal palace, opposite the sailing boat harbor of Santa Lucia. A group of hotels line this part of the seaside, Excelcior, Santa Lucia, Vesuvio, Continental and Royal.

This large hotel is rather functional, lacking in charm.

Room no. 810 is big and comfortable, in modern business decor. It has a good view to the sailing boat harbor Santa Lucia and the Castel dOvo castle. It has a giant mirror and a parquet floor. It is well outfitted, including a fully tiled bathroom.

Ciro a Santa Brigida

Via Santa Brigida 71-73. Phone: (081) 552 4072. Hours: Closed Sunday. Price: L.70000 ($44) for two. All major cards.

A traditional and inexpensive place for business lunches and luxury shopping lunches adjoining the architecturally interesting shopping mall of Galeria Umberto I, but entered from the outside.

This is a big and noisy place, but also comfortable and clean, with good service in a few rooms on two floors.

- Penna mozzarella e malanzane = pasta tubes with cheese and aubergine.

- Pizza marinara = shellfish pizza.

- Magro di vitello ai ferri = pan fried veal slice with egg.

- Fritto calamari e gamberi = deep fried squid and shrimp.

- Zuppa inglese = sponge cake with whipped cream.

- Cannoli = butter pastry filled with sugared ricotta cheese, sugared orange peel and cocoa.

La Cantinella

Via Cuma 42. Phone: (081) 404 884 & (081) 405 375. Hours: Closed Sunday. Price: L.100000 ($63) for two. All major cards.

The best restaurant in Naples, on the hotel beach road leading from the royal palace, beside the Miramare hotel.

The main dining room is dominated by huge and bright pillars. Along the street there is a long and narrow room decorated in blue, with velvet walls and ceiling.

- Linguine alla cantine = pasta threads with shrimp and spinach.

- Insalata di mare = cold seafood salad.

- Filetto di manzo = beef filet.

- Medaglioni de manzo = beef medallions.

- Mozzarella = Italian soft cheese.

- Macedonia di frutta = marinated fresh fruit.

Sbrescia Ciro

Rampe San Antonio a Posillipo 110. Phone: (081) 669 140. Hours: Closed Monday. Price: L.70000 ($44) for two. All major cards.

A lively place with a view, rather inexpensive, in Positano, a rich residential suburb on a peninsula north from the Naples center. It is on a steep road that winds up a hill.

Enormous windows give a good view to the Mergellina suburb and the castle of Uvo, all they way to Vesuvius.

- Linguine casa nostra = pasta threads of the house.

- Vermicelli alle vongole = spaghetti with small shells.

- Scaloppa alla Sbrescia = veal slices.

- Spigola = grilled sea bass.

- Uva = grapes.

- Gelato = ice cream.

Campania

The area around Napoli and the Vesuvius bay is the ancient Campania, a fertile crescent with lots of things to see. A one day drive south from Napels will take in the ghost cities of Herculanum and Pompeii, the volcano Vesuvius, the Sorrento peninsula and the Amalfi coast.

We start from Napoli on our first leg of 10 km to Herculanum.

Herculanum

Hours: Open daily.

A ghost town of 5000 people that drowned in 12 meter deep mud when Vesuvius erupted in the year 79. It was a rather poor town of fishermen at that time. It is rather well preserved as the wood has partly become ossified in the mud. Whole houses have been preserved, including the wooden structure, cooking utensils and furniture.

The excavation covers 150 x 250 meters. Three major and parallel streets are intersected by smaller streets, all on a rectangular plan. We go first into Casa dellAlbergo just below the stairs down to the ruins, then go to the main street Cardo IV up to the main square and then back again on the main street Cardo V. It is best to rent a guide and tell him how much time you want to spend there.

Among other things we can see mosaics on floors, the town baths with separate areas for the sexes, shops with counters on the street, a sculpture of deer and half-burnt furniture.

We drive the 15 km from Herculanum under the slopes of Vesuvius in the direction of Pompeii.

Vesuvio

One of the few remaining active volcanoes on the continent of Europe. It has two summits, the 1277 meter Vesuvius proper in the south and the 1132 meter Monte Somma in the north. The lower slopes are of fertile lava, supporting the production of Lacryma Christi wine.

Vesuvius had been quiet for a long time when it erupted in 79, burying the towns of Herculanum and Pompeii. During the next millennium it erupted seven times. Then came again a quiet period. In 1631 it started all over again, destroying many towns and killing 3000 people. Since then it has erupted at least eleven times, the last time in 1944.

The mountain is mainly climbed from the south and the west, which is the easier way. The crater is a strange lunar sight and the panorama from the top is unique.

We continue on the main road to Pompeii.

Pompeii

Hours: Open daily.

This was a business city of 25.000 people that disappeared in two days in a 6-7 meter layer of ash when Vesuvius erupted in the year of 79. Its center has been brought again to light in excavations of 2 x 1 km. We can see in a nutshell how life must have been in such a city more than nineteen centuries ago. We still can see election slogans on the walls and pornographic pictures in the brothel.

The central square is surrounded by the temples of Jupiter, Apollo and Vespanian, and a 67 meter basilica for commerce and courts. There are two theaters, one for 5000 people and the other for 800. Also two well-designed bath houses, including Terme Stabiane where we can see ossified mummies. The amphitheatre is one of the oldest preserved, from 80 B.C. There are many bars lining the main street.

We can see lots of Insulae apartment buildings with inner courts. Casa dei Vettii has frescos and gardens with sculpture and fountains. Rent a guide to make the most of your time. If you have extra time you can take a detour to Villa dei Misteri with big frescos showing the cult of Dinoysios.

We seek out the Casa dei Vettii.

Casa dei Vettii

Most of the best mosaics in Pompeii are in Casa dei Vettii, the best-preserved house, the home of two merchant brothers.

We now drive to the town of SantAgata sui due Golfi on the Sorrento peninsula, about 40 km from Pompeii. We can find lodgings in Hermitage, tel. (081) 878 0062 or in Jaccarino, tel. (081) 878 0026. Both have views to Napoli and Vesuvius. Then we prepare for dinner in the best restaurant in southern Italy, Don Alfonso. Next morning we take the Amalfi coast road, stopping first in Positano.

Don Alfonso

Corso Santa Agata 11, SantAgata. Phone: (081) 878 0026. Price: L.180000 ($114) for two. All major cards.

The best restaurant in southern Italy, including Rome, is in the little town of SantAgata which is perched on the peninsula between the Vesuvius and Salerno bays. It is on the main street, near the central square.

The couple Alfonso and Livia Jaccarino own this bright and beautiful restaurant and the adjoining Jaccarino hotel. He does the cooking and she directs the service. The tasting menu is especially good. The room is divided by a brick wall into two parts. The decorations are in hunting style.

- Involtino di pesce con rughetta e semi di finocchio selvatico = marinated fish with vegetables and egg sauce.

- Treccine di pesce azzurro agli ortaggi = hornfish with carrot, onion and celery.

- I paiceri della pasta = pasta threads with shells and pumpkin.

- Filetti di boccadoro ai cetrioli e rosmarino = poached small fish with rosmarin, mashed potatoes, tomato and cheese.

- Infuso alle erbe = lemon sorbet.

- Braciole di annecchia con pinoli e uvetta = raisins and nuts enclosed in beef.

- Scelta di formaggi = three types of cheese, gorgonzola, provolone and caciocavallo.

- Dolce e piccola pasticceria = green pistachio marzipan with mango sauce and filled with a cheese mixture.

Positano

Positano is the first village on the Amalfi coast, a fishing village transformed into a hotel town. The slope is so steep that in some cases there are cliffs between rows of houses. The white houses remind us of Greek or Spanish islands.

We continue on the scenic road on the Amalfi coast to the town of Amalfi.

Amalfi

The Amalfi coast is one of the most beautiful coastlines in Italy. Small fishing villages cower where deep gorges meet with tiny estuaries. Wealthy villas perch on steep slopes.

The tourist town of Amalfi has given its name to the coast. The houses are white as in Positano, but the landscape is not as wild, so there is room for a city center with a church in Byzantine style.

Vallone di Furore is the wildest part of the landscape on the coast. A small fishing village is hiding under vertical cliffs and steep slopes.

We drive on to Salerno and continue 60 km straight to Napoli.

Capri

Just off Sorrento peninsula, a vertical cliff island, 63 km. It has a mild climate and an abundant flora and has been a coveted place for relaxing all the way back to the time of Roman emperors. The main village is Capri, sitting in a saddle between mountains, with harbours on both sides.

There are no private cars in Capri, just small buses, taxis and electrical cycles which are used for transporting goods. Most streets in the village are pedestrian, some of them with no houses at street level, but with steep steps up and down to the houses.

From the main square, Piazza Umberto I, there are short walks to viewpoints, such as Cannone Belvedere, Tragara Belvedere and Giardini Augusto, also a long and steep path to the ruins of the palace of emperor Tiberius on a mountain top.

We start our visit in the harbor

Marina Grande

There are two harbors in Capri on either side of the town, both accessible by car. Marina Piccola is a tiny fishing harbor with beaches in the South and Marina Grande is the main harbor the North, nestling under steep cliffs. The latter is the embarkation point for visitors.

Next we take a bus or taxi to Anacapri.

Anacapri

The second village on the island, on its eastern part. It lies much higher than Capri and is accessible by a road through steep cliffs.

Anacapri is not as full of tourists as Capri. From there you can take a chair lift to the top of Monte Solaro, the highest top of the island, from where you have in good weather an unforgettable view over the whole island, the bay of Napoli and the Appenia mountain range. The road to the Blue Grotto also leads from Anacapri.

From Anacapri we can take a taxi down the slope to the Blue Grotto.

Grotta Azurra

The main attraction of Capri. It can be reached either by boat or car. From the boats and cars you embark into small rowing boats that are used for entering the cave. It is famous for its mysterious blue color reflected up from the sea.

There are organised boat trips to Grotta Azzurra from Marina Grande, partly in connection with trips around the island. On such trips you can see other caves, such as the Green Cave and the White Cave, which you can enter by foot. You also sail through the Faraglioni cliffs.

Palma

Via Vittorio Emanuele 39. Phone: (081) 837 0133. Fax: (081) 837 6966. Price: L.300000 ($189) with breakfast. All major cards. 80 rooms.

One of the best hotels in Capri, well situated on a pedestrian street leading from the central Piazza Umberto I, about 100 meters from the piazza.

Pineta

Via Tragara 6. Phone: (081) 837 0644. Fax: (081) 837 6445. Price: L.120000 ($76) with breakfast. All major cards. 52 rooms.

A nice little hotel, about 10 minutes walk from the central Piazza Umberto I. We walk past the hotels Palma and Quisisana and turn left on Via Camerelle. Where it ends we walk a few steps up to Via Tragara, where the hotel is on the right.

Room no. 41 is enormous, with a big balcony with sun-deck chairs and with a very big bathroom in mint condition. The room has pleasant quality furniture in modern style, including an amusing painting of fish. It has good view to the ocean.

Quisisana

Via Camerelle 2. Phone: (081) 837 0788. Fax: (081) 837 6080. Price: L.400000 ($253) with breakfast. All major cards. 150 rooms.

The main luxury hotel is about 200 meters downhill from the central Piazza Umberto I.

La Tavernetta

Via Lo Palazzo 23a. Phone: (081) 837 6864. Hours: Closed Monday. Price: L.120000 ($76) for two. All major cards.

The best restaurant on Capri is in the narrow pedestrian street which is parallel with the main street, Via Roma, near the end that is farther away from the central Piazza Umberto I.

The restaurant is divided by arches into sections. The kitchen is in view.

- Ravioli alla caprese = pasta with tomato sauce and Capri-cheese.

- Risotto al gamberi = fried rice with king prawns.

- Filetto di manzo alla griglia = grilled beef filet.

- Capriccio-parfait = ice cream.

Moscardino

Piazza Umberto I. Price: L.70000 ($44) for two. All major cards.

A simple, good seafood restaurant with a convenient location in an arcade between Piazza Umberto I and the bus stop.

It has pine walls, decorated with incidental photos. It offers paper napkins and paper table-covers.

1996

© Jónas Kristjánsson