ant to warm up yourwinter and heat up yourromance at the sametime? Romantic Rome isa hot destination for

Valentine’s Day.Why? Well,for starters the average

temperature in winter is 55°F. And thegorgeous sunshine makes your experienceall that more delightful if you have thewinter blues.

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SPECIAL TRAVEL-TO-GO SECTION

Rome-antic RomeRome-antic Rome

by Alice Verberne

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SPECIAL TRAVEL-TO-GO SECTIONThe warm southern temperatures are not

the only warmth you’ll feel while visiting Rome.If you’re experience is like mine, you’ll receive awarm welcome from the locals, as well.

If you stammer while trying to use an Italianphrase more than likely whoever is serving youwill switch to English.The Italians have an easewith American tourists that I found immenselyrefreshing.They are not only willing but alsovery capable at assisting a travellers needs, suchas trying to find your hotel. Rooms in Romeare pricey compared to other European capi-tals. One of the more kind-to-your-wallethotels are near the Termini (Main Train Station).Although it’s not very close to the major sites,the Termini is the hub for Rome’s bus system.You can get about anywhere you like by busuntil midnight. After that you need to take ataxi.Getting around

A fun alternative to public transportation andthe sneaker express is renting a moped. Forabout $50 a day and five bucks worth of gas,

you can hug your honey tight asyou whirl by all of the lovely

Roman ruins.The otheradvantage of a moped is

that Rome is off-limitsto automobile traffic onthe weekend. If youget caught, there arestiff fines thattourists usually haveto pay on the spot.A moped can beparked just aboutanywhere, as well.There’s a mopedrental shop at theTermini.Where to eat

Rome has so muchto offer, it’s hard for

the first-time visitor tonarrow down just

where to stay and whatto see for a Romantic

weekend, so let’s start withyour stomach.Avoid any restau-

rant with a guy out front hustling for cus-tomers.Always read the price list beforeordering, as it’s not usual for tourist traps tocharge $6 for a Coke. Also note the price ofthe servizio (service charge). It may vary by thesize of the “I’m a tourist” sticker on your fore-head.

I experienced some true Italian treats in thearea known as Trastevere. It’s the best choice ifyou want to be on top of the trendy dining andjazz club scene while at the same time rubbingelbows with the locals.This area is consideredthe Medieval quarter of Rome and is locatedon the same side of the Tiber river as theVatican.Although Trastevere is quite authentic,

On V. Le Angelico stands asculpture of the Virgin Mary

that gazes down Via OttavianoV. Barletta toward the Vatican

which is visible in the distance.

…thePope

himself wasnot amongthem, but it

was fascinating to

chat with churchVIPs over pastaand bruschetta.

Such is thecharm of

Trastevere.

it, like much of Rome is these days, is marred bygraffiti. Nonetheless, this old and rustic area iswell worth visiting especially because it has theadded advantage of being close to Testaccio (apopular late-night club area which will get to injust a minute). Staying here will give you a glimpseof everyday Roman life. For instance, I had lunchat a local restaurant called Osteria dei Belli, whichserves home-style Sardinian cuisine on long com-munal tables covered in checkered cloths. I satdown with a group of 30 people speaking English,French, German and Italian.They treated me likean old friend as I responded the best I could toeach diner’s native tongue. I soon discovered thatthe group consisted of high-ranking religious lead-ers from around the world.

Unfortunately, the Pope himself was not amongthem, but it was fascinating to chat with churchVIPs over pasta and bruschetta. Such is the charmof Trastevere.Night life

When you’re ready to start your evening, headto Enoteca Trastevere (Via d’Lungaretta 86) for alight aperitif.They have an impressive wine list andoutdoor seating in the winter.They are open from5 p.m. to 2 a.m. If you are into“big reds” don’t miss theBrunello. It’s expensive, buta better deal to buy it bythe glass instead of bythe bottle (which canstart at about $45).

Just around thecorner is some ofthe best jazz inRome completewith an authentichole-in-the-wallatmosphere. Checkout Stardust onVicolo de Renzi,which features a goodmix of jazz, intellectu-als and artists.Ask forthe friendly blondeAmerican named Leiah.She will hook you up on themusic and dancing scene.

She suggested picking up freenewspapers like “La City” or “Urban.” We foundboth publications in stands in front of most jazzclubs. Leiah also said they are distributed in themetro and the trendier areas for young peoplearound the Trastevere,Testaccio and Campo diFiori. She had us flip to the back to find addressesof hot restaurants, bars and clubs.The thumbs-uprating system was so easy to follow, I just grabbeda taxi and asked how much it was to get to mychoice establishment.

I took off for Mount Testaccio for a night ofromantic dancing. Located on the southern edgeof Rome next to car repair shops and warehous-es, it’s the perfect clubbing scene because there’sno one to wake up — hey, everybody, LET’S GET

Walkup the

broad flightof steps, at the

top you will finda square with a

huge bronzestatue of MarcusAurelius.THAT,is the guy from

the movieGladiator.

The Vatican is located on the site where St. Peter was martyred and buried. It isnow the residence of the Pope and is considered by many Catholics as the sym-bol of religious power. It is also a sovereign state with about 1000 inhabitants.

LOUD! The music ranged from House toRetro ’80s and there were all ages grooving tothe music.

Rome is so ancient, you can not escape a his-tory lesson even in a dance club. MountTestaccio was once the location of an ancientport. Goods were shipped in clay urns called

“amphorae.” These urns were “nodeposit, no return” delivery

items, so the Romans justdumped them into a big pile

(which ended up becominga mountain of potteryshards known today asMount Testaccio).Theneat part is that themountain has been duginto to create cellars,

which is where the clubsare located.You can see the

scraps of pottery shards ondisplay in the clubs’ “caves”

when you go dancing because theyare still stuck in the walls.

In warm weather the area takes on the sem-blance of a huge block party with people tap-ping their toes to the beats.This area is sotrendy that the names of the clubs can changein a matter of months. No worries, the

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TRAVELTRAVEL

Romeis so

ancient, youcan not escape

a history lesson evenin a dance

club

addresses don’t change.You can ask your taxi driv-er to take you to Mount Testaccio and thenyou can peruse the front doors.

We tried an establishment called Picassolocated at number 63 and also DalTestaccion alla Giamaica 46.The musicand crowd was worth the 10 eurocover charge, especially since it includ-ed a ticket good for one free drink.Youcan dance until about 3 a.m. beforeyou’ll have to pile yourself in a taxi.(Two people pay 10 euros each wayfrom Trastevere to Testaccio).

I suggest you go out dancing Fridaynight so that you can sleep late Saturday,and relax with a nice afternoon walk.Romantic walks

Locals get together for a stroll arounddusk as part of a tradition known as ‘passeggia-ta.” One passeggiata that combines walking with

browsing is around the Via dei Coronari, twoblocks north of Piazza Navona. It’s famous for

antiques and junk shops with a sprinkling ofarty retail stores and cafés. Remember themoment by picking up a photo album orscrapbook.The best place on the planetfor such an item is near the Pantheon,where you can see the sights and theneat bookstore next door. If you arefacing the Pantheon, the book store ison the right.They sell the most amaz-ing handmade leather books boundwith museum quality paper.The storehas a dedicated following — me includ-

ed.When you are finished with the café

culture and are ready to immerse yourselfin art and history, walk over to the area

known as the Roman Forum.You can get aguide book that will tell you all about the history

CHECKOUT THE

CLUB CULTURESUBCULTURE:

This area is so trendythat the names of theclubs can change in a

matter of months.But do not distress,

the address willstill be the

same.

Osteria der Belli, where the congress for religious leaders hadlunch is located near the Piazza Sant Apollonia (number 11 offLungaretta near the Piazza St Maria Trastevere). I was drawnthere because the locals recommended the fresh seafood.Trythe fresh trout, or the homemade ravioli.You will not be disap-pointed.Also worth noting was the Sardinian BRUSCHETTA andthe fried cheese.The three-course meal cost about $25 per per-son and included a glass of Sardinian wine, appetizer or salad,main dish, dessert and digestive.

I also suggest you try the dining establishments on the streetknown as Vittorio del Cinque.The truffle ravioli was worth men-tioning as well as the plate of grilled jumbo shrimp.

For ice cream you have to try one of the many locations of“Blue Ice” gelateria. Check www.blueicecream.it for a listing oflocations.The one in Trestevere is at Piazza Maria in Trastevere4/4A. My Italian friends insist it is the best ice cream you willever find (and I have to agree).The chocolate ice cream was sothick it was like eating cake icing, but without all of the sugar.Think frozen chocolate truffles. I also highly recommend the wildforest berries (Frutti di Bosco).

If you want to buy your loved one a box of chocolates, tryDolce idea (sweet idea) in Trestevere on S. Francesco a Ripa 27.they even have cayenne flavored chocolate. Or try their websiteat www.dolceidea.com.

Restaurant suggestions

Above: Men feed gulls near the Tiber river in Trasteverewith Isola Tiberina and Ponte Cestio (bridge) in the back-ground. Left: A sculpture of Neptune graces the famousTrevi Fountain which has been the star of many films set inRome, including the 1960’s era “la Dolce Vita” (the SweetLife) by Frederico Fellini, in which Anita Ekberg bathed inthe fountain. Don’t try it yourself, swimming in the fountainis strictly forbidden these days.

of Rome at the library, so I will leave that speech forsomeone else to cover.

But, if you look at just one thing while you’rethere, go to the Capitoline museum. It is located atthe citadel of Ancient Rome (which is rightbehind the monument to Victor Emanuel).This iswhere you will find the Michelangelo steps.Walk up the broad flight of steps, at the topyou will find a square with a huge bronze stat-ue of Marcus Aurelius, he’s the guy from themovie “Gladiator.” The statue is a copy. If youwant to see the real deal, you’ll need to payeight dollars to enter the museum. It’s worth itthough because the restaurant at the top of themuseum has one of the best views of the Vaticanin all of Rome and the Roman copies of Greeksculpture are just fascinating.

My favorite room is the hall of the philosophers,

where students try to pick out Plato,Aristotle and allthose guys with great ideas from ancient Greece.

Don’t wear yourself out walking, because youwill need your energy for some Sunday shop-ping. On Sunday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. thePorta Portese flea market sets up along theVia Portuense on the western bank of theTiber river just south of Trastevere.This car-nival-style market blends cultures fromEastern Europe and Africa. Hippies sellhomemade beads and Guatemalan importswhile Italian shopkeepers come out to selltheir stores’ surplus. It takes a few hours tocover the entire flea market, so get there

early.What could be more fun for a couple than a

weekend of dining, dancing and “Rome-ancing.”

Inwarm

weather thearea takes onthe semblanceof a huge blockparty with peo-

ple tappingtheir toes to

the beats.

Rome is getting cheaper.With special from Hahn airport starting ataround ten bucks, I decided to give it a shot as an inexpensiveweekend. If you live in Baumholder, you have it made because youare really close to the airport. Other military communities closeenough to make it worth their while are Darmstadt, Mannheim,Mainz,Wiesbaden, Giessen and Hanau.

Ryan Air flies to the Rome’s Ciampino airport.At press time tick-ets were going for about 10 Euro, which ended up costing me about$50 for a round-trip ticket. Not bad considering comparable traintickets were around $300 and driving would have take long and thegas would have been more than the price of the flight.

Ryan Air has a bus system that takes you straight to the centraltrain station for about $13. Look for the signs that point you toTerravision bus service.The bus will get you to the main train sta-tion in about 30 minutes.

To get to Trastevere from the Termini bus station, take bus H(which is direct to the neighborhood) or take tram 8 to the end ofthe line (Argentino) then switch to any bus in the direction ofTermini station. Remember, you can also rent a moped at Terministation. I highly recommend renting it for the weekend if you wantto save on taxis.

Hotel Trastevere is located at Via Luciano Manara, 24a/25, 00153Rome.Telephone +39-065814713. Prices range from 77 euro for asingle to 154 for four people.A typical double room goes for 103Euro per night and includes breakfast.

Scooters can be rented for about 30-60 dollars per day depend-ing on the model at Trenoe Scoter located in front of TerminiStation. Bicycles can be rented from $3 to $12 depending on howmany hours you want to use the bike.The service is available everyday. For more information log onto ibikeitaly@libero.it.

Travelers tips

A group rows under Ponte Sant’Angelo bridge which crosses the Tiber river connecting Castel Sant’Angelo with Via del BiancoS. Spirito.