Savoy Hotel: Review of the Savoy Hotel in Rome

When in Rome do as any upstanding roman would; stay at the Savoy Hotel Rome. After a completely relaxing three day stay at the luxurious Savoy Hotel you will have nothing but positive things to say. The location is perfect and the amenities are top notch. But wait…there’s more.

The Savoy Hotel is right smack in the middle of Rome.

The Hotel Savoy is in the center of Rome just off via Veneto and a heartbeat away from the Villa Borghese gardens, Museum Borghese, Piazza di Spagna, and the amazing Trevi Fountains. All major cultural features and attractions as well as the tourist “sites to see” are nearby. It is within a football toss of one of Italy’s most famous shopping centers, the Spanish Steps .

Whether you’re looking for a hotel close to historic Rome or the new, trendy sights, the Savoy Hotel in Rome is more than adequate.

What the Hotel Savoy Has to Offer.

The Hotel itself is magnifico; it is a traditional and recently renovated historic hotel. The elegant décor does nothing but compliment its modern amenities and facilities. Each of the 135 rooms have been classically styled, and are extremely comfortable- equipped with satellite television, mini bar, as well as air conditioning.

Dine in style high atop the city of Rome at the rooftop gardens and restaurant of the Savoy Hotel, which offers a panoramic view of the entire city. Enjoy the splendid view of the heavens and stars as Caesar himself once did, all in the comfort of your hotel. Want to enjoy the nightlife of Rome? Hotel Savoy is within walking distance of many of Rome’s most popular bars and night clubs.

Is the Hotel Savoy In Rome Out Of My Price Range?

As far as affordability, the Hotel Savoy is not the cheapest hotel in Rome, but it is also not the most expensive. You get exactly what you pay for when staying at the Savoy.

Expect to spend about 350 Euros (493 U.S. dollars) for a single room, one night stay. Extravagant…maybe, but trust me when I say it is worth every penny.

Every now and then the Savoy Hotel will present opportunities for travelers to save money. One promotion that is offered is for a minimum two -nights stay; for a rate of 160 Euros (226 U.S. dollars) per night. If you’re lucky enough to come across this promotion, take it, as it will not last long.

Expect VIP service upon arrival, including quick room check-in and a buffet style breakfast. The price does vary per room, whether you require a single, double, or triple room but still maintains an affordable rate.

For a central location, beautiful surroundings, excellent culture, and for some, a very affordable price, you can’t go wrong with the Savoy Hotel in Rome.

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Jason Boehle, adventure traveler and creative writer invites you to visit http://www.goldenbooktraveler.com for more European travel resources like low cost health insurance for your protection.
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Celebrate Christmas in Rome
If you are spending Christmas in Rome you be looking to visit from just before Christmas itself and up until January 6th. During this time there are Christmas Trees, lights and festive decorations. During Christmas you will find that some of the wonderful traditions from the past happening even today.

Christmas Past and Present

In the past you would find that a man named Father Christmas visited children and gave them presents on New Years Day the day for celebrating Basil. Another past tradition still help today is where carolers will go around spreading good cheer to all those they meet. The Christmas dinner is another tradition that has made it through time, and you will find that most tables have either turkey or pork and delectable desserts like kourabies and melomakarona decorating them.

Differences from a Christmas in Rome and one you might be used to

Christmas is very much celebrated in Rome but it is not the same holiday you might know or remember. In Rome family is what Christmas is all about and not friends, people you know or those you work with. This is a time for the Traditional Fish and Tortellini to spread around and eaten, followed with a glass of bubbly spumante.

Where to go during a Christmas Break in Rome

Some might wonder what to do while on their Chrsitmas Vacation in Rome but many of the things you would do through out the rest of the year can be enjoyed during this time as well. With the Old Rome history such as the Colosseum, Capitoline Hill, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Roman Forum, and Trevi Fountain near by and in all of the ancient glory. Or something more modern with a tour of Rome at night through the old parts and the Trastevere also you cannot forget The Jewish Ghetto.

You will also want to visit some of the quaint and festively decorated stands and shops in Rome. During this time the culture and history of Rome cannot only be seen but felt in each step you take. All around you the smells and flavors of the Holiday can be felt and experienced. Although you might want to bring a few extra dollars for those impromptu gifts and trinkets, you should also bring a healthy appetite to savor and enjoy all of the wonderfully flavored foods.

Christmas in Rome can be an unforgettable experience if you let it happen.

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To find your perfect Rome Christmas city break, visit http://www.directline-citybreaks.co.uk and search for industrial handles plus all the latest deals & offers.

In the high Dolomites villages of Alta Badia you can go walking in Summer or skiing and snowshoeing in Winter. At altitudes of around 1500m, these villages get good snowfalls and plenty of sunshine making them a great destination for summer walkers and winter skiers alike. The area is also known as Südtirol, due to its history when it was part of Austria.
We visited Corvara at the end of August to sample an organised walking holiday. Once we arrived we heard about the attractions of Via Ferrata (also known as Klettersteig), a range of protected scrambling routes that have existed in this area since World War I.

Views from the protected paths are breathtaking

We stayed in the village of Corvara, at 1537m high and situated in a wide valley with plenty of waymarked walking paths leading directly from the village.

Walks are waymarked and easy to follow

A Quick Tour Of Italy – Southern Sardinia

If you are hankering for a European tour, why not consider the island of Sardinia, a region of southern Italy? Depending on your specific interests, this beautiful area can be an ideal vacation spot. You can get classic Italian food, and wash it down with fine local wine. Some parts of the island remain undiscovered by tourists, while others are jet-setter favorites and priced accordingly. This article presents southern Sardinia. Companion articles present northern Sardinia and central Sardinia.

We start our tour of southern Sardinia at its capital and largest city. Cagliari has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The old city, called the Castle which lies on a hilltop, offers an excellent view of the Gulf of Cagliari. The old white limestone city walls are mostly intact. Look for two Thirteenth Century white limestone towers, the St. Pancras Tower and the Elephant Tower. D.H. Lawrence, who wrote Sea and Sardinia and Lady Chatterly’s Lover compared Cagliari to a “white Jerusalem”.

You will find the fairly well preserved Second Century Roman Amphitheatre, an aqueduct, ancient cisterns, and the ruins of a small temple. During the summer the amphitheatre hosts open-air concerts, operas, and concerts. The Archeological Museum located in a Fourteenth Century castle contains many artifacts coming from Nuraghe, unique Sardinian stone structures. The nearby the Poetto beach is a whopping 8 miles (13 kilometers) long.

Pula is known for its lovely beaches, bays, and coves. Admire the flocks of flamingos in the marshes. Nearby lies the Phoenician site of Nora, perhaps Sardinia’s oldest city. Ongoing excavations have uncovered many ruins from ancient Carthage and Rome.

In early May Nora and Cagliari host perhaps the greatest and most colorful religious procession in the world, the Festa di Sant’Efisio, honoring a martyr beheaded by a Roman soldier in 303 in Nora. According to popular belief this Saint’s intervention stopped a deadly Seventeenth Century plague. In gratitude thousands of traditionally costumed marchers transport his statue back and forth from a Cagliari church to one in Nora. These festivities end with a torchlight parade.

What about food? Despite its magnificent coastline, native Sardinians don’t seem to go very much for fish and seafood. But if you are on or near the coast you can get fish and seafood. Look for burrida, a delicious fish soup sometimes based on shark. The area offers some of the best, albeit fairly expensive, lobster in Italy. Carignano del Sulcis DOC is produced in the southwestern tip of Sardinia mostly from the red Carignano grape.

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Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but he prefers drinking fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and people. He knows about dieting and fat burners but now eats and drinks what he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his Italian travel website http://www.travelitalytravel.com which focuses on local wine and food.

Top 10 Sights in Rome

If you are taking a city break to Rome, then you will want to know how to maximise your time there. Below is a list we have compiled that will help you see the best 10 sights in Rome.

The Sistine Chapel – The Sistine Chapel is a must see as it is delicately decorated by Michelangelo. It was built back in the 1400’s, somewhere between 1475 and 1481. St Peter’s In 1452 this historical church was renovated, which took more than 200 years to complete. Here you will find works from Raphael, Michelangelo as well as many other well known architects. St Peter’s contains a total of 45 altars and eleven chapels as well as many priceless works of art.

The Colosseum – This is considered one of the most famous landmarks of Rome. It is known as one of the best attractions.

The Trevi Fountain – This place is truly a celebration of the things that make Rome so unique. It was built in 19B.C. It has been said that if you toss a coin in here you will definitely come back to Rome so be sure to bring some change with you.

Roman Forum – The word forum is Latin for market or open space. The Roman Forum is the home for many of the most important public buildings. This is a great place to see so be sure not to miss it. Art Galleries It has often been said that the art galleries of Rome are the home to some of the most beautiful works of art so be sure to stop by and admire these beautiful places.

Vatican City – This is considered the smallest country in the world. Home of the Pope and it makes the territory of the Holy See.

Museums – There are so many beautiful things to see by visiting some of the museums located all around Rome. No matter what your taste is, you will be sure to find some favourite museums here. Spanish Steps These extensive steps actually connect the Church of Trinita dei Monti and the Spanish Square. They give to all those who check them out, an outstanding view of the city.

Pantheon – This is perhaps one of the greatest of all time, spiritual building in the entire world. This is one site that you will not want to miss as it truly is spectacular.

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Inspiring city breaks to Rome at http://www.directline-citybreaks.co.uk/rome. All the best prices, dental discounts & latest offers on Rome city breaks.

It’s been a long time since we have done anything with Italian wines. Not that we don’t love them. But we ran through all twenty regions of Italy (not literally) and reviewed at least one wine from each region with two exceptions. Then we moved on to French and German wines. There are scads of Italian wines to taste and review, but that’s for an undefined later. We now review a very timely wine, a Vino Novello. Each year, starting in early November, Italy releases Vino Novello, to the delight of many, and to the eternal disappointment of many others. Will you be delighted or disappointed with the 2007 offering? After reading this article, rush to your favorite wine store and sample the wine. Whether you are delighted or not, you probably will have fun. Traditionalists consume roasted chestnuts and fresh figs with such wines.

New wines are produced by a special method, carbonic maceration, in which whole grapes ferment in stainless steel tanks, often reaching a temperature of 25 to 30 degrees Centigrade (77 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit). This process lasts for about 5 to 20 days, and may be followed by crushing the grapes, which then undergo traditional fermentation for a few days. The exact procedure varies from one winemaker to another, but the ensuing wine is virtually tannin free. The lack of tannins implies a short shelf life. While you don’t have to drink the wine immediately, most people finish the season by Easter. By the way, according to the Italian winemakers, admittedly not the most impartial of groups, the 2007 harvest was the earliest and leanest wine harvest in thirty years. Is this yet another proof of global warming?

New wines are usually colored bright red or violet. They tend to be fruity, tasting of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, banana, and freshly squeezed grapes, depending on the grape variety used, the production method, and the area in which the grapes are grown. Detractors talk about bubble gum, lollipops, nail polish, and jello. Many feel that new wine tastes of grape juice with alcohol. One thing is certain, if you don’t like a given new wine, don’t store it away to try it again in two years. It won’t improve with time.

Italy is a major producer of new wine, bringing to market about 18 million bottles a year. About one third of its output is exported to Germany. The most important Italian new wine regions are Veneto and Tuscany, followed by Piedmont and Trentino-Alto Adige. Let’s take a closer look at one new wine.

Wine Reviewed Novello del Veneto IGT 12% about $9.50

I bought this bottle in mid-November, shortly after its release. The Novello del Veneto wine, with a designer label, is made from Corvina and Rondinella grapes native to the Veneto region in northeastern Italy. Interestingly enough, the Corvina grape is quite tannic, but you would never guess from tasting the final product. You may be familiar with these two grape varieties; they are the major components of Valpolicella and other well-known Veneto wines. I’ll spare you the gushing marketing materials that purported to describe this wine.

I first tasted these wines with a slow-cooked beef stew with potatoes and Romanian style smoky eggplant. The wine was dark but thin. I tasted some tobacco and the combination was quite pleasant but perhaps the meat’s spice, harissa a pungent North African condiment, was too much for the wine. When I restrained myself and tasted the wine with chunks of spiceless meat, the Novello del Veneto was a bit more forceful.

The next pairing involved kubbe, alternate spelling kube, mideastern ground rice balls with a beef stuffing in a spicy tomato sauce. And they are excellent. The wine was fruit forward, it didn’t seem like a new wine. This is a complement. The wine seemed to balance the pepper in the tomato sauce. On the downside it was grapey.

The final meal was a broiled rib steak that was briefly marinated in a ketchup, mustard, onion, and garlic sauce. The wine was fruity, but frankly not up to the steak. Do I taste bubble gum? As this description, the wine wasn’t very long.

My German Emmenthaler (Swiss-type) cheese is getting too old and too hard. And yet the wine was moderately acidic and fruity, with some black cherry. Perhaps its presence was because the cheese has become rather tasteless. The ammonia in the French goat cheese was too much for this wine.

Final verdict. Faith tells me that one day there will be a new wine that meets my not very rigorous standards. Reason tells me that this will not happen; the rush to market inevitably means inadequate processing of the grapes. In this case reason triumphed and the wine did not. On the other hand, what do you want for $9.50?

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Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but he prefers drinking fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and people. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what he wants, in moderation without the need for Leptovox. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His new wine, diet, health, and nutrition website http://www.wineinyourdiet.com links to his other sites.

I Love Touring Italy – Campania East Of Naples
If you are looking for a European tourist vacation destination,
consider the unique area east of Naples in the Campania
region of southwestern Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The
ancient cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii are in essence
giant, sometimes open-air museums that display in utmost
detail what life was like in the Roman Empire. You should
also see Mount Vesuvius. In a bizarre sense this mountain
gave birth to these unique tourist attractions when it
erupted in the year AD 79 and thus preserved its surroundings
for eternity. Make sure to see our companion articles on
the other areas of Campania including Naples, the territory
west of Naples known as Campi Flegrei (Fields of Fire), the
Isle of Capri, and Sorrento and the Amalfi coast.

We’ll start our tour in Caserta about sixteen miles (twenty
five kilometers) northeast of Naples, the only section of
this tour that has nothing to do with volcanoes. Then it’s
southwest to Herculaneum about six miles (ten kilometers)
southeast of Naples. Afterwards we go northeast to Mount
Vesuvius, which permanently transformed this region almost
two thousand years ago. We’ll double back to the Bay of
Naples and go southeast past the archeological site of
Oplontis and proceed to our final destination, Pompeii.
Many of these sites are accessible from Naples via public
transportation. In fact given the crowds and the drivers in
this part of the world, you are better off taking public
transportation especially in the summer.

While Caserta is home to an Eighteenth Century Cathedral
and a Fourteenth Century Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace), the
main reason that you’ll want to visit this city of eighty
thousand is to admire its much newer Reggia di Caserta
(Palace of Caserta). This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the
Bourbon Kings of Naples and Sicily’s answer to Versailles.
Weighing in at twelve hundred rooms, one can say it’s at
least in the same league. It may well be the largest
Eighteenth Century building in all Europe. Because the
Kingdom was fairly weak when this colossal structure was
built, the British historian Edward Crankshaw referred to
it as “a colossal monument to minuscule glory.”

The Palace of Caserta served as headquarters for the Allied
High Command during World War II. Make sure to see its
staircase, said to outdo the one at Versailles, the royal
apartments, and the extensive grounds peppered with
fountains. The grounds are about three miles (five
kilometers) long, and you can take a minibus from the
palace to the end of the property. You may recognize the
palace from the initial three episodes of Star Wars movies.

On August 24, 79 A. D. Mount Vesuvius destroyed the
downwind city of Pompeii and about twelve hours later
destroyed the upwind city of Herculaneum as well. When we
say destroyed we mean destroyed. The murderous debris
traveled at an estimated 60 miles an hour (95 kilometers an
hour). In a matter of hours Herculaneum was buried in 65
feet (20 meters) of ash and slag. The intense heat killed
people almost instantaneously but did little damage to the
buildings.

The Herculaneum ruins were not uncovered until the
Eighteenth Century by workers who were digging a foundation
for a well. Much of the ancient city remains to be
unearthed, largely because the modern city of Ercolano lies
on top of it.

Julius Caesar’s father-in-law had a Herculaneum villa that
may have served as a library; it contained upwards of 1800
papyrus scrolls. Maybe he just liked to read. By the way,
the center of this upscale city was closed to cart and
wagon traffic and most sidewalks were covered with awnings.
The public bathhouse played a central role in people’s
lives.

Visiting Mount Vesuvius is not for the faint of heart. You
may choose to stay away in solidarity with its thousands of
victims. Accessing the top requires quite a climb. But from
the summit the view is beautiful. You will probably find
this mountaintop to be even more thought provoking than the
usual run of the mill mountaintop.

Mount Vesuvius has erupted on many, many occasions over the
centuries. Its last, or more precisely latest, eruption
occurred in 1944 when it destroyed several neighboring
villages and 88 American B-25 bombers. Of course the most
destructive eruption was in 79 A. D. when it eradicated the
cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii with an estimated loss of
life of 10 thousand to 25 thousand in Pompeii alone. This
eruption released an estimated cubic mile (4 cubic
kilometers) of ash and rock. Subsequent eruptions have
spread ash as far as Istanbul more than 700 miles (1200
kilometers) away. When you consider that Naples, a city of
more than a million in an urban area of more than three
million is only 10 miles (16 kilometers) away there is
reason to be worried. Their emergency evacuation plan
covers about 600,000 people and assumes a warning period
between 2 weeks and 20 days before the actual eruption. The
Osservatorio Vesuvio (Vesuvius Observatory) in Naples is
constantly monitoring this mountain.

Pompeii is a major tourist attraction and a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Here, as in Herculaneum, a city was
destroyed in a manner of hours, and yet its very
destruction led to its preservation. Pompeii shows you in
extraordinary detail the way people lived at the height of
the Roman Empire.

There is reason to believe that Pompeii was subject to
volcanic activity, landslides, and earthquakes centuries
before its ultimate destruction. A severe earthquake,
thought to measure about 7.5 on the Richter scale, struck
the area on a feast day in February, 62. Virtually all
buildings were damaged, and many were still not repaired
when Mount Vesuvius erupted in full in August, 79.

Make sure that you get to Pompeii early to take full
advantage of the day ticket. You may also want to buy the
three-day ticket that allows you to visit five
archeological sites: Herculaneum, Pompeii, Oplontis,
Stabiae, and Boscoreale. I’ll let you in on what is hardly
a secret: Pompeii was home to a lot of erotic art, some of
which is on display in the Gabinetto Segreto (Secret
Cabinet) in the Naples National Archaeological Museum. In
Pompeii as well many of the exhibitions are not suitable
for children.

What about food? There is something about volcanic soil
that makes food tasty and plentiful and gives wine a
special zest. The focus here tends to be on vegetables and
fruits. Can you believe purple asparagus? Tomatoes are
served every which way, including pizza and spaghetti of
course. Try to taste the mozzarella cheese, made from the
milk of water buffalo.

Let’s suggest a sample menu, one of many. Start with
Scarola Imbuttunata (Stuffed Curly Endive). Then try Polpi
Affogati (Stewed Octopus). For dessert indulge yourself
with Zeppoli (St. Joseph’s Day Filled Doughnuts). By the
way, La Festa di San Giuseppe (Saint Joseph’s Day) is March
19th. Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including
local wines with your meal.

We conclude with a quick look at Campania wine. Campania
ranks 9th among the 20 Italian regions for both acreage
devoted to wine grapes and for total annual wine
production. The region produces about 64% red and and close
to 36% white wine, as there is little rose. Campania
produces 17 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di
Origine Controllata, which may be translated as
Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a
high-quality wine. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but
there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly
superior. Only 2.8% of Campania wine carries the DOC or
DOCG designation. There are three DOCG wines: the red
Taurasi, the white Greco di Tufo, and the white Fiano di
Avellino. I have tasted the Fiano and found it to be top of
the line.

The Vesuvio DOC, perhaps better known as Lacryma Christi
(Tears of Christ) is made in multiple styles from a variety
of local grapes that grow on Mount Vesuvius. One of
Pompeii’s major attractions is the Villa dei Misteri (Villa
of the Mysteries) home to more than 60 rooms displaying
frescoes, many of which illustrate a young bride’s
initiation into the cult of Dionysus (Bacchus), the god of
wine and debauchery. In 1996 the well-known Campania wine
producer Mastroberdino was authorized to reintroduce some
ancient grape varieties on a small plot within Pompeii’s
walls. From these vineyards come the Villa dei Misteri made
from the historic red Piedirosso and Sciascinoso grape
varieties. Relatively none of this wine is exported to
North America. So this wine gives you one more reason to
visit Pompeii.

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Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on
computers and the Internet, but he prefers drinking fine
Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and
people. He knows about dieting but now eats and drinks what
he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at
an Ontario French-language community college. His new wine,
diet, health, and nutrition website
http://www.wineinyourdiet.com links to his other sites.