Lazio
Mercato Nomentano, Rome
Snapshot of a Saturday morning shopping at the Mercato Nomentano, one of the few remaining traditional, covered markets in Rome.

Ancient Ruins, Virtual Reality: Archaeological Sites Embrace VR For Enhanced Experiences
The Domus Aurea, also known as Nero’s Golden Palace, is the latest attraction to offer visitors the chance to wear virtual reality headsets while touring the site.

Five Lessons Learned While Living and Traveling in Italy
Reflection is part of the prescription for moving from one year into the next. So while I wanted to write a year-end round-up a month ago, I realized that such an article would not fully capture the joys, sorrows, and idiosyncrasies of being an expat resident and traveler in Italy. Five is an arbitrary number,…

Amatrice As It Was Before
There won’t be a next time. Amatrice has been on my “next time” list for the past two years. We have talked about visiting the town for a Sunday lunch because of its famed amatriciana. But at a distance of approximately two hours from Rome, it was just beyond the range of our driving limits for a…

#amatricianaXamatrice to Raise Money for Earthquake Relief
Yesterday in my post about the earthquake in Central Italy, I mentioned that Italian blogger Paolo Campana had started an initiative for diners and restaurants to raise money for earthquake relief (for Amatrice and the entire affected region) by ordering dishes of amatriciana.

Amatrice and the Earthquake in Central Italy
During the wee hours of the morning, an earthquake with a 6.2 magnitude struck central Italy. Italian news reports say the epicenter was near Rieti, about 1.5 hours north of Rome.

Church of Purgatorio in Terracina
Italy’s bigger cities, especially Rome, have plenty of churches to please those with morbid fascinations for skulls, skeletons, and saintly relics. Taken together, these churches and their contents provide a sort-of museum feel — creepy but not altogether isolating.


