Today is the first day of Rome Culture Week 2012 (actually 9 days) during which city and state run museums in Rome are free of charge. The last day of Rome Culture Week will be April 22.
For those of us going to museums with children, this means easy, no pressure museum-going in which you feel free to drop in and drop out to the cafe' or bookshop when the kids have had enough without feeling like you need to see everything.
We went to the Centrale Montemartini Museum in Rome with our 2 children today. It's an incredible museum devoted to ancient Roman statues housed in the former Giovanni Montemartini Thermoelectric Plant in the Garbatella section of Rome. A fantastic juxtaposition of old fashioned industrial equipment with beautiful ancient Roman sculptures, all those levers and dials might be perfect for keeping a machine obsessed kid entertained while the parents take in some ancient art.
To get to the Centrale Montemartini Museum, take metro line B to Garbatella. The museum is a 10 minute walk from the metro station. While Garbatella metro station is equipped with lifts/elevators, be warned that the walk from the station to the museum involves some stroller-unfriendly stairs while roadwork is being completed.
sabato 14 aprile 2012
sabato 31 marzo 2012
Kid friendly tourist attractions in Rome #1 Saint Paul's Outside the Walls
Living car-less in Rome for the last six years, more recently with two young children, I've come to know many beautiful spots in the city which appeal to both adults and kids and which are also public transport accessible. I'm going to make this post the first in a series about kid friendly tourist attractions for visitors to Rome with kids and, of course, how to get there and away on public transport with children (and strollers) in tow.
A few weeks ago on a beautiful spring day, I went with my lovely family, to what we discovered is probably one of the kid-friendliest tourist attractions in Rome, the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls (San Paolo Fuori le Mura) with its adjoining grassy park and large playground.
First of all, Saint Paul's Outside the Walls is an amazing and suprisingly seldom visited basilica. It is one of the four papal basilicas of Rome and work on the church started was started by Emperor Constantine I in the 300s AD. Like many Roman attractions, it's the kind of place which, if it were located in any other city apart from Rome, would be considered the shining jewel of the city, number one on the tourist itinerary and constantly swamped with tour buses. But since Rome is teeming with incredible sights, the basilica is outshined by more famous places like the Vatican, the Colosseum and the many other churches of Rome so on this sunny Saturday we shared the enourmous church with only a handful of tourists and a few nuns.
Windows at San Paolo Fuori le Mura made of slices of rock:
On the metro on the way to the church, a group of women who appeared to be celebrating an Italian-style hen's weekend/bachelorette weekend gave our 3.75 year old, Astrid, a balloon. When we got to the church, batting the balloon around in kept her occupied for ages and no one seemed to object to the noise she was making in the largely empty church. Meanwhile, Daphne, who is 4 months old, lay in my arms as I sat in a pew and stared in amazement at the intricate ceiling. I also breastfed Daphne while sitting in a pew as I find church pews, generally, to be one of the best places to breastfeed infants in Rome.
We then went outside to the church's manicured garden where I changed Daphne's nappy on a big stone slab and Astrid ran up and down the garden paths and blew bubbles. We stopped for some drinks and a bathroom stop at the church's cafe'. The toilets were clean and there was both soap and toilet paper (big thumbs up!) and the bar had many kid friendly snacks like gelato, sandwiches and apple juice (Astrid's favourite).
Outside the church's grounds, there is a big grassy field (Schuster Park or Parco Schuster) with an inviting playground up one end. Astrid had a lot of fun running around with her father playing with the balloon (until it inevitably popped) and then playing in the playground. There were also lots of kids in the park on bikes and scooters so if you have access to these, Parco Schuster is a nice flat park to where you can take the kids to let off some steam. I've also been told that on some days there are donkey rides available in the park.
To get to the Basilica of St Paul's Outside the Walls (San Paolo Fuori le Mura), take Metro Line B to Basilica San Paolo and follow the signs to the Basilica. The Metro stop is equipped with elevators and is stroller friendly. Bus numbers 23 and 271 also go to the Basilica. More information on how to get there and opening hours.
A few weeks ago on a beautiful spring day, I went with my lovely family, to what we discovered is probably one of the kid-friendliest tourist attractions in Rome, the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls (San Paolo Fuori le Mura) with its adjoining grassy park and large playground.
First of all, Saint Paul's Outside the Walls is an amazing and suprisingly seldom visited basilica. It is one of the four papal basilicas of Rome and work on the church started was started by Emperor Constantine I in the 300s AD. Like many Roman attractions, it's the kind of place which, if it were located in any other city apart from Rome, would be considered the shining jewel of the city, number one on the tourist itinerary and constantly swamped with tour buses. But since Rome is teeming with incredible sights, the basilica is outshined by more famous places like the Vatican, the Colosseum and the many other churches of Rome so on this sunny Saturday we shared the enourmous church with only a handful of tourists and a few nuns.
Windows at San Paolo Fuori le Mura made of slices of rock:
On the metro on the way to the church, a group of women who appeared to be celebrating an Italian-style hen's weekend/bachelorette weekend gave our 3.75 year old, Astrid, a balloon. When we got to the church, batting the balloon around in kept her occupied for ages and no one seemed to object to the noise she was making in the largely empty church. Meanwhile, Daphne, who is 4 months old, lay in my arms as I sat in a pew and stared in amazement at the intricate ceiling. I also breastfed Daphne while sitting in a pew as I find church pews, generally, to be one of the best places to breastfeed infants in Rome.
We then went outside to the church's manicured garden where I changed Daphne's nappy on a big stone slab and Astrid ran up and down the garden paths and blew bubbles. We stopped for some drinks and a bathroom stop at the church's cafe'. The toilets were clean and there was both soap and toilet paper (big thumbs up!) and the bar had many kid friendly snacks like gelato, sandwiches and apple juice (Astrid's favourite).
Outside the church's grounds, there is a big grassy field (Schuster Park or Parco Schuster) with an inviting playground up one end. Astrid had a lot of fun running around with her father playing with the balloon (until it inevitably popped) and then playing in the playground. There were also lots of kids in the park on bikes and scooters so if you have access to these, Parco Schuster is a nice flat park to where you can take the kids to let off some steam. I've also been told that on some days there are donkey rides available in the park.
To get to the Basilica of St Paul's Outside the Walls (San Paolo Fuori le Mura), take Metro Line B to Basilica San Paolo and follow the signs to the Basilica. The Metro stop is equipped with elevators and is stroller friendly. Bus numbers 23 and 271 also go to the Basilica. More information on how to get there and opening hours.
martedì 28 febbraio 2012
What to do in case of a children's medical emergency in Rome
One thing which worries many travellers with children is what to do in case their children are ill or have a medical emergency in a foreign country.
I have, unfortunately, had a lot of experience with the medical system in Rome and I've found that while some facilities can appear very basic (peeling paint, lack of toilet paper in bathrooms etc.), the system itself is generally top notch as are the doctors. One thing which often surprises American visitors is that emergency medical care is either free in Italy or very inexpensive even for foreigners who are not covered by the national public health scheme.
The number to call in case of medical emergency in Rome (equivalent of 911 and 000) is either 112 (Pan-European Emergency Number) or 118 Operators are meant to speak English or should be able to put you through to someone who does.
Paediatric Emergency Rooms/Accident and Emergency in Rome
We've been to the Paediatric Emergency Room (Pronto Soccorso in Italian) at the Policlinico Umberto I Hospital twice with our older daughter when she's been taken ill on a weekend or public holiday and she was also hospitalised there for several days when she was a baby for a respiratory infection. Although I would not recommend the Policlinico Umberto I Emergency Room for adults, our daughter's treatment at their paediatric ER was excellent and I've also heard glowing reviews from other parents so I'd recommend this ER if your child has a emergency while in Rome. The address is viale Regina Margherita, 324 00161, Roma and phone number is 0649977410.
The most famous and largest children's hospital in Rome is Ospedale Bambino Jesu' and, while we have not had any direct experience with this hospital I've heard positive things from many other parents. The hospital's address is 4, Piazza Sant' Onofrio - 00165 Rome, Tel. 06 68592351.
Poison Control
In case your child has ingested something which may be poisonous, the following are the numbers of poison control at two Rome hospitals.
tel. 06.3054343 (Policlinico Gemelli)
tel. 06.490663 (Policlinico Umberto I)
The general poison control number is 06 490663.
English speaking doctors in Rome
If you're willing to pay to see a private doctor, the Aventino Medical Group is a practice of English speaking doctors (including a peadiatrician) near the Circus Maximus in the Aventino section of Rome. Their address is Via Sant'Alberto Magno, 5 apt. 3 Tel. 06 5728 8349.
I have, unfortunately, had a lot of experience with the medical system in Rome and I've found that while some facilities can appear very basic (peeling paint, lack of toilet paper in bathrooms etc.), the system itself is generally top notch as are the doctors. One thing which often surprises American visitors is that emergency medical care is either free in Italy or very inexpensive even for foreigners who are not covered by the national public health scheme.
The number to call in case of medical emergency in Rome (equivalent of 911 and 000) is either 112 (Pan-European Emergency Number) or 118 Operators are meant to speak English or should be able to put you through to someone who does.
Paediatric Emergency Rooms/Accident and Emergency in Rome
We've been to the Paediatric Emergency Room (Pronto Soccorso in Italian) at the Policlinico Umberto I Hospital twice with our older daughter when she's been taken ill on a weekend or public holiday and she was also hospitalised there for several days when she was a baby for a respiratory infection. Although I would not recommend the Policlinico Umberto I Emergency Room for adults, our daughter's treatment at their paediatric ER was excellent and I've also heard glowing reviews from other parents so I'd recommend this ER if your child has a emergency while in Rome. The address is viale Regina Margherita, 324 00161, Roma and phone number is 0649977410.
The most famous and largest children's hospital in Rome is Ospedale Bambino Jesu' and, while we have not had any direct experience with this hospital I've heard positive things from many other parents. The hospital's address is 4, Piazza Sant' Onofrio - 00165 Rome, Tel. 06 68592351.
Poison Control
In case your child has ingested something which may be poisonous, the following are the numbers of poison control at two Rome hospitals.
tel. 06.3054343 (Policlinico Gemelli)
tel. 06.490663 (Policlinico Umberto I)
The general poison control number is 06 490663.
English speaking doctors in Rome
If you're willing to pay to see a private doctor, the Aventino Medical Group is a practice of English speaking doctors (including a peadiatrician) near the Circus Maximus in the Aventino section of Rome. Their address is Via Sant'Alberto Magno, 5 apt. 3 Tel. 06 5728 8349.
giovedì 16 febbraio 2012
Carnival in Rome 2012
We're in the midst of Carnival season here in Rome which means that there are many fun things to do with children. For those of you visiting Rome with children, for all Carnival-related activities it is advised that your kids dress up in their costumes. Confetti and silly string are optional. Costumes are available at department stores such as Upim and Oviesse as well as toy shops, 1000 lire shops and children's clothing shops. Or, if you're craftier than I am, you can make the costume yourself.
February 18 at 3pm -Due to the snow last weekend, the Carnival village and Carnival horse parade from Piazza del Popolo to Piazza di Spagna down Via del Corso was postponed from last Sunday to Saturday February 18th at 3pm. A hundred horses, as well as riders in costume, actors and others will perform. Mounted police officers, an army regiment and forest rangers will also take part.
February 18 and 19 from 10am until 1pm - Piazza del Popolo - Gladiator games, gladiator school for kids and ancient dance class sponsored by the Rome Historical Group
February 19 at 10.30 am - Piazza della Repubblica - Carnival Parade sponsored by the Castellum Cultural Association
February 21 at 7.30 pm "The Horses of Rome" Equestrian Show at the Piazza del Popolo arena
February 18 at 3pm -Due to the snow last weekend, the Carnival village and Carnival horse parade from Piazza del Popolo to Piazza di Spagna down Via del Corso was postponed from last Sunday to Saturday February 18th at 3pm. A hundred horses, as well as riders in costume, actors and others will perform. Mounted police officers, an army regiment and forest rangers will also take part.
February 18 and 19 from 10am until 1pm - Piazza del Popolo - Gladiator games, gladiator school for kids and ancient dance class sponsored by the Rome Historical Group
February 19 at 10.30 am - Piazza della Repubblica - Carnival Parade sponsored by the Castellum Cultural Association
February 21 at 7.30 pm "The Horses of Rome" Equestrian Show at the Piazza del Popolo arena
mercoledì 15 febbraio 2012
Making carnival pastries at OS Club (and reviving the blog!)
Firstly, I'm reviving my blog! I now have two beautiful daughters, Astrid who is 3.5 and Daphne who is almost 3 months. Since I'm now once again on maternity leave, I have more time to explore Rome with my kids and thereby research blog-worthy subjects. I promise to be a good blogger this time around and post frequently.
Yesterday the girls and I (along with a gaggle of Astrid's friends from preschool and their mothers) headed over to the OS Club in Colle Oppio for a post-school (and free!) workshop on making frappe', the ubiquitous deep fried carnival pastries which seem to have a different name in each Italian region.
The OS Club is a nightclub/restaurant run by Castellum, a cultural association which also organises events such as "Al'Ombra del Colosseo", an outdoor club/bar/pool next to the Colosseum during the summer.
The chef showed the children how to mix and roll out the dough, then ran it through a pasta machine to create thin sheets.
Then the kids cut the dough into long strips and the chef whisked their creations off to be deep fried. After they were fried and covered in powdered sugar, the children dug in.
Yesterday the girls and I (along with a gaggle of Astrid's friends from preschool and their mothers) headed over to the OS Club in Colle Oppio for a post-school (and free!) workshop on making frappe', the ubiquitous deep fried carnival pastries which seem to have a different name in each Italian region.
The OS Club is a nightclub/restaurant run by Castellum, a cultural association which also organises events such as "Al'Ombra del Colosseo", an outdoor club/bar/pool next to the Colosseum during the summer.
The chef showed the children how to mix and roll out the dough, then ran it through a pasta machine to create thin sheets.
Then the kids cut the dough into long strips and the chef whisked their creations off to be deep fried. After they were fried and covered in powdered sugar, the children dug in.
domenica 18 aprile 2010
Cultural week in Rome =free museums
Note - this post covers Rome Culture Week 2010. For information about Rome Culture Week 2012 click here.
Cat!
This week is culture week in Rome which means that the museums and monuments are free. So if you're stuck in Rome because of the volcanic ash or otherwise take advantage of culture week and duck into some museums or monuments.
From a travelling with kids perspective, free museums are a great thing as it means there's no pressure to stay a long time in a museum to "see everything" with a whiny/tired/disgruntled child in tow and you can just drop in and leave whenever you feel like it.
In this spirit, we visited the Terme di Diocleziano near Termini, the main train station, in Rome last night.
We arrived after 6.30pm and left around an hour later. We enjoyed ambling around the beautiful cloisers inside, and did a quick tour of the museum itself. Our toddler loved the cats, the fish in the fountains and running around in the cloisers.
Cat!
This week is culture week in Rome which means that the museums and monuments are free. So if you're stuck in Rome because of the volcanic ash or otherwise take advantage of culture week and duck into some museums or monuments.
From a travelling with kids perspective, free museums are a great thing as it means there's no pressure to stay a long time in a museum to "see everything" with a whiny/tired/disgruntled child in tow and you can just drop in and leave whenever you feel like it.
In this spirit, we visited the Terme di Diocleziano near Termini, the main train station, in Rome last night.
We arrived after 6.30pm and left around an hour later. We enjoyed ambling around the beautiful cloisers inside, and did a quick tour of the museum itself. Our toddler loved the cats, the fish in the fountains and running around in the cloisers.
giovedì 5 novembre 2009
Bioparco Rome Zoo in the Villa Borghese
Last Sunday, Astrid, my visiting aunt and I went on an expedition to Rome's zoo, the Bioparco located in the northern part of Villa Borghese. It was very crowded (I've been told that it's always crowded on the weekends but pretty empty during the week) but Astrid (aged almost 16 months) enjoyed watching the monkeys and other animals. It's the old fashioned kind of zoo with small pens for many of the animals (the giraffes and the tiger seemed to have the worst deal). But the kids all loved it and this could make a nice treat for children visiting Rome who are bored of all the museums and churches. Make sure you check out the baby giraffe - very cute!
Getting there: The Bioparco is located in the Northern part of Villa Borghese. By public transport take tram: n° 19 - fermata "Bioparco" or bus: n° 3, 52, 53, 926, 217, 360, 910 to Piazza Ungheria. You can also take the metro to Spagna or Flaminio (Line A) and walk through the park to the zoo (we took the metro to Flaminio and it was around a 15-20 minute walk to the zoo).
Entry: Adults are 10 Euro and children over a metre tall are 8 euro. Children under a meter tall are free (I don't like this pricing system which discriminates against us tall people and our children!)
Getting there: The Bioparco is located in the Northern part of Villa Borghese. By public transport take tram: n° 19 - fermata "Bioparco" or bus: n° 3, 52, 53, 926, 217, 360, 910 to Piazza Ungheria. You can also take the metro to Spagna or Flaminio (Line A) and walk through the park to the zoo (we took the metro to Flaminio and it was around a 15-20 minute walk to the zoo).
Entry: Adults are 10 Euro and children over a metre tall are 8 euro. Children under a meter tall are free (I don't like this pricing system which discriminates against us tall people and our children!)
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