The question that I would like to ask is: aren’t we all tired of visiting museum upon museum? It can be argued that apart from changing locations, you are in reality just seeing and admiring art in the form of paintings or sculptures, dealing with the same themes. Wouldn’t you like to break this mold and truly visit and experience a museum completely out of the ordinary? If you do, then you need to read on….

If you want to enjoy some of the weirdest locations that Rome has to offer then you definitely need to come and pay the Crime Museum a visit. The Crime Museum is actually run by the Roman Ministry of Justice! The Museum is housed in what used to be a prison so there isn’t any doubt to the museum’s authenticity.

Originally built in the 1800´s, today the Crime Museum is home to several offices owned by the Roman police department. It couldn’t possibly be more of a suitable location for the Crime Museum; you even have to go through a security check! This goes a long way in adding a new dimension to your overall experience in witnessing crimes that have been caught in time.

The museum is made up of three sections, each one of them dedicated to the main categories of crime. Subject matter such as dealing with investigation techniques, police search methods and the involvement of serving a criminal sentence are all covered. Each section is appropriately named with the nature and theme of the material that it covers, one such section is known as ¨Punishment & Crimes.¨

The ¨Punishment & Crimes¨ section is undoubtedly the most famous one out of all the sections; this is mainly due to its gory and gruesome nature which has fascinated tourists from every corner of the world. It therefore comes as no surprise that this is the section that is most heavily visited by tourists. Due to being such a bizarre and interesting attraction, you have to make sure to book your accommodation in advance as Rome accommodation (accommodatie in Rome) gets booked up quite quickly. There’s a wide range of Rome apartments (Rome appartement) in the city centre which are definitely worth consideration. This is ideal as it allows you to mainly focus and direct your energy in experiencing the numerous attractions that the city has to offer.

To view this amazing attraction and to maximize your overall experience of your stay, then book your hotel (hotels in Rome) now!

Until recently, The St. Peter’s Basilica is the largest church ever built and it also remains one of the holiest sites for religion found in the world. Providing a fitting approach to the great church is the huge elliptical St. Peter’s Square. There are also two beautiful fountains that can be found at this square.

In the center of the square you can find an obelisk which actually dates back to 13th century B.C. The square is also outlined by a monumental colonnade and there are a total of 140 statues to be seen on top of the colonnade. These statues represent saints and have been crafted by numerous artist throughout the history of time.

The dome of St. Peter rises to a total height of 136 meters as it’s the tallest dome in the world. The St. Peter’s Basilica cannot only be enjoyed from the outside with its astonishing views as it also contains over a 100 tombs. Artworks and artifacts can also be found within the basilica and it even contains doors which have been specifically named. As the northern most door is known as the ¨Holy Door¨ which is traditionally opened for celebrations and such occasions as Jubilee years. There is even a ¨Door of Death¨ present at the basilica. It is the far left door into the basilica and has accredited its name due to being used as the exiting for funeral processions.

It would be an understatement to say that the interior of St. Peter’s Basilica looks impressive as it has the capacity of seating 60,000 people. An impressive feat as every bit of space is used to display the finest Renaissance monuments and decoration money could buy, employing the talents of such greats as Michelangelo and Bernini.

The St. Peter’s Basilica begs to be visited and there isn’t a better way of doing that then arranging your accommodation at one of the many appartement Rome. Rome accommodation (accommodatie Rome), and hotel in Rome are ideally located all throughout the city, allowing you to maximize your stay in visiting the many attractions that are on offer.

The St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the greatest monuments, locations and effort directed toward a particular belief. You will be mesmerized upon visiting this magnificent attraction site, its sheer size alone will make it for an unforgettable experience. So book your Apartement Rome and make your fantasies upon visiting Rome a reality!

If you want to see as much as possible of the Italian capital but want to save money at the same time, the Roma Pass is definitely the best option for you!

With this pass you can use the public transport throughout Rome without paying anything. This makes it incredibly easy to get to wherever you want, whenever you want.

The first two museums or excavations you want to visit are totally free of charge if you have the Roma Pass. For all other museums or sights you will get a discount of up to 50%. This isn’t the only advantage either. The coliseum for example has a separate entrance for visitors owning the Roma Pass. So you don’t need to wait in the long queue. Just pass it to one of the staff and swan past the other visitors just like a VIP. This will then give you more time to visit the other million attractions that you can find in Italy’s capital.

The pass costs 20 Euro and you can buy it at almost every tourist information point. However, some sights and museums working in cooperation with the pass give you the chance to buy it there. If you buy the pass you will also get a small map of Rome along with an overview of all events, museums and sight that you can get discounts for.

The pass is very good if you really want to make the most of your trip to Rome and see as much as possible. The pass is only valid for three days so you should make the most of it and take advantage of any attraction offering benefits from it; you’re sure to save a lot of money and time by doing this. However, do take into consideration that Rome does have an awful lot to see and that it’s pretty much impossible to do everything in three days. It is perfect however if you’re just visiting for the weekend.

If you don’t want to stay within the city centre and want to see the surrounding areas, you can buy the Roma & Piú Pass. For 25 Euros it gives you the same as the Roma Pass but also including advantages for the Lazio region.

To make the planning of your trip as easy as possible, you should have a look at the Roma Pass website in advance. You should do the same with your Rome accommodation decision (Unterkunft in Rom). If you are travelling with a large group of people, an apartment (Ferienwohnungen Rom) is highly recommended. You will all have more space and it’s much cheaper than a Hotels Rom.

One of the most popular trips to take once you’ve arrived in Rome is what is known as the “Classic Route,” which takes you from the capital city of Rome. through Florence and on to the beautiful canals of Venice. You should plan for at least a week to make the journey, but it could easily take up more time.

The journey starts in historical Rome. You’ll have to choose from a long list of attractions including the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Vatican, The Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, multiple museums, and all of the small shops and restaurants throughout the city. You could spend a month in Rome and still not do everything you want, so you will need to prioritise so you can make it to Venice in time!

After Rome, the Classic Route heads into Florence, located in the heart of Italy’s famously beautiful region of Tuscany. Once again, time will be an issue, so a bit of prioritising will have to be done when deciding between so many great attractions like the Piazza della Signoria and Palazzon Vecchio, the Duomo, the Baptistry, the Bell Tower, and the Ponte Vecchio (the old bridge). The one thing you will not want to miss out on is the Uffizi Gallery, home of the most important collection of Renaissance art in the world. Even if you are not a big fan of museums, you should still make it a point to visit the Uffizi. Day trips can be planned to a number of close locations, including Siena and Pisa, home of the famous leaning tower.

The Route concludes among the canalled streets of Venice. Just like the other stops on the trip, the list of things to do in Venice is long. In Venice, though, half the fun is getting there! Take a gondola to see the Lido, Rialto Bridge, Peggy Guggenheim Museum, St. Mark’s Square, and the Naval History Museum. Take a break from this list and enjoy the fine food and spirits at famous destinations like Harry’s Bar, Caffe Florian, and Gran Caffe Lavena – a perfect way to end your trip to Italy.

Even for late May, the air was crisp and the late morning light was sharp.  The golden reflection of Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise was only one of many moments of illumination to be found in this city.  Yesterday it was the afternoon magnificence of San Miniato al Monte and its golden relief tossing sparkling sun over the city below.  I walked down to the Ponte Vecchio as the golden baton passed to the Arno itself, where the sun and sky reflected perfectly between arches and up each side of the river.  The buildings seemed to whisper to one another about what shades of ochre and cool bruised shadows the other structures were wearing for the evening.

Earlier, as only can be done in Florence, I started my day at San Marco in the presence of Fra Angelico’s Annunciation. It also glows, a fresco masterpiece with the subtle luminescence of skill and faith, an artist’s prayer.  The previous morning was spent at the mercy of Masaccio in the Brancacci Chapel. It was biblical stories told in the frescoed flesh of stonemasons and figures of every day craftsmen. It would be after this, and after a meal of lasagna and sparkling water, that I would get lost at the intersection of Via Dell Inferno and Purgatorio! I took refuge in the Uffizi Gallery, letting Botticelli protect me in the lyricism of Primavera. It feels like paradise now in the shadow of the magnificent Duomo as the afternoon approaches.

Two blocks or so to the south of Florence’s mother church, I find the Duomo’s workshop. Perhaps today is a holiday because it’s closed, but I can still peek in. Stone carving tools, stoutly timbered workbenches, partially carved columns, statues, and a dusting of marble are a powerful tableaux to a way of life. It is prelude to my walk, which takes me by the Institute and Museum of the History of Science. Inside is Galileo’s thumb, like some holy relic, and the lens, framed in ivory, through which he would first spy and identify the moons of Jupiter. I turn to the east to face the the Basilica of Santa Croce, just a short distance away.

Dante’s likeness holds the entire courtyard in front of the church – a massive and cloaked figure with a great and mighty scowl.  It makes me smile to see children furiously licking gelato cones at his feet. I enter the side of the church and work my way around the perimeter. A casuallu dressed symphony is practicing in the area before the altar. Here are the tombs of Galileo, Machiavelli and Dante. At last, in front of me, is the tomb of the great Michelangelo. As evening approaches, I light a prayer candle then aim once again for the Arno. I can see the vignettes of outdoor cafes and reflections strolling on the water like the people flowing down stone streets, and I can feel the presence and power of the centuries walking shoulder to shoulder with me as I make my way home.

The Italians are a celebratory people and it certainly shows in the large number of festivals and other events that take place every year. You won’t want to miss the pre-Easter Carnivale in Venice, perhaps Italy’s most famous celebration, with numerous masked balls, parades, and musical festivities taking place over a two week period. Italy has a number of other religious themed events such as the San Gennaro Festival In Naples (September), Festas di San Nicola in Bari, Festa di Sant’Antonio in Padua (June), the Snake Charmer’s Procession in Abruzzo (May), and the famous Explosion of the Cart, occurring on Easter Sunday in Florence.

Other events of note include the San Pietro di Castello Feast in Venice (June), the Venice Film Festival (Cinema Biennial), Vinitaly in Verona, and the Historic Regatta in Venice (September).

Italy has a moderate, Mediterranean climate that can best be enjoyed in fall and spring. The northern regions tend to have more extreme variations, with very cold winters and some very hot summer weeks. As to be expected, winters in the Alps are long and quite severe. Regions along the coast are helped out by the Mediterranean Sea, keeping the summers a little cooler and the winters a little warmer. Rain falls throughout the summer season, with the first snow in the Alps usually coming in mid-September. Some areas south of Rome can be affected by the sirocco, which is a hot and humid wind blowing from Africa. This can produce a few very hot and stuffy weeks during the summer time in these regions.

Italians tend to vacation in the summer months, so if you are planning to visit Italy at this time you should know that some businesses may be closed.

There are several methods of getting to Italy from other parts of Europe, including bus, train and ferry. Getting there by bus is generally the least expensive alternative, but it takes longer and the trip can be an uncomfortable one. Flying to Italy is obviously the quickest method to get to Italy, but unless you are able to find a substantially discounted rate, the price can be rather prohibitive. For most people the best alternative is to take a train. The price is usually competitive with bus fares and not only does travel by train usually get you there faster, but trains tend to be a bit more comfortable than busses.

Once you arrive in Italy, you will be faced with similar choices and the answers are similar as well. The best strategy is to find a place to stay that is centrally located in whichever city you are staying in and walk. When you want to move on to another city and don’t have the budget for flying, research all of your options because sometimes busses can be the better choice because of scheduling or route issues.

Also, check ahead for potential strikes or other uniquely local factors that may affect scheduling or availability. Most experienced travelers in Italy recommend staying away from Italian subway systems as they lack the comfort and efficiency of some of their counterparts in cities like London or New York City.

Welcome to the most insightful and interesting holiday blog on the bloggosphere.

The Team.