Cornell in Rome

Hi!

Here are friendly links to previous blog posts:

#1 Welcome to Cornell in Rome Fall 2011

#2 Restaurants in Rome (Italian cuisine)

#3 Bars and Gelaterie

#4 Bakeries in Rome (the good ones)

#5 Gluten Free Restaurants

#6 International Restaurants

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#7
Where to hang out in Rome? Part 1 of 5

LUNGO IL TEVERE ROMA

You are lucky to experience beautiful Roman summer nights right from the beginning of your semester! The summer weather continues until mid-September (and often beyond), and I must say, at night it is the perfect weather for going out. No rain, no snow (!!!!), no ice—only nice summer breezes under a clear sky.

The city of Rome organizes many fun events in summer- the highlight is definitely Lungo il Tevere Roma (Along the Tiber Roma), one of Rome’s ongoing summer festivals.

Where: along the Tiber river, from Ponte Sisto to Ponte Sublicio

When: July 11, 2011 – August 28, 2011

Website: http://www.lungoiltevereroma.it

(Don’t get too excited to see an English version button on the web page… Not much information there. Only in Italian!)

Lungo il Tevere provides people in Rome free access to various cultural events such as movies, exhibitions, fun family activities, along with 60 stores, 11 food stands, many open restaurants and bars.

This year, the summer festival also provides designated areas and facilities dedicated to sports. Along the banks of the river, you will find multi-purpose sports areas where you can play basketball, volleyball, tennis, and soccer.

• Cultural events and performances: Il Teatro a Ripa, near il Ponte Palatino (the Palatine Bridge).
• Street & urban art: the entrance of Galleria del Pigneto

ATTENTION: High risk of massive mosquito attacks!!

Sources: Roma Giorno e Notte article

- Sunny K

My Restaurant Guide is posted right below, but I understand your laziness and will therefore give you the direct link:

http://blogs.cornell.edu/cornellinrome/2011/07/14/restaurants-in-rome/

Here is the list of  Bars and Gelaterie -

Again, this list is just some suggestions – there are many more good bars and gelaterie to be discovered! Click on the links provided– they will lead you to the restaurant websites or indicate the location on Google Maps.

Below is the general map of the places I will introduce in detail (each number corresponds to the description):

Bar (Cafe)

We call it a café, but Italians call it un bar.

I bar italiani sell coffee (the best in the world), alcoholic drinks including wine, non-alcoholic beverages, some fruits, tramezzini (tea sandwiches), pastries (SO GOOD), and sometimes even pizza, etc. So when you need caffeine, a good cup of caffe’, or you are kind of hungry, you go to a bar.

1. Café Camerino

Largo Arenula

I don’t even have to explain where it is. You will probably go to this café every single day, probably more than once a day, everyday, on the weekends, even on some national holidays, when you completely ran out of food and supermarkets are closed, this Chinese-family-run Café Camerino will save you from starvation.

2. Café Argentina

Via di Torre Argentina, 47

Good coffee, so-so pastries and aperitivo.

3. Another Café across from Café Camerino

ATTENTION: It says IL CAFFE and IL GELATO but they DO NOT have any gelato. The employees are very kind and they like you more when you speak Italian. The grandpa at cashier always puts awesome shades on.

Gelaterie

Even if you don’t quite like anything about Italy, the gelato would be the one reason you can’t help loving Italy…forever. I, myself have been through several phases of loving and hating Italy, but whenever I get a cup of my favorite flavor of  gelato, I suddenly like Italy again.

4. Corona

Located right next to BNL (bank next to Café Camerino). The best fruit gelato. They also sell various types of macedonia (fruit salads) and fruit shakes (literally a cup of freshly blended fruit–not gelato!).

5. San Crispino

http://www.ilgelatodisancrispino.it/

One of the most famous gelato brands, San Crispino recently opened its fifth store in Rome near the Pantheon! Their fruit gelati are very intense (especially citrus flavors) and tastes incredibly like the fresh fruit.

Near Pantheon: Piazza della Maddalena, 3

Near Trevi Fountain: Via della Panetteria, 42

Sun-Thurs 12pm – 12:30am

Fri-Sat 12pm – 1:30am

6. Gioliti

Via degli Uffici del Vicario, 40

http://www.giolitti.it/

If you would like to be astonished in front of 40+ different kinds of gelato sitting in classic Roman interior, go to Giolltti first! One of the most touristy gelato places. During the daytime the line is long. Opens until late at night–the latest I have been was 1am.

7. Grom

Via della Maddalena, 3

Official Website

Someone’s Grom gelato review

The world’s famous gelato chain finally opened in Rome about two weeks ago near Giolitti, stealing many of Giolitti customers. Good at making cream and chocolate-based flavors. Very clean and less sugary taste. Their caramel flavor is something to die for….

8. Pica – Bar Latteria Gelateria

Via della Seggiola, 12

The gelateria of the national gelato association president. Yes, The Association of Authentic Italian Gelato Producers really exists, and the head of this group runs a gelateria in front of the Cenci apartment. Open until 2am. They make unique flavors such as Riso Rosa (Rice and rose). Sound weird? Try them. Very good.

Hello Everyone,

You’re going to Rome soon! Or, you’re already in Rome! Congratulations, most of y’all have been waiting for this moment at least for three years since the beginning of the college (at least I was). Now you have a few weeks left until you arrive – hopefully you have been getting ready to pack (!!!).

My name is Sunny Kim, a rising senior and a Fine Arts major. I spent the Spring semester of my Junior year in the Cornell in Rome Program. I started an internship at a contemporary art & design gallery in the center of Rome (www.spazionuovo.net) back in February as a gallery assistant. I ended up working at the gallery throughout the summer as well – it is almost over though, and soon  I will be going back home for the first time in 7 months,  just three weeks before school begins!

Before I leave Rome, I would like to give you some introductions and tips that I have collected for your successful Fall semester in this beautiful city. There are numerous tour guides on Rome out there, but I will share the information regarding the exactly same environment that you will experience.

How to get around in Rome?

WALKING is the answer in Rome, I must say.

An incredible number of Roman citizens ride scooters (you will see the ‘real’ lifestyle size of scooters, rather than those cute little Vespas) and sometimes bicycles. Yes, those two-wheeled-transportation methods seem to be the most efficient choices for Roman traffic. However, once you see how dangerous motorcycles and bicycles can be (especially if you are a newcomer to the city)—you will understand why students in the Cornell program are not allowed to use them.

So, no free convenient transportation method. But no worries! Fun fact: the size of the city center (where the school building and apartments are located) is similar to that of Cornell Campus. Indeed, it is quite a walkable city. Everything you need (especially from the Palazzo and school apartments) is within a short waking distance. If you ever choose to be a hermit in Rome, you probably would not have to go anywhere but the small block around the school for the entire semester.

WALK and GET LOST.
Usually the first motivation to explore is 1) to find restaurants/gelaterie , 2) to shop, or 3) just for the sake of exploring the city. Even with a map (even an iPhone), you are most likely to get lost at least once in Rome.

Rome still retains much of its original shape since who knows when, therefore most of the streets are narrow and hardly any of them are straight. Knowing how to locate yourself is the key, and here are some tips:

1.      Always bring your maps with you
2.      Check your way around with Google Maps and mark it on your map.
3.      The Palazzo (Largo Torre Argentina) is really in the center of Rome.
4.      With the Palazzo at  the center, you have
- Piazza del Popolo to the North
- Trastevere, across the Tiber River to the Southwest
- The Colosseum to the East

After you have gotten lost several times, you will get used to the Roman streets a lot more quickly than you might expect. BE ADVENTUROUS AND GET LOST! Maybe not during the middle of hot summer afternoon, but a Roman summer night is perfect for a evening stroll with a cone of gelato.

THE MUST-HAVE ITEM FOR THIS DAILY WALKING EXTRAVAGANZA

Shoes with solid bottoms such as Sperries, running shoes, boots (without heels, obviously), oxfords, etc.

Ladies – you might have a hard time walking in your fancy flat shoes on these intense cobblestone streets. For leather goods  you have a good opportunity to get some quality shoes in Rome because you will arrive during the sale season. Italian leather shoes are actually gooooood.
Public Transportation
You probably will not use public transportation much unless you are going somewhere further for classes, picnics, or traveling. But here is some essential information:

Tram line 8: starts  in front of the Palazzo only goes towards the South.
Tram line 2: starts from Piazza del Popolo.

MAXXI (Rome Contemporary Art Museum): Metro A at Flaminio, or Tram 2 at Apollodoro
Termini (Rome Central Train Station): Bus 64, 40 (express) – trains to airports
Trastevere and further South: Tram line 8
Villa Borghese: Bus 116

- Sunny Kim