Rome's secret #2

After a lot of months in Rome, some people talked about "The secret of Rome", a place that is very close to the Metro Station Circo Massimo and is actually a door with a hole that you look through.

In piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta

https://maps.google.it/maps?q=piazza+dei+cavalieri+di+malta&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hnear=Piazza+dei+Cavalieri+di+Malta,+Roma,+Lazio&gl=it&t=m&z=16

it is located the door that a lot of tourists make a line in order to have a glance through the hole. Or "Il buco di Roma", in italian.

So what is seen through the hole?

Well, everybody keeps the secret and try not to say until you look through, therefore I am not going to reveal the secret either!!

Trip to Napoli and Pompei

On a cold weekend in February , I decided with a friend to visit Napoli and Pompei. Napoli is very close to Rome, around 2h by train and the ticket cost around 12euros.

Napoli is considered to be "dangerous" city by many, as the presence of Camorra, the famous mafia is very intense. Additionally, we have heard a lot of stories about pickpockets, murders and other horror stories that happened  in Napoli to people that went to visit, exactly like us. Overacting 100%! Being always careful with your personal staff and not choose dark small alleys to walk in the midnight kept us alive and safe. The only bad thing that happened is maybe to gain a little bit weight of all these delicious food that the city has to offer!

 

With around 15 euros, we stayed to hostel Mancini (http://www.hostelpensionemancini.com/) a youth hostel in the center, close to the train station. The rooms weren't the cleanest ever, but the stuff were helpful enough and provide us with a lot info and tips! 

 

Worth to visit: Pompei

 

Very close to Napoli and cheap enough to go by train is the ancient site of Pompei, a city that was destroyed and buried under the ash by of the Vesuvius.

The magnificent with the visit to this archeological site, (apart the 11 euros entrance), is that you walk across the village and with the help of the audio guides and the very well preserved houses you can understand exactly how life was back then.

 

The Gym (if I remember correct)

Ancient fast-food (down from these holes there was fire that was preparing the food. In front is the main street, that citizens used to pass by)

 

Tip: Allow at least 4-5 hours to visit and take the audio guides! Without them you cannot understand the story of the city and what your are seeing!

 

Rome's secret #1 "Nasone"

Soon after I arrived in Rome, I noticed all these small fountains around Rome that provide water for free to Rome visitors and citizens.

In italian they are called "Nasone",  meaning big nose as the metallic form that provides the water a lot of times looks like a big nose..!

You can find online also a map of the nasone in Rome (but normally you don't have a problem to find them they around almost around every corner). The water is very fresh and is said to be one of the cleanest in Rome!