Attention, fellow travelers seeking a perfect beach getaway from the enchanting streets of Rome! Look no further, for we have curated an unforgettable coastal adventure that starts right from Termini Station. Hop aboard the train, and let’s set sail for three Roman beach gems that promise sun-soaked relaxation and beachside bliss!

1. Ostia Lido – Where Fun in the Sun Meets Beachside Vibes!
Are you ready for a beach day filled with sun, sand, and endless fun? Hop on the local train to Ostia Lido, a beach haven that promises a lively coastal experience. In less than an hour, you’ll find yourself immersed in a vibrant beach scene, with stretches of golden sands and sparkling blue waters inviting you to dip your toes. Ostia Lido’s charm lies in its lively promenades, beach clubs, and a variety of watersports activities. Whether you’re a beach volleyball enthusiast, a windsurfing daredevil, or simply seeking a leisurely sunbathing session, Ostia Lido caters to every beach lover’s desires. So, pack your favorite beach read, slather on some sunscreen, and get ready for an adventure-packed day in the Roman sun!

2. Santa Marinella – A Tranquil Oasis with a Glimpse of History!
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city with a quick regional train ride to Santa Marinella – a coastal gem that exudes serenity and timeless charm. In just over an hour, you’ll be transported to a seaside oasis, where soft sands and tranquil waters create a dreamy atmosphere. Beyond the relaxing ambiance, Santa Marinella offers a touch of Roman history with the remnants of ancient villas overlooking the coastline. Embrace the laid-back vibe, take a refreshing dip in the clear waters, and let the picturesque surroundings soothe your soul. This Roman beach retreat is perfect for travelers

3. Anzio – Seaside Dreams and Nautical Adventures Unite!
Prepare for a coastal escapade like no other as you board a hidden gem that offers the best of both worlds. Within an hour, you’ll find yourself in a charming town with serene beaches and an array of nautical delights. Anzio’s tranquil shores invite you to unwind and soak in the coastal serenity. Whether you’re strolling along the sandy shores or savoring a refreshing cocktail with a view, Anzio is the perfect spot to slow down and embrace the beach vibes. For the adventurous souls, head to the nearby port and embark on a nautical adventure, exploring the captivating coastline from the sea.

So, dear travelers, Rome’s coastal wonders are yours to explore! From the bustling shores of Ostia Lido to the serene sanctuary of Santa Marinella and the nautical delights of Anzio, these Roman beach escapes promise an unforgettable seaside experience. Pack your beach essentials, let your cares drift away with the waves, and revel in the sun-kissed bliss that awaits you on Rome’s stunning coastline!

In Rome sitting next to a tree at a park in the Trastevere neighbourhood; its charming, narrow streets took me and my camera from one beautiful exterior to another.

As I wandered, I started reflecting on my first time traveling solo and first time in Italy: I have daydreamed more than I dreamed in my sleep.

This is for the ones who I’ve met the last weeks, who will fellow footsteps in this journey and for the Yellow family.

While boarding the plane to Italy I felt an excitement rise in me. I was about to realize a dream, to make adventures for a lifetime!

As soon as I landed at the Naples airport I realized: I’ll have to fend for myself in this jungle. No, I was not afraid, I took advantage of every moment. The question that teased me the most, before the departure, was: Am I really going to be alone? Strangely, this first solo trip also has the first trip during which I met a lot of people: travellers of all ages, all styles, all origins. Some of the travellers have become friends and it was not the kind of friendship you forget but the kind of friendship you carry with you. I have rarely been alone, even when I was desperate to sit quietly and read a book. ”I really did my best” the introvert me would say. The extrovert me was happy to say that I’ve dined with the sweetest people and left the table with a stomach ache from laughing. The adventures that I made are actually not going to be spoiled. Some memories are so precious that you should keep them a secret also are some of them a little explicit and so my family will not have to see this. Also sometimes it’s hard to describe what it feels like jumping in the Mediterranean sea at 01:00 with people you just met the same day. While walking on volcanic black sand looking at the city of Naples and the moon that are giving their light to the salt water. To end the evening with dancing the salsa till the lights die out. But I am going to give you the feeling what it was like traveling solo in Italy.

When arriving to Rome I got a feeling that I accomplished something. What it was I still don’t know. Maybe it was a sign that a new chapter in my life had begun. Or was it a reassurance that I was safe. When arriving in my room at 19:00 I took a quick nap, because I had promised I would photograph the Glitter Kiss at the Yellow Bar just across the street. So when it was 21:30 and after a quick nap and a shower I was preparing to go the party, for me that is just putting some perfume on, I walked in the bar. I saw a beautiful yellow neon sign that said: “They call us dreamers, but we are the ones who never sleep”. And that motto became the sentiment of the night. People think it’s cool if you’re the party photographer of the night, but the beautiful aspect of being a photographer is that you have a different view than the crowd. What I saw was a global village where people were in a kind on euphoria that was unmatched. This was just my first night at the Yellow. And from that moment on the Yellow became my home and the rest is history.

Für Clara and Serena

IN ITALY EVERY FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH THE MUSEUMS ARE FOR FREE!

FLORENCE

#domenicalmuseo is now a fixed appointment with Free museums Florence. Every first Sunday of the month it is possible to get a free ticket to visit the most important state monuments of the city. Both you are planning a weekend in the next month and you are thinking of a year-end holiday you have to know that there is always the possibility of free admission to the museums on the first Sunday of the calendar.

Usually the state free museums Florence participating in the initiative are the following:

• Uffizi Gallery
  Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6 – Florence
• Museums of Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens
  Piazza Pitti, 1 – Florence
• Accademy’s Gallery
  Via Ricasoli, 58-60 – Florence
• Garden of the Medici Villa of Castello
  Via di Castello, 44 – Florence
• MAF National Archaeological Museum of Florence
  S.S. Annunziata, 9 – Florence
• Last Supper by Andrea del Sarto in San Salvi
  via di San Salvi, 16 – 50135 Florence (FI)
• Bargello National Museum
  Via del Proconsolo, 4 – Florence
• Park of Villa Il Ventaglio
  Via G. Aldini, 10/12 – Florence
• Medici Villa of Cerreto Guidi and Historical Museum of Hunting and the Territory
  via Ponti Medicei, 7 – 50050 Cerreto Guidi (FI)

ROME

Public museums free of charge for all visitors

The museums free of charge for everybody on the first Sunday of the month are:

• Colosseum and Forum (access subject to quota)
• Galleria Borghese (mandatory booking, 2 €)
• GNAM Galleria Nazionale Arte Moderna (Modern Art National Gallery)
• Museo nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia (Etruscan national museum)
• Museo HC Andersen, Museo M. Praz, Museo Boncompagni Ludovisi per le Arti decorative e il Costume
• Museo nazionale Romano (Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, Crypta Balbi, Terme di Diocleziano)
• Galleria nazionale d’Arte Antica Palazzo Barberini (national gallery of ancient art Palazzo Barberini)
• Galleria nazionale d’Arte Antica Palazzo Corsini (national gallery of ancient palazzo Corsini)
• Galleria Spada
• Museo nazionale di Palazzo Venezia (national museum of Piazza Venezia)
• Museo nazionale di Castel Sant’Angelo (National museum of Castel Sant’Angelo – access subject to quota)
• Museo nazionale d’Arte Orientale “G. Tucci” (Eastern art national museum G. Tucci)
• Museo nazionale Preistorico Etnografico “L. Pigorini”(prehistoric national museum L. Pigorini)
• Museo nazionale delle Arti e Tradizioni Popolari (National Museum of people’s traditions and art)
• Museo nazionale dell’Alto Medioevo (Middle Age national museum)
• Museo nazionale degli Strumenti Musicali (Musical instrument national museum)
• Scavi di Ostia Antica (Ostia Antica digs)
• Museo Ostiense
• Mausoleo di Cecilia Metella
• Terme di Caracalla
• Villa dei Quintili
• Villa Adriana in Tivoli
• Villa d’Este in Tivoli

Also Maxxi belongs to this category. It’s the national museum of modern art (XXI century) where access is always free for the permanent collection (gallery 4) from Tuesday to Friday besides the first Sunday of the month..

MILAN

Here is a list of the museums which have adhered to the initiative up to now:

• Cenacolo Vinciano
  Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie 2 (booking required)
• Galleria d’arte moderna di Milano, Museo dell’ottocento, Villa Reale, Villa Belgiojoso Bonaparte
  Via Palestro 16
• Gallerie d’Italia
  Piazza della Scala 6   
• Acquario e civica stazione idrobiologica – municipal aquariumViale Gadio 2
• Casa museo Boschi-di Stefano
  Via Giorgio Jan 15
• Castello Sforzesco
  Piazzale Castello
• Museo Studio Francesco Messina
  Via S. Sisto 4a
• Museo archeologico di Milano
  Corso Magenta 15
• Museo civico di storia naturale di Milano
  Corso Venezia 55
• Museo del Risorgimento and workshop of modern and contemporary history
  Via Borgonuovo 23
• Museo diocesano di Milano
  Corso di Porta Ticinese 95
• Palazzo Morando – traditions and fashion
  Via Sant’Andrea 6

Rome. This touristic city is so well depicted in history books and documentaries. It is a city that people unfortunately often tend to reduce to the Colosseum or the Pantheon. It is a city that I’ve unconsciously never been excited about because I didn’t want to seem or feel mainstream.

Still, as soon as I got off the train taking me from Fiumicino to Termini the first day I ever stepped foot here, everything had already changed. 

The magic was already operating.

From my first day to the end of my time in Rome, I have spent indescribable, unforgettable days. Some days were all chill and relax. I would have a walk alongside the Tiber and eat some of the best tiramisu next to one of the famous places in Rome. Most days were as exciting as it gets. I would spend Sunday mornings in the mountains of clothes at the market of Porta Portese and discovering the breathtaking views at the Pincio or Giardini del Aranci. 

At the end of each day, a hard choice was to be made between getting some well-deserved rest or going to the Yellowbar across the street to have some more fun. I can still picture the neon lights of the bar, forming letters, words, and a sentence:

“They call us dreamers, but we are the ones who never sleep”. 

I will never forget the face of the many people that have once pushed the kitchen door of the Yellow. The people that would cook pasta as if their life depended on it. The ones who would try all the pans before finding the only one that works with the induction hob. The ones making their morning caffè with the little purple moka that someone left in the kitchen when they moved on and away to live other adventures. 

For a while, I had my very own family at the hostel. 

From the French guy looking for a job in Rome to the Spanish girl learning Italian at La Sapienza University, without forgetting the Greek teenager I shared an ice cream with and the American boy that took me on a rooftop. Each and every one of them was special, each had an incredible personality and took part in the loud laughs that still echo in my head. 

I will miss Monica’s confident voice, Julio’s music and many arts, Pablo’s ever-changing dyed hair, Stella’s ice creams at the Gello, and Veronica and Eduardo’s diffusing and radiant happiness. 

And overall, I know I will miss the summer heat of the Roman sun on my skin more than I’ll ever like to admit. The freshwater harvested of fountains unexpectedly placed at the corner of the streets. The taste of all the creamy pistacchio croissants I have eaten. The feeling of the fine warm sand of Ostia on my feet.

I have created so many memories in Rome. Some will come back home with me and others will stay sheltered within the delicate architecture of the Roman buildings. 

A hand on my suitcase, the other one holding my passport, the feeling is almost indescribable. While getting lost in the Fiumicino labyrinth -as if Rome didn’t want me to go, I can hear some people ordering a freshly-pressed orange juice. Voices fade away, the further I walk into the plane corridor. When we finally take off, the last souvenir that Rome is willing to give me is the direct view of Ostia. And what a wonderful memory… 

Rome is where my heart is. Rome is the city in which I bloomed. Rome is my home.

Rare are those who disagree on the fact that Rome hosts some of the most beautiful museums. From the almost alive statues of Gallery Borghese to the Egyptian room of the Vatican museums, the artworks will undeniably blow your mind away. 

However, we have to admit that the city itself is housing a particular aesthetic that you can only reach by walking in the streets of Rome, with your eyes wide open. Rome definitely is a museum by essence, unveiling new gems each and every day. 

Whether it is street art or simply places that showcase the most unusual beauty, we have gathered for you some of the wonders you might come across in the streets of the Eternal city. 

1. Church San Paolo Dentro le Mura 

Literally “St Paul within the walls”, this gothic church sits in the middle of Via Nationale. Walk by this amazing building and let yourself be amazed by the alternating pure white and saturated brick red. Its special appearance gives this church all the singularity that we love when wandering in the streets of Rome. 

2. Via della Conciliazione 

Considered as one of the main arteries of the city, this street is a must if you are looking for street art around the Vatican. The artworks are everywhere, defending all types of opinions, through all kinds of styles. Paintings, stickers, or sentences – we guarantee this is one of the best spots to enjoy a different type of art in a city full of ancient statues and paintings. 

3. Via Dei Pastini 

For lunch or dinner, day or night, you can enjoy the beauty of this street. Not so far from the Fontana di Trevi and the Pantheon, you can walk through this street and come across the many displays of fresh pasta, artichokes, and other Italian specialties at the entrance of the restaurants. Do not miss an occasion to eat in one of these, under the sparkling lights of the terraces!  

4. Quatro Fontane 

At the intersection of Via Delle Quatro Fontane and Via del Quirinale, you will find four built-in fountains. Nothing special so far, as Rome offers a plethora of amazing fountains. However, we advise you to take a closer look at these fountains, since each one is different from the others. Two of these fountains are the embodiment of two rivers, the River Tiber and the River Aniene while the two other fountains are the Goddesses Diana and Juno, representing chastity and strength. The details of each one of the Quatro Fontane will make your eyes sparkle!

5. Clet Abraham’s Unusual Traffic Signs

Walking in the streets of Rome, you will probably notice that some traffic signs are somewhat… diverted. Well, Clet Abraham is the creator of the funny stickmen stealing the show from the stop signs. Small arrows spiking hearts, tiny policemen, Andy-Warhol type bananas… Witness the ingenuity of his art by looking up to these traffic signs! 

6. Quartiere Coppedè 

Enter a real fairytale in Quartiere Coppedè, a housing complex built following the Modern Style movement. There, you will have the chance to walk around the Fontana delle Rane – the Frog fountain, to discover the many details of Villini delle Fatte and to walk under the arch of The Palazzi degli Ambasciatori. This neighborhood is a staple of the city of Rome, for its peculiar architecture and all the secrets it seems to be hiding.

Here they are – six of our favorite spots to experience Rome under a completely different aesthetic. But overall, we advise you to tie your shoelaces and to get lost in the Roman labyrinth. This way, you will uncover your own wonders: street art, little sculptures of the Virgin Mary on the corner of random buildings, and outstanding architecture! Get off the beaten paths, and always remember that even famous spots change daily. All that matters is the angle from which you see them…