Rome a Cultural Slap

Angel Tours Rome/Florence/Naples/Venice Christmas 2014-2015

When you walk into an Irish pub in Ireland the atmosphere hits you in the face, Rome is like this.  The traffic zaps past you fast at what looks like mind numbing madness.  But Rome has it all.  History at every step, drinkable water from street fountains on each corner, so many churches they might as well be next door to one another, and amazing fountains all with a story to tell.  Although Rome is jam packed with visitors it's still a genuinely Roman and has a real sense of what we can consider "typical" Italy.   The Romans believe they invented just about everything and it seems that they sit with that attitude, a story goes that the old Roman told the Irish man, " ye know we Romans invented sex", the Irish replied " ah yes but we invented it with a woman".   

Rome has Trastevere the eating district where almost any restaurant is a gem, it has its Jewish Ghetto for some fantastic Roman Jewish food, then a stroll from one piazza to the next at night stopping to get an ice cream fits nicely into the plan.  Then you've got the Colosseum officially called an Amphi theatre which speaks volumes about Ancient Rome that they would put the word "theatre" into the name of  a construction which was intended for mass murder on an industrial scale.

Our best question is " why did they build the colosseum in the middle of all this traffic?

The Vatican is on your bucket list but for me the master piece of the Vatican State is The Pieta sculpted by an unknown at the time by the name of Michelangelo, it tells a special tale.  A unique place to be for midnight mass even if your not a catholic is under the pagan dome of the Pantheon with a Christian choir singing some old Christmas hymns.  Under the city is Basilica San Clemente run by the Irish College and steeped in ancient history as old as Rome itself.  Walking around Rome as the sun sets is pure magic, the light just hits this part of our planet at the right angle making what is already a sight for sore eyes more pleasing and soothing.  Then smelling the coffee as it wafts out the doors of the cafes in the late afternoon is like an orgasm of the nose.  There must be something very wise in calling a desert "tiramisu" which literally means pick me up, this city does some great styles of this.  The Romans have cakes which they soak in limoncello and the eat, that's got to be pure genius or maybe madness either way it's enjoyable to say the least.  Try to keep in mind that this is a city which was home to some of the greatest artistic genius in sculpting, poetry, writing and painting.  Rome seems to offer all that any Italian city has, it's used in major movies almost every year and certain little streets are so full of character that you will want to just walk up and down them a few times on your trip.  I have seen time and time again how you can get attached to a small coffee shop close to your hotel who make you local after your second visit and in turn make you feel at home and when you return to Rome after a few years you seek out that place and get a big welcome.  That's got to be a nice experience in your life and on your trips.

Season’s greetings and a more peaceful 2015

Sean T – Christmas 2014/2015 AngelTours.eu

Florence is perfect for New Years

Florence won’t intimate or leave your feeling as small as Venice did.  Florence grows on you more and more every day, I am starting to think it's one of the best examples of a European city today.  This town really has it all, great wine, steak, fantastic restaurants, jaw dropping history at every corner and shops to make you want to rob a bank.  If your fetish is leather then you’re in heaven here.  To me Florence is exactly mid-way between London Rome and Paris, that's how it feels when you get to know the place.  A walk from The Duomo to Santa Croce leaves you feeling like you have at long last come done something right on your visit, Santa Croce is the treasure chest of Genius they are all buried here.  Most of the great thinkers came from Florence and they echo from the past, you feel their presence in the mind set of the locals here.

I am left with the impression that although this city did give birth to the Renaissance,  and is a small city with a big wallop of importance intellectually, Florence still feels like a city you can hold in your hands.  It's easy to feel local here.  For that reason I see it as a New Years City, New Years celebrations are well organized and are a bit safer than Rome and you won't need transport to get back to your bed after the party.  Being inspired by the greatness of the Renaissance is also another cool way to start a new year.

Sean T.

Angel Tours Italy - Christmas 2014-2015

The secret of Venice

To me Venice is the most beautiful and the most Romantic city of the world.  On my first trip to Venice I boarded a Vaporetto  (water bus) en route to my hotel, as I sat there watching the traffic on water, transfixed by the organized system of stopping and starting at stops I felt that I was witness to a grand idea which is now an old reality.  A whole town in the sea.  My water bus zig zagged its way around to Piazza San Marco at snail speed but I didn't care, I was held in staring competition with the luxury of the homes of the wealthy citizens of Venice, also wondering what is their jobs and life style living in such a home and who are their friends and what impact does it have on your culturally to live like this.  As night time fell onto the water the city lights came on, little color glows in Arabic styled lamps lit up the canals and bridges I remember thinking that even the rats are in a special place.  I knew some of the history to this region of Italy and what intrigued most was there independence from Rome and their struggle to hold onto their own power.  But for me the secret to Venice is not to make plans, forget schedules and time tables.  Don't even bring a map or a guide book.   For sure just throw all plans away and wander around getting lost as often as possible and I hope that you will find yourself in the Jewish ghetto it's an amazing part of Venice.  

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Sean T.
Angel Tours Italy - Christmas 2014-2015

Christmas in Italy 2014

There's an expression in Italy "if you feel like working sit down it will pass"

This laid back attitude is partly what makes Italy so attractive to hard working folk who deserve a well-earned break at the end of the year in a fun romantic and historic country where the food makes you think you have been only eating grass back home.  Whether it's your first trip or you’re a regular in Italy, Christmas time is special in a country which offers so much in way of culture, art, language, comedy and cuisine.  Having lived in Rome for the last 10 years I have made it my home easily because as it is said that "the Irish are the Italians of Northern Europe". I do believe that my amount of time here and my objective view puts me in a unique position to offer some of my experience of Christmas time in Rome Florence and Venice.   My first word of advice is to avoid the whole word "tourist", don't see yourself as a tourist, instead imagine yourself as a lover of art and ancient history, visit Italy as if you’re a Greek  philosopher, or a Roman slave seeing the Colosseum for the first time knowing that this monument was built for your death and the arrogance of these people.  Immerse yourself in Venice, forget pics for Facebook just walk the bridges lost, and wondering why the hell with so much land did they build this city in the water then find the answers.  In Florence walk around at 5am along the Arno and imagine yourself a young Da Vinci in dialogue with himself about the energy which is stored in water.  With the right frame of mind we can connect with Italy in a way in which no amount of money or planning could ever achieve.  

Sean T.

Angel Tours Italy Christmas 2014-2015