Archive for 'Latium'

The Rome City Marathon is an annual event hosted in March that has been held every year since 1982. The marathon not only attracts thousands of spectators but also competitors! With an incredible record number of 12,596 runners finishing the race in 2011, it's clear to see that this marathon is an extremely popular event!

In 2010 the winner -Siraj Gena from Ethiopia- finished the race barefoot in honour of his countryman Abebe Bikila who in 1960 won the Olympic marathon in Rome....exactly 50 years earlier!

We have all seen ancient Rome portrayed in movies such as Gladiator and Spartacus, but why not experience the real thing for yourself? Rent an apartment in the city itself, or even a beautiful villa outside of the city where you can enjoy the fabulous Italian countryside as well!

Stray cats in Rome, they're famous !

The Roman cats have always found shelter amongst the ancient ruins in the city. The numerous postcards of cats sitting on stumps of old Roman columns, cat sleeping on the foot of an emperor's statue, or just lounging near the Colosseum testify to the deep rooted image cats have in Rome.

Many of these stray cats have found shelter in Torre Argentina (it was here in Torre Argentina that the famous Roman Emperor Julius Caesar was stabbed by his rival Brutus, in 44BC).

Torre Argentina is now home to about 250 feline friends, sheltered amongst the oldest temples in Rome (400-300 BC). Seven days a week volunteers from different countries, feed, clean and look after them.

Visitors are always welcome to look around; visit the cats and browse around the cat shelter. It's open every day from noon to 6 pm.

Now the Roman cats even have their own website !

In our Tuscany blog we've written about films in Tuscany but one of my favourites for Italy is 'Roman Holiday', a 1953 romantic comedy starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.

Hepburn won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance. Ann (Hepburn) is the crown princess of an unspecified country. She is on a widely publicized tour of several European capitals, including Rome.

One night, she is overwhelmed by the strenuous demands of her official duties, where her day is tightly scheduled. Her doctor gives her a sedative to calm her down and help her sleep, but she secretly leaves her country's embassy to experience Rome by herself.