The property (which is part of a group of eight delightful, luxury hotels in Rome, Venice, and Florence) is owned and operated by the WTB Hotels Collection. (Why The Best, in case you are wondering.) And the head corporate honcho (chief timekeeper?) is a watch aficionado, who has infused each of his three L’Orologio properties with a unique décor that showcases a plethora of impressive watch-related accessories, sprinkled throughout the inspiring and comfortable design. You’ll never be too far from a dazzling timepiece.

The intimate (43 rooms and suites) Rome property sits comfortably in the Sant’ Eustachio neighborhood, not too far from Largo di Torre Argentina, the Pantheon, the Piazza Navona; it is across the Tiber River from Rome’s well-known Trastevere neighborhood (the former Jewish ghetto) and the Villa Farnesina, an impressive mansion built in the very early 16th century and one of the most majestic (remaining) Renaissance buildings in the city.

Upon entering this conveniently-located hotel, you’ll spot the watch theme immediately-large, elegant art works feature classy and classic watches. A lobby coffee table is actually a model of an outsize, imposing Audemars Piguet watch, a yard or more in diameter. So amazing, you may not want to rest your lowly water bottle on the surface.

Several other design elements will not escape you: The illuminated numbers above the elevator glow with back lighting. The black background showcases a white-outlined number, and inside that outline there is a panoply of watch gears and rotary parts. It’s a charming reminder that time marches not only on, but, also, up and down.

When you arrive at your floor, you’ll find the halls lined with stunning, oversize photos of “important” watches. And when you get to your room, you’ll note that the door sports not merely the room number, but a “proper moniker,” referencing a watch movement. In my case, it was room 203, dubbed 2499 Perpetual, honoring a striking Patek Philippe model; between 1950 and 1985, Patek manufactured fewer than ten, and John Lennon owned one of them.

Embedded in the bathroom mirror, there is also a handsome clock, supplying a bit of mechanical counterpoint to the stylishly decorated chamber. As is apparent, the owner and design team put a great deal of thought and heart into this hotel, all aimed to deliver maximum comfort of their guests.

You’ll find the chronometer theme expanded in the fifth-floor dining room, with its outdoor terrace, replete with panoramic views of the city, including the Pantheon.

The cocktail lounge, Santa Cocktail Club Rome, is located here, as well, and you’ll find that the drinks are artfully prepared with house-made reductions and fruity botanicals.

Enjoy a buzzy cocktail at sunset and when you come back in the morning for the plentiful breakfast buffet, you’ll discover the custom-crafted china, again, embellished with the watch theme. Against the snow-white, ceramic background, steel-gray numbers form staccato accents, with an occasional ebony cipher. The dinner plates sport a soft-gray clock face along the rim, inside the large “O” for L’Orologio. The design level is of the highest quality and the attention to detail is unsurpassed, whether in the dinner service or the ministrations of the staff-to organize custom tours for you or to even walk you across the street to the cash machine. Ask about the runners’ walking/jogging workout, an archeology and antiquities guided tour, a fashionista’s shopping extravaganza, or a film-location tour; or create your own guided day out, which the hotel will plan for you.

You will be pampered here, and suffice it to say, you’ll want time to stand still so you can stay forever-eternally cossetted in the Eternal City.

Additional info: hotelorologioroma.com

© 2024 Ruth J. Katz All Rights Reserved

The post Tempting Time: Hotel L’Orologio Roma appeared first on Traveling Archive.

I woke from a deep, coma-like sleep.  Not entirely sure where I was…the celestial-looking ceiling above me seemed to ooze Heaven. Nimbus poufs of feathery clouds loomed languidly over my head…hints of statuary, or Cupids, or angelic cherubs, sketched in sorbet colors,floated gracefully on the canopy above my head.  Jet lag being what it is, it took me a few minutes to realize I was in a different kind of Heaven on Earth. I was in the Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese, floating on its signature-branded Sofitel MyBed, my body a limp whirl of protoplasm atop a bowl of weightless cotton candy!

As is fairly standard with an overnight flight from the States, I arrived in the early morn to the elegant, superbly located Sofitel, which was mercifully a mere half-hour from the airport. A stroke of luck—and it is rarely the case—the Foreign-Travel Fairy had somehow sprinkled her magic over the reservation roster for that day, and I was able to glide into my room early in the day, shower, and collapse—although I soaked up the stunning view from my room first.

The welcoming staff, perched behind two handsome, geometrically-carved, boulder-like desks, both burnished to gleaming perfection, had encouraged a snooze to re-energize my dazed circadian rhythm.

And I had followed that sound advice, but not before dipping my hand into a few of the clear glass goblets and apothecary-style chalices on the shelves in the intimate lobby,so I could swoop up a few Italian sweets. Then, I waltzed upstairs to my handsomely appointed chamber, where elegant, modern furniture beckoned: A dusty-gray-velvet recamier welcomed my luggage at the foot of the bed—such a refined resting spot for piles of clothing, as I fished for a sleep shirt. All this sophisticated design is from the artful hands of Jean Philippe Nuel, both architect and designer of the property.  He has sculpted a classy and classic masterpiece.  After dousing myself with the sweet-smelling Diptyque toiletries in the marble-clad shower, it was nap time. And sleep, I did.

This charming, five-star hotel is housed in a former 19th-century Roman palazzo, and is ideally located within walking distance of all that I wanted to drink in that first half-day, before I began serious sight-seeing and reacquainting myself with all that is Roman in my half-Italian blood.  Trevi Fountain, Villa Medici, the Spanish Steps (and all its glorious, adjacent shopping), and, of course, the splendor and majesty of the gardens of the Villa Borghese. (For sojourns farther afield, the Barberini metro station is just a six-minute stroll away.)

An intimate hotel by most yardsticks (71 rooms and seven suites), it still offers the more grandiose (included with your tariff) breakfasts Americans have come to expect in Europe, where lavish spreads overwhelm…what shall I have first?  The French toast?  The waffles?  The pancakes?  A custom-crafted omelette?  Cereals? Healthy, home-crafted yogurt, berries, and grains?  Or sinful pastries? No matter what you select for breakfast, your meal will be all the more enhanced and enjoyed because you’ll be dining in the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Settimo, with a 360-degree view, including St. Peter’s Basilica, the Villa Borghese gardens, and those famous pines of Rome.

The mosaic-laden floor is awash with large botanically inspired garden motifs, created with chunky,stone inlays, in earth tones of raw umber, burnt sienna, and chestnut, or ofsage, pine, celadon, loden, and sea foam.  The lush fabrics on the chairs—saturated turquoise velvet accented with more lavish, forest-green florals-on-steroids—are all complimented by actual foliage. Even the hanging, lantern-style, indoor lighting fixtures are covered in cannon-shaped shades, florid with floral and leafy motifs. If you’re fortunate, you can snag an outdoor table and drink in all that Roman scenery, along with a high-octane shot of espresso to kick off the morning.

If you are enjoying La Dolce Vita completely, then allow that crackerjack staff at the front desk plan your days:  There are family packages available that include gladiator school, gelato workshops, horseback riding, and stargazing like a Roman astronomer; or ask about the hotel’s multi-day foodie tour, created with Lauren Caramico of Davvero Rome, one of the city’s leading culinary influencers and tour guides. Some of the days’ activities in that package might include truffle-hunting, kayaking, or wine-tasting. The hotel can also arrange for private city tours, in a vintage Fiat on the back of a Vespa (I did this and I loved both the Vespa and the guy driving it!).  For fashionista and culinary devotees, there are individualized tours, highlighting shopping and wardrobe-styling (for men and women)a la Romagna, or yoga among the ruins, or cooking classes, among the custom-crafted excursions.Ask about the film-inspired sightseeing tour (think “Roman Holiday,”“Angels and Demons”, and, of course, “La Dolce Vita,” among the many celluloid visions of Rome). There are even special packages for you and your four-legged BFF (Bark in the Park, is a picnic in the Villa Borghese garden; there is also ozone bath therapy Fido and dog-sitters available around the clock.

At the end of the day, though, you’ll be thrilled to return to Settimo, to enjoy sunset and a sun downer. The trip up to the seventh floor is in an elevator that is about as good as an elevator can get, anywhere, courtesy of a fantasy garden on the walls: Floor-to-ceiling floral prints, walls awash with trellises and oversize, lavish, grandiose flowers.I wish I could have had more than two dinners at Settimo, as there was so much more I wanted to sample, but suffice it to say, everything I ate was toothsome, savory, and satisfying.  A lovely menu is available for that aperitivo and dinner, as well.  A sampling of dinner fare: Crispy tuna millefeuille with avocado cream, red radish, and accented with aged Modena balsamic vinegar; velvety Romanesco courgettes, bread crumbs, and toasted almonds; Roman saltimbocca veal fillet, pan-fried with chicory and stewed onions.  And top it off with a cherry crème brulée or traditional tiramisù with crunchy chocolate.  No matter what you order, it will be a winner.

Regardless of how many nights you stay, you’ll want more. This is a tribute to the comfortable, but detail-oriented, service delivered by the attentive and caring staff—and by those angels on the ceiling in your room.

Additional info:  sofitelrome.com

©   Ruth J. Katz  2024  All Rights Reserved

The post Escape to the Glorious Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton

Albergo Regina Isabella, Ischia, Italy, The Liz Taylor Suite

“Our love is so furious that we will burn each other out.” — Richard Burton

I really don’t remember much about Cleopatra. There were a lot of other things going on.— Elizabeth Taylor

The seaside charms and bubbling thermal baths of the island of Ischia have long been a draw for literary types (Henrik Ibsen, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams), movie stars (Marlon Brando, Brigitte Bardot, Charlie Chaplin, Jennifer Lopez, Leonardo DiCaprio), and other glitterati (Soren Kierkegaard and Prince Charles). None of these visitors, though, has made as big of a splash as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton did when they sailed over to Ischia to film the barge scenes for the 1963 blockbuster Cleopatra. Both were married to other people (she for the fourth time, to Eddie Fisher, who had left Debbie Reynolds for her) and their much-photographed affair was a salacious scandal of which a rapt public could not get enough. The Vatican cited Taylor for “erotic vagrancy” and there was talk that the United States was going to ban entry to the pair. Photos of the lovers sunning on a yacht and swimming in Ischia’s clear blue waters pushed the Space Race and other headlines off the front pages.

Taylor and Burton escaped the prying eyes and lenses of the paparazzi in a seaside suite at the Regina Isabella, in the seaside village of Lacco Ameno. The glamorous resort was already on the jet-set map as a retreat for the likes of Clark Gable and Maria Callas, and the power couple enjoyed royal treatment in what is now known as the Liz Taylor Suite, a sprawling, sun-filled spread with a regal salon and bedroom, huge terrace, and two marble-clad bathrooms fit for Cleopatra herself. No doubt the lapping waters of the Bay of San Montano and scent of pines was a soothing antidote to the stars’ rigorous filming schedule and tumultuous personal lives.

Cleopatra, meanwhile, became the most expensive film ever made (more than $300 million in today’s dollars). For all the expense, fanfare, reasonable box office success, and four Academy Awards, many critics found the epic to be mundane and lumbering. Even Liz, who made $7 million off the film, said she found the three-hour-long version released in theaters to be “vulgar.”

The couple’s allure began to ebb as they became notorious for their boozing and fighting and married and divorced each other twice. Most of the star vehicles the pair made after Cleopatra were disappointing, with the exception of the brilliant Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966). For many viewers, the story of a volatile, alcohol-soaked marriage mirrors the lives of the stars, and Taylor won her second Academy Award for best actress.

Just around the coast from the Regina Isabella is a tribute to another well-known, much more subdued couple, the British composer Sir William Walton and his Argentine wife, Lady Susana Walton. The pair created a stir when the 46-year-old year old Walton wooed and won Susana, 24 years his junior, annoying her father so much that he spent her entire dowry on Champagne for their wedding reception in Buenos Aires. They settled on Ischia in 1949 and created one of the world’s great gardens, Villa La Mortella, filled with exotic plantings and splashing fountains, a perfect getaway from worldly affairs.

For more information, visit Regina Isabella.

Ava Gardner

Hotel Splendido, Portofino, Italy, The Ava Gardner Suite

I was born with good health and a strong body and spent years abusing them. —  Ava Gardner

By the early 1950s, residents of picturesque Portofino on the Ligurian Coast had figured out that there was a lot more money to be made from landing movie stars and other beautiful people than from hauling in fish. The man about town in those days was Rex Harrison. He had fashioned a luxurious villa on the remnants of a World War II era bunker high above the Bay of Portofino, where he entertained the likes of Clarke Gable and the duke and duchess of Windsor. So, it wasn’t too surprising to see Ava Gardner sail into the harbor and settle into the Splendido, a former monastery turned lavish hotel.  Gardner was at the height of her stardom, having won acclaim for her roles in such hits as Show Boat (1951), The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952), and Mogambo (1953). The high-living, hard-drinking, chain-smoking star came to Portofino to shoot scenes for The Barefoot Contessa (1954), with the pretty little town serving as a backdrop for her escapades with a Latin American playboy. With Gardner came costar Humphrey Bogart and his wife, Lauren Bacall. Not accompanying her was her husband, Frank Sinatra, from whom the star was increasingly estranged, nor her lover, the Spanish bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguin.

Gardner’s role in The Barefoot Contessa, as a beautiful girl who rises from obscurity to become a famous star, was not far from her own life story. In fact, like her character, Gardner preferred to go barefoot, and she could comfortably do so on the huge terrace of the top-floor suite named after her. The views across the water to the pastel-hued houses hugging a snug harbor are unchanged from Gardner’s day. You can just about make out the spot in front of La Gritta bar where Harrison staggered onto the wharf after a night of celebrating his best-actor win for My Fair Lady in 1964 and threw his Oscar into the harbor.

Gardner went on to make several other well-received films, including The Sun Also Rises (1957) and On the Beach (1959). In 1963, she traveled to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to film Night of the Iguana. Her costar, Richard Burton, arrived with Elizabeth Taylor, and the trio’s off-screen antics inspired a parody by comedian Allan Sherman, sung to the tune of The Streets of Laredo: “They did things at night midst the flora and fauna that no self-respecting iguana would do.”  Gardner, Burton, and Taylor had more than their film careers and fondness for alcohol in common—of all the places the stars touched down on their international travels, the Splendido in little Portofino remained a preferred hideaway for the three of them, as it still is for the rich and famous.

For more information, visit the  Hotel Splendido.

Audrey Hepburn

Hotel Hassler, Rome, The San Pietro Suite

The most important thing is to enjoy your life, to be happy. It’s all that matters. —  Audrey Hepburn

Filmgoers will forever associate Rome with Audrey Hepburn, who buzzed around the Eternal City on the back of a Vespa in the 1953 classic Roman Holiday. Almost 70 years later, it’s still difficult to put your hand into the Bocca della Verità without thinking of Gregory Peck (Joe Bradley) screaming in mock pain as a terrified Hepburn (Princess Ann) looks on.

For Hepburn, Rome was synonymous not with ruins and fountains but with the Hotel Hassler, as it has been with generations of discerning travelers.  The star stayed at this hostelry at the top of the Spanish Steps while filming the story of a princess who enjoys a footloose romp with a dashing journalist, and she returned many times until her death in 1993. Managing Director Roberto Wirth, as much of a legend as many of his distinguished guests, says, “Her grace and elegance fascinated me … I remember her as a fairytale princess when she came down the Hassler’s stairs.”

Judging by her films, Hepburn might have seemed most at home in France (Charade, Funny Face, How to Steal A Million, Sabrina, Two for the Road), and she once famously said, “Paris is always a good idea.” But for much of the Belgian-born star’s life, Rome was where her heart was. Soon after the end of Hepburn’s14-year-long marriage to fellow actor Mel Ferrer, she married psychiatrist Andrea Dotti in 1969 and retreated from films and the limelight for a new role as a Roman housewife and mother. That marriage dissolved in 1982 and Hepburn took up residence in Switzerland, where she happily grew roses when she was not traveling the world on behalf of UNICEF.

Hepburn frequently returned to Rome to visit her son, Lucca Andrea Dotti, often settling into the Hassler’s San Pietro Suite. The rich paneling, Old World paintings, priceless antiques, and acres of marble might have been handpicked for the classy and elegant icon. Anyone, star or not, who stands on the airy terrace and looks across the rooftops toward the dome of St. Peter’s might be tempted to quote one of Audrey’s lines from Roman Holiday, “I will cherish my visit here in memory as long as I live.”

For more information, visit  Hotel Hassler.

The post Celebrity Suites Part 5 appeared first on Traveling Archive.

5 Easy Ways to Secure Your Hotel Room

Inexpensive, portable safety devices to take with you when you travel
Courtesy by David Dean

Are you worried about the security of your hotel room when you travel? You never really know who else has a key to your room, or how good the locks and deadbolts actually are. Luckily, there are several easy, inexpensive ways to secure the room more effectively. Here are five of the best.

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Two Thirds Of Americans Worry About Work Whilst On Vacation

Courtesy Calum McCloskey, 10 Yetis Digital

New research has found the biggest worries that Americans have whilst on vacation, with the weather, accommodation, spending money and arguments all making the top five, with almost two thirds confessing to also worrying about work whilst away.

As well as determining the biggest worries that Americans have on vacation, with work featuring quite heavily for many, the biggest worries Americans have at the airport were also revealed, with fear of a flight being delayed or cancelled, luggage getting lost or damaged and missing the flight from being late topping the list.

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WanderTours

Beth Whitman here. I’m the founder of WanderTours and am your (mostly) fearless leader.

I escort groups on most of our trips – the exception being photography trips and yoga retreats where professionals are there to guide and teach you. After my first book was released, Wanderlust and Lipstick: The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo, women started asking me to bring them along on my travels. Wanting them to travel independently – as I had done for nearly 20 years up to that point – I was reluctant at first. But I recognized that not everyone has the energy, time or sometimes even the desire to plan their own travels. So I led my first tour to Bhutan in 2008.

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6 Destinations with Sunscreen Bans, and What You Need to Know

Courtesy Shannon McMahon, SmarterTravel

Think the plastic straws you gave up sipping from are bad for our oceans? It’s time to consider the same about the sunscreen you use. Non-biodegradable sunscreens that contain harsh chemicals like oxybenzone have been proven to be toxic to coral reefs and other sea life. But travelers haven’t been as quick to widely abandon them for a natural alternative — so now some destinations are enacting sunscreen bans themselves.

Here are some of the most popular destinations that have banned non-biodegradable sunscreens, and how you can switch to a responsible alternative.

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Survey: Only About One-Third of Americans Say They Sleep Better in Hotels

Majority Believe Mattress is Less Comfortable Than at Home

As millions of Americans head out on vacation this summer looking for rest and relaxation, it’s likely that two-thirds of them won’t sleep as well as they do at home.

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Secrets the Cruise Lines Don’t Tell You

Courtesy Erika Silverstein, Cruise Critic

Cruise ship life can be a little mysterious. Your choices aren’t always spelled out in black and white. The more you cruise, the more you pick up on the unofficial secrets the cruise lines don’t tell you — which give you more options, let you save money and generally allow you to have a better time onboard.

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Protect Yourself Against Airport Checkpoint Theft

Airport theft is becoming a major problem for travelers, so make sure to get to your destination with all your items intact.

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7 Things You Should Always Wear on a Plane

Courtesy Caroline Costellos

Be the best-dressed (and most comfortable) person in the cabin with our guide to in-flight apparel.

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Question: Which two Beatles are left-handed?

Scroll down for the answer

How to Disinfect Your Airplane Seat

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Virtual Reality Helps Japan’s Elderly Travel the World

CNN Travel

Traveling from the canals of Venice to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, a group of elderly people in Japan is seeing the world – without even leaving their seats. It’s all thanks to virtual reality, as well as a team at the University of Tokyo led by Kenta Toshima.

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How to Renew a Passport in 24 Hours

Courtesy Shannon McMahon

By partnering with an existing service called RushMyPassport, FedEx is facilitating a nationwide solution for those who need very fast passport renewal.

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Half of Americans Would Take a Job With No Paid Time Off for a Higher Salary

Meanwhile, One in Three Workers Would Give Up Some Pay for Unlimited Vacation

Half (49 percent) of working Americans would accept a job with no vacation time if they were paid more, according to the 11th annual Vacation Confidence Index* released by Allianz Global Assistance. Millennials (63 percent, compared to 47 percent of Gen X’ers and 32 percent of Baby Boomers) and men (57 percent, versus 41 percent of women) are the most likely to sacrifice paid time off for higher salaries.

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Pickpocket-Proof Clothing: 10 Garments to Protect Your Stuff

Courtesy Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

Nothing sours a trip like having your belongings stolen by a pickpocket. But chances are, if you travel frequently — or just happen to be unlucky — a sticky-fingered stranger will one day secretly separate you from your stuff. Since traveling sans cash, credit cards, and other valuables isn’t an option for most of us, I’ve rounded up a passel of pickpocket-proof clothing and accessories that’ll make you less of a target for thieves.

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The Best Navigation Tools to Keep You on Track on a Car Trip, Here or Abroad

Courtesy Catharine Hamm, L.A. Times

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Beatle Beat Trivia Answers

Question: Name the Two Beatles who are left-handed.

Answer: Paul and Ringo who are alive and well, and left-handed.

Travel’s Unspoken Taboo – Pooping Your Pants!

Listen to excruciatingly funny tales from traglamorous selfies, sometimes s**** gets real! But no-one wants to talk about every traveler’s worst nightmare – until now.

• When you gotta go in a Nepalese temple! Do the Gods smile on this backpacker?
• Terror at 30,000 feet – explosive decompression of the worst kind!
• Go for launch, recreating how the Apollo astronauts wentin space.

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Polanski’s J’Accuse (aka An Officer and a Spy) Showcased at Venice Film Festival

Courtesy Jonathan Romney, Film Comment

Not everyone is happy about Roman Polanski having a new film in competition in Venice — especially since the festival only has two women directors competing this year. Some commentators have considered it an act of some chutzpah for Polanski to make a film about a historic case of unjust accusation and punishment — J’Accuse (aka An Officer and a Spy), his account of the Dreyfus case which divided France in the 1890s. In reality, it would be seriously stretching a point to interpret Polanski’s new film as being in any direct way about his own experience, although his depiction of Dreyfus’s exile on Devil’s Island certainly rhymes with his concern with the pain of isolation, from The Tenant to The Pianist.

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10 New Women Only Travel Escapes to Take in 2019

Courtesy Shannon McMahon, SmarterTravel

Not sure you’re a group travel person? If you’re a woman seeking a new, authentic, and sustainable way to see your dream destination, women-only travel operators can take your trip to new heights. Group options like tours catering to those who identify as female can take you across the globe in a more inspiring and authentic way than the average tour does. And in the post-#MeToo era, the number of women-only travel possibilities has skyrocketed.

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One In Five American Millennials Go On Vacation To Take Pictures For Social Media

• 11% of American millennials say the main reason for going on vacation is to get pictures for social media, with it being a top factor for as many as one in five
• Two thirds upload pictures to social media whilst on holiday
• The average millennial spends 40 minutes per day on vacation taking social media pictures

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D.C. Sues Marriott Over Hidden Resort Fees ‘Pricing Deception’

Courtesy Ed Perkins

The first real action to prevent hotels from posting false low-ball prices on initial rate searches, also known as hidden “resort fees,” is finally underway. The Attorney General of the District of Columbia asked the D.C. Superior Court for injunctive relief against Marriott (the world’s largest hotel chain) for violations of the District’s consumer protections against deceptive advertising. And it could mean a lot for the future of hotel pricing.

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On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer

By John Keats

Much have I travell’d in the realms of gold,
And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;
Round many western islands have I been
Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been told
That deep-brow’d Homer ruled as his demesne;
Yet did I never breathe its pure serene
Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
He star’d at the Pacific — and all his men
Look’d at each other with a wild surmise —
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.

Send Deb your favorite travel poems

Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-deserved break after an ill fated attempt to shut down a white supremacist rally in Wyoming.

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman

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Top Museums in Rome

Rome’s museums contain everything from ancient sculpture to modern art, so there is something for everyone to enjoy. In order to appreciate all of the various different kinds of art Rome’s museums have to offer, visitors will need more than one day – perhaps a day per museum of interest. Plan to take your time so you can fully absorb all the amazing world history these museums have on display.

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Discovering St Helena: Explore Life On One of the Most Remote Islands in the World

1,200 miles from Africa and 1,800 miles from South America lays a fascinating remote volcanic island named St Helena. Almost entirely cut-off from the outside world, the island has often sparked interest by historian enthusiasts drawn to the island’s rich history, allowing them a glimpse into its role in fighting the slave trade, acting as a Boer prisoner of war site and the notorious home and prison of Napoleon, who was exiled to the island.

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7 Common Travel Crises and How to Conquer Them

Courtesy Denise Caiazzo, Travel Planners International

Travel advisors are well-equipped to handle just about anything travel-related. Give them a destination, a budget, and a few key interests, and they can whip up an entirely personalized itinerary that will make a client feel over-the-moon, as they make their travel dreams come true.

But what happens when an unforeseen travel nightmare occurs? We’re talking, “I can’t find my passport and I leave for my trip in a week!” or “Surprise, a bad storm hit, and all flights are canceled.”

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Behind the Bucket List: What Americans Really Want in Travel

Courtesy Tours.com

What do Americans want when it comes to Bucket List travel? A group from Provisional Living wanted to find out not only what’s on those lists, but why and how they got there. What they found was pretty revealing.

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Are Airlines Tracking Your Flight Searches (and Raising Prices)?

Courtesy Caroline Morse Teel

Ms. Caroline Morse Teel, Senior Editor of SmarterTravel, investigates whether or not searching for airfare makes the price go up. Also: perfume on a plane, tipping when gratuities are included, who can sit in an exit row, and more.

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How to Complain Effectively at a Hotel

Courtesy Charlyn Keating

Demand satisfaction when you have a valid complaint

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7 Travel Gadgets You Don’t Need & What to Buy Instead

Courtesy Nevin Spearman‎

There are all sorts of gadgets out there that promise to make traveling easier but often fall short. Some are cheaply made and fall apart after one trip. Others are just impractical, a realization that only comes after lugging them around the globe. Below are some of the not-so-great travel gadgets we’ve either purchased ourselves or have spotted in the wild, and the handy alternatives that you may find more useful.

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The post Sunscreen Bans, Women Travel, Polanski’s J’Accuse appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Random Acts of Canine Kindness

Cedric the Dog takes a well-deserved break after an ill fated attempt to shut down a white supremacist rally in Wyoming.

You want a friend in Washington? Get a dog. – Harry S. Truman

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“First Look” at Swedish Lapland’s Arctic Bath with Off the Map Travel

Travel experts at Off the Map Travel are pleased to release the first images of the Arctic’s most exciting new tourism and wellness experience for this winter, the Arctic Bath floating hotel and spa.

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Secrets the Cruise Lines Don’t Tell You

Courtesy Erika Silverstein, Cruise Critic

Cruise ship life can be a little mysterious. Your choices aren’t always spelled out in black and white. The more you cruise, the more you pick up on the unofficial secrets the cruise lines don’t tell you — which give you more options, let you save money and generally allow you to have a better time onboard.

MORE

Question: Which two Beatles are left-handed?

Scroll down for the answer

Virtual Reality Helps Japan’s Elderly Travel the World

CNN Travel

Traveling from the canals of Venice to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, a group of elderly people in Japan is seeing the world – without even leaving their seats. It’s all thanks to virtual reality, as well as a team at the University of Tokyo led by Kenta Toshima.

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How to Renew a Passport in 24 Hours

Courtesy Shannon McMahon

By partnering with an existing service called RushMyPassport, FedEx is facilitating a nationwide solution for those who need very fast passport renewal.

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Half of Americans Would Take a Job With No Paid Time Off for a Higher Salary

Meanwhile, One in Three Workers Would Give Up Some Pay for Unlimited Vacation

Half (49 percent) of working Americans would accept a job with no vacation time if they were paid more, according to the 11th annual Vacation Confidence Index* released by Allianz Global Assistance. Millennials (63 percent, compared to 47 percent of Gen X’ers and 32 percent of Baby Boomers) and men (57 percent, versus 41 percent of women) are the most likely to sacrifice paid time off for higher salaries.

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7 Common Travel Crises and How to Conquer Them

Courtesy Denise Caiazzo, Travel Planners International

Travel advisors are well-equipped to handle just about anything travel-related. Give them a destination, a budget, and a few key interests, and they can whip up an entirely personalized itinerary that will make a client feel over-the-moon, as they make their travel dreams come true.

But what happens when an unforeseen travel nightmare occurs? We’re talking, “I can’t find my passport and I leave for my trip in a week!” or “Surprise, a bad storm hit, and all flights are canceled.”

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Are Airlines Tracking Your Flight Searches (and Raising Prices)?

Courtesy Caroline Morse Teel

Ms. Caroline Morse Teel, Senior Editor of SmarterTravel, investigates whether or not searching for airfare makes the price go up. Also: perfume on a plane, tipping when gratuities are included, who can sit in an exit row, and more.

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How to Complain Effectively at a Hotel

Courtesy Charlyn Keating

Demand satisfaction when you have a valid complaint

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Beatle Beat Trivia Answers

Question: Name the Two Beatles who are left-handed.

Answer: Paul and Ringo who are alive and well, and left-handed.

One In Five American Millennials Go On Vacation To Take Pictures For Social Media

• 11% of American millennials say the main reason for going on vacation is to get pictures for social media, with it being a top factor for as many as one in five
• Two thirds upload pictures to social media whilst on holiday
• The average millennial spends 40 minutes per day on vacation taking social media pictures

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D.C. Sues Marriott Over Hidden Resort Fees ‘Pricing Deception’

Courtesy Ed Perkins

The first real action to prevent hotels from posting false low-ball prices on initial rate searches, also known as hidden “resort fees,” is finally underway. The Attorney General of the District of Columbia asked the D.C. Superior Court for injunctive relief against Marriott (the world’s largest hotel chain) for violations of the District’s consumer protections against deceptive advertising. And it could mean a lot for the future of hotel pricing.

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On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer

By John Keats

Much have I travell’d in the realms of gold,
And many goodly states and kingdoms seen;
Round many western islands have I been
Which bards in fealty to Apollo hold.
Oft of one wide expanse had I been told
That deep-brow’d Homer ruled as his demesne;
Yet did I never breathe its pure serene
Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
He star’d at the Pacific — and all his men
Look’d at each other with a wild surmise —
Silent, upon a peak in Darien.

Send Deb your favorite travel poems

Protect Yourself Against Airport Checkpoint Theft

Airport theft is becoming a major problem for travelers, so make sure to get to your destination with all your items intact.

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How to Disinfect Your Airplane Seat

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7 Things You Should Always Wear on a Plane

Courtesy Caroline Costellos

Be the best-dressed (and most comfortable) person in the cabin with our guide to in-flight apparel.

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Top Museums in Rome

Rome’s museums contain everything from ancient sculpture to modern art, so there is something for everyone to enjoy. In order to appreciate all of the various different kinds of art Rome’s museums have to offer, visitors will need more than one day – perhaps a day per museum of interest. Plan to take your time so you can fully absorb all the amazing world history these museums have on display.

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Discovering St Helena: Explore Life On One of the Most Remote Islands in the World

1,200 miles from Africa and 1,800 miles from South America lays a fascinating remote volcanic island named St Helena. Almost entirely cut-off from the outside world, the island has often sparked interest by historian enthusiasts drawn to the island’s rich history, allowing them a glimpse into its role in fighting the slave trade, acting as a Boer prisoner of war site and the notorious home and prison of Napoleon, who was exiled to the island.

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Behind the Bucket List: What Americans Really Want in Travel

Courtesy Tours.com

What do Americans want when it comes to Bucket List travel? A group from Provisional Living wanted to find out not only what’s on those lists, but why and how they got there. What they found was pretty revealing.

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The Best Navigation Tools to Keep You on Track on a Car Trip, Here or Abroad

Courtesy Catharine Hamm, L.A. Times

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Pickpocket-Proof Clothing: 10 Garments to Protect Your Stuff

Courtesy Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

Nothing sours a trip like having your belongings stolen by a pickpocket. But chances are, if you travel frequently — or just happen to be unlucky — a sticky-fingered stranger will one day secretly separate you from your stuff. Since traveling sans cash, credit cards, and other valuables isn’t an option for most of us, I’ve rounded up a passel of pickpocket-proof clothing and accessories that’ll make you less of a target for thieves.

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7 Travel Gadgets You Don’t Need & What to Buy Instead

Courtesy Nevin Spearman‎

There are all sorts of gadgets out there that promise to make traveling easier but often fall short. Some are cheaply made and fall apart after one trip. Others are just impractical, a realization that only comes after lugging them around the globe. Below are some of the not-so-great travel gadgets we’ve either purchased ourselves or have spotted in the wild, and the handy alternatives that you may find more useful.

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The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter. Many people rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight. In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia — a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture — was celebrated.

What Is Saturnalia?

Saturnalia, the most popular holiday on the ancient Roman calendar, derived from older farming-related rituals of midwinter and the winter solstice, especially the practice of offering gifts or sacrifices to the gods during the winter sowing season.

The pagan celebration of Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture and time, began as a single day, but by the late Republic (133-31 B.C.) it had expanded to a weeklong festival beginning December 17. (On the Julian calendar, which the Romans used at the time, the winter solstice fell on December 25.)

During Saturnalia, work and business came to a halt. Schools and courts of law closed, and the normal social patterns were suspended. People decorated their homes with wreaths and other greenery, and shed their traditional togas in favor of colorful clothes known as synthesis. Gifts were exchanged. Even slaves did not have to work during Saturnalia, but were allowed to participate in the festivities; in some cases, they sat at the head of the table while their masters served them.

Instead of working, Romans spent Saturnalia gambling, singing, playing music, feasting, socializing and giving each other gifts. Wax taper candles called cerei were common gifts during Saturnalia, to signify light returning after the solstice.

On the last day of Saturnalia celebrations, known as the Sigillaria, many Romans gave their friends and loved ones small terracotta figurines known as signillaria, which may have referred back to older celebrations involving human sacrifice.

Would Christianity Have Spread Without the Romans?

With Christians hiding in catacombs and the Apostle Paul (Saul) quietly spreading the word of Christ in homes and secret locations, Roman emperors Constantine I and Licinius in February 313 A.D. issued the Edict of Milan, a proclamation that permanently established religious toleration for Christianity within the Roman Empire. Curiously, Constantine I died in 337, and apparently converted to Christianity on his deathbed without completely understanding the meaning of this new religion. It was his mother who introduced him to her ‘understanding’ of Christianity, and changed the day of worship to Sunday.

How Saturnalia Led to Christmas

The Christian holiday of Christmas, especially, owes many of its traditions to the ancient Roman festival, including the time of year Christmas is celebrated. The Bible does not give a date for Jesus’ birth; in fact, some theologians have concluded he was probably born in spring, as suggested by references to shepherds and sheep in the Nativity Story.

By holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals, Roman Catholic church leaders increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly embraced, but gave up the ability to dictate how it was celebrated. In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, the Roman Catholic Church decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention a date for his birth, a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration. Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring, why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter? Pope Julius I chose December 25, 336 AD as the date when Christmas was first celebrated in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had traveled all the way to Scandinavia.

On Christmas, most believers attended church, then celebrated raucously in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere. Each year, a beggar or student would be crowned the “lord of misrule” and eager celebrants played the part of his subjects. The poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand their best food and drink. If owners failed to comply, their visitors would most likely terrorize them with mischief. Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could repay their real or imagined “debt” to society by entertaining less fortunate citizens.

Saint Francis of Assisi & the Nativity Scene

Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first live Nativity Scene in 1223 in order to cultivate the worship of Christ. He himself had recently been inspired by his visit to the Holy Land, where he’d been shown Jesus’s traditional birthplace. The scene’s popularity inspired countries to stage similar pantomimes.

In the Christian tradition, a Nativity Scene (also known as a manger scene, crib, crèche or in Italian presepio or presepe) is the special exhibition, particularly during the Christmas season, of art objects representing the birth of Jesus.  While the term Nativity Scene may be used of any representation of the very common subject of the Nativity of Jesus in art, it has a more specialized sense referring to seasonal displays, either using model figures in a setting or reenactments called “living Nativity Scenes” (tableau vivant) in which real humans and animals participate. Nativity Scenes exhibit figures representing the infant Jesus, his mother, Mary, and her husband, Joseph.

Other characters from the Nativity Story, such as shepherds, sheep, and angels may be displayed near the manger in a barn (or cave) intended to accommodate farm animals, as described in the Gospel of Luke. A donkey and an ox are typically depicted in the scene, and the Magi and their camels, described in the Gospel of Matthew, are also included. Several cultures add other characters and objects that may or may not be Biblical.

Oliver Cromwell & the Outlaw Christmas Movement

In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way the Roman Catholic Mass of Christ was celebrated in Protestant Reformation Europe. When tyrant Oliver Cromwell, an English soldier and statesman, who led parliamentary forces in the English Civil Wars, became lord protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1653–58), he vowed to rid the commonwealth of all decadence and banned Christmas. And, of course, it was a Roman Catholic holiday, too. Cromwell’s Puritan soldiers were sent among the streets to remove food cooking for Christmas dinners and all decorations. In Catholic Ireland it was much worse, primarily because of his brutal ethnic cleansing, euphemistically called Cromwellian Genocide.

Upon Cromwell’s death, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came the return of the popular holiday.

The Pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston. Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings. By contrast, in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith reported that Christmas was enjoyed by all and passed without incident.

After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Christmas wasn’t declared a U.S. federal holiday until June 26, 1870.

A Christmas Carol

Also around this time, English author Charles Dickens created the classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol. The story’s message – the importance of charity and good will towards all humankind – struck a powerful chord in the United States and England and showed members of Victorian society the benefits of celebrating the holiday.

The family was also becoming less disciplined and more sensitive to the emotional needs of children during the early 1800s. Christmas provided families with a day when they could lavish attention and gifts on their children without appearing to “spoil” them.

As some Americans began to embrace Christmas as a perfect family holiday, old customs were unearthed. People looked toward recent immigrants and Catholic and Episcopalian churches to see how the day should be celebrated. In the next 100 years, Americans built a Christmas tradition all their own that included pieces of many other customs, including decorating trees, sending holiday cards, and gift-giving.

Irving Reinvents Christmas

It wasn’t until the 19th century that Americans began to completely realize Christmas, where they re-invented the celebration, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday into a family-centered day of peace and nostalgia. But why did the 1800s peak American interest in the holiday?

Well, it was a period of class conflict and turmoil in the U.S. Unemployment was high and gang rioting by the disenchanted classes often occurred during the Christmas season. In 1828, the New York City council instituted the city’s first police force in response to a Christmas riot. This catalyzed certain members of the upper classes to begin to change the way Christmas was celebrated in America.

In 1819, American author Washington Irving wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, a series of stories about the celebration of Christmas in an English manor house. The sketches feature a squire who invited the peasants into his home for the holiday. In contrast to the problems faced in American society, the two groups mingled effortlessly. In Irving’s mind, Christmas should be a peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing groups together across lines of wealth or social status. Irving’s fictitious celebrants enjoyed “ancient customs,” including the crowning of a Lord of Misrule. Irving’s book, however, was not based on any holiday celebration he had attended – in fact, many historians say that Irving’s account actually “invented” tradition by implying that it described the true customs of the season.

Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings – Another Kind of War on Christmas?

“Season’s greetings” is a greeting more commonly used as a motto on winter season greeting cards, and in commercial advertisements, than as a spoken phrase. In addition to “Merry Christmas,” Victorian Christmas cards bore a variety of salutations, including “compliments of the season” and “Christmas greetings.” In the late 19th century, “with the season’s greetings” or simply “the season’s greetings,” began appearing on cards. By the 1920s it had been shortened to “season’s greetings,” and has been a greeting card fixture ever since. Several White House Christmas cards, including U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower‘s 1955 card, have featured the phrase.

Facing a confrontation for the good natured greeting to a stranger of “Happy Holidays,” is the antithesis  of the Christmas spirit. As one victim pointed out, it’s closer to Ebenezer Scrooge’s “Bah, Humbug” than a defense of the phrase “Merry Christmas.” In the past several years, there has been an open movement against the presumed secular phrase of “Happy Holidays.”

Perhaps, we have forgotten that “Happy Holidays” is a deviation of the Roman Catholic greeting of  “Happy Holy Days.” So what’s so unholy about that? “Merry Christmas also stems from the Roman Catholic “Mass of Christ.”

Saying “Happy Holidays” can also be used as a term of respect when one doesn’t know the religious convictions of a a stranger. We want the season to be all-inclusive period where everyone has fun.

Although many U.S. contemporary families falsely believe they are celebrating Christmas as how it had been done for centuries, Americans had actually re-invented a holiday to fill the cultural needs of a growing nation.

And, with that said: Happy Holidays to all!

The post Saturnalia and the History of Christmas appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Stand by to set lower top sail,” shouted the captain. Backlit by a late Mediterranean sun, he made a striking figure in his maritime attire. “Pull sheets, lower top sail coming out!” I gripped firmly on the rope. “Heave! Heave! Heave!” commanded the first mate. My group of eight joined in unison as we pulled on the rope. I felt that the man in front of me could have worked a little harder, but the German boy at my rear was quite literally pulling up the slack. A few minutes later, the magnificent sail was towering in the wind above us. With images of Sir Francis Drake and Ferdinand Magellan, I had often dreamed of working on a real sailing vessel. This was a life-long fantasy come true. I made a mental note, though, never again to have two helpings of crème brûlée at the lunch buffet before participating in the drill.

The Royal Clipper

The five-mast 439 foot Royal Clipper is the largest and fastest sailing ship on the sea today. Modeled after the turn-of-the-century Tall Ship, Preuseen – once the world’s fastest sailing ships – the Royal Clipper is a hybrid, like today’s new baseball stadiums, embracing the best traditions of the past with the state-of-the-art amenities of today. It is the real deal and does not use computers for sail handling.

Passengers can participate in sailing drills, climb the mast to one of the ‘crow’s-nests’ for panoramic views, or even take their hand at the wheel. Contemporary creature comforts include luxuriating in the spa and three swimming pools, unwinding in the Captain Nemo Lounge, sunbathing on 18,940 square feet of open deck, and dining at the world-class (no tie dress code) Clipper Dining Room. A popular spot for reading and napping is the secret Widow’s Net – a blanket-like braided net that hangs over the side of the vessel. There is a marina which offers snorkeling, sailing, waterskiing and windsurfing. What I liked best, though, was that with a maximum of just 227 passengers, you could really get to know your traveling companions in a low-key, casual atmosphere, and even make some life-long friends. I had such a great time aboard that it was almost hard to leave the vessel each morning for the day’s adventure.

Ports of Call

Civitavecchia – Port of Rome

Your journey will begin and end in the Eternal City, and it is essential that you spend time either before or after your cruise in this Italian capital where each step forward is also a step back into history. From the Roman Forum and Colosseum to the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters Cathedral, the attractions are endless. The Royal Clipper offers three-day add on packages, which include accommodations and sightseeing tours.

Pompeii and Sorrento

On August 24, 79 A.D. Mount Vesuvius erupted, covering the Roman provincial center of Pompeii with more than 20 feet of ash and stone. Many of the city’s 20,000 residents were killed by sulfur fires or by lava and stone. Pompeii was frozen in time until excavations unveiled this remarkable archaeological site. Plaster was poured into the empty spaces in the lava to make body casts – a man stretches out to protect his mother, a dog lays tethered by his chain. Also on display are luxurious mansions, ancient baths, temples and markets, offering an amazing insight into over 2,000 year-old Roman life.

Amalfi Coast Cancelled – On to Naples

There was a collective moan among the passengers when we were informed that the water was too rough for landing on the Amalfi Coast. We had been warned beforehand that this can be the case aboard the authentic small vessel. The moans became even louder when it was announced that the alternative would be a day in Naples: aka ‘the city that Italy forgot.’ Naples is the most densely populated city in Italy. The traffic is so intense that a simple stroll across the street can be a brush with death. I believe I was the only person on the vessel who was happy about the change in our schedule. For a trip to Naples meant one thing: I could finally sample Naples’ gift to the world – an authentic Pizza Napoletana: Thin crusted and 14 inches in diameter, with a high outer wedge to contain the Marzano tomato sauce, grown in the rich volcanic soil at the base of Mount Vesuvius. With dollops of buffalo mozzarella, this gastronomic treat is then baked in an oven made with stones from Mount Vesuvius. I was not unhappy to have the experience under my belt.

Taormina, Sicily

The day began with a Sicilian brunch and wine tasting at the estate of a real baroness. With Mount Etna and the Mediterranean as a backdrop, all wine and food products came from the estate. Next to the hospitality and setting, the highpoint was a simple pasta dish made with only three ingredients: olive oil, diced translucent eggplant and a dry ricotta cheese. Next stop was a bus trip on the coast road to Taormina. Perched on a terrace overlooking the sea, it a great place to sip an espresso and enjoy the local medieval character. On the edge of the town is an impressive 3rd Century BC Greek theater. The next morning it was an enchanting day-at-sea as the Royal Clipper sailed back to Rome.

The post Rome to Rome on the Royal Clipper appeared first on Traveling Archive.