Zurers in Italy 2026

[Jim Zurer]

We are off to Italy for our annual visit in just over two weeks...we fly out of Newark to Rome on April 27. Our itinerary is shown below. We return to the US on May 27.

Rome 4/28-5/3
Terracina 5/3-5/8
Salerno 5/8-5/13
Santa Maria di Castellabate 5/13-5/16
Chieti (Abruzzo) 5/16-5/21
L'Aquila (Abruzzo) 5/21-26
Fiumicino 5/26=5/27

We plan to write our daily reports as usual.

Jim and Diana

 

[Pauline]

A southern trip! Looks great!

 

[Jim Zurer]

A southern trip! Looks great!

Actually not too southern....more south central.

 

[Jim Zurer]

We have made one change in our 2026 itinerary substituting Foggia in northern Puglia for Santa Maria di Castellabate in Campania. (Sorry Pam Schonberger). It makes the itinerary a bit more compact.

Rome (Lazio) 4/28-5/3
Terracina (Lazio) 5/3-5/8
Salerno (Campania) 5/8-5/13
Foggia (Puglia) 5/13-5/16
Chieti (Abruzzo) 5/16-5/21
L'Aquila (Abruzzo) 5/21-5/26
Fiumicino 5/26-5/27

Jim and Diana

 

[Jim Zurer]

Zurers in Italy 2026​

Tuesday: 28 April: Day 1: Rome​

Our plane arrives in Rome about 1 pm, 2 hours late. Adding to the situation, there is great confusion and delay while waiting for a wheelchair. They changed the system (you used to be picked up at the plane and taken by the same person through passport control right to baggage claim); now there is a more complicated system that didn't work for us. We decide to proceed without the wheelchair and immediately encounter the new EES (EU Entry/Exit System) which requires all non-EU citizens to scan their passport, get a photo taken, and get fingerprinted at a machine.

By the time, we got there the long lines had disappeared. However, there was a frustrating disconnect between my fingerprints and the machine so we were directed to another station where the policeman studied my passport for a long time before waving us through.

Since we had landed so long before, our bags sit alone on the carousel. Next stop is the Hertz car rental office. We learn that they recently moved all rental offices to a new building which is even further away from the terminal than the old one. Another frustration, though Diana is happy to have clocked a mile walking. The car is rented - I switched to an Alfa Romeo Stelvio which is fancy but I hope won't be too big for our purposes.

We need help switching the display to English and still haven't figured out how to connect Android Auto to the system.

The drive to Rome is uneventful but feels familiar after all these years. We check into our apartment, which is connected to the hotel where we stayed two years ago: the Gasometro Urban Suites. The neighborhood--Ostiense--is very urban and untouristy which is why we chose to return here. The apartment is on the top floor of a recently renovated building; it is bright, modern, and spacious, featuring a big terrace on two sides with views over the neighborhood and surrounding buildings.

After unpacking and exploring the apartment a bit, Diana takes a nap (she hadn't slept at all on the plane). I head out for my initial walk in the neighborhood and stop for the first gelato of the trip at a busy gelateria on the main drag. My flavors are fior di latte and double stracciatella (chocolate chip) and they're delicious. I do a little shopping at the neighborhood supermarket and check out some restaurants, including a new one, Osteria Chiari, which looks very appealing.

We decide to have dinner there on our first night in Italy and we enjoy our meal. The staff is very welcoming and the food is very good. We start with a terrific focaccia with prosciutto and a very unusual steak tartare, which Diana likes more than I do. Diana enjoys her tagliolini cacio e pepe and my trippa romana is delicious, as is the cicoria with anchovies. We almost finish a bottle of a very pleasant local red wine from Lazio and leave very satisfied. We detour to the gelateria so Diana can have her first gelato fix (I also have my second) and stroll back to the hotel.

By now (9:30), we are both tired and ready for bed, looking forward to tomorrow.

Jim and Diana

 

[Cda]

Did kind of first trip to Italy 2024

Salerno was one city to stay in

Loved it. Took a boat to amalfii . Easy just picked it up in the harbor, multiple times they run.

Enjoyed the pastries!!

 

[Jim Zurer]

Zurers in Italy 2026
Wednesday: 29 April: Day 2: Rome​

We wake up to a beautiful, sunny day. Both of us have slept through the night and are optimistic that we have "beaten" our jet lag. After breakfast (so-so cornetti from a nearby bar), we hang around the apartment organizing things and planning our day.

Since I enjoy driving in Rome, our first expedition is to find the locations of an Italian police series we have just watched. The show (Carlo and Malik) is set in the Monti and Esquilino neighborhoods, close to the train station. Before we head out, I succeed in connecting my Android Auto app to the car so we have our own GPS to guide us around Rome.

We have a couple of hiccups getting out of our underground garage. First, there is a delivery truck blocking the driveway so we have to wait for the driver to return before we can leave. He gives us an apologetic wave as he drives off. Next, getting into the narrow street requires a very sharp turn and it requires a number of turns for us to ease past the parked cars on both sides. These maneuvers are enough to convince Diana that we need to get a smaller car.

Once we are out on the road, we zip through some neighborhoods that are new to us. Then our GPS takes us past many of Rome's attractions--the Circus Maxiumus, the Palatine Hill in the Forum, the city's Rose Garden, the Baths of Caracalla, the Arch of Constantine, and the Colosseum. Next, we drive on the attractive tree-lined Via Merulana before we arrive at the Piazza San Martino ai Monti.

This is the building that was used as the police station in the tv series (available on MHz Choice). The Torre dei Capocci in the piazza was shown repeatedly as an establishing shot for the show.

Our next destination is the location of the main character's apartment in a nearby building on the large Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. It's easy to identify the precise spot because of the news kiosk that figured in the plot, located just outside his door.

(From Google Maps)

On our way back to Ostiense, we zig-zag through the narrow streets surrounding the large church Santa Maria Maggiore. We note that we haven't seen one empty parking space in the whole area we've driven through.

For lunch, we go to the small seafood restaurant--La Pescheria--near the apartment where we had eaten two years ago. We'd enjoyed a pleasant lunch enlivened by a friendly conversation with the waitress. And she is still there and we renew our acquaintance. Lunch was very good...we share a big plate of frittura mista--fried calamari, shrimp, and fish--and I have my first spaghetti alle vongole (clams) of the trip. We also had a half-liter of very pleasant white wine to top off another delicious meal.

After lunch, Diana rests in the apartment and I set out for a purposeful walk...the Hertz office in the closeby neighborhood of Testaccio and a search for "essenza di senape (mustard essence)" for our friend James in New Zealand. It is mostly sold through pharmacies. From Wikipedia...

Mustard oil refers to either the pressed oil of the mustard plant used for cooking or its pungent essential (or volatile) oil.

Pressed mustard oil is used as cooking oil in many South Asian cuisines; however, sale is restricted in some North American and European countries due to high levels of erucic acid, though some varieties have lower erucic acid content.

The essential oil is produced by grinding mustard seed, mixing the grounds with water, and isolating the resulting volatile oil by distillation. It can also be produced by dry distillation of the seed.

It turns out that it must be ordered from a supplier. I will be able to get it in a day or two and will ship it off to New Zealand.

The car search was more problematical. The Testaccio office had no cars but they called a couple of other offices for me and located an available car in the Via Veneto office. I decide to wait until tomorrow to see if Fiumicino might have a suitable car available.

The walk is very pleasant. The only thing I like more than driving around Rome is walking through Roman neighborhoods. On this walk, I passed by a pyramid from Roman times

and a city gate that looks like a castle.

I also got a different perspective on the Gasometri with an example of the street art that is very characteristic of the neighborhood.

I will be posting more examples of the murals and street art in later reports.

We go to dinner at our friends Maureen and Franco's home. They live near the Colosseum and the drive over is easy and, more remarkably, I find a parking space on the street two blocks from their building. We have another very pleasant, relaxing evening with them. We have been friends since we met in 1995 on the old Compuserve Italian Forum.

The drive home is also very fast and very easy. Tomorrow we will work on exchanging the car.

Jim and Diana

 

[Jim Zurer]

Zurers in Italy 2026​

Thursday: 30 April: Day 3: Rome​

A little rain in the night but now the sun is shining...my kind of weather.

After breakfast--some very delicious croissants from a different bar--we finally connected with the Hertz office at the airport and they told us they had a car and we could come in to make the swap. The hardest part of getting the new car was finding the Hertz rental car garage. First our trusty GPS failed us and then, on our second circuit of the airport, we missed the garage entrance on our own. But the transaction went smoothly and we are now driving a snappy red Fiat 600 hybrid.

Another advantage of the swap is that the Alfa was a diesel engine; the gas for the hybrid will cost a lot less.

Since we are already at Fiumicino, we drive over to the Museo delle Navi Romane (Museum of Roman Ships) located on the airport grounds. Fiumicino Airport is built on the site of the large Roman harbor constructed by Claudius and Trajan to handle the immense volume of ships needed to supply Rome--a city of over a million people at that time. Excavations uncovered the preserved remains of five Roman cargo and sailing ships. The ships have been restored and preserved; they are now displayed in the museum.

We watch two very informative videos--one deals with the history of the area and its importance to the Roman Empire and the other covers the painstaking efforts to restore and reassemble the ships.

The remains of the ships are quite amazing, both because they vividly illustrate their importance in sustaining the commerce necessary to support an empire and because they are almost two thousand years old.

There are some exhibits with models of the ships

and some well preserved bas reliefs, mosaics, and stone tablets connected to the ships and the harbor.

Now it's time for lunch. I remember having a great lunch in the town of Fiumicino 13 years ago on the last day of one of our family trips. We make three circuits of the main drag but I can't find the place. So we park and sit down at a bar with outdoor tables. The bar is called Chioscho Caino e Abele and it's a few steps west of the place I was looking for, which is no longer in business.

We order a plate of salume and cheese which was delicious and just what we needed.

Back at the apartment, our friend Simona came over—she was the desk clerk at the Hotel Teatro di Pompeo in Rome, where we stayed for many years—and we had a lovely visit, catching up and reminiscing about the past thirty years.

Since tomorrow is the first of May, a major holiday in Italy with many businesses closed, we drive over to the gigantic food emporium Eataly to sightsee and buy provisions for tomorrow's breakfast.

The place is huge—three floors of beautifully displayed foodstuffs, food-related items, and places to eat. I find it overwhelming, almost like going to Ikea, but they are doing a booming business.

https://www.eataly.net/it_it/negozi/roma/ostiense

We buy bread, cheese, butter, and jam and head back to the apartment.

Before dinner, I watch a little baseball

and then we return to the Osteria Chiari where we ate two days ago. We are warmly welcomed by the boss and have another terrific dinner. We start with the same focaccia with prosciutto, and also a grilled artichoke with basil sauce. Diana has one her favorite dishes--grilled lamb chops--and my spigola baked in parchment is one of the best fish dishes I have ever had. The roast potatoes are also terrific. The wine is excellent - selected by the owner--Damiano Ciolli Cesanese di Olevano Romano Riserva 2022.

We make our way back to the hotel, I finish watching the Nationals beat the Mets, and fall into bed.

A domani,
Jim and Diana

 

[Sandrac]

Zurers in Italy 2026​

Wednesday: 29 April: Day 2: Rome​

We wake up to a beautiful, sunny day. Both of us have slept through the night and are optimistic that we have "beaten" our jet lag. After breakfast (so-so cornetti from a nearby bar), we hang around the apartment organizing things and planning our day.

Since I enjoy driving in Rome, our first expedition is to find the locations of an Italian police series we have just watched. The show (Carlo and Malik) is set in the Monti and Esquilino neighborhoods, close to the train station. Before we head out, I succeed in connecting my Android Auto app to the car so we have our own GPS to guide us around Rome.

We have a couple of hiccups getting out of our underground garage. First, there is a delivery truck blocking the driveway so we have to wait for the driver to return before we can leave. He gives us an apologetic wave as he drives off. Next, getting into the narrow street requires a very sharp turn and it requires a number of turns for us to ease past the parked cars on both sides. These maneuvers are enough to convince Diana that we need to get a smaller car.

Once we are out on the road, we zip through some neighborhoods that are new to us. Then our GPS takes us past many of Rome's attractions--the Circus Maxiumus, the Palatine Hill in the Forum, the city's Rose Garden, the Baths of Caracalla, the Arch of Constantine, and the Colosseum. Next, we drive on the attractive tree-lined Via Merulana before we arrive at the Piazza San Martino ai Monti.

View attachment 49656

View attachment 49657

This is the building that was used as the police station in the tv series (available on MHz Choice). The Torre dei Capocci in the piazza was shown repeatedly as an establishing shot for the show.

Our next destination is the location of the main character's apartment in a nearby building on the large Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. It's easy to identify the precise spot because of the news kiosk that figured in the plot, located just outside his door.

View attachment 49658
(From Google Maps)

On our way back to Ostiense, we zig-zag through the narrow streets surrounding the large church Santa Maria Maggiore. We note that we haven't seen one empty parking space in the whole area we've driven through.

For lunch, we go to the small seafood restaurant--La Pescheria--near the apartment where we had eaten two years ago. We'd enjoyed a pleasant lunch enlivened by a friendly conversation with the waitress. And she is still there and we renew our acquaintance. Lunch was very good...we share a big plate of frittura mista--fried calamari, shrimp, and fish--and I have my first spaghetti alle vongole (clams) of the trip. We also had a half-liter of very pleasant white wine to top off another delicious meal.

After lunch, Diana rests in the apartment and I set out for a purposeful walk...the Hertz office in the closeby neighborhood of Testaccio and a search for "essenza di senape (mustard essence)" for our friend James in New Zealand. It is mostly sold through pharmacies. From Wikipedia...

Mustard oil refers to either the pressed oil of the mustard plant used for cooking or its pungent essential (or volatile) oil.

Pressed mustard oil is used as cooking oil in many South Asian cuisines; however, sale is restricted in some North American and European countries due to high levels of erucic acid, though some varieties have lower erucic acid content.

The essential oil is produced by grinding mustard seed, mixing the grounds with water, and isolating the resulting volatile oil by distillation. It can also be produced by dry distillation of the seed.

It turns out that it must be ordered from a supplier. I will be able to get it in a day or two and will ship it off to New Zealand.

The car search was more problematical. The Testaccio office had no cars but they called a couple of other offices for me and located an available car in the Via Veneto office. I decide to wait until tomorrow to see if Fiumicino might have a suitable car available.

The walk is very pleasant. The only thing I like more than driving around Rome is walking through Roman neighborhoods. On this walk, I passed by a pyramid from Roman times

View attachment 49659

and a city gate that looks like a castle.

View attachment 49660

I also got a different perspective on the Gasometri with an example of the street art that is very characteristic of the neighborhood.

View attachment 49661

I will be posting more examples of the murals and street art in later reports.

We go to dinner at our friends Maureen and Franco's home. They live near the Colosseum and the drive over is easy and, more remarkably, I find a parking space on the street two blocks from their building. We have another very pleasant, relaxing evening with them. We have been friends since we met in 1995 on the old Compuserve Italian Forum.

The drive home is also very fast and very easy. Tomorrow we will work on exchanging the car.

Jim and Diana

I am so impressed to hear that you enjoy driving in Rome. I live in Testaccio and walk or take the bus everywhere - too scared to drive in Rome, even after all these years here. (Or maybe I should say 'especially after all these years here!')

 

[Jim Zurer]

Hi Sand

I am so impressed to hear that you enjoy driving in Rome. I live in Testaccio and walk or take the bus everywhere - too scared to drive in Rome, even after all these years here. (Or maybe I should say 'especially after all these years here!')

Hi. I somehow didn't remember that you lived in Rome. I would have liked to meet up. Unfortunately we are leaving tomorrow. Maybe next time....

I find driving in Rome exhilarating. What does that say about me? Wait until you read about our drive to the Piazza di Spagna on May 1.

Driving in Rome isn't the problem....it's parking!!!!!

 

[Jim Zurer]

Zurers in Italy 2026​

Friday: 1 May: Day 4: Rome​

May 1 (Primo Maggio) is a big holiday in Italy. Ostensibly to celebrate International Workers Day, in Rome it appears to be a chance to hang out with friends and have a picnic in the countryside. Tourist areas offer extensive shopping, and the Piazza San Giovanni Laterano hosts Il Concertone, a major music event that attracts upwards of 300,000 people.

We take advantage of the suspension of limited traffic zones (ZTL), get in our new ride, and head down to the neighborhood of the Spanish Steps. The goal is ostensibly to buy coffee filters I forgot to bring and couldn't find in local supermarkets, but I was dubious about being able to park near the kitchenware shop. Initially, Rome seems a bit empty as we drive along the Lungotevere towards the center. That abruptly changes as we approach the Campidoglio and the Piazza Venezia. There seem to be a million tourists, individuals and groups, filling the streets and holding up traffic at crosswalks. The situation is exacerbated at the massive Piazza Venezia where construction has taken away half the lanes. We are sharing the streets with the mass of tourists who try to cross as traffic waits for the lights to change. Our route takes us past the Quirinale (the Presidential Palace), skirts the Trevi Fountain, and climbs to the top of the Spanish Steps. As we descend the steep hill to the Piazza di Spagna, pedestrians outnumber cars by at least 500 to 1.

There is no place to stop near the store, so we slowly inch our way through the crowded streets until we emerge on a main street near the Piazza Navona. Some people (Diana included) might find the drive harrowing; however, I am thoroughly enjoying myself. (D: I think this drive qualifies Jim to become a Roman taxi driver.) On the way back to the apartment, we swing by our "old neighborhood" near the Campo de' Fiori to reminisce.

Diana is feeling a little under the weather (not caused by the car ride) so she skips lunch and I get a sandwich from an Argentine place up the street that looked good but wasn't. I was enticed by the name.

Later in the afternoon, we head for the nearby neighborhood of Garbatella. The neighborhood was started in the early 20th century to build housing for workers on the never-completed Ostia Harbor project. The project was modelled on the British Garden City Movement and featured small units (lotto) with several buildings built around a common garden. The architecture is eclectic, featuring many aspects of Liberty Style (Art Nouveau), which gives the area a unique look for Rome. Additionally, many large murals have been executed on building facades as part of a public art project.

Those are a couple of mine and I am adding some more that I found on the internet.

And here are some of the buildings that caught our eye in this very special quarter of Rome.

Here is a link to a good article that gives more detail about Garbatella.

https://mamalovesrome.com/garbatella-rome-neighborhood/

The bridge crossing the railroad tracks to Garbatella is also very unique in Rome.

We rest before dinner. I go out for another stroll around the neighborhood. I really like staying here. The area is a bit gritty but it is very lively. There are so many restaurants including a high concentration of Asian places, especially sushi bars with tablets on each table. I was surprised to see a Ukrainian restaurant on the next street. After all our years staying in the historic center, this neighborhood now feels like our home away from home in Rome.

I would also like to dispel the notion that it is impossible to get a bad meal in Italy. We didn't want to go far for dinner and I had been intrigued by a place called La Polpetta, which features all kinds of "meatballs"--meat, vegetarian, fish—made with many different exotic spices. Long story short, it was not good. The restaurant was completely empty and I had a bad feeling while looking at the menu. In any case, the less said, the better. We should have gone back to the Osteria Chiari.

Tomorrow is laundry day, and we will do it in our apartment. We have a washer and a dryer. It will seem a bit odd not to venture out to a laundromat, but very convenient indeed.

Jim and Diana

PS I wanted to write a bit about the Ostiense street art but I have run out of room for pictures so I will include that tomorrow.

 

[Sandrac]

Hi Sand

Hi. I somehow didn't remember that you lived in Rome. I would have liked to meet up. Unfortunately we are leaving tomorrow. Maybe next time....

I find driving in Rome exhilarating. What does that say about me? Wait until you read about our drive to the Piazza di Spagna on May 1.

Driving in Rome isn't the problem....it's parking!!!!!

Hello Jim,
It would be great to finally meet you and Diana after all these years. Next time you are in Rome, please let me know! Maybe some of your enthusiasm for driving here will rub off on me. I'm going now to check out your Piazza di Spagna drive -- on Labour Day? Mama mia!

 

[Sandrac]

Zurers in Italy 2026​

Friday: 1 May: Day 4: Rome​

May 1 (Primo Maggio) is a big holiday in Italy. Ostensibly to celebrate International Workers Day, in Rome it appears to be a chance to hang out with friends and have a picnic in the countryside. Tourist areas offer extensive shopping, and the Piazza San Giovanni Laterano hosts Il Concertone, a major music event that attracts upwards of 300,000 people.

We take advantage of the suspension of limited traffic zones (ZTL), get in our new ride, and head down to the neighborhood of the Spanish Steps. The goal is ostensibly to buy coffee filters I forgot to bring and couldn't find in local supermarkets, but I was dubious about being able to park near the kitchenware shop. Initially, Rome seems a bit empty as we drive along the Lungotevere towards the center. That abruptly changes as we approach the Campidoglio and the Piazza Venezia. There seem to be a million tourists, individuals and groups, filling the streets and holding up traffic at crosswalks. The situation is exacerbated at the massive Piazza Venezia where construction has taken away half the lanes. We are sharing the streets with the mass of tourists who try to cross as traffic waits for the lights to change. Our route takes us past the Quirinale (the Presidential Palace), skirts the Trevi Fountain, and climbs to the top of the Spanish Steps. As we descend the steep hill to the Piazza di Spagna, pedestrians outnumber cars by at least 500 to 1.

There is no place to stop near the store, so we slowly inch our way through the crowded streets until we emerge on a main street near the Piazza Navona. Some people (Diana included) might find the drive harrowing; however, I am thoroughly enjoying myself. (D: I think this drive qualifies Jim to become a Roman taxi driver.) On the way back to the apartment, we swing by our "old neighborhood" near the Campo de' Fiori to reminisce.

Diana is feeling a little under the weather (not caused by the car ride) so she skips lunch and I get a sandwich from an Argentine place up the street that looked good but wasn't. I was enticed by the name.

View attachment 49681

Later in the afternoon, we head for the nearby neighborhood of Garbatella. The neighborhood was started in the early 20th century to build housing for workers on the never-completed Ostia Harbor project. The project was modelled on the British Garden City Movement and featured small units (lotto) with several buildings built around a common garden. The architecture is eclectic, featuring many aspects of Liberty Style (Art Nouveau), which gives the area a unique look for Rome. Additionally, many large murals have been executed on building facades as part of a public art project.

View attachment 49682

View attachment 49683

Those are a couple of mine and I am adding some more that I found on the internet.

View attachment 49684

View attachment 49685

View attachment 49686

And here are some of the buildings that caught our eye in this very special quarter of Rome.

View attachment 49687

View attachment 49688

View attachment 49689

View attachment 49690

Here is a link to a good article that gives more detail about Garbatella.

https://mamalovesrome.com/garbatella-rome-neighborhood/

The bridge crossing the railroad tracks to Garbatella is also very unique in Rome.

View attachment 49691

We rest before dinner. I go out for another stroll around the neighborhood. I really like staying here. The area is a bit gritty but it is very lively. There are so many restaurants including a high concentration of Asian places, especially sushi bars with tablets on each table. I was surprised to see a Ukrainian restaurant on the next street. After all our years staying in the historic center, this neighborhood now feels like our home away from home in Rome.

I would also like to dispel the notion that it is impossible to get a bad meal in Italy. We didn't want to go far for dinner and I had been intrigued by a place called La Polpetta, which features all kinds of "meatballs"--meat, vegetarian, fish—made with many different exotic spices. Long story short, it was not good. The restaurant was completely empty and I had a bad feeling while looking at the menu. In any case, the less said, the better. We should have gone back to the Osteria Chiari.

Tomorrow is laundry day, and we will do it in our apartment. We have a washer and a dryer. It will seem a bit odd not to venture out to a laundromat, but very convenient indeed.

Jim and Diana

PS I wanted to write a bit about the Ostiense street art but I have run out of room for pictures so I will include that tomorrow.

Wonderful photos and I'm again so impressed by your enthusiasm for driving in Rome! I keep an eye on Garbatella and when I'm priced out of my place in Testaccio, that will probably be my next neighbourhood.

 

[Jim Zurer]

Zurers in Italy 2026​

Saturday: 2 May: Day 5: Rome​

After breakfast--some excellent rolls from the neighborhood bakery--we load the washing machine in the apartment and are surprised when the timer shows that the load will take 3 hours. While we are waiting, I have an important errand to run.

Yesterday, the frames of my glasses were broken by the car door (don't ask) and, if possible, I would like to get them fixed here in Rome. (I do have a spare pair so it is not a catastrophe.) I first stop at the closest eyeglass store and they refer me to another shop about 10 minutes away. I walk over there, crossing the Tiber

on the Ponte dell'Industriale. The bridge was recently renovated and reopened in December 2026 2025 on the birthday of St.Francis of Assisi so a new statue of St. Francis was placed at one end of the bridge.

I find the store, walk in and ask if anyone speaks English. A nice woman says she does. I explain my problem and ask if the frames can be fixed. She says she can fix them. I ask if it can be done quickly; we are leaving Rome tomorrow. She tells me to have a seat. Ten minutes later, she reappears, hands me my repaired glasses, refuses any payment, and wishes me a happy vacation. A miracle...

After putting the laundry into the dryer (it feels somewhat strange not to frequent a local laundromat) we get in the car and drive to Bracciano, a hill town about an hour northwest of Rome, set on a lake and featuring a large castle. However, the town's main attraction for us is porchetta; the Slow Food guide highlighted a place in Bracciano. We take back roads through the very green countryside. The drive is very enjoyable and we easily find the Fraschetta La Moretta which is located in the middle of town just under the castle.

In fact, the porchetta--while very good--is nowhere near the best we have ever had. After lunch, we stroll through the center of town looking for an overlook to admire the lake.

The street is lined with restaurants, all of them quite crowded with weekend travelers.

At the end of the street, we reach the overlook and are rewarded with a panoramic view of Lago di Bracciano, the eighth largest lake in Italy but one of the most beautiful.

We return to the car and take the road down to the shore. More restaurants, all crowded, as well as many people on the beach and in the water. The Odaleschi castle dominates from the hilltop.

We drive a short way along the lake to the very attractive town of Anguillara Sabazia. The town is built up along the face of a hill and the lakeside promenade along the beach is very appealing.

Photo credit Alfonso Cannavacciuolo

Before dinner, we watch some TV. After many years of having to struggle to connect my laptop to televisions in Italian hotels, I am pleased that now there is often a function that makes it easy to cast the computer screen directly to the television. I call that progress.

For our last dinner in Rome, we return to our favorite local place, Osteria Chiari. We are again welcomed warmly by the host and we sit at "our table". The restaurant is much busier than before, since it is Saturday night, but we again enjoy our meal and the surroundings. We again share the focaccia with prosciutto to start. Diana's spigola cooked in parchment is again fantastic. I have a very tasty plate of fettucine with sheep ragu, followed by some trippa.

We tell Daniele (the boss) "alla prossima"--until the next time. We stop for our last gelato of this trip in Rome, and head back to the apartment.

Tomorrow, we are off to Terracina with our friends Maureen and Franco.

Jim and Diana

PS I did want to mention the street art in Ostiense. I had posted many photos of both the public art on buildings as well as the unofficial graffiti when we were here two years ago. However, I have again exceeded my message size limit and can't post any more photos in this post. You can get a good idea of the extent of the street art by going to this article--Murals in Ostiense, one of Rome’s first street art districts-- that is a comprehensive survey of the street are.

https://www.blocal-travel.com/street-art-guide/ostiense-street-art-rome/

 

[Ian Sutton]

The spectacle repair treatment mirrors an experience we had in Monforte d'Alba (Piemonte) with the cigarette lighter in the car (which we were using for our satnav). It's a remarkable mindset and one that speaks of community, humanity and hospitality. It's great that Rome still has it.

 

[Jim Zurer]

Zurers in Italy 2026​

Sunday: 3 May: Day 6: Rome-Terracina​

Time to leave Rome. We are off to Terracina, down the coast towards Naples. Maureen and Franco are joining us and we are stopping enroute at the Ninfa Gardens (Giardino di Ninfa), a famous Italian garden set in the ruins of a medieval village. The drive to Ninfa takes about an hour and we pass many kiwi groves, which have become a big cash crop for the area.

We arrive at Ninfa in time for the English language tour. The town of Ninfa dates back to the 11th century as part of the Caetani family's holdings in the area. During the 16th century, a member of the family--a botany enthusiast--established a "garden of delights" in the town. In the late 19th century, when the Caetani returned to Ninfa, they drained the marshes, got rid of the invasive plants, planted many different types of trees, and established an "Anglo-Saxon-type" garden among the ruined buildings. When the last family member died in 1970, the town was transferred to a foundation that administered the gardens and opened them to the public.

We very much enjoy the tour. Walking through the garden offers many beautiful views. The guide is very good and gives us a solid overview of the history and the rationales for the plantings. The combination of foliage and old buildings is striking and is a photographer's delight.

Next, a big Sunday lunch at a restaurant in the hills outside the town of Sezze. The Ristorante Santuccio is big and bustling and we have a substantial meal that is a mixed bag. The restaurant specializes in artichokes--a local product--and we sample almost all the possibilities. Best among them are the artichoke salad and the fried artichoke "chips". For the first course, Diana enjoys her very rich cacio e pepe and my trofie amatriciana is excellent. Maureen and Franco are less enthusiastic about their overthick zuppa di fagioli (bean soup). The second course is unnecessary; Maureen and I split an order of sausage and Franco finishes up with a roast pork dish. I have my first panna cotta of the trip which is fine. But the service is very slow, it's quite noisy and the meal lasts much too long.

https://www.ristorantedasantuccio.it/

We pull into Terracina around 4 p.m. and find our hotel--the Casa Yvorio--easily. It is located on a small side street, steps from the waterfront. It is a modest place but very welcoming and quite attractive.

Once checked in and unpacked, the other three rest while I walk along the seafront promenade.

No dinner tonight, but we drive downtown for a drink. At first glance, the modern town of Terracina looks very attractive. I look forward to spending more time there.

Tomorrow we visit the Temple of Jupiter Axnur on top of the cliff overlooking the city.

Jim and Diana

PS - Sorry for the typo in yesterday's report. The bridge was reopened in December 2025.

 

[Jim Zurer]

Zurers in Italy 2026​

Monday: 4 May: Day 7: Terracina​

We all slept well and are wowed by the breakfast at the Casa Yvorio. Even though there is only one other guest staying at the hotel, the breakfast offerings are very appealing. The homemade bread is excellent, there are many varieties of cakes, and, most surprisingly for me, the coffee is strong, hot, and plentiful.

After breakfast, I walk on the beach in the other direction. Yesterday, I was surprised to see rows of tiles set into the sand at regular intervals along the beach. Today I see that the tiles are the foundations for the beach "stabilimenti" (places that rent chairs and umbrellas and sell food and drink). Today they are rebuilding the establishments piece by piece; they had been stored away for the winter.

This is what the Terracina beach will look like in July--rows and rows of beach chairs and umbrellas covering almost every inch of sand.

From Google Maps

Later in the morning, we head for the main tourist attraction in Terracina--the Temple of Jupiter Anxur set high above the city on a headland overlooking the sea.

From Gemini AI

The Temple of Jupiter Anxur is a massive Roman sanctuary built between the 2nd and 1st century BC atop Mount Sant'Angelo in Terracina, Italy, dedicated to the youthful protector of the city. Situated strategically along the Via Appia, the complex is renowned for its large terraced platform supported by twelve impressive opus incertum arches that overlook the sea. Today, the ruins feature the remains of the main temple, a smaller sanctuary dedicated to Venus Obsequens, and an underground arcade, offering a panoramic view of the Tyrrhenian coast.

The site is extensive and quite impressive. Remains of the walls, several temples, and a massive substructure supporting the temple area are visible, along with an intrepid tourist.

This shows a superimposed rendering of what the temple might have looked like over the remains.

And this is a photo of an aerial view that gives one a better idea of the temple grounds.

The views over Terracina and the sea are quite spectacular.

We have sandwiches for lunch at a bar on the waterfront and then head back to the hotel. While the others are resting, I want to explore the centro storico of Terracina, which is located above the modern town and a challenge to reach by car. Instead, I find the stairs (about 100 steps) which leads to the Piazza del Municipio. On the piazza are the remains of the Roman Forum and theater

and the 12th-century cathedral.

There is piece of Roman road exposed

and an arch that survived the bombing during World War II.

It is an impressive combination of historical periods. All four of us will try to visit tomorrow by car.

We have dinner at a wonderful restaurant in the modern town--Locanda Ruggiero. The food is excellent--three of the group have "soups" with pasta, fish and shrimp and I have a Pugliese specialty, orecchiette with anchovies and greens. Since the chef is from Puglia, we also have the traditional dish of fava puree with cicoria. Franco has his with added octopus. Diana and I share a fish called fragolino (not strawberry) with asparagus (unusual for Italy, they are al dente). For dessert, some local Terracina strawberries, a lemon sorbet, and a semifreddo. We enjoy the meal and may well return later in the week.

Only one other table is occupied, and a lively conversation ensues between the gentleman at that table, our table, and the restaurant staff. Only in Italy!!!

Tomorrow we plan to visit the Jewish Museum in Fondi, a neighboring town.

Jim and Diana

 

[Jim Zurer]

Zurers in Italy 2026​

Tuesday: 5 May: Day 8: Terracina​

We sleep well and enjoy the superior breakfast at the Hotel Casa Yvorio. Today we plan to drive to the nearby town of Fondi to visit its Jewish Museum. We are a bit apprehensive because no one answers the phone when we call but we decide to go anyway.

Arriving in Fondi, we park and walk into the area that was the Jewish quarter. Everything looks closed up tight except for a restaurant called La Giudea. We talk to the owner and he explains that the Jewish Museum's opening hours are unreliable. We walk around the square, grumbling a bit and taking some pictures.

This gate with two tablets, as well as this piece of street art, catches my eye.

Since Franco loves visiting castles, as a consolation prize, we drive over to the Castello Caetani in the center of Fondi. Things seem to be falling into place. First, I find a parking space in the piazza next to the castle. Second, the Castello Caetani is open.

Third, inside the castle is the Archaeological Museum. Fourth (and most amazing), the recently-opened museum is a gem. The staff is welcoming and accommodating. The rooms in the museum are beautifully designed and the exhibits are displayed artfully. The explanations of the history and artifacts are completely understandable and translated into impeccable English. There are even free guided tours in English. We are very impressed.

I was particularly impressed with the explanation of the amphorae (clay jugs). After transporting wine or oil, they were buried in the fields to drain excess water that would otherwise flood the fields and ruin the crops. An early example of water management....

If all this is not enough, there is an elevator and stairs to visit the castle battlements.

While on the roof, I have a conversation with one of the museum guides and compliment her on the whole operation, especially the English translations of the exhibit explanations. She smiles and says that she had done the translations, and thanks me for noticing them.

You can also get a birds-eye view of the beautifully designed city center of Fondi.

We continue to marvel at the serendipity of missing the museum we came for and discovering a gem. This is undoubtedly one of the best small museums we have visited in Italy.

We have sandwiches at a bakery/delicatessen across the street from the museum and then drive back to Terracina for the afternoon siesta.

Later that afternoon, we pile back into the car and drive down the coast to the resort town of San Felice Circeo. The old town is dramatically situated on the mountainside. Franco summered here as a teenager so he can direct us to various local points of interest.

Dinner back in Terracina is terrific. We are eating at Il Camminetto, an elegant downtown seafood restaurant, recommended by Franco's fishmonger in Rome. The chef and staff spend a lot of time with us and we all enjoy our meals. Franco and I have the antipasti of the day: six plates of different, delicious fish preparations. Maureen has a shrimp salad Catalana. My pasta with mussels is excellent, Franco has a seafood risotto, and Diana and Maureen both have a pasta dish with lobster.

We are all quite full and satisfied as we make our way back to the Hotel Casa Yvorio.

Tomorrow we will attempt to drive to the "centro storico" of Terracina and then explore the neighboring town of Gaeta before Franco and Maureen take the train back to Rome.

Jim and Diana

 

[Pauline]

That looks like a great museum. I like that last photo looking down on the town too.

 

[Jim Zurer]

Zurers in Italy 2026​

Wednesday: 6 May: Day 9: Terracina​

After another excellent breakfast at Casa Yvorio, Maureen and Franco pack and check out; they will return to Rome this afternoon. Our next project is to drive up to the Terracina "centro storico" so the others can see the Duomo and the Roman sites. There is actually a very straightforward route up to the Piazza del Municipio; the city hall sits on one side, in addition to the Roman forum and the Duomo.

I can drive right up to the edge of the piazza and let the passengers out. Parking is not possible at this point so I execute a 9-point u-turn (if I were Italian, I would have backed down the street) and find a parking place a bit down the hill.

The Duomo is built over the remains of a Roman temple. It was first built in the 6th century AD but it was reconstructed in the 13th century.

Inside, the most striking feature are the artistic pavements in the Cosmatesque style.

Maureen admires the 13th century pulpit

I was struck with this marble relief that shows St. Eleutheris and the city and harbor of Terracina.

Outside, over the front portico, an intricate mosaic, executed by Sicilian artists, shows details related to the First Crusade.

Leaving the Duomo, we wander through the Roman remains and I find a few more photo opportunities.

Maureen and Franco will take the train back to Rome from Formia, so we will stop in Gaeta, another large waterfront town with a big harbor, en route to Formia. I take the group on an exciting (for some) drive through the narrow, winding streets of the "centro storico"; Maureen comments that I "have nerves of steel."

Some random photos of Gaeta....

We park by the harbor and decide to have lunch. Since we haven't researched our options, we choose the closest restaurant: A Casa Mia. It works out great. Three of us have excellent plates of spaghetti alle vongole and Diana has a delicious dish of tortelloni. Franco spies a plate of fried fish on a nearby table and encourages Diana to ask the lady how it is. This leads to a lively exchange between our two tables and our order for a plate of the fried anchovies. For dessert, the other three are very enthusiastic about their torta caprese (chocolate cake with almonds topped with chocolate sauce.)

We say our goodbyes to Maureen and Franco at the Formia train station and take the scenic mountain route back to Terracina.

We're having dinner at a restaurant just up the beach called Centosedici (the name is the street address number 116.) We have a good view of the sea as well as the Champions League semi-final match being shown on two big television screens. The food is excellent. Diana has a dish of ravioli stuffed with artichokes and guanciale, I have a generous dish of mussels and clams in broth, and we share a big dish of fried fish. The bread is exceptionally good: freshly baked focaccia warm from the pizza oven. The only hiccup is the dessert: a New York cheesecake that takes much too long to arrive and isn't worth the wait. (I don't understand why Diana orders it since we are so far from New York.)

It's a short drive back to the hotel. We watch some television before bed - an oldie but goodie - The Jewel in the Crown. We loved the books and the TV version and have watched the 1978 TV series multiple times over the years.

Tomorrow we plan to visit the Villa Tiberio Museum in Sperlonga.

Jim and Diana