Eat Pray Love: Leave now and come to Rome, for Enjoying the pleasures of Life, of Italy and Learning Italian

“Have you lost touch with who you are? Then risk everything and let yourself go”. These are the words of the trailer of “Eat, Pray, Love”, the new movie interpreted by the beautiful and very good actress Julia Roberts and based on a book written by the American writer Elizabeth Gilbert.

The film is based on an incredible real story, which tells about a 32-years-old businesswoman who, after her divorce and a hard time, decides to leave and spend one year traveling among Italy, India and Indonesia, looking for herself.

In the book, she tells about her four months spent in Italy, to be more precise, in the beautiful Rome, and we can discover all the special moments she lived there, eating and enjoying life like only Romans can do, as the author says.

She falls in love with the Italian lifestyle, the way they have fun and enjoy their life without feeling guilty about it, and she also falls in love with the shy Giovanni, a handsome Italian guy who becomes her personal Italian language teacher.

Learning Italian was one of the things she always wanted to do, and now she will have this chance. She will learn Italian language making conversation with many new friends, eating in special restaurants with them, and discovering the curious Italian ways of saying and a lot of new words.

She will attend an Italian language course at the Italian language School Leonardo da Vinci in Rome, mentioned in the book in chapter 14: “My classes begin today at the Leonardo da Vinci Academy of Language Studies, where I will be studying Italian five days a week, four hours a day. I’m so excited about school.”

And how could we blame her? Studying Italian in such a wonderful city like Rome, an incredible opportunity for making new friends and making conversation everyday with whoever in every moment of the day or night. It’s impossible not to learn Italian here!

She always wanted to learn Italian, and at the school she will find other many people like her: “The interesting thing about my Italian class is that nobody really needs to be there. There are twelve of us studying together, of all ages, from all over the world, and everybody has come to Rome for the same reason – to study Italian just because they feel like it.”

She’s right. Everybody should leave and go abroad at least once in their life for living a new experience, learning a foreign language and knowing a different culture. It is an important experience where people find themselves and often find out something about them that they not even knew.

Liz’s story is an unforgettable journey, which one day you could have as well. And why not coming to Rome for learning Italian language? As the author says, “[…] some things are only in Rome. Like the sandwich counterman so comfortably calling me ‘beautiful’ every time we speak”. And some pages after, she continues: “It’s kind of a fairyland of language for me here. For someone who has always wanted to speak Italian, what could be better than Rome?”.

Yeah. What could be better than the wonderful Rome for learning Italian? Scuola Leonardo da Vinci is ready to welcome you and the city waits for you for teaching all the curiosities of Italy and all the secrets of this wonderful land.

And don’t forget about Italian meals…described by the author as “truly life-changing”!!! Don’t be afraid. Just come and see! Italy and Rome will change your life.

Take a chance and spend a period abroad, in Rome! You could know your Giovanni!

Are you curious? Want to know something more?

- Further information about the several Italian language courses in Rome are available on the School Leonardo da Vinci’s website.

- For more information about the city of Rome, visit the travel guide About Roma.

- Watch the interview with Elizabeth Gilbert, with a special attention for Italian food

- The Authors@Google program presents Elizabeth Gilbert author of “Eat, Pray Love”:

A New York Times bestseller, “Eat, Pray, Love” is the story of the author, in her early 30s, dividing a year equally among three dissimilar countries - Italy, India, and Bali. Discover what the author thinks about Italy and Italian language! Sustaining a chatty, conspiratorial tone, Gilbert fully engages readers in the year’s cultural and emotional tapestry as she details her exotic tableau with history, anecdote and impression.

- Elizabeth Gilbert’s Official Website

- The Info-News Blog for Fans of “Eat, Pray, Love”

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Summertime in Rome is covered in Snow. Feast of Our Lady of the Snows

No, we’re not crazy. Each year, the snow comes back in Rome to pay homage to the traditional event in honor of Our Lady of the Snows, on 5th August.

For several years now, the city of Rome has been celebrating this ceremony at Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (Saint Mary Major Basilica) and the folk custom consists of a rain of white petals falling down on the square in front of the basilica. This because, as the story goes, our Virgin Mary appeared in Pope Liberio’s dreams (352 a.C.) and showed him where he had to build a church, with a miraculous snowfall (although it was summer) on Esquilino (a historic district of Rome) in the night of August 5th 356 a.C.

The day after, the pope traced the perimeter of the church with the (more…)

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Roma Vintage, the Very Best of 60s, 70s and 80s

The sparkling nights of Roma Vintage come back with its 2nd edition in the squares of the Italian capital, with the legendary atmospheres and rhythm of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

A not-to-be-missed appointment taking place in Parco San Sebastiano in Rome, which began on the last 11th June and will continue with several events until 15th August 2010.

Parco di San Sebastiano, placed in Via di Porta San Sebastiano, will host this great event for all the lovers of this world, with a revival of the best years of dance music, offering any kind of initiative…cinema, music, theater performances, exhibition stands.

Roma Vintage edition 2010 is a world apart that schedules several appointments: live performances for enjoying dance music hits of those years again, Jazz’n Blues, sport events, cinema reviews and exhibitions. There’s everything for the lovers of 60s, 70s and 80s!

The Cine Vintage and the area “Disco e Performances” are located in the Piazzetta Vintage, the center of the event, and here it is also possible to find wine and food stands.

The area reserved for the cinema wants to promote and give value to the cinematographic culture through many thematic reviews. The area dedicated to the dance music will make visitors feel and live the emotions of those years.

Remember, magical summer nights await you at Parco di San Sebastiano in Rome until 15th August 2010, with the presence of the greatest music of 60s, 70s and 80s, and many exhibitions every day! In addition, we remind you the FREE ENTRANCE.

For further information about events in Rome please visit the online tourist guide to Rome: www.aboutroma.com

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The Traditional Event “Festa de Noantri” in Rome

Have you ever heard about the “Festa de Noantri”?

It’s a typical summer event taking place every year in Rome in the beautiful district called Trastevere. In other words, the “festa de noantri” (“Our Feast”) is in opposition to “you, who live in other districts…”. This year, visitors will enjoy this special event from July 15th to 30th 2010.

The event takes its origins from a very ancient fact. The legend says that after a frightening storm, some fishermen found on the river Tevere’s banks a precious cedar wood statue representing the Virgin Mary. The statue was brought and safeguarded in the Church of St. Crisogono and became the Madonna procuress of Trastevere inhabitants.

Since then, every year (more…)

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Mille Miglia Race 2010 in Italy: the Historic Motor Racing

The 83rd edition of the most beautiful and striking race in the world is ready to start once again: the Mille Miglia!

Dear cars and engine world addicted, this time you will lose your head! So let’s see some of the race numbers: this year we find 375 cars in the race preceded by 130 vintage Ferraris built since 1958 ‘til nowadays, which will run on the road from May 6th to 9th 2010.

There will certainly be the presence of the Ministers Franco Frattini and Stefania Prestigiacomo and many famous personages among the competitors such as racing car drivers, Olympic athletes, actors, entrepreneurs and…obviously fabulous cars: 51 different models from 34 different countries.

The wonderful vintage cars will be driven by famous people such as the singer Jay Kay (more…)

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1st May Concert in Rome

The great appointment with music comes back in Rome!

As usual, this year the 1st May Concert will be full of surprises and great guests, renowned Italian singers and first-class musicians.

The 1st May concert is an event planned by labor unions like CGIL, CISL and UIL, and once again Piazza San Giovanni in Rome is going to host this magic concert that seems to open the doors to summer: music, notes, young people and laughs under the sky of Rome. A not-to-miss event!

This year, the event is really dedicated to surprises, in fact for the first time a woman will present the concert: Sabrina Impacciatore, a famous Italian actress, the only one who will present the 21st edition of the most beloved concert in Italy.

The elegant Italian singer Carmen Consoli will surely be on the stage of the 1st May Concert with the renowned Italian musician Vinicio Capossella.

In addition, there will be great guests such as Simone Cristicchi, Nina Zilli, Roy Paci, Samuele Bersani, Paolo Nutini and many others.

In the meantime, the organizer of the event Marco Godano announced that probably on the stage there will be also a symphony orchestra made up of 60-70 members, which will exhibit at about 8 pm.

This year, the theme of the event will be “Il colore delle parole” (“The color of words”), inspired by a famous poem by the Italian Eduardo De Filippo, “E pparole”, for a great concert that aims to communicate emotions, feelings and most of all, many important issues.

In fact, the main theme will be “La legalità e la convivenza” (“Legality and cohabitation”) and many present-day issues will be discussed during the morning of 1st May, historically dedicated to the meetings of syndicates CGIL, CISL and UIL, which will take place in Rosarno, in the province of Reggio Calabria

It will be also possible to watch the event on air on RAI TRE tv channel, from 4.00 pm until 11.10 pm with the interruption of the TG3 news. Then, at 11.35 pm the show will continue until the end (scheduled after midnight).

A day-long free concert taking place in Rome, a perfect occasion for doing a tour in the Italian capital!

So…If you enjoy the music, in particular way Italian music, do not miss this concert!

For further information about events in Rome, please visit our website www.aboutroma.com, a useful tourist guide about Rome.

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The XII Italian ‘Week of Culture’ is upon us!

Italy, world renound for its incredible history and dedication to the arts, is opening the doors of its countless and historically important state operated sites including museums of art and history, monuments, archaeological areas, archives and libraries … for FREE!

For the next ten days (April 16-25th) Italians and foreigners alike will enjoy this unique opportunity to experience the beauty and culture that exists within the walls of its most prestigious and visited locations without having to pay a dime.

Each city has its gems, and here’s a breif description of a few: Click on the citiy names for a more in depth description of the museums, monuments and more!

Florence: City of Renaissance art. He’re you’ll find the incredible Uffizi Gallery with its incredible collection of famous art from the middle ages all the way through the 18th century (featuring two of Botticelli`s greatest works), the Galleria dell’Academia – with Michelangelo’s famous statue of  ‘David’ …

Venice: The city of Venice is basically a museum its self, but it you’re in the area and looking to visit some interesting places, be sure to see the Peggy Guggenheim Museum which is the most important museum of European and American contemporary art in Italy …

Siena:  Looking for museums filled with fine examples of paintings and sculpture from the Romanic, Gothic and Pre-Renaissance periods? Be sure to see Siena’s wide array including the Museo Civico (Civic Museum) where a great selection of incredible frescoes are displayed…

Milan: This city has much more to offer than just fashion! When in Milan you will want to be sure and see the Brera Art Gallery - one of the greatest galleries containing several masterpieces of Italian art from the 14th to the 20th century such as: Raphael’s “Marriage of the Virgin” …

Turin: the fourth largest city in Italy, Tourin, holds within its land some incredible places to visit. Among them you will find the Museum of Contemporary Art, Castello di Rivoli (which has a permanent collection that gathers works of great European and American artists), and yearly exhibitions with prestigious and international artists.

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Rome steeped in Art, between Contemporanea 4th Edition and MAXXI

Have you already seen the 4th edition of Contemporanea? Well my friends, you still have a month to go to the eternal city and marvel at great ideas and real masterpieces.

In fact, since last September, the original festival called “Contemporanea - art, visual, music, performance” is ongoing at Auditorum Parco della Musica in Rome; created by Oscar Pizzo and become extremely renowned, it will be open until May 12th 2010.

A tangle of different cultures, social issues and problems, different points of view: at its 4th edition, Contemporanea, includes places like Venice, Germany, Japan, Estonia, North America, Tropical Africa, Pakistan, (more…)

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About Italy is on Facebook! Become our FAN!

Of course, also the original and up-to-date Blog about all the news & events in Italy and the main Italian cities is now on the most famous social network in the world: Facebook!

Now you can find all the information you need also on the page of About Italy on Facebook! It’s really easy, become our fan and you will receive real-time updating about events, exhibitions, performances, sport and cultural events in the most beautiful Italian cities: Florence, Milan, Pisa, Rome, Siena, Turin, Venice…and don’t forget about the valley of Mugello, the Versilia coast and the Region of Liguria!

Italy is full of wonderful places to discover and visit among mountains and the sea, from the North to the South…you will be spoilt for choice! In order to know the events of the week, you need just (more…)

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Start to Run!!! The Marathon of Rome is come back

Here we go again! The marathon of Rome is coming again, this year at its 16th edition and it intends to pay homage to the legendary Olympic Ethiopian champion Abebe Bikila, 50 years after his barefoot challenge at the Olympic Games of Rome in 1960.

Are you ready to run? The start is scheduled on 21st March 2010 at 9.00 am from Via dei Fori Imperiali (near the Coliseum) in Rome, in order to start a lovely spring with a day entirely dedicated to sport and fun.

One of the most expected sport events, which boasts of the stunning (more…)

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