Rome and More

More ancient Egyptian obelisks are in Rome than any other city in the world. But Egypt is still home to the most impressive one. Daniella tracks it down in the…

A closer grammatical dive into S.P.Q.R., inspired by a conversation with two curious visitors in the Forum — why “Roman” means more than “of Rome.”

The strange, but true story of the time Rome nearly traded its 2,500-year-old motto for “Rome&You” — and why SPQR won in the end.

Part two of the SPQR saga: how Rome’s ancient motto stacks up against the shifting slogans of a modern empire.

An introduction to Daniella’s guidebook on the Roman Forum — richly illustrated and written for armchair travelers, general interest readers, and history buffs.

Daniella recounts how, 1,900 years ago, Rome’s military built a defense wall in six years, laying circa 24 million stones. And how, luckily, the insanity of experiencing it first-hand was…

The inside scoop on how the Vatican Museums went from an Art History Paradise to a Tourist Trap Hell in the course of 25 years.

Follow Daniella on her journey to the ancient amphitheater at Santa Maria Capua Vetere. Although less known than the Colosseum, it is the arena where champions, Spartacus included, once trained…

What does S.P.Q.R. really mean, and why has ancient Rome’s slogan endured for 2,500 years? This is the first in a series of blogs that unpack what some consider the…

The story of an ill-fated 29km walk from Rome to Ostia along a path that, as it turns out, never existed — plus an update on the real bike route…

A solo trip south to the Greek temples of Paestum — ancient architecture, a Nietzsche quote, and a well-earned glass of Falanghina.

A quarantine-era wander through the Non-Catholic Cemetery to ponder the famous tombs of Keats and Shelley and the more peaceful graves of travelers and scholars whom history has almost forgotten.

Toilet-paper panic in the Anglo world and flour shortages in Italy: a tongue-in-cheek case study regarding the psychology of different cultures.

Daniella looks back on her first chaotic days in Rome in 1995 — and on twenty-five years spent turning a bewildering city into a second home.

Looking to give someone a truly memorable gift? Donate a private tour of Rome — to honeymooners, to a new graduate on his or her first solo trip to Italy,…