RomaPolacchi

Thanks to eternallycool.net , news of recent archaeological discoveries in Rome have reached my long-deprived ears. Scholars think that they may have found the famous rotating dining room in the emperor Nero's Domus Aurea and a new amphitheater has been unearthed in Portus , just outside of ancient Rome's port, Ostia. The amphitheater could seat 2,000 people and may have been part of an imperial palace. I am anxiously awaiting more news from the summer's excavations. Stay tuned!

An award-winning boutique hotel close to the Colosseum , Capo d'Africa is a an easy home base for the tourist who wants all the comforts of space, efficiency and modernity. Breakfast is included in the price (rooms start at under 200 Euros if you book in advance) and every Wednesday they offer live jazz. Located in a 19th century palazzo, this thoroughly updated hotel is perfect for visits to the Roman Forum and Nero's Golden House .

Will 2009 be "the year of the Colosseum?" The new virtual tour of ancient Rome, 3D Rewind Rome , which is shown on the site of the old gladiators training school, already has tourists excited about immersing themselves in the events of the ancient city. Umberto Broccoli, the head of archaeology on Rome's city council, has proposed nighttime gladiator events in the Colosseum alongside recitations from famous Latin poets. And to top it off, extensive renovations are planned for the Colosseum , the Palatine , the Roman Forum , the Imperial Forum and Nero's Golden House . An exciting time to visit-especially as there are many deals to be had in Rome right now (more on those deals in the next post).

The emperor Nero built an extraordinary palace in Rome after a great fire destroyed many of its neighborhoods in 64 CE. The palace covered nearly 200 acres and was so spacious that the emperor set a 35 meter tall bronze statue of himself in the vestibule. It is from this colossal statue that the Colosseum derives its name, for the emperor Vespasian demolished parts of the palace and in its place erected his own amphitheater near the statue (and redesigned the statue as Apollo). During the Renaissance, amateur explorers and archaeologists found their way into the debris filled underground rooms of what remained of the palace. They found frescoes and mosaics covering the walls and floors which inspired the grotesque motifs of Renaissance decor. You can discover for yourself the power of Nero's artistic inspirations, as several rooms of the palace were opened to the public a few years ago. These rooms are located on the Oppian Hill, across the street from the Colosseum. Reservations a...