My favorite thing about April in Rome

What is it about April in Rome? What makes it the most perfect month to enjoy this incomparable city?

I can sum it up in one word, one smell, one color, one single flower dripping languidly from the vine.

Wisteria (or, in Italian, glicine).

By author

© Claudio Ianniello

 

© Claudio Ianniello

By author

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This is the singular reason why April is my favorite month in Rome. (The fact that the weather is warm but not yet scorching is another reason, I must admit.) What is your favorite month here? And why? Do you, like me, have a weakness for this voluptuous and transient blossom?

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Roma in Bianco: Snow in Rome, part 2

That last time it snowed in Rome, it was the first time in 24 years. That was less than two years ago. No one was expecting it again so soon, especially because, as they say, a Roma nevica ogni morte di papa ("in Rome it snows every death of a pope"--not really translatable. Similar to our "once in a blue moon".) Just like last time, I took about a zillion photos, so here are some highlights.

 

This is what we woke up to. It was so quiet and peaceful.

 Belli in the snow.

Maritino was the first to venture out and captured this gorgeous shot of the Tiber Island.

 

St. Peter's is so high, there's snow on it!

 Trastevere in the snow

 I didn't realize that I wanted to go sledding until I saw all the other kids doing it (in the Circus Maximus).

 Lots of snowball fights going on at the Colosseum.

 Can barely recognize the Roman Forum.

Lovely, snowy pines of Rome.

 I came, I saw, I got snowed on.

Pièce de resistance

Although, inch per inch we got more snow this time around (my guess is 5-6 inches, quite a lot for here) I was much more thrilled when it snowed in 2010, simply because it hadn't happened for nearly a quarter of a century. Plus, in 2010 I was out when it was (very heavily) coming down, whereas most of the snow fell over night this year. If you missed my photos from last time, when I ran to the Pantheon the moment I woke up to see the snow falling through the occulus (although my poor camera had a hard time capturing it), you can find them here.

All photos by author, author's husband or author's close friend, and posted with permission.

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Roman Flooding

How is it possible that just three hours of heavy rain can flood a city?

Other cities have blizzards, earthquakes, hurricanes, monsoons, tornados, tsunamis! And they trudge through, brave and battle-weary. Rome has a particularly heavy downpour and the city grinds to a halt. I left for work extra early yesterday morning, because after 7 years in this city, I know well that a half-way decent rainstorm (and particularly the first of the season) can cause major traffic delays. You see, no one wants to get wet, so many of the thousands and thousands of people who usually take a scooter to work or use public transportation, decide to take their cars instead.

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Roma in Bianco: Snow in Rome!

It's finally June, and despite the 4 minutes of heavy rain earlier this afternoon, it feels as if spring is here at last. It may have taken longer than usual to arrive here in Rome this year, but now that it is well and truly here, it makes it all that much more enjoyable. And it is delicious to have a truly pleasant spring, instead of jumping straight into scorching summer as we usually do here.

In spite of the season, today I have decided to share some photos I took this past February, when it snowed (in Rome!!). It was an extremely rare storm, the likes of which hadn't been seen in the eternal city for nearly a quarter of a century. I had always promised myself that if it ever snowed in Rome I would head straight to the Pantheon to see the snow come down through the occulus. And that is precisely what I did. Here are a few of my favorite photos from that day, February 12th 2010.

All photos by author

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