Eat in Rome During Holidays?

There is a widely held misconception that during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, Rome’s restaurants shut down and people who don’t have the luxury of eating at home are left to scavenge for food wherever they can get it. While one should expect some venues to be closed and many to embrace limited hours and prix fixe menus, visitors to Rome can eat very well during the holidays. It just requires a bit of planning.

Christmas Eve Fish Feast

To partake in the traditional Christmas Eve fish feast, head to Il Sanlorenzo, the best place in central Rome to find fresh, local and relatively sustainable fish. Il Sanlorenzo is open at lunch and dinner on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

A short stroll away on via dei Giubbonari, Roscioli will be open for lunch only on Christmas Eve and on New Year’s Eve.

Matamorfosi and Pepero al Rex

For fine dining options, try Metamorfosi, which will be open at dinner on New Year’s Eve and on New Year’s Day, Pipero al Rex, which will be open at lunch and dinner on December 24, 25, 31, and at lunch only on January 1, or All’Oro, which will be open throughout the holidays.

Near Vatican / Testaccio

For Roman fare, Cesare al Casaletto will be open for lunch only on December 25th, 26th and January 1st. Near the Vatican, Romeo will be open for lunch only on December 24 and for lunch and dinner on December 31. Flavio al Velavevodetto will be open for lunch on December 24, 25 and 31. Also in Testaccio, La Torricella is open for lunch on December 24. It is open December 24 for lunch, December 25 at lunch and dinner, and for lunch and dinner on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

For international cusine, try Mesob, which will be open throughout the holidays

Wine & Cheese Dinner

A special event will take place at Vino Roma on December 25th at 6:00pm; Hande Leimer is offering a Christmas edition of her new tasting type Wine & Cheese Dinner, with an even more interesting wine selection. For booking and details, visit the Vino Roma site.

Craft Beer on Christmas

For craft beer check out Birra + in Pigneto, which will always be open, but will close at 8:30pm on Christmas Eve and on New Year’s Eve, and Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fa’ in Trastevere, which will be open from the late afternoon every day this holiday season. These two watering holes are the only places on the list where reservations are not accepted and no food is served.

Kosher

It is also worth noting that most Kosher restaurants in the Ghetto will be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Travel App

You can get the portable version of this list by purchasing the app “Travel Guide Rome” (different name according to your location) by Daniel Garcia (search with “Daniel Garcia”), details here and be sure to call all venues in advance before turning up. While the aforementioned openings have been confirmed multiple times, non si sa mai (you never know what can happen!). Buone feste!

8 Great Reasons to Experience Friluftsliv in Norway

What’s so good and not so great about living in Norway? Is this country best for traveling, hiking, or other activities? Have you ever heard of the Nordic lifestyle trend of “Friluftsliv”? This article will tell you about all these questions. Many people are asking if they should move to Norway. It is a decision that you can make only for you. However, we can guide you. This involves weighing up the positives and negatives, and how they’ll apply to you.

The weather (neutral)

Depending on where you live, the weather in Norway may be quite extreme. Parts of the country are cold in the winter with heavy snowfall, especially northern towns as well as cities and inland. Even in the summer duration, temperatures exceed 20 degrees in a few places such as Tromsø and Bodø. Rain is common in the west, particularly in Bergen, Haugesund, and Stavanger. The rain on the west coast can be relentless, or it can rain much non-stop for days on end, In autumn and winter. However, one bonus of living in this part is of Norway is that temperatures are mild all year round, compared to other places in the country. Oslo is likely the most diverse in terms of its weather variation. During the summer months, it isn’t uncommon to see temperatures in the upper 20s or sometimes hitting 30C. In the winter months, the city may be a cold place to live, frequently with heavy snowfall. During this time, the authorities do a very job of keeping the roads clear as well as the city functioning as normal.

The outdoor environment (positive)

One favorite thing about living in Norway is the outdoors. The country is fresh and easily accessible for hiking in the summer months or winter sports in the dark months. The fjord landscape is perfect and there’s something new to explore. Even if you live in one of the major cities, nature is within touching distance. As a keen runner, Norway is the best place to live. There are various routes that can give you a workout while at the same time let you enjoy the wild outdoors. You will feel that this country has some type of magnetism that seems to draw people outdoors. A favorite thing you can do in the summer is to visit Stavanger and take a swim in the fjords. The water is so clean or inviting and you can find a quiet place to relax in serene surroundings. People say that the outdoors, combined with the summer days is the finest time of the year. Most Norwegians are happy at this time of the year. You will feel lucky in Oslo in the summers.

Friluftsliv

Friluftsliv is a Norwegian livestyle that mainly means to live close to nature, to have the ability to develop with the natural work and to work together with nature and to enjoy the experience of living in nature. Especially in pandemic times we face at the time of writing this article there are advantages to be considered. There is an excellent article on this topic in the National Geographic (“What is ‘friluftsliv’? How an idea of outdoor living could help us this winter”).

A New Lifestyle as well as a fine Taste for the World

Traveling is a passion for Norwegians. During vacations, mostly it’s famous to travel to European cities, but today the popularity of journeys, as well as trips to Asia, are increasing, particularly among young people. Norway can provide a wide range of restaurants, with a good variety of cuisines. There they have each type of national food culture. The cuisine of Norway got its status from Maeemo in Oslo to Lysverket in Bergen. In Norway seafood delicacies are acknowledged as local ingredients, therefore local cuisine is frequently described as Neo-Nordic. and even Neo-fjordic. Moreover, Norwegians are called coffee lovers. Still, it’s worth noting, that for Norwegians the meaning of coffee drinking is different than for some of the Europeans. In Norway, if somebody invites you for a cup of coffee, it has a meaning of letting us sit down and talk over coffee. Coffee drinking means time for colleagues, family, and friends. Before, the quality of the coffee was not so essential as it’s now, and Oslo became one of the great specialty coffee cities in the world. Therefore, it’s the best destination for coffee lovers.

The scenery is beautiful

Whether you’re driving and taking a rail trip, the stunning scenery which stretches for miles, as well as miles, is breathtaking. You have everything from majestic mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, and green hillsides not to mention the perfect fjords. The Oslo to Bergen rail trip takes seven hours but for some of the time, you’ll be admiring the marvelous scenery. Driving on the national tourist routes will provide you with several memorable moments. Getting off the beaten track is so simple.

You can camp anywhere

Norway has a law known as allemannsrett which gives you the right to put up a tent anywhere you like in Norway. There are most exceptions, like private property and a national park! Now, if you’re into hiking or camping, this makes Norway a paradise. It makes things cheaper as hostels or hotels can be expensive.

Norway isn’t overcrowded

The population of Norway is five million. This works out at 14 people per square kilometer which means lots of space for everyone. Compare that with Macau with 20,500 as well as Hong Kong with 6,480 per square kilometer to put things into perspective.

Enjoy pleasant urban surroundings

If you live in Oslo, you’ll notice some skyscrapers or shopping malls. There’s a magnificent opera home and the new Munch Museum will open in 2018.

Visit Oslo

If you can visit Oslo which is the capital of Norway, then you’ll enjoy the exciting mixture of modern and historic furniture. Norway is undeniably one of some lovely places on this planet. It has a fascinating history, rich culture, stunning cities, and perfect people. It has a high standard of living with higher levels of human development. If you visit Oslo, you’ll enjoy the exciting modern urban hustle or bustle.

Local Culture, Etiquette, and Customs

Norway has an egalitarian culture in which Jante Law is a pillar. As per Jante Law, values of humility, respect, simplicity, or equality are a priority. Norwegian people are not vocal about their achievements or successes and are unimpressed by those people who show off about these things. People are valued for their goodness, honesty, and respect without any requirement to judge others on their professional standing. It is different from British culture, whereby a person’s professional role is frequently used to determine opinions and make judgments.

For further reading, we recommend the following excellent books. You can click on them to check the actual price at amazon.

These are all excellent travel guides for Norway:

A comprehensive description of Friluftsliv (by Sofie Bakken):

If you are looking for a rich cultural vacation experience, then Russia would make a superb vacation destination. Russia is a massive country. It is actually twice the size of the USA. The culture in Russia is also very different to that of the United States, and as you may expect there is a lot to see and do, much more than you will ever be able to cover in a single holiday.

Russia has a rich history as a superpower, however they have gone through a lot of political changes and upheaval in the past few decades. All this makes Russia a fascinating country with a rich history and a unique culture, well worth visiting.

Travelers should be aware that there are a lot of problems with health and public infrastructure in certain parts of Russia, so it is best to assume, for example, that tap water is not safe to drink.

You don’t have to look very far to get satisfying answers about your travel questions for traveling to Russia. One excellent online resource is The U.S. State Department website. You will find great information and helpful tips for travel in Russia, such as the visa requirements for entering the country and more. Naturally, you cannot enter the country unless you have the proper documents such as a passport and visa. So be sure to comply with the visa requirements. It is an essential part of your Russia vacation planning. One important tip for travel in Russia is this. It could actually take at least two weeks to get your visa, so you need to plan properly. Failure to do so could mean that you may have to cancel your travel plans if your visa does not arrive on time. On the other hand, if you plan well and apply for your visa weeks in advance, you can get all the necessary travel documents in a timely fashion. Another important tip you need to know before going to Russia is that taxis in Russia very seldom use meters. You will need to negotiate with the taxi driver in advance. Failure to do this could result in a conflict or exorbitant fees, so bear this in mind.

Safety In Russia

While Russia is an interesting country with a lot of magnificent sights to see, there are some safety problems ‘ thieves are common, and there is a relatively high amount of violent crime. Some areas are safer than others, so it is a good idea to research the places you plan to visit before you leave, and take basic precautions such as keeping valuables out of sight and not carrying large amounts of cash.

Russia is a wonderful country with a rich heritage and some wonderful cultural institutions. The ballet companies are amazing, and there are some very good museums that everyone should try to visit while they are in the country.