Hotel Des Artistes Rome Travel Guide

Christmas is approaching and preparations for the Christmas dinner or lunch is important to every Italian family.

Typical cakes Panettone and Pandoro are Very important on Italian tables.

For Italians, the Cakes symbolize Christmas and this special day with out such cakes is like thanksgiving day with out Turkey.

The legend tells both were first made hundreds of years ago: Panettone in Milan

and Pandoro in Verona, but today you can not find a single Italian family, north to south, which does not end lunch or dinner festivities with these delicacies.

But what is the difference between Panettone and Pandoro?

The difference is mainly in the ingredients (in panettone there are more eggs and especially there are candied fruit and raisins) but also in the type of machining and rising time. Panettone is done strictly with the yeast base while the Pandoro can be maid also with the brewer’s yeast. Panettone must also rise for about 2-3 days while the Pandoro for 18 up to 36 hours.

Our Blogger: Rhodora

The Romans wanted to defeat every enemy that stood on their path hindering the empire’s growth and roads were built to achieve the end. Roads played significant role in moving armies, supplies, reinforcement, trade, power and wealth.

Appian way, which connects Rome to south Italy, was one of the main roads Romans desperately needed.

Appius Claudius, Roman censor, constructed dirt road with stones and mortar stretching from Rome to Capua for 200km. Part of the road was started and finished in 312 BC. The Appian to date has the longest straight road in Europe (64 km).

To mention few of the important historical events that happened on this road:

In the 71 BC, 6000 slaves were slain by the Romans after their revolt ended in defeat at the hands of the Roman Army. In the WWII, Allied Forces landed at Nettuno to capture Rome penetrating through Appian way but the Germans resisted until their defeat in 1944. And Abebe Bekila won 1960 summer olympics, that passed through this way.

Long kilometers of the Appian way are now open to the public for walking, jogging, bicycling etc.

The following monuments are found along the Appian way: Baths of Caracalla (at the start), catacomb of San Callisto and a small church (chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis) on Via Ardeatina a street that branches off Appian Way.

Adu K