A Return to Rome – My Favorite Place on Earth! – Day 1

No matter how many times I visit the city of Rome, or Roma, as it is called by the Italians, as soon as my feet hit the soil, I fall instantly in love with both, the place and the people that live there!  It is a beautiful city!  Like any large urban center, Roma has…

Formia – Ancient Rome’s Summer Hotspot – Day 2

The Chiesa di Sant’Erasmo, or the Church of Saint Erasmus, as we see it today, dates back to the 1500’s.  Saint Erasmus, also known as Saint Elmo, was a Christian martyr who died in 303.  He was the acting bishop of Formia.  When the prosecution of Christians began, he fled to Mount Libanus, but returned…

Formia – Ancient Rome’s Summer Hotspot – Day 1 – Part 2

Founded by the Laconi in ancient times, the Romans gave the city the name of Formiae.  It became a popular tourist destination, luring both those in political power, as well as those in the arts, to its coastline, as well as to the Historical Center, which at the time, had an arena, theater, and everything…

Formia – Ancient Rome’s Summer Hotspot – Day 1 – Part 1

We couldn’t check into the apartment in Formia, our next destination, until mid afternoon, so we decided to take a last walk around Gaeta.  History is everywhere, in Italian towns and cities.  All one has to do is to walk through a town center, and you will come across something that is worth seeing, and…