Concerts, Museums and Cemeteries

The 2026 Concertone

The 2026 Concertone is a Labor Day concert, on the first of May. It is a labor-focussed concert and a great warm-up for us to go to Summerfest. It was a very local event, with plenty of tourists from all around Italy. The theme for this year was "Tomorrow is Still Ours". We had a great time and left when old people typically leave. Though I don't think we missed too much. 

Museo Capitolini

We went to Museo Capitolini last Sunday. It is on top of the Capitoline Hill, which overlooks the Roman Forums. Sunday was a free day, so we got up early and got in line. We were pretty close to the front of the line and really enjoyed the museums. 

I have big feet, but at least mine aren't stinky. 

Romulus and Remus suckling the wolf

The Capitoline Venus

Medusa 

Jesus, the original hippie!! Peace Man

Teatro di Marcello, 

Teatro di Marcello is a Roman theater started by Julius Caesar and finished by Augustus around 13 BC. Yes, those are apartments on top!!

Museo Corsini

It's a real palace that is lived in, not built for display. The collection is old masters

Testaccio Neighborhood

Rome has an actual Egyptian-style Pyramid built in 12 BC. It's wedged into the Aurelian Wall in Testaccio.

The Protestant Cemetery is right next to the Pyramid, where Keats is buried.

Not allowed to take pictures for social media in the cemetery. 

Castel Sant'Angelo 

It started as a mausoleum for Hadrian in 139 AD. The popes eventually converted it into a fortress and connected it to the Vatican with a covered escape corridor. There's a café on the top terrace with a view straight down the Tiber.

Matt and St. Matthew

Matt and some guy painted on the wall. 

Centrale Monemartini

Centrale Montemartini is a decommissioned power plant in Ostiense that the city uses to store overflow from the Capitoline collection. Ancient Roman sculptures are displayed between diesel engines and turbines. It is a super cool museum and very weird to see the ancient next to the old power plant. 

Largemouth Bass mosaic!! And a sucker to boot!!

These fountains are everywhere, and the water is clean and free. I have been drinking out of them the whole time we have been here. I bring an empty water bottle and keep filling them up. They are fed by the same ancient aqueduct system that's been running since antiquity. 

St. Paul's Basilica 

St. Pauls is away from the tourist circuit. It's one of the four major basilicas of Rome and arguably the least visited. Kerry and I ran across it kind of by mistake.  St. Paul is buried under the altar. The nave is enormous and lined with mosaic portraits of every pope in order, 

Two great Papas

The Italian Tennis Open 

We found out the Open was going to be here while we were. It is at the Olympic Stadium and on some iconic courts.  

Notice the rain jackets. We were able to see the first match and then the rain started in ernest and they cancelled the second match for the night and we went home, a little wet. 

Antonella!! 

Antonella met us and we went to Castel Gandolfo, the Summer residence to the Pope. We haven't seen Anotnella in 25 years!!  Lots of catching up to do. More to come with her. 

Piazza della Libertà. The papal palace sits right on it, and so does a Bernini church — the Church of San Tommaso da Villanova.