Rome Vacation Winners Share Unforgettable Memories with Carlino’s
“Steve Lester at Trevi Fountain”
The vivid Tyrrhenian waters, the brilliant sun and the rolling hills of Italian wine country have inspired artists for millennia. Jean and Steven Lester, the winners of Carlino’s romantic Italian vacation contest, clearly felt inspired to create some art themselves as they shared their photo album featuring images from their trip of a lifetime. During their romantic eight-day Italian getaway, the couple took snapshots of everything from colorful roadside stands and rustic country vistas to world-famous attractions such as Trevi Fountain, the Villa Borghese, the beautifully restored Sistine Chapel and the iconic Coliseum.
View the entire photo album here.
Throughout the album are pictures of the winning couple, smiling in the warm Mediterranean sun and clearly reveling in the sights, sounds and tastes of Italy. Only the Lesters know the meaning behind every frame, but the album describes a narrative of an unforgettable vacation.
From memorable shots of Jean Celebrating Steve’s birthday at a Roman dinner in a neighborhood restaurant to posed pictures of Steve preparing to zoom through the streets on a Segway tour, the pictures are as full of light and life as Italy itself. The pictures showcase the kaleidoscopic personality of a country that holds vast reserves of centuries-old priceless art alongside the most modern shops. Snapshots of sleek Italian cars roaring past silent marble monuments that have stood for thousands of years are a study in contrasts, the magnificent variety that Italy has in store for visitors. Eight days is hardly enough to see all that Italy has to offer, but the Lester’s fit as much in as they could, seeing all the highlights and discovering the place where Jean’s grandparents lived.
Carlo came up with the contest as a way to show his love for his native Italy with his guests. Steven and Jean Lester have generously shared their experiences of their romantic vacation with us at Carlino’s, and we thank them for the chance to see their once-in-a-lifetime trip through their eyes. The well-traveled Lester’s still visit the restaurant and have become local celebrities. If you ask, you may hear an anecdote or two about their fabulous vacation.
While he can’t take everyone to Italy, Carlo’s dream of bringing a taste of Italian life to Long Island comes true every day. Celebrate Italy’s rich contrasts and zest for life with the best in southern Italian cooking at Carlino’s.
Sincerely,
Carlo, Wali and all your friends at Carlino’s
Tweet read more24 Hours To Rome
What if you had only 24 hours to enjoy Rome?
Come with us as we take a whirlwind one day tour that will lead you to the best that Rome has to offer.
Take the morning to visit the Coliseum, Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. The Coliseum is a beautiful amphitheatre from 80 AD where gladiators fought man and beast for four centuries. Your ticket for the Coliseum is all you need to gain entrance into the Palatine Hill, a palatial expanse where the first inhabitants of Rome lived, along with several emperors, philosophers and noble families until the 1800s. From the Flavian palace, 1st century AD, enjoy a view of the Circus Maximus, 1st century BC. Walk through the remains of the palace towards the Farnese summer home (17th century), which rests atop the remnants of Tiberius’ palace.
The Farnese home has beautiful quiet and relaxing renaissance gardens which remain intact and offers you an excellent choice for a picnic lunch. Finish this section of ancient Rome by walking around the forum to find Julius Caesar’s tomb. Now follow the Via Sacra, one of the oldest roads in Rome, out of the Forum. Walk up a staircase and you’ll find yourself behind the Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill). Take a photo of the Forum from here to show your family and friends, the view is beautiful.
The Campidoglio’s three ancient Renaissance senatorial buildings was designed by Michelangelo. The buildings house two museums and you can enjoy a beautiful view of modern Rome from the piazza. Next, make your way to the Pantheon, a classic Roman temple from 27 BC, with a round dome.
Tweet read moreRome By Night
The old saying “When in Rome do as the Roman’s do” is good advice. Rome is such a lovely place to stroll and the Romans are out in numbers to enjoy the summer nights.
One place to experience this local nightlife is at Piazza del Popolo, once Rome’s northern gate. Every night crowds of Italians stroll and shop, with their teenagers working hard to be cool as they wander about the piazza.
The obvious destination from there is Piazza di Spagna, which is full of people day and night with its piazza and its famous steps – which attracted Goethe, Joyce, Byron, Shelley and Keats. Piazza di Spagna is largely its own enclosed universe, which feels even more insular at night, with a vertical exit signaled by the illuminated Fountain of the Barcaccia, a fanciful fishy barge, up the Spanish Steps to a glowing obelisk in front of the double towers of the church of the Trinità dei Monti.
For a more literal sense of the Roman night as theater, go south to the Trevi Fountain. This is one place that cannot be missed as art, spectacle and cultural icon. In front of your eyes Oceanus stands gleaming mightily as he tames the waters, a metaphor for the great feat of the aqueducts that brought water to the city. But inside many minds, no doubt, runs the famous night scene in Fellini’s “Dolce Vita” of Anita Ekberg and Marcello Mastroianni stepping into the fountain. A dip, though, even if you look as great as they did, will land you in trouble, no matter how hot it is.
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