The Esposizione Universale Roma, better known by its acronym, EUR, is one of those areas lying off the tourist track which would not fit any stock image of the Eternal City. No Roman ruins, Baroque churches, Renaissance palaces or narrow back streets – here you will find broad avenues set along orthogonal axes and a regular layout, and large buildings with simple lines that adhere to the Fascist model on which the district’s design was based, alternating with large, more recent constructions.

The district dates back to the nineteen thirties, when Mussolini decided to commission an urban expansion project on the south side of Rome in preparation for the World Fair of 1942. The idea was also to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the Fascist “March on Rome” (1922). The project was originally known as E42 and some of the best contemporary architects were engaged, including Giuseppe Pagano, Luigi Piccinato, Luigi Vietti, Ettore Rossi and Marcello Piacentini, who was the head of the project. The assignment adhered to a design of Fascist ideological inspiration and combined rationalism with a simplified form of neoclassicism.

Work on the project was disrupted by the outbreak of World War II, while the 1942 World Fair was never held. Construction work on the buildings resumed in the fifties and sixties and the area was earmarked for a different purpose, which still holds true today, as it operates as a business district. In this respect it preempted similar projects in such cities as London or Paris.

The most alluring reason for visiting the EUR district nowadays is to see some of the original constructions and to appreciate the contrast they strike with the landmarks in ancient Rome. Among the most noteworthy buildings is the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, also known as the Palazzo della Civiltà del Lavoro (Palace of Labour Civilisation) or Colosseo Quadrato (Square Colosseum), one of the most emblematic exponents of Italian Fascist architecture. Unveiled on 30 November 1940, it was purpose-built to host the Mostra della Civiltà Romana and was designed by the architects, Giovanni Guerrini, Ernesto Bruno La Padula and Mario Romano. In the end, the exhibition was cancelled and the building remained derelict until 1953, when it was finally opened to the public. Ever since restoration work that lasted from 2003 to 2008, the building has housed the headquarters of luxury fashion label Fendi.

Another interesting example of Fascist architecture is the Palazzo dei Congressi (Palace of Congresses), designed by Adalberto Libera. The interior was decorated by Achille Funi and the Futurist artist, Gino Severini. Built from 1938 to 1954, it is now an exhibition area and also hosts congresses and other events.

Other buildings worth seeing on your visit include the Basilica dei Santi Pietro e Paolo, the work of Arnaldo Foschini, and the Palazzo degli Uffici, the only building to be completed before the war, which has an air-raid shelter inside.

Among the museums worth visiting in the EUR is the Museo della Civiltà Romana (Museum of Roman Civilisation), a colossal building which houses a stunning ensemble of model reconstructions of ancient Rome.

Book your Vueling to Rome and treat yourself to a tour of some of the city’s lesser known areas, like the EUR district.

Text by Los Viajes de ISABELYLUIS

Images by FaceMePLS, Sebastian Baryli, Alexandre Delbos

Are you fed up of boring Christmas presents like socks or pyjamas? Here are a few brilliant ideas and the best thing about them is that you have to travel in order to buy them!

Hip hop arrived in France in 1979 and was highly influenced by the hip hop scene in the States, especially the gangsta scene. Hip hop became very popular in France due to the sizeable African community living in the country. The political and social situation in French cities consolidated rap sung in French and, in 1982, numerous radio stations broadcasting hip hop emerged. This gave shape to a burgeoning urban movement.

France is the second-largest market in the world for hip hop and Marseille is home to a number of artists in the genre. MC Solaar has become one of the most successful stars of French hip hop. MC Solaararrived from Senegal in 1970 and settled in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges. Two movements emerged from there; the artists who work more closely with melodies and funk; and those that choose a more aggressive style, more hardcore.

Guide to hip hop locations in Marseille:

Hip Hop Shop: At 97 Rue de Rome, you will find this urban clothing shop where you can buy all kinds of clothes and accessories that are directly related to the world of hip hop. Some of the brands you can find at Hip Hop Shop include Pelle Pelle, Street Vision and TwoAngle.
Address: 97 Rue de Rome, Marseille
Tel.: 91 54 16 61

Galette Records: At 31 Rue des Trois Rois, since January 2010, you can find this music shop that, besides the most select hip hop, also sells a range of the latest hip hop from Marseille and the rest of France. You can also find soul, funk, jazz, Afro and Latino music.

Address: 31 Rue des Trois Rois, Marseille
Tel.: 09 77 76 05 07

Address: 178 Rue de Rome, Marseille
Tel.: 91 37 58 65

Le Mille-Pattes: In the Noailles district is where all hip hop lovers in Marseille gather at this cultural association with Franco-African roots set up in 1996. Its goal is to support and promote any artistic expression in Marseille.

Address: 62-64 Rue d’Aubagne, 13001 Marseille.
Tel.: 91 55 70 60

Radio Grenouille: the radio station that plays all the latest hip hop. It is very popular among the people of Marseille and many others in the rest of France, who listen online at http://www.radiogrenouille.com/. This cultural radio station plays non-commercial music with a commitment to bring music and culture closer to young people. It is based at the Friche Belle de Mai Gallery in the Belle de Mai district.

Address: 41 Rue Jobin – 13003
Tel.: 95 04 95 15

A place well worth discovering! Check out our flights here.

Genzano is a charming town built on one of Rome’s hills. Every year it hosts the Infiorata di Genzano, when its main street, the Via Italo Belardi, is carpeted by 2,000 square metres of enormous tapestries adorned with flowers. This artwork uses up nearly 500,000 petals, flowers and seeds meticulously placed to form intricate pictures inspired by religious themes. It is a collaborative venture involving many of Genzano’s inhabitants. Just as painters have their palette, for the Infiorata, different types of flowers are selected according to each colour – carnations are used for reds, broom for yellows.

For the three-day duration of the festival, the town’s shopkeepers set up their marquees from where they sell the region’s typical food products, such as olive oil or pane casereccio, a famous crunchy bread and one of the most emblematic of local gastronomic products. TheInfiorataremains on the streets until the so-called Spallamento, the moment when the music bands and the town’s children walk over the infiorata, until the whole carpet is trampled underfoot.

The Origin of the Flower Carpets

These colourful flower carpets are laid down in many other towns around the world. Notable examples are the Temps de Flors in Girona and the Alfombras de Sal in Lanzarote. Their origins go back to theCorpus Christicelebrations of the 13th century, when flowers were thrown during the Holy Week procession in Rome, a tradition that then spread to many other Catholic countries. Other towns in Italy also have their own infiorata, but the one in Genzano is the oldest and most famous, dating back to 1778.

The Historical Towns of Castelli Romani

Genzano is one of thirteen historical towns that make up the so-called Castelli Romani (Roman castles), which roughly correspond to the area of Colli Albani (Albanian hills) south-east of Rome. For centuries it has been a favourite spot for well-heeled Romans seeking a more temperate climate, to escape from the often suffocating heat of Rome and also to get away from the city bustle and dense traffic. The towns in the Castelli Romani Regional Park stand out for their medieval and Renaissance buildings and for their excellent wine, the so-called white Frascati. You can taste this wine, accompanied by olives, cheese andporchetta– a roast pork dish with herbs – at the local taverns or fraschette.

Genzano – A Charming Setting

Genzano, like other towns in the Castelli Romani, is set on the external slope of the Lake Nemicrater. Indeed, the volcanic origin of the soil is what endows the grapes used in the wine-making with their excellent quality. Its historic centre has a large number of historical and art vestiges for a town of its comparatively small size, including the Collegiata della Santissima Trinità (Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity), the Annunziata, the Church of the Cappuccini, and the Sforza Cesarini and Villa degli Antonini palaces. Lake Nemi’s claim to fame is that two of the largest and most luxurious vessels from antiquity were found in the crater – both had belonged to Caligula. For 2,000 years they rested at the bottom of the lake before eventually being salvaged in perfect condition, on account of the mud found caked around them. You will delight in the natural surroundings of the Genzano area, which is ideal for cycling. A bike tour will take you along scenic routes featuring lakes, craters and forests.

If you don’t want to miss this year’s Infiorata di Genzano, prepare your trip to this picturesque Italian town for 13, 14 and 15 June 2015. You will enjoy a spectacular event that draws thousands of visitors. Check out our flights here.

Text by Scanner FM

Images by Fabio | Claudio Vaccaro | supermiagolator | supermiagolator | Malega | Deblu68 | Valerio_D