Joy Village is an arcade type of place with games and bowling alley, that is located in "The…read moreVillage" complex by the cinema center, within the Parco de Medici - not far from the business complex and area hotels, Sheraton included. I just picked inside really, no time for anything more-:) I suppose people bring kids before the movies to play (there's a kids playground alike American Chuck e Cheese's), probably teenagers play games? Culturally I didn't really get this place, maybe I'm too old?

I was excited about this place going by their website and the basic premise of a video game museum…read morebut in reality it's four or five shoddy rooms with some games (not many) hooked up to some old TVs. They had some old arcade games but not in their original cabinets, you get to play Pac Man on a screen but with a playstation control pad.. They have all the old consoles in display cabinets and some rare games on display but you can't play them. Nothing here is anything a gamer of a certain age (I'm 38) hasn't owned or played before. The big attraction is the Oculus Rift but you literally get ONE shot and it last 5 minutes and you don't get to play what you want from a small selection, you get to choose one of three on any particular day. It really is a good exerience however if you haven't tried it before. When I did ask for second go I was told I couldn't, despite the place being empty. This was a bit mean and not in the spirit of sharing the love of video gaming. To summarise, for 8 Euro's, it's really not worth it. Luckily, I was staying in the neighbourhood so it didn't really waste my time as well as my money.

So much to do! We were there for hours, trying to kill time before our hotel was open, and this was…read moreperfect. There's vending machines, arcade games, small roller coasters, bumper carts, bounce house, trampoline, ball pit, park area. We took an uber, and were scared of the outside, but it was amazing! We don't speak Italian, but the employees were very patient with us trying to communicate. There was only about two other families there, making my introvert self feel so amazing. So cheap, so fun, and places to sit. Truly a hidden gem in Italy!

Rome wasn't built in a day, and there are reminders of it's remarkable history and architecture…read moreeverywhere you look. Upon arrival to Rome by train, this museum of the Baths of Diocletian sits opposite the Piazza dei Cinquecento* which is the square directly in front of Roma Termini.** The museum is one of the two largest dedicated Roman bath museums in the city, the other being the Terme di Caracalla, located past the Forum and Palantine Hill and on the southeast side of Circo Massimo. Having visited that one it's a bit more spread out with more expansive architectural ruins, though Terme di Diocleziano stands out in its own right, with a beautiful ancient cloister--Chiostro di Michelangelo. The design is credited to (surprise) the one and only Michelangelo, featuring a square inner courtyard 100 meters wide by 100 meters long, that can only be visited with museum access. Inside mosaics, pottery, statues, gravestones are viewable alongside the remains of the former baths. Some of the baths' original structure is now integrated into the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri (of Saint Mary of the Angels and Martyrs) so it's harder to see its full scale and former glory. There are placards in Italian and English, and some QR codes to scan for additional info. Museum tickets are a reasonable €15 which provides entry to three additional national museums in Rome (Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, and Crypta Balbi) over a seven day time period. The museum is never crowded so no need to buy tickets online unless you're just one of those people that likes to plan in advance, you can purchase on site by cash or card. Also included in the Roma Pass. *that's mainly a large bus station and parking lot. **suitably enough the train station was named after the baths "thermae".

We were looking for something to do near our hotel on our last night in Rome and this was nearby!…read more It was challenging to find the entrance and when we did it was still confusing since there is a museum integrated with the ruins and we didn't have time to see a museum....the staff member working there pointed us to the kiosks to buy tickets and there was an option for the archeological site only so we bought those. There were no signs saying where we were supposed to go and no one to ask...we walked around a bit and kind of figured things out, but almost missed the main hall as the sign was very small...hint...walk straight after scanning your tickets and then turn left right after the gift shop which looks like you're exiting, but there is a tiny sign that says "to halls" or something like that. The areas to the right include a nice courtyard and the museum. The ruins were interesting, but with the minimal signage, and no one around to answer questions, it was a little frustrating.

if you love italian cinema, this is a great place to hit…read more Many years ago I went to Cinecitta from the Colosseum by rail. I got off the train and before long I found a sidewalk with Anna Magnani's star on it. I zoomed off, but It took me a while to find the front gate as I ended up walking around the parameter of Cinecitta. When I got to the gate I asked if there was a tour, but no one understood what I meant. I was eventually helped by an English speaking employee, and she was able to translate what I meant when I asked if they had a tour, "like they have at Universal Studios." No such tour existed, and we all had a laugh when they were told what Universal Studios's tour was like. I am harpy to say that the tour now exists, and that it is amazing. It is thankfully not like Universal Studios, by the way. Be prepared to walk. And enjoy all of the sets from the great Italian cinema.

There are times when I love children and times when I dislike them. Coming to Cinecittà on a day…read morewhen the tour group was full of children brought me to the latter. Please, for the sake of goodness and truth, leave your frantic kids at the arcade or mall or with your local fruittivendolo if they are easily bored and prefer to jump around things and run around people. But I digress. A visit to Cinecittà is a MUST for anyone who loves film. I happen to be completely obsessed with film (more so than music, surprisingly), so I found Rome's premier movie studio thoroughly enchanting, passionate and even romantic. The sets for 'Gangs of New York,' a film I love from one of my favorite directors of all time, and the multi-million dollar recreation of Ancient Rome for HBO's 'Rome' were definite highlights of this trip. Then there's the famous balcony from 'Romeo and Juliet' that warmed our hears like few architectural structures could. The exhibition Cinecittà Si Mostra (Cinecittà Shows Off) was quite brilliant as well, though I wouldn't come here just for that. With music and lighting effects, lots of props and first-hand accounts from actors and directors, it's an exhibit full of movie history. The only downside (besides the children, if they should be there) is that the tour is only in Italian, making it difficult for foreigners to follow along, and you cannot visit the sets without participating in a guided tour. Even if you don't understand the language, you can still follow along ('Gangs of New York' in italiano e' anche 'Gangs of New York' - cosi' conveniente). I would recommend that everyone opt for the tour (show your Metro ticket for two euros off). It was film that inspired me to change careers, fall in love and live life to its fullest. This is where so much of it is made.