Celebrating One Year of the New Roman Times

Issue #53

The New Roman Times is a year old! My, how it’s grown. Since I launched this newsletter on the first Thursday of October 2022, the number of subscribers has nearly quadrupled. The New Roman Times is read in 43 U.S. states and 35 countries. As the creator, writer, and editor behind this newsletter, I’m humbled and grateful. 

I started the New Roman Times because I wanted to tell more of the stories I really care about without limitations like word counts. My aim was to devote more space to places that I think are worth writing about even if mainstream publications wouldn’t deem them worthy of a full-length feature. I wanted to tell the stories behind the articles I write for magazines like Travel + Leisure, AFAR, Hemispheres, Food & Wine, and Fodor’s, share my honest opinions and advice without holding back, and give voice to the many smart, talented, wonderful people I’ve gotten to know here. I think it’s important to address the fact that even the most authoritative ‘best of’ lists are never truly objective. There’s always a person (or sometimes several people) with their own biases—whether conscious or unconscious—behind them.

That’s why I write about places like the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, the Giardino dei Tarocchi in Tuscany, and the Royal Palace of Turin. That’s why when I wrote about Caserta, I revealed details that my editors cut out. That’s why I created a series of interviews with entrepreneurs and creatives in Italy, including some of my fellow writers, as well as the founders and CEOs of tour companies, hoteliers, and an artisan keeping an age-old weaving tradition alive. And that’s why I lean into the subjectivity of my curated lists, explaining why I prefer certain places over others that might be more famous.

Based on the numbers, I can see that those curated lists tend to be the most popular issues of the New Roman Times. And I’m honored that you, dear readers, value my opinion enough to want to know what I consider Rome’s most underrated museums, the best places to shop in the Eternal City, and what I deem Rome’s need-to-know neighborhoods, to name just the top three most viewed issues.

Over the course of the past year, I’ve had the chance to speak with some of you, whether in person, via email, on the phone, or in the comments. I know that many of you love Italy and visit frequently—or as frequently as you can—and want insider advice about what it’s like traveling here during the high season months of July and August, whether it’s really worth getting off the beaten path and going to places like Sardinia, Puglia, and Umbria, and how to make the most of your time in popular destinations like the Amalfi Coast, Capri, and Milan. 

Whether you’ve just subscribed or have been reading the New Roman Times since day one, you can always go back through the archives and read past issues. On the homepage, you’ll see that there are links to specific series like my curated lists, 72 hours series, interviews, recipes, and under-the-radar destinations.

As I plan the issues for the next year, I’m excited to continue to shine a spotlight on the people, places, and things that matter to Romans and anyone who loves Rome. You can look forward to a guide to 72 Hours in Florence, features about more under-the-radar destinations like the Dolomites and Emilia Romagna, interviews with some of Italy’s top hoteliers, and my subjective lists of the best pizzerias in Rome, the best beaches near Rome, and 24 destinations in Italy to inspire your 2024 travels. 

As a reminder, I love to receive reader-submitted questions about Italy. If you’re planning a trip, getting ready to relocate, or there’s something you’re just curious about, email newromantimes@substack.com and I might just devote a whole issue to answering your question.

To celebrate the one year anniversary of the New Roman Times, I’m turning on Referrals, a Substack feature that allows you to earn perks by encouraging friends and family to subscribe. Refer three people and you’ll get free access to all the paywalled issues for one month. Refer ten people and you’ll get three months of access comp’d. Refer 25 people and you’ll get six months comp’d. You can check your progress and get a unique link to share by visiting the Leaderboard at newromantimes.substack.com/leaderboard.

When you reach a new tier, you’ll receive an email telling you about your reward. If you’re already a paying subscriber, then the complimentary subscription will be automatically applied at the end of your current billing period.

Thank you for reading and sharing the New Roman Times!

Further Reading

• If you’re new around here, you might want to read my Letter from the Editor in issue #1, which is my mission statement for the New Roman Times.

• You can also learn more about me in the about page. 

• Outside of the New Roman Times, you can connect with me and see where I’m traveling on Instagram. My DMs are open!

• You can also see my full bio and portfolio here, though I don’t update it as often as I should!