evasantini

Curiosity

Eva Santini’s guide: Discovering Rome beyond the Jubilee

by Ilaria Solazzo The 2025 Jubilee is drawing to a close, bringing with it the conclusion of an experience that has involved millions of people around the world. But it is not only a religious event: it is also an opportunity to rediscover Rome, intertwining spiritual pilgrimage with the curiosity of travel. For this reason, the author of the new guide wanted to create not just a simple list of places to visit, but a travel companion—one that invites readers to reflect and explore the Eternal City in an authentic and profound way. In the interview, she shares the motivations that led her to write this book, the challenges of research, and the logistical difficulties faced by pilgrims. With a style that blends spirituality and practicality, the guide offers a complete experience: faith, history, art, and daily life, showing how Rome continues to speak even beyond the Jubilee. “The Jubilee is a parenthesis, an opportunity to look within,” the author says. But Rome, with its millennia-old history, always remains an invitation to reflect and to be moved. From this insight, the book was born: to be pilgrims of hope, but also curious travelers, at any time of the year. The chosen itineraries are not limited to the traditional pilgrimage routes; they also lead to lesser-known and evocative corners, encouraging a more intimate experience of the city. In addition to spiritual stops, the author included practical advice on transportation, lodging, and accessible routes, making the guide usable for everyone and available in multiple formats—print and digital. A tool not only for the Jubilee, but also for anyone who wishes to discover Rome in all its dimensions. In the interview, the author discusses the meaning of the Holy Year, her choice of itineraries, and the spiritual dimension she wanted to convey. She also reveals the birth of a new project: a book dedicated to the memory of Pope Francis—not a continuation of the guide, but a tribute to his figure and teachings. Read the full interview to discover her unique approach to narrating Rome, the Jubilee, and the thread of hope that ties them together. What inspired you to write a guide about the Jubilee, and what significance does this event hold for you?I felt the need to offer a tool that was useful and practical, but also went beyond a simple tourist guide. The Jubilee is an extraordinary occasion, of course, but Rome never ceases to speak, even beyond such events. For me, the Jubilee is a parenthesis in which the city—and those who visit it—have the chance to look within. The guide was born from this insight: to be pilgrims of hope, but also curious travelers, at any time of the year. In your book, which aspects of the Jubilee do you consider most meaningful for pilgrims preparing to live this experience?Certainly the symbols—the Holy Door, the pilgrimage to the Basilicas, the experience of forgiveness—but also the dimension of encounter. The Jubilee places you alongside millions of people, but those same stages and places remain significant even when they are not crowded: St. Peter’s, St. Paul’s, St. Mary Major are not only Jubilee destinations, they are treasures of faith and art that always speak. Did you encounter any difficulties in gathering all the necessary information to create a complete and accurate guide?The greatest challenge was managing the sheer volume of information—official, historical, and practical sources. Rome is complex and constantly changing, especially during the Jubilee. I tried to create a guide that would be reliable for those participating in the Holy Year, but that would remain useful afterwards as well, as a travel companion for discovering the Eternal City. How did you choose the itineraries and stops to include in the book? Were they based on historical traditions, spiritual aspects, or other motivations?I sought a balance. Some itineraries follow the tradition of pilgrimage, such as the route of the Seven Churches; others are born from a more “civil” curiosity: neighborhoods, monuments, and hidden corners that deserve to be known beyond the Jubilee. In this sense, the guide is not just a manual for the Holy Year, but a permanent invitation to experience Rome from different perspectives. What are the main logistical challenges a pilgrim may face during the Jubilee, and how can your book help them overcome these?Crowds, waiting times, transportation: Rome is splendid but requires patience and organization. I wanted to give practical advice on transport, accommodation, and accessible routes. And these tips are just as valid in ordinary times: anyone visiting Rome must come to terms with its grandeur and complexities. The Jubilee is a deeply religious event. How did you balance the spiritual aspects with the practical information in your guide?I didn’t want to write either a purely devotional guide or a mere tourist manual. I sought a tone capable of uniting both dimensions: the reader can use it to prepare spiritually for the Jubilee, but also to visit Rome at any other time, finding history, art, and curiosities that speak to everyone, believers and non-believers alike. What do you hope readers will take away from your book? Are there messages or reflections you wish to convey beyond simple information?I hope the book will be an encouragement to set out on a journey—in the broadest sense possible. Not only toward Rome and its churches, but also toward oneself. And I hope it becomes clear that hope—the theme of the 2025 Jubilee—is a daily attitude, not tied only to an extraordinary event. If a reader uses this guide for the Jubilee or for a simple vacation in Rome and comes away with greater trust and curiosity, I will have achieved my goal. Do you plan to write more guides on religious or spiritual themes, or was the Jubilee a unique subject in your literary work?The Jubilee was a unique theme, unrepeatable in its scope and atmosphere. I am not thinking of a series of guides, but rather of projects that have meaning and are born from authentic

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