Savour International

Instructions

 

The pomp and grandeur of the Vatican, the arrogantly posing Imperial statues, the ornate, grand Baroque churches - Rome proudly displays its three thousand years of epic, turbulent history. But if that's not a humbling enough experience then tour the city's Jewish Ghetto, the musty catacombs, tranquil monastic cloisters and glorious parklands, where time seems to stand still amid the cacophony of street life outside.

 

History is multi-layered in Rome, where one can find a modern school occupying a Renaissance palace, built on the foundations of an Imperial bath complex whose mosaics and aqueduct conduits can still be seen; a Baroque church incorporating the structure of a medieval basilica built on the foundations of a Republican temple, and so on. All you need do to appreciate it is have an inquisitive mind, stout footwear, and a realization that one trip can never suffice.

 

But of course one needn't see a single ruin, monument or gallery to enjoy Rome. The food, nightlife, atmosphere and surrounding scenery alone offers a great vacation. It's a bustling city in which a great deal of life takes place outdoors; people mix, for instance, in the piazzas around parliament, where you might see politicians and journalists chatting with the man sweeping the streets, or pacing up and down outside a bar in Via Uffici del Vicario, avidly talking into their mobile phones. Romans' natural exuberance is always evident in the neighbourhood enoteca, at an impromptu street corner get-together, and of course at the dinner table.

 

In such a city, luxury has long been the order of the day for a discerning few, the owners of mansions and palaces. Nowadays, travelers who stay in the city's top hotels may also experience some of the world's most distinctive art and food, along with that graciousness of living that makes Italy special. Architects, decorators and gardeners have had centuries to create the city's unique bella figura, and hotels capitalize on that. In the streets of the historic centre, some of the world's most chic shops display their wares, outstanding restaurants serve up inspired dishes, bustling street markets are adorned with fresh flowers and foods; and all is done in a style that, despite legions of imitators marching all over the world, is at its best in its home country.

 

Away from the Classical sights, districts like Trastevere and Monti reveals a different side to Rome - of narrow, medieval cobbled streets, authentic Roman trattories, cafes and neighbourhood atmosphere, whilst a little further afield are popular excursions such as Ostia Antica and Tivoli, ideal for a day trip.

 

Whether it's history, or humanity, Rome is quite simply a feast for the eyes. Roma, non basta una vita - "Rome, a lifetime is not enough."

 

Attractions

Starting the day with a delicious cappuccino and pastry; exploring the vibrant market at Campo de' Fiori; discovering the Baroque art legacy of Bernini and Borromini; dining al fresco in an elegant rooftop restaurant; absorbing the incomparable setting and sounds of opera at the Baths of Caracella; taking the shade of the Borghese Gardens; savouring gelato on an evening stroll between Rome's elegant piazzas or over sunset from atop the Pincio or the Janiculum - just a few quintessential Roman experiences.

 

The romance of Rome seduced the Grand Tourists of the 19th century and Italy's capital continues to do the same today, with the sensual pleasures of countless beguiling attractions, heart-stirring art and architecture, delightful cuisine, classy boutiques and the exuberant character of its people blending in an irresistible combination.

 

Rome is one of Europe's treasures; a city so steeped in history its legacy is hard to avoid. The city resembles a vast open-air museum where the present persists on top of the past, as it has for more than two-and-a-half millennia. With so many monuments, museums and masterpieces to view, the decision on where to begin can be overwhelming. The Eternal City has more cultural attractions than the average visitor can hope to appreciate in one visit, with hundreds of galleries, churches, museums, palazzi, ruins, castles, and tombs. A little of Rome's faded grandeur may have been wiped away after the major renovations for the new Millenium, but the result is that Rome now looks better than it has for decades.

 

Touring classical Roman and Christian sites such as The Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill can be accomplished in a day as they are all concentrated in a relatively small area, but Rome is hardly a whistlestop tour destination as almost every palazzo, piazza and park has its own heritage, permeated with history, from Etruscan to Renaissance and more recently through cinema classics by film-makers such as Federico Fellini and Vittorio De Sica.

 

Other unmissable attractions include the Trevi Fountain (made famous by Anita Ekberg in a classic scene from 'La Dolce Vita') the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Piazza del Popolo, world-famous churches such as Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni in Laterano and Il Gesu and of course the Vatican City, boasting the awesome St. Peter's Basilica and vastly opulent Vatican Museums. (open daily, except Sundays). One of Rome's best collections of ceiling frescoes is housed at Palazzo Barberini on the Quirinale.

 

At night, Rome's monuments take on an even more imposing aspect, seductively lit for an incomparable backdrop when dining al fresco in the city's famous piazzas, walking its romantic streets or stopping atop one of the city's famous hills. For an equally memorable experience, take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the beautiful Villa Borghese Gardens, offering wonderful panoramas of the city.

 

There is also much to see below ground: Rome's collection of subterranean churches, burial grounds and grottos are renowned, the most famous being the Coliseum where archaeologists are still digging up gladiator and animal bones secreted below. Take a look beneath the Vatican City, Nero's Domus Aurea and the Basilica of San Clemente.

 

Appealing excursions from Rome include the baths and temples at Ostia - the ancient port of Rome - the ancient medieval town of Tivoli and the Roman castles (Castelli Romani) hilltowns south of the city.

 

Colosseo (Colosseum) Piazza del Colosseo, 00184 Rome Tel: +39 06 3996 7700   Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain) Piazza di Trevi, 00187 Rome   Scalla di Spagna (Spanish Steps) Piazza di Spagna and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, 00187 Rome   Basilica di San Pietro (St Peter's Basilica) Piazza San Pietro, 00193 Rome   Città del Vaticano (Vatican City) Vatican Hill, 00120 Rome   Cappella Sistina (Sistine Chapel) Viale Vaticano, 00165 Rome Tel: +39 06 6988 4947   Musei Vaticani (Vatican Museums) Viale Vaticano, 00165 Rome Tel: +39 06 6988 4947   Piazza Navona Junction of Via della Cuccagna and Corsa Agonale Via di Sant'Agnese, 00186 Rome   Foro Romano (Roman Forum) Between the Capitol, the Imperial Forums, the Colosseum and the Palatine, Rome Tel: +39 06 699 0110   Keats-Shelley Memorial House Piazza di Spagna, 26, Rome Tel: +39 06 6784235

Panteone (Pantheon) Piazza della Rotunda, 00186 Rome Tel: +39 06 6830 0230   Castel Sant'Angelo (Saint Angelo's Castle) Lungotevere Castello 50, 00193 Rome Tel: +39 06 687 5036   Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano, 00152 Rome Tel: +39 06 6988 6452   Santa Maria Maggiore Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore, 00185 Rome Tel: +39 06 446 5836   Museo e Galleria Borghese (Borghese Museum) Piazza Scipione Borghese 5, off Via Pinciana, Rome Tel: +39 06 854 8577   Terme di Caracalla (Baths of Caracalla) Via delle Terme di Caracalla 52, Rome Tel: +39 06 575 8626   Palazzo Barberini  (National Gallery of Classic Art) Via Barberini 18, Rome Tel: +39 06 328 101

Entertainment

 

Rome glitters with classic attractions. But Rome has to much more to offer than ancient remains. Archeological treasures such as the Forum and Baths of Caracalla do serve as incomparable settings for evenings of music, theatre, opera or dance - and the art transforms them.

 

Major arts festivals and events include: the summer-long Estate Romana arts festival, which fills parks and piazzas, churches and stadiums; the Academia di Santa Cecilia classical music festival at the Auditorium Parco della Musica (summer); and the month-long RomaEuropa performing arts festival from the end of September.

 

With over 80 theatres, as well as classical sites, drama plays a big role in the artistic life of this cosmopolitan city. Epic productions, comedies, musicals, classical plays and contemporary productions all show off their paces. Teatro Vascello is a fringe name to look out for.

 

English-language productions show at Teatro Olimpico, L'Arciliuto Teatro and the Forum, with international theatre at the Colosseo Ridotto and Teatro Agora. The Giardino degli Aranci (Garden of the Orange Trees) at Aventino is a glorious parkland setting for cultural events.

 

Opera is an Italian speciality. The Teatro dell'Opera hosts a winter season of performances, after which events switch to historic outdoor venues: stylish churches, archeological sites and elegant piazzas. All year-round music, ballet and dance productions are staged at the Auditorio Pio and the Teatro Olimpico.

 

Live classical music can also be enjoyed in many of Rome's churches, whilst jazz has a loyal following in the city - two of the leading venues are Alexanderplatz and Big Mama, but there are fewer renowned rock music venues.

 

Fellini made his name as a film director in Rome and the city has a distinguished list of film credits to its name - La Dolce Vita and Roman Holiday perhaps the best known movies featuring the city. The Quirinetta' in Via Minghetti shows two performances of 'original version' (usually English) movies every weekday and Saturdays.

 

Romans can be at their expressive best in the traditional neighbourhood enoteche, or wine bar, where they take time to catch up with friends over a coffee, liquor or glass of wine. Birreries, or pubs, have become popular in the past decade, plenty with an Anglo-Irish theme, as have cocktail bars. The cluster of cafés and wine bars between Piazza Navona, Campo de' Fiori and Via della Pace, and around the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trastevere and Testaccio areas, is where much of the nightlife happens. Enjoy superb cocktails at the Traste bar in Travestere; other bar picks include the stylishly postmodern Anima on Via Santa Maria dell'Anima, and Jonothan's Angels at Via della Fossa for live piano music, whilst the famous Antico Caffè della Pace has always drawn intellectuals, artists and celebrities.

 

Of course Rome is at its most romantic at night, when the seductively lit fountains and monuments make the sparkling piazzas wonderful to walk around, as the locals do at their leisure. One can also get a different take on Rome's leading attractions under a guided night tour, when the Colosseum, the Capitoline Hill, the Pantheon and Forum are shrouded in even more mystique.

 

Rome offers various exciting sports to watch or play. Fanatical soccer fans ('tifosi') flock to the city's Stadio Olimpico to support Rome's two Serie A sides, AS Roma and SS Lazio, on alternate Sundays. For something altogether more involved, join Rome's Gladiator School on the Appian Way, donning replica armour and weapons to learn original warrior combat techniques. You can try one-day taster courses or undergo intensive training programs lasting several months.

Teatro Olimpico Piazza Gentile da Fabriano 17, Rome Tel: +39 06 3234890   L'Arciliuto Teatro Piazza Montevecchio 5, Rome Tel: +39 06 6879419   Armani Via Condotti 77, Rome Tel: +39 06 6991460   Foro Romano (Roman Forum) Entrances on Via dei Fori Imperiali and Piazza del Colosseo, Rome Tel: +39 06 699 0110   Colosseo Ridotto Via Capo d'Africa 5a, Rome Tel: +39 06 7004932   Teatro Agora Via della Penitenza 33, Rome Tel: +39 06 687 41 67   Auditorium Parco della Musica Via de Coubertin 15, Rome Tel: +39 06 80242501   Teatro dell'Opera Piazza Beniamino Gigli 1, Rome Tel: +39 06 481601   Teatro Vascello Via Giacinto Carini 72, Rome Tel: +39 06 5881021   Versace Via Borgognona 24-25, Rome Tel: +39 06 6795037   Terme di Caracalla (Baths of Caracalla) Via delle Terme di Caracalla 52, Rome Tel: +39 06 575 8626

Auditorio Pio Via della Conciliazione, 4, Rome Tel: +39 06 6880 1044   Alexanderplatz Via Ostia 9, Rome Tel: +39 06 39742171   Big Mama Vicolo San Francesco a Ripa, 18, Rome Tel: +39 06 581 2551   Quirinetta Cinema Via M Minghetti 4 nr Via del Corso, Rome Tel: +39 06 6790012   Antico Caffè della Pace Via della Pace, 4-5-7, Rome Tel: +39 06 6861216   Traste Bar Via della Lungaretta 76, Trastevere, Rome Tel: +39 06 5894430   Anima Bar Via Santa Maria dell'Anima 57, Rome Tel: +39 06 686 4021   Jonothan's Angels Via della Fossa, 16 Piazza Navona, Rome Tel: +39 6689 3426   Stadio Olimpico Via Foro Italico, Rome Tel: +39 06 501911   Scuola Gladiatori di Roma 18 Appia Antica Street, Rome Tel: +39 06 5160 7951

 

Restaurants

 

The real treat of eating in Rome is to dine al fresco. Finding a special trattoria, ristorante or osteria in one of Rome's elegant squares or rooftop venues and enjoying a leisurely meal is an experience to be cherished. In Rome, as across Italy, it pays not to judge a restaurant on its appearance: the finest restaurants are often humble establishments tucked away in a side street and adorned with plastic tablecloths!

 

Restaurants around Campo de'Fiori and Piazza Navona are delightful places to dine, with musicians on hand to entertain, whilst the Trastevere neighbourhood and the old Jewish quarter have some of the better trattorias and ristorantes in the city.

 

If you fancy dining with a view over the city, well-regarded rooftop restaurants include La Pergola, Mirabelle, and Hotel Eden's La Terrazza. Piazza restaurants of note include Montevecchio near Piazza Navona and Vecchia Roma; other prestigious venues include El Toula, Romolo, Il Convivio and Fantasie di Trastevere.

 

Roman cuisine tends not to be widely innovative and instead focuses on delivering top quality regional produce, cooked simply for maximum flavour. Despite this, international cuisine is making inroads on the culinary scene. Speciality dishes in the Lazio region include veal (saltimbocca alla Romana with ham, or flavoured with marsala and sage); milk-fed lamb (abbacchio) - served as cutlets (scottadito) or rustic style (cacciatora), sauteed with wine, herbs, or garlic and rosemary - and offal, particularly tripe and oxtail.

 

The best days to order fish is on Tuesdays and Fridays, when the fresh fish hits the markets. Sea bass (spigola), fried cod (baccalà), bream (orata) and turbot (rombo) are popular choices. Artichokes (carciofi) are scattered all over menus through the winter, before spring heralds the vignarola - a tasty blend of peas, fava beans, and artichokes served with cured pork cheek. Fried sweetbreads are also a Roman speciality.

 

Pasta and gnocchi in all their many forms - especially fettucine and cannelloni - are served in restaurants across the city, the former accompanied by rich sauces of bacon, tomato, pecorino cheese (all'amatriciana) or hot red pepper & tomato (all'arrabbiata). The thin-crust pizza is preferred in Rome, and often only available for dinner. Buffets are also increasingly popular.

 

The standard of fixed-price 'tourist' menus does vary but generally delivers good value: bread and olive oil with soup or pasta is often followed a simple meat or fish dish with vegetables (contorni) for secondi; and cheese or fresh fruit to finish; accompanied by a carafe of locally produced Frascati white or red wine from Tuscany. Dinner is often followed by a digestivo (liqueur).

 

Quick and tasty bar snacks include frittata omelette, toasted panini and pizza by the slice. Other treats to savour include tiramisu, incomparably creamy gelato or refreshing granita sorbets, and of course, delicious coffee. Normal restaurant opening hours are 12.30 to 3pm, and 7.30-11pm for dinner.

La Pergola Hilton Cavalieri Hotel Via Alberto Cadlolo 101, Rome Tel: +39 06 35091   Mirabelle Via di Porta Pinciana 14, Rome Tel: +39 06 421689   Montevecchio Piazza Montevecchio 22A, Rome Tel: +39 06 6861319   Vecchia Roma Via della Tribuna di Campitelli 18, Rome Tel: +39 06 6864604   El Toula Via della Lupa 29b, Rome Tel: +39 06 687 3498   Romolo Via de Porta Settimiana 8, Travestere Tel: +39 06 5818284   Il Convivio Vicolo dei Soldati 31, Rome Tel: +39 06 6869432   Fantasie di Trastevere Via S. Dorotea, Travestere, Rome Tel: +39 06 5881671   La Piazzetta De La Ville InterContinental De La VilleRoma, Via Sistina 67 / 69, Rome Tel: +39 06 67331   Restaurant Doney The Westin Excelsior Rome, Via Vittorio Veneto 125, Rome Tel: +39 06 47081

La Terrazza dell'Eden Hotel Eden, Via Ludovisi 49, Rome Tel: +39 06 478 121   La Rosetta Via della Rosetta 8, Rome Tel: +39 06 686 1002   Antico Arco Piazzale Aurelio 7, Rome Tel: +39 06 581 5274   Checchino dal 1887 Via di Monte Testaccio 30, Rome Tel: +39 06 574 6318   Sapori del Lord Byron Hotel Lord Byron, Via Giuseppe de Notaris 5, Rome Tel: +39 06 322 0404   Al Grappolo d'Oro Via Palestro 4 / 10, Rome Tel: +39 06 494 1441   Ristorante dal Toscano Via Germanico 58 / 60, Rome Tel: +39 06 3972 5717   Myosotis Vicolo della Vaccarella 3 / 5, Rome Tel: +39 06 686 5554   Dal Bolognese Piazza del Popolo 1, Rome Tel: +39 06 361 1473

Shopping

 

It is testimony to the quality of shopping on offer in cities like Milan and Venice that Rome is not generally rated as highly, but as well as bringing together some of the most prized goods from around the country - like Murano glass from Venice - Rome boasts various retail specialties.

 

Silk goods, knitwear, gentleman's suits and all varieties of leather goods also sit in Rome's 'best buy' bracket, and shoes, bags and accessories are of consistently high quality. Roman artisans still value traditional methods and materials, so shopping for a marble bust, stone table or onyx column has the assurance of painstaking labour and skill.

 

Italy is famous for its ceramics, and all the major ceramic factories sell their tableware, pottery and tiles in Rome. Shopping for the home is unparalleled with an abundance of luxury textile, antique furniture and glassware shops, and a noticeable lack of department stores.

 

You can find classic, antique jewellry or Roman or Etruscan reproductions as well as modern styles, whilst Rome is also notable for its delicate stationery products such as hand decorated, marbled paper and an abundance of religious souvenirs, though most tend to the kitsch end of the spectrum.

 

Where to shop? Prestige labels like Bulgari, Chanel, Armani, Dolce e Gabbana and Prada abound in the fashionable boutiques lining Via dei Condotti, Via Borgognona, Via Frattina and Via Sistina. Via Condotti's Ferragamo Donna is the last word in women's high-fashion shoes, handbags, and scarves, whilst Campanile has shoes of every style.

 

Via del Corso is also a major draw, with a mile's worth of fine clothes shops, leather goods and homeware. Via del Governo Vecchio, in the Centro Storico, also has a choice selection of fashion boutiques.

 

Ferragamo Donna has the ultimate in stylish shoes, handbags and scarves for women; Federico Polidori near the Pantheon crafts beautiful leather bags; whilst gents after traditional hats and gloves should try Radiconcini.

 

Antique and art aficionados head for Via Margutta, Via del Babuino, Via del Pellegrino and Via dei Coronari, near Piazza Navona; quality antique jewelry can be found Via dei Pettinari; crystal, lamps and designer furniture on Via del Babuino, whilst gift shops and jewelers abound around Trevi Fountain.

 

Many an art or antique gem has been unearthed at the 4,000-stall Porta Portese flea market in Trastevere, held every Sunday morning. Rome's great food markets include Campo de' Fiori, Trionfale Market near the Vatican museums, Piazza Vittorio and Via Bocca Leone near the Spanish Steps.

 

Bulgari Via Condotti 10, Rome Tel: +39 06 6793876   Chanel Via del Babuino 98/100, Rome Tel: +39 06 6920701   Armani Via Condotti 77, Rome Tel: +39 06 6991460   Dolce e Gabbana Via Borgognona, 7/d, Rome Tel: +39 06 6782990   Prada Via Condotti, 92/95 Tel: +39 06 6790897   Ferragamo Donna Via Condotti 73, Rome Tel: +39 06 6791565

Campanile Via Condotti 58, Rome Tel: +39 06 6790731   Radiconcini Via del Corso 139, Rome Tel: +39 06 6791807   Federico Polidori Via Pie di Marmo 7, Rome Tel: +39 06 6797191   Versace Via Borgognona 24-25, Rome Tel: +39 06 6795037   Porta Portese Market Viale Travestere, Rome   Trionfale Food Market Via Andrea Doria, Rome

Hotels

 

Hotel Lord Byron

City	Rome
Street	Via Giuseppe De Notaris 5
ZIP	00197
Phone	+39-06 322-0404

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Hotel Eden

City	Rome
Street	Via Ludovisi 49
ZIP	00187
Phone	+39 06 478 121

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Hotel Aldrovandi Palace

City	Rome
Street	Via Ulisse Aldrovandi, 15
ZIP	00197
Phone	+39-06 322-3993

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Hotel Majestic

City	Rome
Street	Via Vittorio Veneto, 50
ZIP	00187
Phone	+39-06 421-441

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Hotel Hassler Roma

City	Rome
Street	Piazza Trinita dei Monti, 6
ZIP	00187
Phone	+39 (0)669/9340

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