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P. 36
5 days
in...
T he sophistication of the Roman Empire is resurrected through the
city’s countless ancient treasures; the pungent aroma of La Dolce
Vita flows through every serpentine alley of the Centro Storico;
this explains the only wish that really ever comes true when you throw
a coin into the Fontana di Trevi: that one day, you will return to Rome.
DAY ONE
As the bus drops me on Via Tomacelli, I am looking forward to wander-
ing though the center’s monuments and trattorias. Just one street away
stands my hotel, J.K. Place Roma, which won me over thanks to its fan-
tastic design and five-star services (jkroma.com). In my room, I open the
window and I feel the city’s seven hills calling; in particular, Palatine Hill
and its glorious mosaic of sites, such as the Circus Maximus ancient sta-
dium, crisscrossed by bustling streets filled with humming cars and ves-
pas. I head towards the Pantheon and then on to Piazza di Firenze for a
taste of fresh buffalo mozzarella delicacies at Obika (obika.com). As the
sun sets, I take my first stroll at Piazza Navona and admire the harmoni-
ous coexistence of old and new, before heading to Navona Notte restau-
rant for authentic pizza and calzone (44 Via del Teatro Pace).
DAY TWO
Classical Rome beckons; I visit the Flavian Amphitheatre, the renowned
Colosseum and the Roman Agora. I then go to the museum complex of
Piazza del Campidoglio (museicapitolini.org) and the hip Monti district,
home to bohemian boutiques and a great vintage market (mercatomon-
ti.com). A quick stop for coffee and dessert at the quaint La Casetta (Via
Madonna Dei Monti 62) and I head south to Testaccio and the organic
produce market on Piazza Orazio Giustiniani, where I indulge in divine
Italian cheeses. Located nearby, one of the two MACRO locations, the
Museum of Modern Art (museomacro.org) houses artworks by young
Italian artists. On my way back I buy truffles and pork loin from Volpet-
ti delicatessen (volpetti.com) before catching Bus 170 to Citta del Gusto
for a delightful dinner and a bottle of Chianti at Il Winebar (ilwinebar.it).
For my night cap, I decide to go to Ostience and Casa de Jazz (casajazz.it).
DAY THREE
I have booked my tickets for the Vatican Museums in advance, so I ad-
mire the imposing St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel avoiding the
queue. I pass the Castel Sant’Angelo overlooking the River Tiber on my
way to Piazza S. Cosimato and Gianicolo Hill, where I intend to admire
the picturesque views of Trastevere. On my way, I come across Pizzarium,
a small hangout bursting with people for crispy pizza to go (43 Via della
Meloria). I stay in Trastevere all afternoon, wandering through its cob-
bled streets and ivy-flanked courtyards. After a delicious dinner of sea-
food and gorgonzola semifreddo at Le Mani in Pasta (lemaniinpasta.com),
I head to Bar San Calisto for a glass of Peroni (3 Piazza di San Calisto).
D A Y FOUR
It is a “day of surprises”. The first is the replica of London’s famous Shake-
spearean theatre, The Globe. Nestled in the gardens of Villa Borghese,
visitors can enjoy in summer a performance of The Bard’s greatest plays EmanuElE Bastoni / www.turismoroma.it
al fresco (globetheatreroma.com). The second surprise is Casa del Cine-
ma located nearby, which hosts daily screenings of films from the Venice
Film Festival (casadelcinema.it), while the third is the midday buffet with
a variety of Italian flavours at Open Colonna restaurant (opencolonna.it).
The shopping treasures at Via Condotti and Via del Corso and the delicious
36
in...
T he sophistication of the Roman Empire is resurrected through the
city’s countless ancient treasures; the pungent aroma of La Dolce
Vita flows through every serpentine alley of the Centro Storico;
this explains the only wish that really ever comes true when you throw
a coin into the Fontana di Trevi: that one day, you will return to Rome.
DAY ONE
As the bus drops me on Via Tomacelli, I am looking forward to wander-
ing though the center’s monuments and trattorias. Just one street away
stands my hotel, J.K. Place Roma, which won me over thanks to its fan-
tastic design and five-star services (jkroma.com). In my room, I open the
window and I feel the city’s seven hills calling; in particular, Palatine Hill
and its glorious mosaic of sites, such as the Circus Maximus ancient sta-
dium, crisscrossed by bustling streets filled with humming cars and ves-
pas. I head towards the Pantheon and then on to Piazza di Firenze for a
taste of fresh buffalo mozzarella delicacies at Obika (obika.com). As the
sun sets, I take my first stroll at Piazza Navona and admire the harmoni-
ous coexistence of old and new, before heading to Navona Notte restau-
rant for authentic pizza and calzone (44 Via del Teatro Pace).
DAY TWO
Classical Rome beckons; I visit the Flavian Amphitheatre, the renowned
Colosseum and the Roman Agora. I then go to the museum complex of
Piazza del Campidoglio (museicapitolini.org) and the hip Monti district,
home to bohemian boutiques and a great vintage market (mercatomon-
ti.com). A quick stop for coffee and dessert at the quaint La Casetta (Via
Madonna Dei Monti 62) and I head south to Testaccio and the organic
produce market on Piazza Orazio Giustiniani, where I indulge in divine
Italian cheeses. Located nearby, one of the two MACRO locations, the
Museum of Modern Art (museomacro.org) houses artworks by young
Italian artists. On my way back I buy truffles and pork loin from Volpet-
ti delicatessen (volpetti.com) before catching Bus 170 to Citta del Gusto
for a delightful dinner and a bottle of Chianti at Il Winebar (ilwinebar.it).
For my night cap, I decide to go to Ostience and Casa de Jazz (casajazz.it).
DAY THREE
I have booked my tickets for the Vatican Museums in advance, so I ad-
mire the imposing St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel avoiding the
queue. I pass the Castel Sant’Angelo overlooking the River Tiber on my
way to Piazza S. Cosimato and Gianicolo Hill, where I intend to admire
the picturesque views of Trastevere. On my way, I come across Pizzarium,
a small hangout bursting with people for crispy pizza to go (43 Via della
Meloria). I stay in Trastevere all afternoon, wandering through its cob-
bled streets and ivy-flanked courtyards. After a delicious dinner of sea-
food and gorgonzola semifreddo at Le Mani in Pasta (lemaniinpasta.com),
I head to Bar San Calisto for a glass of Peroni (3 Piazza di San Calisto).
D A Y FOUR
It is a “day of surprises”. The first is the replica of London’s famous Shake-
spearean theatre, The Globe. Nestled in the gardens of Villa Borghese,
visitors can enjoy in summer a performance of The Bard’s greatest plays EmanuElE Bastoni / www.turismoroma.it
al fresco (globetheatreroma.com). The second surprise is Casa del Cine-
ma located nearby, which hosts daily screenings of films from the Venice
Film Festival (casadelcinema.it), while the third is the midday buffet with
a variety of Italian flavours at Open Colonna restaurant (opencolonna.it).
The shopping treasures at Via Condotti and Via del Corso and the delicious
36
