A guide by upstalsboom
Nothing rivals a swoop through Rome on a warm night on a motorino (scooter). Cyclo's Car & bike rental, Piazza Cavour 80, will hire you a 50cc at €30 a day. But a warning: the Romans themselves die like flies on motorini, so before you set off you need to be experienced, confident – and courageous.
Etruscan museum. If you're tired of Roman ruins covered in scenes of warriors and gods, meet the older and more laid-back inhabitants of Central Italy. Particularly good for couples, it's often quiet and is a lovely building to boot.
Piazza di Villa Giulia 9 Tel 06-3201951
You always have to queue so get there one hour early and walk through all the rooms directly to the Sistine Chapel, ignore the rest or do another time; then you arrive ahead of the crowds able to glory in it without the noise and hub-bub. Many people take mirrors to look down into to save their necks.
mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html
Virtual Tour
mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/CSN/CSN_Main.html
Transport
mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/z-Info/MV_Info_Trasporti_02.html
Truly fantastic pizza restaurant. The pizzas are huge and delicious and the local wine comes served in pitchers-that's it-that's all they do! The feel is rustic and expect to be in and out in 20 minutes but it is superb value for money and a real Roman experience.
Piazza San Callisto in Trastevere. Next door Piazza to Santa Maria in Trastevere.
Perfect neighbourhood trattoria in Trastevere. Abruzzi specialities, fresh grilled fish on Fridays, great bread and olives, enthusiastic service. Approx. €30 each for 3 courses incl.wine.
Via di S. Francesco A Ripa , NW of Piazza S.Francesco d'Assisi
I lived in Rome for two years and this was my favourite restaurant. It's off the beaten track and it's rare to see tourists there. The pasta al felice (ricotta, tomatoes, mint and chilli) and cacio e pepe (cheese and ground pepper) are delicious. It's not expensive and worth a visit for real Roman cuisine.
Via Mastro Giorgio 29; tel: 06 57 46 800
Violent robbery is almost unheard of in Rome. Feel safe. Be confident. But most of all be aware.
The best ice cream in the world, and I'll stick a 99 flake in anyone who claims otherwise.
Pink grapefruit ice cream (not sorbet) is my personal favourite. Open until the small hours too.
Three branches, but the most central one is right around the corner from the Trevi Fountain.
City Centre - Fontana di Trevi
Via della Panetteria 42
Opening hours: 12pm-12.30am Mon, Wed, Thu, Sun
12pm-1.30am Fri, Sat
www.ilgelatodisancrispino.com
Closed Tuesday
Tre Scalini is a cracking restaurant in Piazza Navona. Famous for one thing really - its scandalously delicious Tartufo Nero. Chocolate desert to die for, I went there on a pilgrimage having sampled the Tartufo at the River Cafe - the real thing takes some beating though, and the rest of the food is light and superbly priced too. Highly recommended for foodies.
Piazza Navona
The Tartufo Gelato (chocolate truffle): made from 70% cocoa chocolate, darkened with cocoa powder; I imagine this is what eating darkness would feel like.
Piazza Nuvona
I'm a student who lived in Rome last year - went and ate everywhere - and Rome is great for getting a quick slice of pizza, but the best by far is Lo Zozzone (or The Dirty One). For €3 you can have a huge slice of fresh white pizza, with whatever you want in it. Great quality and great price - I miss it so much.
Lo Zozzone, 32 Via del Teatro Pace,
(4 min walk form Piazza Navona)
Tel 06 68 80 85 75
It's a classic Roman pizzeria in the Bohemian surroundings of Trastevere.
The place is very colourful and cosy with a small terrace outside.
It's tucked away from the main drag but is perfect to soak up the special atmosphere of Trastevere.
And yes, the pizza is excellent too. By far the best pizza I've tried in Rome on several visits and the price is very reasonable.
Piazza di S.Calisto, 9/a - 00153 Roma
A small, family run taverna, close to Piazza Navona.The owner, Paulo brings produce from his hometown in the Sabine Hills. The roast chicken, with potatoes roasted in oil and rosemary is real comfort food. Bread, tomatoes and fresh basil to start, helped on it's way by half-decent house wine. My wife, daughter(ice cream scored well) and I had a truly great evening, and left with change out of £30.The Taverna is closed Tuesday, but signs direct you to a sister taverna, a few steps away (slightly larger,but almost as good).
Via Monte Giordano 12Tel: 06 68 80 10 53
It's an odd building for a museum, and there's - mainly - only one route round. Play this to your advantage. Stop where you can and wait for it to get less crowded (at the Sistine Chapel, obviously, but elsewhere too). And if a gallery isn’t open, nil desperandum! - it might not be closed all day (I managed to do three circuits in a day, during which the Bracchio Nuovo, with its Augustus etc, was closed, open, closed respectively!).
Family run restaurant/trattoria very close to the Colosseum, excellent value and friendly staff. This is a much better choice than the restaurants that actually overlook the Colosseum and much more 'local'. Wide menu selection as well as the usual pizzas (which are very good). They also have a massive collection of games which you are welcome to play with during or after your meal - we were there for about 4 hours on a Sunday afternoon...
La Pace del Cervello
Via dei SS Quattro, 63.
Tel: 06 7005173
At the 'back' of the Colosseum, ie opposite to where you go in. There are few parallel streets running away from the Colosseum, this is the 2nd from the left and about 100m down on the left - just after the Spar!
OK, so it's Sicilian and we're talking Rome, but Capricci Siciliani delivers the best baby squid in the known universe. Fantastic seafood, excellent wine list, including many native Sicilian grape varieties, reasonably priced, and a warm and inviting staff. Over an 8-day visit, we actually had dinner here twice, and our 14-month-old enjoyed both the delicious bread and unending attention. Two truly memorable meals.
Via di Panico, 83 (near Piazza Navona;
tel: 06 4543 3823;
www.tavernadelduca.com
Rome’s rice croquette. Originally conceived as a way to use up leftovers, it consists of a mixture of rice, mozzarella and tomato paste in a crust of deep-fried breadcrumbs. More often found in bars and snack bars than in restaurants. Hard to stop at just one.
Once named by an Italian foody mag as the best value trattoria in Rome’s “centro storico” (historic centre), Matricianella serves good Roman cuisine at reasonable prices. It is always crowded, so best to book. In summer, there is a small covered terrace outside. A three-course meal with wine should work out around €45 per person.
Via del Leone, 4; Tel: 06 6832 100 (Closed Sun)
Your first sight of St Peter’s from the end of the Via della Conciliazione will take your breath away.
Arguably the best pizzeria in the city and always buzzing with more Romans than tourists. Pizzas are huge, light and fluffier than many in Rome. You usually need to leave your name with Marco and then wait for a table. It's always worth the wait.
Vicolo del Bologna in Trastevere
The ticket is combined with entry for the Palatine, so buy the ticket from the Palatine ticket offices.
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