Local Expert
Chiara
She flew off to the US in search of a degree in marine biology, but that was never to be. Instead, she left the Florida shores with a BA in Linguistics, and headed to Japan to teach English to sleepy…
She flew off to the US in search of a degree in marine biology, but that was never to be. Instead, she left the Florida shores with a BA in Linguistics, and headed to Japan to teach English to sleepy students. Two years later, she took the Trans-Siberian to Moscow and a plane to London where she'd find several jobs to pay for her rent. After a year of many rainy days and hot English breakfasts, she decided to go back to her hometown of Rome, Italy where her family and friends live. She loves dining out, dancing till 7am and flannel pajamas, and recently got married....
She has visited 144 cities and 27 countries, and will never stop counting.
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There are a bunch of places in Rome which now serve brunch, but I've recently discovered Fabrica, a multifunctional space just a few steps away from the Vatican and the Cipro metro stop.
A former factory, as the name says, Fabrica is a well-lit restaurant and art gallery with stunning high ceilings, excellent service and rotating art expositions.
Brunch is served on Sundays from noon to 3:30pm and has a fixed rate of 16 Euros, excluding drinks. Not a bad deal if you think you can refill your plate till your tummy hurts and then have more to delicious desserts!
Brunch offers 2-3 types of pasta, curiously hot at any time, frittatas, quiches, salads, cous-cous, bread, and the most amazing veggie melts I have ever had in Rome. The dessert section was filled with chocolate and banana cake, lemon and coconut pie, tiramisu, and crostatas.
Cappuccinos, freshly squeezed juice and bottled water will set you back a few more euros, but expect to pay 40 Euros for two people.
The restaurant also sells curious and luscious tea infusions, Italian jams and olive oil, as well as Japanese tea sets gently placed in chicken coops.
New in Rome and nowhere to go for New Years? The City of Rome has organized it's yearly free concert with Italian superstars Gianna Nannini and indie-rock group Baustelle at the feet of the stunning Colosseum, starting at 11pm.
Cinecittà will be hosting another free concert by Giuliano Palma and the BlueBeaters.
Again, the City of Rome will be hosting a classical concert at the Quirinale, while the Pincio Park (Piazza del Popolo) will be the place to be for breathtaking fireworks.
Wanna party till dawn? Take a bus, a car, the metro to the Nuova Fiera di Roma where Sven Vath, John Digweed, Miss Kittin, Ricardo Villalobos, Tiga, Ellen Allien, Paul Ritch and Tiefshwarz will be embracing the new year in AMORE.
As Christmas nears, lights and sounds in the city of Rome tell the world that we should be good, buy gifts for those we love and hate (they deserve gifts, too) and eat as much food as one possibly can in one Christmas dinner sitting. And whether you're religious or not, the Auditorium Parco della Musica is showcasing its yearly Gospel Festival with a full calendar of singing angels who always seem to attract thousands year after year. Don't miss the opening on December 20th with the Soweto Choir in the Sinopoli Hall and the Voices of Deliverance on Dec. 22nd. Don't know what to do on Christmas Day? Ernest Pugh and the Assembly will keep you reaching for the shining star till night comes....
GOSPEL FESTIVAL
AUDITORIUM PARCO DELLA MUSICA
Viale de Coubertin, 30
Tickets cost between 22 and 25 Euros
I'm sure that you, devoted reader, know how to book a hotel online, but let's be honest: you'll always find the same old stuff over and over again. If you've seen all the romantic comedies set in Italy that Hollywood has come out with, you know very well that you just won't find those charming bed & breakfasts, rustic countryside farmhouses and those cute family-run boutique hotels online.
Although I live in Italy, as you all know, I like exploring my country so I'm always looking for ways to really 'live' the city or town I'm visiting, and sometimes the best lodgings are a well-kept secret.
But fear not, those secrets are slowly but surely being revealed by a website I just found that not only has an awesome selection of hotels and farmhouses, but you'll eventually be able to book seriously stunning villas and apartments. The site's called Italian Collection and it seems to target people who know exactly what they want. Wanna go to Venice with your partner? Click on their Romantic Collection and find charming hotels where gondolas roam free and the wine glass is always full. Feel like hitting the beach with the kids? Explore the Family box filled with accommodations catered to families!
Your travel guide's advice: wake up, see how you feel, decide where you want to go in Italy and check out this website.
Oh dear, Christmas is here (yes, rhymes are allowed during the holidays!) and you’ve got absolutely no idea what to give to your girlfriend/mother/father/sister/friend/grandparents and worst of all, you’re in Rome. Fear not, my little travelling friend, your personal guide is here to send you back home with gifts that will awe and inspire and turn you into the best Santa ever!
The Prati neighbourhood, just behind the Vatican, is a quiet and residential area filled with hip and young designer shops such as 40 GRADI (on the corner of Via Virgilio and Via Boezio) where two brothers, normally found playing with the in-store Playstation will be more than happy to help you find rare handbags, limited edition sneakers and impossible-to-pronounce designer clothes by Maharishi, Jeans Kato, Ivana Helsinky, La Casita di Wendy, Dupe, Apollo, Tonite, and Phtalo. The store is small and messy, but trying on clothes while chatting and sipping coffee with the owners will turn into an experience that will be hard to forget.
Take a bus to the chic Parioli ‘hood and find BE COOL (Via P.P. Rubens 22/24 and Via Del Leone 10/11) where Simone and Vincenzo will entice you with their rare 1976 sneakers and piles of new and pseudo-used jeans. Sweaters and tshirts have all been hand selected by the owners who really know what’s hot and what’s not.
Go green this Xmas and find hand made yet durable accessories and clothes in the POWERSTOCK STORE (Vicolo del Governo Vecchio). Created by Carlo Brancati, founder of the Powerstock Festival, this small and temporary store is filled with clutches made out of chewing gum wrapping paper, delivery bags constructed with dozens of old seatbelts, and over the shoulder bags made of soda can tabs. House and techno music pervades this tiny store near Piazza Navona.
Where could you have lunch, shop designer clothes, get haircuts, buy art books, limited edition fragrances and home furnishings without having to schlep around an unknown city? Well, TAD concept store (Via Del Babuino 155/a) is the ideal place for you! Walk through the shimmery walls and into the colorful flower shop filled with rare plants and a stunning collection of candles. Past the sweet natural scents, you’ll find a clothes and shoes corner covered in unknown but stunning designer attire and bags. The perfume store is great for all the women in your family – oils, creams, incense and fragrances for all tastes. Need a haircut while on vacation? Walk right in and ask for an appointment. If there’s a waiting list, cut time by having tea and cookies in the artsy courtyard where the beautiful people of Rome hang out while listening to lounge music.
Running out of time? POLVERE DI TEMPO (Via del Moro, 56) in lovely Trastevere sells hand made hourglasses, sundials, globes, sextants, compasses and cool jewelry based on old timekeepers. Find old maps and prints for the travellers in your family and ancient gizmos to make any child happy. Architect and creator, Adrian Rodriguez will be delighted in helping you find the perfect gift.
Take home something to share with the whole family. Hop into VOLPETTI (Via Mormorata 47) in Testaccio and find all the Italian specialties you can immagine: wild-boar salami, black and white truffles, hundreds of different ham, all kinds of pasta and sauces to enrich any Christmas dinner. Open since 1973, Volpetti has become an insititution in Rome – don’t be turned off by the lines of people waiting to buy their signature baskets filled with prestigious cheeses, wines, hams, salami and chocolate. Everything is made in Italy.
Finding kosher food while travelling can be quite stressful, but Rome, with its very strong jewish roots, hosts an enviable amount of restaurants, fast food joints and pastry shops to delight any palate. Just behind Piazza Navona lies RUST (Via del Teatro Pace, 34), a lovely pizzeria and restaurant decorated with a stunning collection of artwork by a young local artist. The cuisine is mostly Italian with modern twists here and there and the wine list is extensive. Wines are located right in the dining hall, so it’ll be easy to choose. Open all day, Rust is ideal for a quick lunch, a yummy pizza, or a romantic candelit dinner. Lounge music will keep you company during your culinary journey, but you’ll be mostly satisfied when the bill arrives: affordable and good. If you’re in the Piazza Bologna area, then ORIENTAL FOOD (Via Livorno, 10) serves good food, and whether it be Italian or international fare, rest assured it’s kosher
RUST Via del Teatro Pace, 34
ORIENTAL FOOD Via Livorno, 10