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Rome, March 2018

RomeFromHome

10+ Posts
The tragedy of a dropped laptop in Security at Gatwick meant I couldn't report in 'real time' on our latest trip to Rome so here is the story of our 14th visit to the Eternal City.

Thursday 8th March
The EasyJet flight from Gatwick to Fiumicino went smoothly and we landed half an hour ahead of schedule. For the frst time ever we had travelled hand luggage only so sailed through the airport and headed to the train station. We anticipated problems as we had landed on a national strike day but to our delight the F1 train was running. Pretty soon we were at Stazione Ostiense from where we walked to San Paolo to pick up our weekly travel passes. Some buses appeared to be running too but not wishing to push our luck we decided to walk to Testaccio.

First stop was Linari where we had our first espresso fix. The weather was lovely so we were able to sit outside on the sidewalk. Next port of call was Mercato Testaccio where we stocked up on the essential vino sfuso!

A theme that we had chosen for this trip was 'pizza pilgrimage' as inspired by an article that Katie Parla had written for Eater magazine. Katie visited the top pizza venues in the city in one day - we had the luxury of eight. Our first stop on this pilgrimage was Trapizzino for lunch. We sampled the chicken cacciatora, unusually in a white sauce rather than red, and pumpkin, almond and pecorino cheese fillings.

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We rang the apartment owner and arranged to meet. After showing us all the essentials we settled in and decided to revise our plans for late afternoon/evening as the apartment owner had cofirmed that the city was gridlocked with a big demonstation and the aftermath of the transport strike.

Instead of visiting Galleria Doria Pamhilj ( which had reduced entry fees on the occasion of Festa della Donna) we revisited the Protestant Cemetery and sought out some of the memorials that we had missed on previous visits.

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For many of our trips our routine for the first evening was to take a bottle of fizz and enjoy it on the Spanish Steps whilst watching the sun go down. Since the restoration of the steps the 'no eating or drinking' rule is strictly enforced so for our past few visits we have taken ourselves to the Orange Garden on the Aventine Hill. However when we reached there this time the gates were firmly padlocked, in fact it had been closed since the snowfall earlier in the month. Instead we decamped to the little park next door which has an equally good view.

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Our first dinner was at Piatto Romano, an old favourite and, it being Thursday , of course we had to have gnocchi, We couldn't pass on the fried artichokes either.

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We ended with a shared Mont Blanc.....

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.....which we 'walked off' with our short stroll across the piazza to our home in Rome.

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Friday 9th March
We started our day with a walk through the Jewish Ghetto to the Turtle Fountain

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Breakfast this morning was at Cafe Roscioli where we enjoyed maritozza with our espresso (only in Rome!)

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One of the reasons for coming to Rome at this time of year was to visit the Monastery delle Oblate di Santa Francesca Romana which is only open on 9th March each year. The monastery contains stunning frescoes by Antoniazzo Romano which depict scenes from the life of the saint.....

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..... as well as a vision of hell

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After walking up to the Campidoglio and admiring the view of the Forum we made our way down Via dei Fori Imperiale to the church of SS Cosmo and Damiano
This church has a gorgeous courtyard which leads to a room housing an 18th century Neopolitan nativity scene.

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The church itself contains one of the earliest mosaics in Rome which has been used as a model for many others.

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A glass wall at the back of the church allows a glimpse in to the Temple of Romulus, the great bronze doors of which can be seen in the Forum. The temple acted as the vestibule of the church.
The walk up to our next church, Santa Francesco Romano, afforded us a great view of the Basilica of Maxentius. The church itself contains yet more stunning mosaics

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Lunch beckoned so we made our way back to Testaccio and to La Torricella where we enjoyed cacio e peppe prepared at the table

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Our early evening passeggiata started from Piazza del Quirinale and took in the restored Quattro Fontane

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Our destination for drinks was the Barrel Bar attached to The Rome Hello, a newly opened hostel.
The bar had a great atmosphere with a live singer but the main objective of the visit was to view the street art that decorates both the bar & the hostel

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Dinner was at Giulietta in Testaccio where we met up with Jeanne, a fellow Instagrammer. The restaurant has two pizza ovens, one for Roman style crust and the other for Neopolitan. It also has huge screens where you can watch the pizza chefs at work. Whilst we couldn't find fault with the food or service we weren't 'wowed' by the place and wouldn't rush back.

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Saturday 10th March
We were taking the 'Pizza Pilgrimage' very seriously so breakfast today was pizzette from Artenio in the Mercato before catching the bus to Area Sacra

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We then wandered through to the Pantheon where we spent time in one of our favourite spots in the city.

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On our way out we noticed a door on the left hand side of the porch. Apparently this was the entrance for "Congregation of the virtuous ones of the Pantheon" Further investigation revealed that this was an institution with religious and artistic aims which counted Raphael, Caravaggio, Bernini, Velasquez, Valadier and Canova amongst its members.

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Normally we wouldn't eat or drink on any of the main piazzas but Vivi Bistrot, tucked away in a corner of Piazza Navona, is the exception to our rule. Bagging a window seat is always a bonus. Coffee with a view.

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Our walk to brunch took us over the bridge where we admired Bernini's angels then past Castel Sant'Angelo

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Normally La Veranda would be out of our price range but their Saturday and Sunday brunches are an affordable way to enjoy the glorious frescoed dining room that made an appearance in the film 'The Great Beauty'

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Our plan for aperitivo hour this evening was to meet Jeanne in the rooftop bar of the recently opened Rinascente Deparment Store, hopefully for a sunset view Even though a distinct lack of buses meant we had to hotfoot double quick to the top floor we just made it in the nick of time.

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I have to be honest and say it wasn't the most relaxing of aperitivo spots with people milling around just for the view but definitely worth it for that view alone
The store itself is very similar to Harvey Nichols in London & Edinburgh and it does have an excellent food hall as well as an aqueduct in the basement - yes really!

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We said our goodbyes to Jeanne and made our way back to Testaccio where we picked up take out pizza from Nuovo Mondo to enjoy in the apartment.

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Sunday 11th March
A rainy morning but undeterred we set out to walk along the river under the silver branches of the trees and on to Isola Tiberina where we were fortified by coffee at Tiberino

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Next port of call was the Ghetto where we purchased slices of 'Jewish pizza' at Boccione. I can't believe we had never tried this before - it was absolutely delicious

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The church of San Ivo has very limited opening hours, just 3 hours a week between 9.00 - 12.00 on a Sunday. It is well worth seeking out this gem designed by Borromini.

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By now it had stopped raining and we had brilliant blue skies which meant we could enjoy our lunch outside at the San Teodoro Farmers Market. This venue was closed for a while but has come back bigger & better. A new innovation are the food trucks in the courtyard from where our lunch was purchased.

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Sadly the rain returned during late afternoon so we decided to review our plans and have aperitivo at Suburra 1930 which was easy to reach on the metro. The decor was really lovely and the barman took great care in preparing our negronis

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We hopped back on the metro to Termini and walked to Mercato Centrale. We love the concept here of picking up food at the various stalls and eating on shared tables. It was extremely busy but this made for a great atmosphere in which to enjoy our suppli and Bonci pizza.

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Not wishing for the evening to end we took the metro for a nightime view of the Colosseum.

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Monday 12th March

We awoke to heavy rain and thunder so waited a little while before making our way to Cafe Barberini for coffee and cornetti. Decided to switch our itinerary around and visit Eataly this morning. The bus took us to Stazione Ostiense from where we walked through the underpass to our destination, missing the rain altogether. We managed to find quite a few foodie souvenirs to bring home and enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the revamped wine section which has an impressive array of wines from all over Italy.

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Back in Testaccio we headed once again to the Mercato and to Mordi e Vai for lunch

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The afternoon was given over to a 'church crawl' on the Caelian Hill, starting with the only fortified Abbey in Rome which houses the church of Santi Quattro Coronati. The contrast of the massive Medieval walls of the Abbey with the exquisite cloister of the church is startling.

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Sant Stefano Rotondo followed which sadly was covered in scafolding but the gruesome depictions of Christain martyrdom were still on view

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The church of SS Giovanni e Paolo is decorated with beautiful chandeliers that originated from the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York

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Our final church was that of San Gregorio Magno from the site of which, according to tradition, Gregory the Great dispatched St Augustine on his mission to convert England to Christianity.

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From here there was a great view of the Palatine

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Our aperitivo this evening was at Altrove, a restaurant close to our hearts for its concept of opening doors for the disenfranchised. They have recently introduced cocktail plates with four dishes served along side drinks.

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Continuing our 'pizza pilgrimage' dinner tonight was at Pizzeria Ostiense where for the princely sum of €20 we dined on superb thin crust Roman pizza & house wine

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Tuesday 13th March
Our carbohydrate heavy breakfasts continued today with ciambella at Linari. In our defence we were averaging around 12,000 steps each day!

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We headed out to the Trevi Fountain for another trip ritual, that of throwing our coins in the fountain to ensure a return visit. Sadly we were to be thwarted as there was fencing all around the basin. We heard that this was probably due to a Champions League football match to be played later in the day.

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We consoled ourselves with a look inside the church of SS Vincenzo & Anastasio. This is the parish church of the Quirinale Palace and as such holds the embalmed hearts of many popes.

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There aren't many shortcuts as beautiful as that of the Galleria Sciarra, an Art Nouveau gem that leads to the Via del Corso from the Trevi Fountain. The frescoes decorating the walls depict various stages in woman's lives and also feminine virtues


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We then walked through Piazza del Pietra and passed the Pantheon en route to the church of Sant'Agostino, an absolute favourite of ours. It contains my second favourite Caravaggio painting, The Madonna of the Pilgrims and a Raphael fresco depicting Isaiah. However the main reason we love this church so is because it contains the Madonna del Parto where we have given thanks for the safe delivery of our two grandchildren. Today we lit a candle for our third grandchild, due in May.

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Our next church is that of St Antonio dei Portoghese with its amazingly lavish interior full of marble and gilt decorations

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Babingtons, the English Tea Rooms at the foot of the Spanish Steps celebrates 125 years this year so we decided to splurge out and celebrate with glasses of prosecco and a slice of special recipe cake.

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Another 'Rome ritual' is to sit on the Spanish Steps and feel the warm marble beneath our feet. The weather was perfect to do this today, cloudless blue skies and 17 degrees.

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Our aperitivo this evening was at The Gin Corner, an absoute Aladdin's cave for gin lovers. They mix a mean negroni too

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Dinner was a bit of a trek out on the metro but so worth it for the cacio e peppe pizza at Sforno

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Our evening ended with a beautifully illuminated view of the Piramide

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Wednesday 14th March

Today was our long awaited self-guided walking tour of Garbatella. We had planned to do this on several previous trips but never quite got around to it.
We started with coffee and cornetti at Andreotti, a classic pasticerria on Via Ostiense

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Then over Ponte Settimia Spizzichino into Garbatella

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This working class neighbourhood was inspired by the English concept of a Garden City, a utopian ideal where residents live in harmony with nature.
We concentrated on the main sights on this walk but definitely plan to return and cross from one picturesque courtyard to the next.

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Today we started with the Hotels which were initially meant to be temporary housing for pilgrims coming to Rome for the 1933 Jubilee year. However they became makeshift dwellings for displaced workers.

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The neighbourhood was named after a legendary innkeeper who can be seen high up on a building in Piazza Ceremia Bonomelli

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Next up was the Lover's Staircase & Carlotta's Fountain

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On what was once a Public School can be seen four large Fascist eagles

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The Palladium was a theatre/cinema complex with housing units above that. in the 1930's, were occupied by the artists that performed there.

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We ended our walk at Piazza Brin, a historic entrance to Garbatella. Here can be found Dar Moschino, a typical Roman trattoria that we plan to try for lunch on our next visit

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Not today though. True to the pizza pilgrimage we are headed to Gemmelli for pizza al taglio. However we have been advised to get there before the bell goes at the nearby school if we want to avoid missing out on the delicious slices of pizza.

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After an interminable wait for a bus we eventually arrived back at the apartment. We love the weekly bus pass and definitely get our monies worth out of it but it has to be said that the trams and metro are much more reliable than the buses.
This evening sees the first opening of the season of the American Bar at the Forum Hotel so we decide to head there for sunset.

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With blankets provided, candlelight and perfectly mixed negronis what is not to like?

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Dinner tonight is at La Gatta Mangiona (yes! yet more pizza) The fritti here were really lovely, artichokes and mixed vegetables in a light batter. Of course the pizzas were amazing too.

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Thursday 15th

Having failed to throw our coins in the Trevi Fountain earlier in the week we decide another visit was needed. We headed out early to avoid the crowds and were able to enjoy this iconic sight in relative peace and quiet

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Coins duly thrown we made our way to Cafe Sant'Eustachio where we enjoyed a naughty Monachella - delicious!

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We then strolled through Campo di Fiori and Piazza Farnese to Ponte Sisto. The Tiber was really high with barely any of the riverside walkway visible.

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We carried on walking up Via Garibaldi to the Fontana Acqua Paola and admired the view at the top

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Lunch today was at the delightfully old school Da Bucatino. You have got to love a place with an antipasti buffet and of couse, it being Thursday, gnocchi is on the menu

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Today are the Ides of March when, for the past 15 years. Gruppo Storico Romano faithfully re-enact the murder of Julius Caesar practically on the very same spot that the crime occured. This year for the first time the group was allowed into the Forum and to Caesar's Temple. We walked alongside as the funeral procession made its way from the Area Sacra. Amazing to think we were walking the same route that Caesar's cortege would have travelled way back in 44BC.

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Our plan this evening was to head to a pizzeria out in the Centocelle area of the city but at the last minute we decided to stay closer to home and booked at Tavernacca da Bruno - a favourite from a previous trip

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The wood fired oven here turns out beautiful roasted pork and on the recommendation of a neighbouring table we started with roasted mixed vegetables.
As the tram broke down on the way back to Testaccio we had an impromptu walk back to the apartment over the moonlit river,

Friday 16th March (last day)

A last minute decision meant that we found ourselves at a Market to Table class at Latteria Studio. It was the perfect way to end our sojourn in the city. You can read about it here
We left the studio and took the tram to Stazione Trastevere and from there the F1 train to the airport where we wished a fond farewell to our favourite city in all the world.
 
Tuesday 13th March
Our carbohydrate heavy breakfasts continued today with ciambella at Linari. In our defence we were averaging around 12,000 steps each day!

View attachment 10474

We headed out to the Trevi Fountain for another trip ritual, that of throwing our coins in the fountain to ensure a return visit. Sadly we were to be thwarted as there was fencing all around the basin. We heard that this was probably due to a Champions League football match to be played later in the day.

View attachment 10475

We consoled ourselves with a look inside the church of SS Vincenzo & Anastasio. This is the parish church of the Quirinale Palace and as such holds the embalmed hearts of many popes.

View attachment 10476

There aren't many shortcuts as beautiful as that of the Galleria Sciarra, an Art Nouveau gem that leads to the Via del Corso from the Trevi Fountain. The frescoes decorating the walls depict various stages in woman's lives and also feminine virtues


View attachment 10490

We then walked through Piazza del Pietra and passed the Pantheon en route to the church of Sant'Agostino, an absolute favourite of ours. It contains my second favourite Caravaggio painting, The Madonna of the Pilgrims and a Raphael fresco depicting Isaiah. However the main reason we love this church so is because it contains the Madonna del Parto where we have given thanks for the safe delivery of our two grandchildren. Today we lit a candle for our third grandchild, due in May.

View attachment 10479 View attachment 10480 View attachment 10481

Our next church is that of St Antonio dei Portoghese with its amazingly lavish interior full of marble and gilt decorations

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Babingtons, the English Tea Rooms at the foot of the Spanish Steps celebrates 125 years this year so we decided to splurge out and celebrate with glasses of prosecco and a slice of special recipe cake.

View attachment 10486

Another 'Rome ritual' is to sit on the Spanish Steps and feel the warm marble beneath our feet. The weather was perfect to do this today, cloudless blue skies and 17 degrees.

View attachment 10492

Our aperitivo this evening was at The Gin Corner, an absoute Aladdin's cave for gin lovers. They mix a mean negroni too

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Dinner was a bit of a trek out on the metro but so worth it for the cacio e peppe pizza at Sforno

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Our evening ended with a beautifully illuminated view of the Piramide

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The Gin Corner caught my eye, then Negroni! It has to go on the list.
 
Hi Yvonne,
You will love The Gin Corner and after you have sampled their Negroni do try The American Bar at Forum Hotel - equally good on the Negroni front but with a sensational sunset view
Enjoy!
 

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