At the apex of Rome’s enduring beauty
Bask in the romance of Italy’s historical ruins, sumptuous cuisine and contemporary art
Paolo Sorrentino’s mesmerizing film La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty), which won an Oscar for best foreignlanguage film in 2014, sparked controversy and endless conversation about the state of the Italian capital. But one fact was indisputable: Rome, as the film’s seductive backdrop, was gorgeous.
This is true in every season, but especially in colder months when the summer flood of tourists ebbs. From outlying neighbourhoods that beckon with new restaurants and bars, to the historical centre, where Sorrentino’s protagonist, Jep, wandered through so many scenes, Rome remains poised to prove that its beauty runs deep. Friday 3 p.m., Bathing Beauty One of the most poignant scenes in La Grande Bellezza transpires at the ruins of the Terme di Caracalla, colossal Roman baths that date from the third century. Jep’s twilight encounter with an illusory giraffe amid the spectacular ruins is memorable, but no tricks are needed to make this often-overlooked site unforgettable in the light of day either. The soaring walls of the complex, remarkably well-preserved in parts, are a terra-cotta-hued skeleton providing clues to the lost grandeur of this glorified gym, where amenities ranged from mosaic floors to thermal pools flanked by museum-worthy marble sculptures.
Admission: € 6 or $7.90 at $1.31 to the euro. 5:30 p.m., Gallery Hunting Fast-forward nearly two millennia for a glimpse of what constitutes art in contemporary Rome by visiting a cluster of galleries near Campo de’ Fiori. Start at Galleria Varsi, a two-year-old space ded- icated to graffiti and street art that also organizes wall paintings across the city. Around the corner at Dorothy Circus Gallery, the blood-red walls showcase surrealist Pop Art. And nearby, a cobblestone courtyard and carved-stone fountain flank the entrance to the prestigious Galleria Lorcan O’Neill, which moved to this spacious location last year; until April 4, look for works by the emerging British artist Eddie Peake. 8 p.m., Centocelle Chow Rome’s traditional guanciale-laced pasta dishes — carbonara, amatriciana, gricia — are in no danger of extinction, but if more creative restaurants such as Mazzo start opening, they might be. This tiny spot in the far-flung Centocelle neighbourhood was opened in 2013 by a pair of talented, young chefs intent on spinning Roman cuisine into delicious new territory.
A highlight of a recent meal was rosti with Romanesco broccoli and pecorino, a dish overshadowed only by three succulent meatballs smothered in sweet caramelized onions. The snug space seats only about a dozen, between one rough-hewed communal table and a small counter, so reservations are essential. Dinner for two, about € 60. 11 p.m., Pigneto Party From Centocelle, the tram back toward the city centre stops in the nightlife neighbourhood of Pigneto, so finish your night there. Beer-drinkers should head to Birra Piu, a bottle shop and pub with craft beers from Brewfist and Birrificio Emiliano on tap. For those looking for something stronger, seek out Co. So. Cocktails & Social, a relatively new bar that pours creative concoctions such as the Carbonara Sour, made with pork-fat-infused vodka, egg, black pepper, lemon juice and simple syrup.
Or for music, swing by Yeah! Pigneto, an unpretentious café where local bands and DJs often perform amid the cool vintage decor on weekends. Saturday 10:30 a.m., Market Choices There were groans when the Mercato di Testaccio, one of the city’s oldest markets, was moved to a newly built complex in 2012, and for good reason: The bright, sanitized space feels more like an anonymous mall than a Roman market. Head to Mercato-Monti, an upstart collective of young designers, artisans and vintage dealers, where about two dozen vendors sell everything from felt fedoras and vintage sunglasses to striped sweaters and one-of-a-kind dresses made by local designers. 12:30 p.m., Prime Panini The labyrinthine lanes of Trastevere west of the Tiber River are lined with dubious dining options, but hidden among them is a refreshing, new exception, the closet-size café Pianostrada Laboratorio di Cucina. Opened last May by four women — a mother, two daughters and a friend — this piccolissimo spot serves homemade dishes and outstanding panini using the region’s best ingredients. For lunch, try the Pane Alici, prepared with stracciatella cheese, truffled anchovies and arugula on a black, seppia-ink bun made in-house (€9). 3 p.m., Macro Arts The Museo d’Arte Contemporanea Roma, or Macro, housed in a former Peroni brewery, is often overshadowed by the city’s other contemporary art museum, the Maxxi — an impressive, modern structure designed by the architect Zaha Hadid. The museum also expanded a few years ago with a spacious new wing. Admission: € 13.50. 5 p.m., Sweet Stroll A short walk from Macro are the milk-bottle-lined walls of Come il Latte, an adorable gelateria scooping some of the creamiest gelato in Rome. In contrast to many of the city’s top gelato shops, such as Fatamorgana and Claudio Torce’s Il Gelato, this artisanal gelateria, which opened in 2012, doesn’t serve scores of unusual flavours. Instead, the owner Nicoletta Chiacchiari uses top-notch ingredients to improve familiar favourites, resulting in caramel seasoned with pink Himalayan salt and pistachio studded with bright-green Sicilian nuts. After indulging in a cone, walk off some of the calories on a stroll north to Quar- tiere Coppede, a curious quarter marked by beautiful Art Nouveau palazzi whose whimsical towers and ornate facades look plucked from a fairy tale. 8:30 p.m., Monteverde Meal To get to the heart of modern Roman cuisine, get out of the heart of the city. On a quiet lane in the residential neighbourhood of Monteverde, L’Osteria di Monteverde is a casual restaurant whose unremarkable exterior gives no hint of the outstanding food served inside. At a recent meal, beef tartare was a gustatory revelation after the addition of an eggy Parmigiano cream, porcini mushrooms and fried quail egg. Roasted octopus resting atop rosemary-scented borlotti beans got a boost from fresh stracciatella cheese. And spaghetti smothered with sheep’s cheese and baccala was set aflame by a dollop of fiery ’nduja (spicy Calabrian sausage). Dinner for two, about € 60. 11 p.m., Twilight Tipples For a nightcap, cross Monteverde to Vineria Litro, a relaxed wine bar that opened in late 2013. The mirrored bar is lined with rare mescals, so try a cocktail such as the Mezsconi, which modifies the classic Negroni by swapping out gin for the smoky spirit. Or take the tram back to the cen- tre, where squirrelled away on a small piazza is No. Au, a laid-back café serving natural wines and craft beers. Pull a wooden stool up to the bar and order a glass of Sicilian red from Occhipinti or an IPA from Birra del Borgo. Sunday 10 a.m., Holy House On Sunday mornings, masses gather at St. Peter’s Basilica to angle for a glimpse of the popular Pope Francis. But far fewer congregate at the second-largest basilica, San Paolo Fuori le Mura, making this sacred site ideal for unhurried contemplation. The nave’s soaring ceilings and gilded frescoes are impressive, but hidden beyond one transept is an even finer feature: the cloister (admission, €4), a tranquil courtyard with beautiful mosaics, a trickling fountain and blooming roses for much of the year. Noon, Power Couple For a lesson in adaptive reuse, walk north on the main drag of the industrial Ostiense neighbourhood to Centrale Montemartini. There, a former thermoelectric power plant is now a museum housing ancient sculptures and artifacts from the Capitoline Museums. Most striking are the main exhibition spaces where milky-white marble sculp- tures stand in stark contrast to the hulking black equipment — engines, boiler and steam turbines that helped power the city in the past, repurposed as foils for art in the present. Admission, 7.50. 2 p.m., Pizza, Pizza No weekend in Rome would be complete without pizza. For the thincrust Roman style, go to Emma, a chic pizzeria that opened in the historical centre in 2014. For pizza al taglio (by the slice), go to Pizzarium, a take-away shop owned by the master pizzaiolo Gabriele Bonci. Choices skew toward the unconventional, such as roasted zucchini with ricotta, but they’re all delicious. Either meal will end as every Roman holiday should: with a full belly.
Hotels: In a 17th-century palazzo in the historic centre, D.O.M. (Via Giulia 131; domhotelroma.com; from € 240) is a luxurious hotel with 24 rooms and suites that opened in late 2013. The richly textured decor is an appealing mix of old and new — think artworks ranging from Renaissanceera marble inscriptions to Andy Warhol silkscreens — and the clubby rooftop terrace is a new hot spot for aperitivi in warmer months.
Midcentury furniture mingles with marble sculptures at the J.K. Place Roma (Via di Monte d’Oro 30; jkroma.com; from € 500), a 30-room hotel that opened in 2013. The eyecatching design by the architect Michele Bonan features colourful palettes, stately four-poster beds and common spaces adorned with Berber rugs and a futuristic chandelier. The New York Times