Roman Holiday
Is there any city more romantic, or stylish,
to spend a weekend in than Rome?
SLEEP Rome’s G-Rough hotel (1) is small (just ten rooms) but immaculately formed. The hotel is primely located in the Piazza Navona and boasts an unconventional “Made in Italy” concept of luxury, showcasing iconic Italian mid-century designers and brands from the 1930s to the 1950s, such as Ico Parisi, Gio Ponti, Venini, and Seguso – all housed in a building that dates back to the 1600s. Every room in the hotel is different, and each boasts exceptional original features, including wooden ceilings, patina walls, and meandering floor plans typical of Roman apartments. Double room, from €456 per night, designhotels.com. EAT You can’t visit the Italian capital without trying out a traditional trattoria, and they don’t come much more traditional than Al Moro (3). Located just behind the Trevi Fountain, Al Moro opened in 1929 and hasn’t changed much since. Over the years, it has been famed as the favourite haunt of Federico Fellini, and more recently Ellen DeGeneres – who is apparently a huge fan of their egg and crispy artichoke-enriched Spaghetti alla Moro, ristorantealmororoma.it. If you’d prefer to grab and go (and keep shopping) Panificio Bonci (5) is the place to go. You’ll find the tight space packed with mouth-watering baked goods and hungry hordes forming a very disordering queue, but it’s worth the bit of argy-bargy to come away with some of the city’s best pizza by the slice or their to-die-for mortadella sandwich, bonci.it. To satisfy your sweet tooth, Gelato Vale serves up some of the finest traditional cream-filled cannoli we’ve ever come across – each made the only way it should be – piped with airy, just-sweet-enough ricotta in a fantastically crisp pastry shell, offering several varieties‚ including crunchy pistachio, sweet orange and dark chocolate. SHOP Where to shop? Where not to shop might be a better question. Rome offers up a dizzying array of truly special independent boutiques. Bomba (4), located behind the Piazza del Popolo on the via dell’Oca, sells everything from silk kimonos in vintage fabrics to straw woven hats; it’s a dream, cristinabomba.com.
For the truly devout fashion fan, Chez Dédé (2) is a treasure trove of interesting accessories, rare fashion finds and fantastic linen beach bags, chezdede.com. Ellen Bird