Dear Minerva, they say a lifetime is not enough for The Eternal City and, having recently spent five weeks in Rome with my boyfriend, Harry, I think we’d both be inclined to agree. Around each corner lies another layer to be lifted back and examined, another question to be answered, another fragment to be fitted in, and, of course, another water fountain.
Now, this is not one of the usual letters to Minerva. I am not hoping for a response, advice, or reassurance. I merely want to share the joys, the surprises, the walks, the pastas, and all other aspects of the pantheon that comprises our five weeks of ‘working from Rome’.
Finding our way to the Forum
Regular Dear Athena/Minerva readers who are feeling anxious about the absence of advice, fear not, I can’t avoid it completely: I’m going to start things off with the first of my *Roman Recommendations*! Harry and I are both Forum fanatics, and in total we made five visits over our five weeks. We were able to do this with ease and at very little expense because of our PArCo memberships. If you are under 30, these memberships cost €25.00, €1.00 more than a single Forum Super Sites ticket. The membership is valid for a year and grants unlimited free admission to the Roman Forum, Palatine and Super Sites, free entry to the Colosseum (with booking), and discounted entrance to a number of other historic sites and museums. We made the most of all that it had to offer, even taking a shortcut across the Forum to the Capitoline Museums. I’ve honestly never felt so cool. A golden ticket to one of my favourite places in the world, it is probably the best thing I have bought this year.
Each time we went to the Forum we saw something new, or something from a new perspective. Highlights include the Curia Iulia, one of the previously mentioned ‘super sites’; the Penelope exhibition in the So-called Temple of Romulus; Santa Maria Antiqua, another ‘super site’; and the ultimate view of the Colosseum, which can be found in front of the Temple of Venus (this is also well worth looking at).
As well as uncovering these novelties, we made sure to visit more familiar Forum friends like the house of the Vestal Virgins (my favourite), the peaceful Palatine Hill, and the Domus Flavia-Augustana (Harry’s favourite).
I could go on about, and be in, the Forum forever, but I think perhaps on this occasion it would be best for me to let the pictures do the talking!
Over the moon with Ostia
Sticking with an archaeological theme for now, here comes another *Roman Recommendation*: Ostia Antica. This archaeological park is a short journey on the Metromare (the ticket is €1.50!), and it absolutely blew my mind.
Ostia, Rome’s ancient port, has been a dream destination of mine for years thanks to Caroline Lawrence’s brilliant Roman Mysteries series. Despite that, I had no idea how extensive, how awe-inspiring, this site was going to be.
It is one of the most immersive archaeological experiences I have ever had. You can step into people’s houses, walk the streets, sit in the theatre, touch the temples, and it’s all seemingly never-ending. You do, however, have to content yourself with looking at the truly magnificent mosaics. If you have more than a few days in Rome, then I urge you to add this historic gem to your itinerary.
I feel that I cannot write about our outing to Ostia Antica without giving a mention to the very memorable lunch we had there. On entering the restaurant, it felt as though we had once again stepped back in time. The waiters were dressed as ancient Romans, statues encircled the room, and to top it all off, a birthday party at the table next to us were brought cake and prosecco in a giant replica of the Colosseum, complete with a sparkler. What more could you ask?
Monteverde
Perhaps it is time to tell you a little about where we were staying. While the weekends saw us galivanting all over Rome, our weeks were spent living and remote working from our delightfully vintage apartment in Monteverde.
This little corner of the city is bursting with verdant balconies, local businesses and dog walkers. We had a fabulous time getting to know the area and, although we were quite a way out of town, the sight of St Peter’s dome from our own flourishing balcony meant that we always felt connected to the city centre.
We became regulars at the Snack Bar just down the street from us, enjoying a pre-work cappuccino there most mornings. Other pre-work local adventures included visits to the Mercato Rionale San Giovanni di Dio, where we bought our guanciale and other vital carbonara ingredients.
A brief illustration of our Refettorio dinners!
When we weren’t cooking at home, we could be found around the corner at Refettorio dei Colli Osteria. This restaurant may not be conveniently located, but I think it has to be another *Roman Recommendation*. The menu is seasonal and changed regularly while we were there. They served the best bruschetta I have ever had, and the baccala and artichoke antipasto is a strong contender for my dream menu. Their pasta dishes were equally stunning, my favourite was La Genovese and Harry’s was Tonnarello with a sausage and pumpkin sauce.
A visit to Il Refettorio was frequently followed by an ice cream from Gelateria Tony Dolci Desideri. Their Indispensabile (pistachio and amarena) truly was indispensable, I also loved their fig and walnut gelato, but honestly I don’t think it was possible to choose a bad flavour.
A Walk in the Park
One of our other favourite aspects of Monteverde was the Doria Pamphili Park, Rome’s largest green space. It is split into two parts by the road and has much to offer. On one side you feel as though you have left the city altogether, and are instead walking in the Italian countryside. The other presents views all over Rome and, of course, a glimpse at the Villa Doria Pamphili itself.
Some of the scenery in our local park
This was not the only park in which we took a walk. One afternoon we made our way up the Caelian Hill to get a glimpse of some of its famous churches. These churches are in fact so beautiful and popular that we were unable to enter any of them due to several weddings that were taking place!
Instead, we found ourselves wandering into the Parco Archeologico del Celio, a small green area overlooking the Colosseum which allows visitors to look more closely at carvings, inscriptions, and other ancient Roman archaeological evidence.
Another surprise awaited us as we continued our climb up the hill: the Villa Celimontana, a park which, on that particular Saturday was filled with picnics, pony rides, and parties. We couldn’t help but smile.
And All that Jazz
These were not our only adventures on the Caelian Hill. Our first week in Rome coincided with the final few days of the Jazz & Image festival, a series of concerts performed against the backdrop of the Colosseum.
So, on a Thursday evening, following the obligatory gnocchi, we made our way to the Parco del Celio and enjoyed an evening of jazz with a breath-taking view, all whilst sipping at what were possibly the strongest Negronis ever made. It was one of those genuine ‘pinch me’ experiences when you really can’t believe that this is where you are, this is what you’re doing. An incredibly special night.
Take me to church
The following week, we treated ourselves to another, rather different, musical evening. We joined the crowds heading to ‘Traviata Tuesday’ at St Paul’s Within the Walls, soaking up Verdi’s familiar melodies in this beautiful, contemplative space.
On an outing to Ostiense, we took the opportunity to visit St Paul’s Outside the Walls, Rome’s second largest basilica after St Peter’s. It is as splendid as its size suggests, and we were particularly fascinated by the papal portraits which adorn its walls.
There are many beautiful churches in Rome, the city is full of them, but there is one in particular that sticks in my memory. It’s time for another *Roman Recommendation*: the Basilica dei Santo Stefano Rotondo. This church is famous for its frescos, and rightly so. The wall paintings focus on martyrdom, illustrating the preferred method for executing Christians during the reigns of different Roman emperors right up to Constantine. These poignant, powerful images provide a fascinating opportunity to engage with some of the different chapters in the tale of the Eternal City.
We visited as many of Rome’s churches as possible, including St Peter’s, where we attended mass on our final evening. Unable to go five weeks without choral singing, we joined the choir of All Saints’ Anglican Church one Sunday to sing at a Eucharist and baptism.
Pause for refreshments
If all this talk of singing and walking has left you feeling peckish, then you’re in luck. It’s time to talk some more about food.
According to Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy series, the best carbonara in Rome is to be found at Pommidoro, so obviously we had to go there. Harry had the classic, while I had the ‘sbagliata’ or ‘wrong carbonara’ (carbonara with the addition of tomatoes). It did not disappoint and we are still raving about the restaurant’s incredible olive oil.
I watch possibly too much food-related telly, and was eager to book in to Trecca, having seen it on Remarkable Places to Eat. We had local beans and mushrooms for antipasti followed by some of the best pastas of the trip: Amatriciana for Harry and a Lamb ragù for me. We even pushed the boat out and had pudding – a perfect panna cotta.
One of my favourite restaurant experiences of the holiday was on our day in Ostiense. We decided it would be wise to fuel up before our visit to Museo Centrale Montemartini and were wandering around looking for somewhere nice when we spotted a pizzeria with a sweet looking courtyard. We were very surprised when, upon asking for our ‘tavolo per due’ we were led through the restaurant and onto a terrace looking out onto the greenest meadow and the river Tiber. It felt like a really special discovery and was a very peaceful, pleasant place to enjoy lunch.
In addition to these discoveries and recommendations, we also returned to some familiar favourites in Trastevere. I was so happy to get the chance to eat another of the yellow tomato pizzas from Bir & Fud, and possibly happier still to have another glass of the Grillo in Essenza, another *Roman Recommendation*. If you arrive in time for aperitivo hour, you can enjoy the most carefully curated and interesting sharing platter you have ever had along with three (generous) glasses of wine, all for €30.00. I love it.
Domenica Al Museo
After that little pit stop, I think we’re ready to tackle one of the busiest days of the trip.
On the first weekend of October, we were fortunate enough to be joined in Rome by our friends Anna and Gina. This was an especially well timed visit, as on the first Sunday of the month, many of the city’s attractions, including the Colosseum and the Forum, can be entered for free.
We got up bright and early to join the chaotic crowd that was the queue for the Colosseum. Standing in the sunshine for an hour didn’t turn out to be too arduous, and we were soon following in the footsteps of ancient Romans and modern tourists alike.
After the Colosseum it was time for the Forum, and after that we made our way to the Museo Nazionale Romano, the Palazzo Massimo building. This is an intense museum experience, with floor after floor of statues. On this occasion, we rushed right up to the top of the building as we were eager to share one of our favourite Roman sites with our friends: the frescos from the Triclinium of the Villa di Livia at Prima Porta. This space is so remarkably tranquil and beautiful. It’s almost impossible to believe how old these paintings are. I could sit in there forever. There are many other treasures to be found in this part of the museum, including stunning mosaics and frescos from the Villa Farnesina.
We truly made the most of all that was on offer on this Sunday by finishing off our day at the Ara Pacis before heading for much needed Spritzes and ice creams!
Some little (and large) gems
I run the risk of it taking five weeks to read this blog if I list everything that we saw, but there are a few more places that I am keen to highlight.
First up is the Mercati di Traiano Museo dei Fori Imperiali. This is another enormous museum; I am still not sure if we actually saw everything in it. What makes this museum a*Roman Recommendation* is that it offers yet another way of looking at Rome. Each floor presents a different glimpse of the Forum, and of the people being drawn along Mussolini’s Via dei Fori Imperiali. It’s another place where the layers of Rome’s history collide. It’s also great fun to feel as though you have exclusive access to Trajan’s Forum.
One of the return visits we made was to the Villa Farnesina, which we had fallen in love with previously. The painted stars on the ceiling shone as brightly as we remembered and we had a lot of fun deciphering the mythical murals. There’s a quiet magic to the garden of this villa, which just so happens to be one of the venues which our PArCo cards allowed us to visit at a discount.
Just opposite Farnesina, along the Via Corsini, is the most wonderful craft shop and mosaic workshop. There are so many brilliant handmade things to choose from, and I purchased myself the perfect souvenir earrings. If you continue to the end of the street, you reach the Orto Botanico di Roma, another place to enjoy astonishing views over the city, although full of greedy mosquitos, something we discovered too late.
We had a cleansing time visiting the Baths of both Caracalla and Diocletian. The Baths of Diocletian are in fact another branch of the Museo Nazionale and, unsurprisingly, very extensive. We spent an entertaining few minutes reading the display of curse tablets found at the Fonte di Anna Perenna.
Arrivederci Roma
Every time I come to conclude this post, I remember something else: our late opening visit to Palazzo Barberini, the amazing fritto misto we had near Termini, my excitement at spotting a tomb I had studied in real life, and so many other marvellous things. I feel so grateful to have been a short paragraph in the ongoing story of the eternal city. I’m sure our memories will be just as eternal, and we’re already planning what we’re going to see and do when we return.
Scroll down for a final taste of our Roman Holiday…
Dear Athena 