Two Sisters Return to Rome
Jan 13th, 2014, 07:03 AM
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Two Sisters Return to Rome
I hadn’t intended to write a report about my November week in Rome, but I had such a fabulous time that I can’t help but want to revisit the memories. And, as with all of my trips, I got tons of ideas and info here on the Fodor’s forums and especially by reading trip reports, so I guess it’s only fair to return the favor. So here we go!
I typically take one trip a year with the best travel buddy in the world, my sister K. Over the past 20 years we've been to so many great cities, like Paris, Budapest, Prague, Zurich, and San Sebastian, and always had a terrific time with lots of laughs. When trying to decide where to go this year, we tossed around a lot of ideas, but kept coming back to Rome. We had been to Rome twice before, both times for about 3 nights. We had a great time on both of those visits, and saw all of the “big” sites, but of course there was still so much to dig into.
I’m always torn about going back to a place that I’d previously been, especially when the wish list keeps getting longer and longer, but we couldn’t shake the desire to return to Rome. Rome can be challenging, for sure – it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the endless list of places to visit and things to do, not to mention the traffic, bustle and crowds at the big sites. But we’re city-lovers, and we thought that a full week would give us needed time to settle in and just enjoy the city, without feeling like we “had” to rush around and see this or that (it is vacation, after all!). After much discussion, we finally agreed on a return to Rome, with one pact – we would never, ever set foot in the Vatican Museums again.
K lives in NYC and me in Philly, so we met at EWR on Nov 7th for a painless and almost pleasant flight on Lufthansa via Munich. All went smoothly and we even managed a few winks, but the smoothness ended when we landed in Rome. If ever there was an argument for carry-on only, FCO is it. It took us at least 45+ minutes to make it to baggage claim after our flight landed, and an additional hour or so for our bags to hit the carousel. The baggage claim area was pandemonium, with tens of flights and their anxious passengers all experiencing lengthy waits. We were very thankful to finally see our bags come around, and were promptly met by our driver from Rome Shuttle Limousine.
http://www.romeshuttlelimousine.com/
Our home for the week was a fabulous apartment in the neighborhood of Monti, near the Coliseum. We loved this apartment, although it was quite big for two people (we originally thought we’d be a group of three or four). It featured two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a huge living room (which we never used or even turned on a light), washer, dining area and galley kitchen (small but very well-stocked). There was a huge pantry full of cleaning supplies and the biggest collection of left-behind chargers that you’ll ever see, tons of books, maps and info about room. Really, it had almost anything you could think of.
I also cannot say enough nice things about working with the agency, Roman Reference. They were very accommodating when I hate to change dates, promptly answered all of my (many) questions), and check-in was a breeze (apartment check-in always causes me much anxiety. Especially when jet-lagged, the “what-ifs” in my head tend to go into overdrive and I become certain that we'll soon be wandering the streets looking for a place to sleep)
The best part, though, was the terrace. We were lucky to have warmish weather all week, and spent almost all of our non-sleeping apartment time there, sipping coffee in the morning and wine in the evening. It was narrow with room for only a small table and two chairs, but overlooked a quiet courtyard (complete with stray kitties roaming about) and was the perfect retreat after busy days wandering the streets of Rome.
My only complaints about the apartment would be that the furniture was a bit rough around the edges, especially in the living room (we did do one sit on each of the many chairs and couches to say that we had done so) and one of the twin beds felt really uncomfortable when I sat/sunk into it. The beds we used were nice and comfy, though. Also, it was a longggg four flights up if you have challenges with stairs. Oh, and the wi-fi was very finicky.
http://www.romanreference.com/en/rome/apartment/238
<b> Next Up: exploring Monti and Testaccio </b>
I typically take one trip a year with the best travel buddy in the world, my sister K. Over the past 20 years we've been to so many great cities, like Paris, Budapest, Prague, Zurich, and San Sebastian, and always had a terrific time with lots of laughs. When trying to decide where to go this year, we tossed around a lot of ideas, but kept coming back to Rome. We had been to Rome twice before, both times for about 3 nights. We had a great time on both of those visits, and saw all of the “big” sites, but of course there was still so much to dig into.
I’m always torn about going back to a place that I’d previously been, especially when the wish list keeps getting longer and longer, but we couldn’t shake the desire to return to Rome. Rome can be challenging, for sure – it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the endless list of places to visit and things to do, not to mention the traffic, bustle and crowds at the big sites. But we’re city-lovers, and we thought that a full week would give us needed time to settle in and just enjoy the city, without feeling like we “had” to rush around and see this or that (it is vacation, after all!). After much discussion, we finally agreed on a return to Rome, with one pact – we would never, ever set foot in the Vatican Museums again.
K lives in NYC and me in Philly, so we met at EWR on Nov 7th for a painless and almost pleasant flight on Lufthansa via Munich. All went smoothly and we even managed a few winks, but the smoothness ended when we landed in Rome. If ever there was an argument for carry-on only, FCO is it. It took us at least 45+ minutes to make it to baggage claim after our flight landed, and an additional hour or so for our bags to hit the carousel. The baggage claim area was pandemonium, with tens of flights and their anxious passengers all experiencing lengthy waits. We were very thankful to finally see our bags come around, and were promptly met by our driver from Rome Shuttle Limousine.
http://www.romeshuttlelimousine.com/
Our home for the week was a fabulous apartment in the neighborhood of Monti, near the Coliseum. We loved this apartment, although it was quite big for two people (we originally thought we’d be a group of three or four). It featured two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a huge living room (which we never used or even turned on a light), washer, dining area and galley kitchen (small but very well-stocked). There was a huge pantry full of cleaning supplies and the biggest collection of left-behind chargers that you’ll ever see, tons of books, maps and info about room. Really, it had almost anything you could think of.
I also cannot say enough nice things about working with the agency, Roman Reference. They were very accommodating when I hate to change dates, promptly answered all of my (many) questions), and check-in was a breeze (apartment check-in always causes me much anxiety. Especially when jet-lagged, the “what-ifs” in my head tend to go into overdrive and I become certain that we'll soon be wandering the streets looking for a place to sleep)
The best part, though, was the terrace. We were lucky to have warmish weather all week, and spent almost all of our non-sleeping apartment time there, sipping coffee in the morning and wine in the evening. It was narrow with room for only a small table and two chairs, but overlooked a quiet courtyard (complete with stray kitties roaming about) and was the perfect retreat after busy days wandering the streets of Rome.
My only complaints about the apartment would be that the furniture was a bit rough around the edges, especially in the living room (we did do one sit on each of the many chairs and couches to say that we had done so) and one of the twin beds felt really uncomfortable when I sat/sunk into it. The beds we used were nice and comfy, though. Also, it was a longggg four flights up if you have challenges with stairs. Oh, and the wi-fi was very finicky.
http://www.romanreference.com/en/rome/apartment/238
<b> Next Up: exploring Monti and Testaccio </b>
Jan 13th, 2014, 08:12 AM
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After settling into the apartment, we headed out to the Conad grocery around the corner for some critical supplies – wine, cream for morning coffee, water and a few nibbly things. I love going to the grocery store on our travels. It’s always an adventure to figure out which milk to get (in Spain a few years back, we always seemed to end up with condensed milk,and I don't think we were ever quite sure what we had in Paris). We always try to buy things that we don’t have at home, to keep it interesting. I also love a grocery that dedicates more space to wine than toilet paper.
We headed back to the apartment to drop off our groceries (dag those are a lot of stairs), and test-drive the terrace with a glass of wine. I could have sat here all night, but we decided the best course of action was to push through the tired and head out for the evening. First up was a walk around Monti.
Monti is a neighborhood close to the Coliseum. During my research, I frequently saw it described as “up and coming”, but IMHO that’s inaccurate. It seemed to me that it has already arrived. The cobbled streets are quaint and picturesque, but also teeming with restaurants, cafes, and boutique-y type shops. Oh, and an American Apparel, which seemed a bit out of place. It has an artsy vibe and there were a lot of youngish (20/30 somethings) out and about at all hours of the day and night, often toting instrument cases or portfolios.
Night was especially bustling. The centerpiece of Monti is the small Piazza della Madonna dei Monti, in front of the church of the same name. The piazza is lined with cafes and bars and its fountain seems to be a popular gathering spot. We got into the neighborhood spirit by heading there in the early evenings for a birra – there was a little bodega selling beer + wine right on the piazza – and grabbing a seat on the steps of the fountain for some people-watching. We loved watching the little kids playing in the water (you could tell when Dad was on duty; water-playing came to a halt when Mom would notice. It was November after all and not terribly warm after sunset), and the piazza was full of friends, chatter and energy. It was a great way to kick off the evenings.
On our first evening, we had pizza on our minds. We didn’t want to stray too far from home, so after strolling for a bit we headed to Pizzeria Alle Carette (Via Madonna dei Monti 95, across from the very popular Taverna dei Fori Imperiali).
I found this place on Elizabeth Minchilli’s oft-recommended EatRome app. She describes it as a neighborhood joint, and it definitely had that feel (though there were certainly tourists there, too). We circled a bit before we found the entrance (let’s chalk that up to jet-lag), and finally made our way into the restaurant, where we were led past a huge wood-burning stove to a lovely outside courtyard. Our pizzas were very tasty, our waiter was sweet and we were thrilled to be sitting outside on a November evening with light jackets. If you’re in the neighborhood, I’d certainly recommend this place for a casual dinner. It was the perfect first-night choice. After lingering for a bit and enjoying the night, we made our way back to the apartment happy and excited for the week to come.
We headed back to the apartment to drop off our groceries (dag those are a lot of stairs), and test-drive the terrace with a glass of wine. I could have sat here all night, but we decided the best course of action was to push through the tired and head out for the evening. First up was a walk around Monti.
Monti is a neighborhood close to the Coliseum. During my research, I frequently saw it described as “up and coming”, but IMHO that’s inaccurate. It seemed to me that it has already arrived. The cobbled streets are quaint and picturesque, but also teeming with restaurants, cafes, and boutique-y type shops. Oh, and an American Apparel, which seemed a bit out of place. It has an artsy vibe and there were a lot of youngish (20/30 somethings) out and about at all hours of the day and night, often toting instrument cases or portfolios.
Night was especially bustling. The centerpiece of Monti is the small Piazza della Madonna dei Monti, in front of the church of the same name. The piazza is lined with cafes and bars and its fountain seems to be a popular gathering spot. We got into the neighborhood spirit by heading there in the early evenings for a birra – there was a little bodega selling beer + wine right on the piazza – and grabbing a seat on the steps of the fountain for some people-watching. We loved watching the little kids playing in the water (you could tell when Dad was on duty; water-playing came to a halt when Mom would notice. It was November after all and not terribly warm after sunset), and the piazza was full of friends, chatter and energy. It was a great way to kick off the evenings.
On our first evening, we had pizza on our minds. We didn’t want to stray too far from home, so after strolling for a bit we headed to Pizzeria Alle Carette (Via Madonna dei Monti 95, across from the very popular Taverna dei Fori Imperiali).
I found this place on Elizabeth Minchilli’s oft-recommended EatRome app. She describes it as a neighborhood joint, and it definitely had that feel (though there were certainly tourists there, too). We circled a bit before we found the entrance (let’s chalk that up to jet-lag), and finally made our way into the restaurant, where we were led past a huge wood-burning stove to a lovely outside courtyard. Our pizzas were very tasty, our waiter was sweet and we were thrilled to be sitting outside on a November evening with light jackets. If you’re in the neighborhood, I’d certainly recommend this place for a casual dinner. It was the perfect first-night choice. After lingering for a bit and enjoying the night, we made our way back to the apartment happy and excited for the week to come.
Jan 13th, 2014, 09:01 AM
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Fabulous TR so far! I also travel with my sister, so far we've done 4 wonderful trips together and are planning our 5th... I usually do 98% of the planning, run a few things by her and we take off!
Haven't been to Italy yet, so I'm anxiously waiting for the rest of your report.....
Haven't been to Italy yet, so I'm anxiously waiting for the rest of your report.....
Jan 13th, 2014, 09:45 AM
#6
>>>I frequently saw it described as “up and coming”, but IMHO that’s inaccurate. It seemed to me that it has already arrived.<<<
So funny that the oldest neighborhood in Rome is "up and coming".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monti_(rione_of_Rome)
I've stayed at the Ukrainian convent Santa Sofia on Piazza Madonna dei Monti (yellow building to the left of the fountain). In the summer, the piazza can be noisy as the young people hang out quite late.
So funny that the oldest neighborhood in Rome is "up and coming".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monti_(rione_of_Rome)
I've stayed at the Ukrainian convent Santa Sofia on Piazza Madonna dei Monti (yellow building to the left of the fountain). In the summer, the piazza can be noisy as the young people hang out quite late.
Jan 13th, 2014, 10:10 AM
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Ruby, we're the same way. I do most of the planning (with input), and she is such a good sport about it and puts up with endless emails and spreadsheets. She's planning our next trip, though, and won't even tell me where she wants to go, so tables will be turned!
kybourbon, I'm planning a spring trip to take a language class and considered a small hotel on the piazza, but opted not to for that concern. It was such fun to hang out there, but not sure I'd want to (try to) sleep right next to it.
kybourbon, I'm planning a spring trip to take a language class and considered a small hotel on the piazza, but opted not to for that concern. It was such fun to hang out there, but not sure I'd want to (try to) sleep right next to it.
Jan 13th, 2014, 10:38 AM
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Reason #147 why I love to travel with K: she brings me coffee. Our first full day in Rome was a Saturday, and I awoke to sunny skies (albeit temporary) and a hot cup of coffee on my nightstand. How great is that?
Looking back at my notes, I’m surprised at home much we did on day one. After another coffee on the terrace, we headed out to visit a few churches that we’d not made it to in the past. First up was Santa Maria Maggiore. Actually, to be accurate, it’s a Basilica. We walked around a bit and admired the frescoes and mosaics before heading to the gift shop. Our mother is a devout Catholic and was very excited that we would be visiting the basilica, as she had seen the Pope there on TV, so we had to stop for some rosaries and medals to bring back to her. Plus, she otherwise may not have believed that we went to church, so it served as evidence.
Our next stop was another basilica a few blocks away, Santa Prassede. This was much smaller than Maria Maggiore, but at least as spectacular, I think. The entrance is rather plain, but when you go inside – wow! The mosaics were absolutely beautiful and shimmered in the sunlight. Definitely try to visit Santa Prassede, especially if you’re already visiting Maggiore. It’s too close not to check it out and oh so beautiful if you like mosaics.
To complete the church trifecta, we headed next to San Pietro in Vincoli, St Peter in Chains, to admire Michelangelo’s statue of Moses and the chains that are said to have bound St Peter. My favorite here, though, was the Skeleton with Scythe over one of the tombs. Creepy but cool.
At this point, we were pretty much churched out and ready for lunch. Plus, we had earned it – there are a lot of stairs to get to St Peter in Chains!
Another oft-recommended restaurant was conveniently located right around the corner from our apartment, so we made our way to L’Asino D’Oro for one of the best values of the trip with their 13e lunch, including a glass of wine. I wish I had taken notes as to what we had, but alas I did not. I do recall that we started with a soup that we both loved, and that we really enjoyed this lunch. Sorry, I’m clearly no foodie.
I had often read on the forum about the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, on Via del Corso. K and I love smaller museums (i.e. ones not the Vatican), and are big fans of the Fricke in NYC, so this place seemed right up our alley. It didn’t disappoint. For those not familiar with it, the Galleria Doria Pamphilj is the art collection of the Pamphilj family housed in their still-used residence. If you go, get the audio guide, narrated by one of the nephews. It was fun to walk through the rooms and listen to the commentary, not just for the descriptions of the art but also for how the rooms were used (and sometimes abused by the kids – roller skating in the entry hall? Fun!) The style of art isn’t my favorite, but the combo of the art + the seeing the palace made for a winning visit.
BTW, Pamphilj is impossible to spell correctly. Same with Coliseum. I never seem to get either right, so apologies for that.
We finally made it back to the apartment for a quick rest and to freshen up, and then set out to the Piazza for a drink and some people watching before dinner. During our earlier wanderings, we had made a dinner reservation at Urbana 47 located at … Via Urbana 47. Clever.
This was another EatRome app rec, and I’m sorry to say one of the “Duds” of the trip. The room was hip with an eclectic mix of colorful furnishings. It was bustling and already full when we walked in at 9PM on a Saturday. We were seated in the far back, near a huge window overlooking the kitchen where you could watch the cooks doing their thing. That was fun, but we were away from the “action” and felt a little isolated. The food was mostly ok, and we really enjoyed our starters. I had a nice ribollita that hit the spot on a chilly night, and K enjoyed her amatriciana. Unfortunately I chose the bacala for my main course. I have had salted cod before, I know it’s salty, but this was so salty it was inedible. I love the idea of this place as it prides itself on only using local and seasonal ingredients, and the service was fine (they asked if they could bring me something else when I said the cod was too salty, which was nice). On paper it seems like it would be just the kind of place we’d love. But not on this night.
Tomorrow, a wet trip to Testaccio
Looking back at my notes, I’m surprised at home much we did on day one. After another coffee on the terrace, we headed out to visit a few churches that we’d not made it to in the past. First up was Santa Maria Maggiore. Actually, to be accurate, it’s a Basilica. We walked around a bit and admired the frescoes and mosaics before heading to the gift shop. Our mother is a devout Catholic and was very excited that we would be visiting the basilica, as she had seen the Pope there on TV, so we had to stop for some rosaries and medals to bring back to her. Plus, she otherwise may not have believed that we went to church, so it served as evidence.
Our next stop was another basilica a few blocks away, Santa Prassede. This was much smaller than Maria Maggiore, but at least as spectacular, I think. The entrance is rather plain, but when you go inside – wow! The mosaics were absolutely beautiful and shimmered in the sunlight. Definitely try to visit Santa Prassede, especially if you’re already visiting Maggiore. It’s too close not to check it out and oh so beautiful if you like mosaics.
To complete the church trifecta, we headed next to San Pietro in Vincoli, St Peter in Chains, to admire Michelangelo’s statue of Moses and the chains that are said to have bound St Peter. My favorite here, though, was the Skeleton with Scythe over one of the tombs. Creepy but cool.
At this point, we were pretty much churched out and ready for lunch. Plus, we had earned it – there are a lot of stairs to get to St Peter in Chains!
Another oft-recommended restaurant was conveniently located right around the corner from our apartment, so we made our way to L’Asino D’Oro for one of the best values of the trip with their 13e lunch, including a glass of wine. I wish I had taken notes as to what we had, but alas I did not. I do recall that we started with a soup that we both loved, and that we really enjoyed this lunch. Sorry, I’m clearly no foodie.
I had often read on the forum about the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, on Via del Corso. K and I love smaller museums (i.e. ones not the Vatican), and are big fans of the Fricke in NYC, so this place seemed right up our alley. It didn’t disappoint. For those not familiar with it, the Galleria Doria Pamphilj is the art collection of the Pamphilj family housed in their still-used residence. If you go, get the audio guide, narrated by one of the nephews. It was fun to walk through the rooms and listen to the commentary, not just for the descriptions of the art but also for how the rooms were used (and sometimes abused by the kids – roller skating in the entry hall? Fun!) The style of art isn’t my favorite, but the combo of the art + the seeing the palace made for a winning visit.
BTW, Pamphilj is impossible to spell correctly. Same with Coliseum. I never seem to get either right, so apologies for that.
We finally made it back to the apartment for a quick rest and to freshen up, and then set out to the Piazza for a drink and some people watching before dinner. During our earlier wanderings, we had made a dinner reservation at Urbana 47 located at … Via Urbana 47. Clever.
This was another EatRome app rec, and I’m sorry to say one of the “Duds” of the trip. The room was hip with an eclectic mix of colorful furnishings. It was bustling and already full when we walked in at 9PM on a Saturday. We were seated in the far back, near a huge window overlooking the kitchen where you could watch the cooks doing their thing. That was fun, but we were away from the “action” and felt a little isolated. The food was mostly ok, and we really enjoyed our starters. I had a nice ribollita that hit the spot on a chilly night, and K enjoyed her amatriciana. Unfortunately I chose the bacala for my main course. I have had salted cod before, I know it’s salty, but this was so salty it was inedible. I love the idea of this place as it prides itself on only using local and seasonal ingredients, and the service was fine (they asked if they could bring me something else when I said the cod was too salty, which was nice). On paper it seems like it would be just the kind of place we’d love. But not on this night.
Tomorrow, a wet trip to Testaccio
Jan 13th, 2014, 01:29 PM
#11
Hi jmct,
we found ourselves in Monti on our first trip to Rome [we'd booked somewhere else but it was cancelled at the last minute] and we loved it. We too had an apartment with loads of steps up to it [84 from memory] though ours was in the via dei serpenti, and spent a lot of time in the piazza opposite the church.
Thanks for taking me back there!
looking forward to more.
we found ourselves in Monti on our first trip to Rome [we'd booked somewhere else but it was cancelled at the last minute] and we loved it. We too had an apartment with loads of steps up to it [84 from memory] though ours was in the via dei serpenti, and spent a lot of time in the piazza opposite the church.
Thanks for taking me back there!
looking forward to more.
Jan 13th, 2014, 02:05 PM
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Sunday started with sunshine, but accuweather told us that it would be short-lived. As much as we tried to ignore the forecast, it proved true and we were treated to downpours throughout the day. It was a bad time to realize that I had forgotten my umbrella.
During my pre-trip research, the neighborhood of Testaccio kept popping up. There’s a recently renovated market there, as well as a few other markets, recommended restaurants, a branch of the Macro museum that looked interesting, street art and the Protestant Cemetery, resting place of Keats and Shelley. I hoped to explore it a bit at some point during our trip.
There was a slowdown in the rain, so we decided to head over to Testaccio for lunch at Flavio al Velavevodetto, a traditional Roman place I had read about on a couple of websites and apps.
We made our way to the Cavour metro station to grab the metro to Piramide in Testaccio (the Piramide barely recognizable under a ton of scaffolding) From there, it was an easy 15 min walk or so to the restaurant. Along the way, we popped into a grocery to try to find an umbrella. I was thisclose to being the not-so-proud-but-desperate owner of a Hello Kitty umbrella, when fortunately K spotted a grown-up choice. Pshew. Where are all of the umbrella guys when you need them? Not in Testaccio.
Flavio is located on a stretch of street that seemed to house a number of clubs as well as restaurants, all in a row. From what I have read, this area was part of a garbage dump a thousand years ago, and there are parts of the restaurant that have a glass wall so you can see the old bits of pots and ceramic from the dump.
Since we were in the area that once housed slaughterhouses (still does? Not sure) and was known for using all of the bits of the animal, we originally intended to try trippa or pajata. After the disappointment of the previous night, though, we decided to be more cautious.
We did not go wrong. Following the lead of the large table of friends/family sitting next to us, we started with a plate of delicious fried artichokes. I moved onto the carbonara and K tried the cacio e pepe. We both loved our pastas. We finished with an order of Polpette di bollito panate e fritte – boiled then fried meatballs – and a salad. This was a great meal and we loved the ambiance. Service was great, too (our server proudly told me she was wearing Air Jordans when I complimented her sneakers, and I loved the way she said Air with her Italian accent, pronouncing the A and the I)
One regret – we didn’t get dessert. As we were leaving we noticed a lot of tables with tiramisu, and it looked fabulous. Next time.
When we finally rolled out of Flavio, we had two potential activities in mind. We like to poke around markets, and I had read about one that seemed interesting called the Citta dell Altra Economia Biomercato. I was surprised to see the entrance right behind Flavio, and thought it might be a good opportunity to take a walk around
http://theromedigest.com/citta-dell-...ia-biomercato/
The rain made this unappealing, and it would probably be better to visit on an empty stomach, anyway. That one goes in the “next time” pile.
We also intended to visit the Protestant Cemetery. Again, this would be nicer on a sunny day, but I still wanted to take a look for the Keats and Shelley tombs. Unfortunately we couldn’t seem to find the entrance, and the driving rain made us decide not to look that hard for it. Something else for next time.
We gave in and made our way back to the apartment and the comfort of our apartment, passing many umbrella guys along the way. We talked briefly about venturing out to another museum or indoor activity, but decided against it. This was one of those days that you have to remind yourself that you’re on vacation, and it’s ok to put your feet up and read a book. Which is what we did, and it felt great.
After a relaxing afternoon reading and napping, we headed back out, with our sites on Tram 8 at Piazza Venezia, to take a wander around Trastevere and find a place for a pizza dinner. K is usually in charge of navigation, but unfortunately on this night she chose to listen to me. Big mistake, as I took us in the total wrong direction. We did get some good snaps of the Coliseum at night, but as we debated what to do next, it began to lightning and rain. So, we changed our plans and headed back to Pizzeria Alle Carrette and the toasty warm pizza oven.
A note about tickets for the metro and buses – we took public transport a lot and intended to get a weekly pass, for the convenience as much as potential savings. We never seemed to have the right combination of bills and coins for the machine. It accepted a max of 20E, and wouldn’t give more than 6E in change (I think it was 6. Don’t quote me on that. But there was a cap that continually foiled us). The ticket cost 24E each. We never did make it work, and ended up just getting singles as needed. That was fine, but it became comical how often we were scraping for smaller coins and bills. Romans don’t seem to like to make change. In fact, at one restaurant they rounded our bill down just so they didn’t have to give us change. Next time I’m in Rome, I’m hanging on to my 1E and 2E coins. They are like gold!
During my pre-trip research, the neighborhood of Testaccio kept popping up. There’s a recently renovated market there, as well as a few other markets, recommended restaurants, a branch of the Macro museum that looked interesting, street art and the Protestant Cemetery, resting place of Keats and Shelley. I hoped to explore it a bit at some point during our trip.
There was a slowdown in the rain, so we decided to head over to Testaccio for lunch at Flavio al Velavevodetto, a traditional Roman place I had read about on a couple of websites and apps.
We made our way to the Cavour metro station to grab the metro to Piramide in Testaccio (the Piramide barely recognizable under a ton of scaffolding) From there, it was an easy 15 min walk or so to the restaurant. Along the way, we popped into a grocery to try to find an umbrella. I was thisclose to being the not-so-proud-but-desperate owner of a Hello Kitty umbrella, when fortunately K spotted a grown-up choice. Pshew. Where are all of the umbrella guys when you need them? Not in Testaccio.
Flavio is located on a stretch of street that seemed to house a number of clubs as well as restaurants, all in a row. From what I have read, this area was part of a garbage dump a thousand years ago, and there are parts of the restaurant that have a glass wall so you can see the old bits of pots and ceramic from the dump.
Since we were in the area that once housed slaughterhouses (still does? Not sure) and was known for using all of the bits of the animal, we originally intended to try trippa or pajata. After the disappointment of the previous night, though, we decided to be more cautious.
We did not go wrong. Following the lead of the large table of friends/family sitting next to us, we started with a plate of delicious fried artichokes. I moved onto the carbonara and K tried the cacio e pepe. We both loved our pastas. We finished with an order of Polpette di bollito panate e fritte – boiled then fried meatballs – and a salad. This was a great meal and we loved the ambiance. Service was great, too (our server proudly told me she was wearing Air Jordans when I complimented her sneakers, and I loved the way she said Air with her Italian accent, pronouncing the A and the I)
One regret – we didn’t get dessert. As we were leaving we noticed a lot of tables with tiramisu, and it looked fabulous. Next time.
When we finally rolled out of Flavio, we had two potential activities in mind. We like to poke around markets, and I had read about one that seemed interesting called the Citta dell Altra Economia Biomercato. I was surprised to see the entrance right behind Flavio, and thought it might be a good opportunity to take a walk around
http://theromedigest.com/citta-dell-...ia-biomercato/
The rain made this unappealing, and it would probably be better to visit on an empty stomach, anyway. That one goes in the “next time” pile.
We also intended to visit the Protestant Cemetery. Again, this would be nicer on a sunny day, but I still wanted to take a look for the Keats and Shelley tombs. Unfortunately we couldn’t seem to find the entrance, and the driving rain made us decide not to look that hard for it. Something else for next time.
We gave in and made our way back to the apartment and the comfort of our apartment, passing many umbrella guys along the way. We talked briefly about venturing out to another museum or indoor activity, but decided against it. This was one of those days that you have to remind yourself that you’re on vacation, and it’s ok to put your feet up and read a book. Which is what we did, and it felt great.
After a relaxing afternoon reading and napping, we headed back out, with our sites on Tram 8 at Piazza Venezia, to take a wander around Trastevere and find a place for a pizza dinner. K is usually in charge of navigation, but unfortunately on this night she chose to listen to me. Big mistake, as I took us in the total wrong direction. We did get some good snaps of the Coliseum at night, but as we debated what to do next, it began to lightning and rain. So, we changed our plans and headed back to Pizzeria Alle Carrette and the toasty warm pizza oven.
A note about tickets for the metro and buses – we took public transport a lot and intended to get a weekly pass, for the convenience as much as potential savings. We never seemed to have the right combination of bills and coins for the machine. It accepted a max of 20E, and wouldn’t give more than 6E in change (I think it was 6. Don’t quote me on that. But there was a cap that continually foiled us). The ticket cost 24E each. We never did make it work, and ended up just getting singles as needed. That was fine, but it became comical how often we were scraping for smaller coins and bills. Romans don’t seem to like to make change. In fact, at one restaurant they rounded our bill down just so they didn’t have to give us change. Next time I’m in Rome, I’m hanging on to my 1E and 2E coins. They are like gold!
Jan 13th, 2014, 05:45 PM
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I've noticed on my last couple trips to Rome that getting (and keeping) €1 and €2 coins is getting harder and harder. At least that's how it seemed to me. I always used to come home with a change purse bursting with coins, now I'm lucky to have 4 or 5.
Jan 13th, 2014, 06:27 PM
#16
>>>A note about tickets for the metro and buses – we took public transport a lot and intended to get a weekly pass, for the convenience as much as potential savings. We never seemed to have the right combination of bills and coins for the machine.<<<
You can buy them in the ticket office in Termini, Ottaviano and Spagna metro stops if you can't get the machine to work. Other stops have ticket offices also (not all of them so I listed the ones tourist would most likely use).
>>> It was such fun to hang out there, but not sure I'd want to (try to) sleep right next to it.<<<
It's no problem as long your room doesn't face the piazza. I'm not aware of any hotels on the piazza, only the convent Santa Sofia and Duca D'Alba a block or so away on Via Leonina.
You can buy them in the ticket office in Termini, Ottaviano and Spagna metro stops if you can't get the machine to work. Other stops have ticket offices also (not all of them so I listed the ones tourist would most likely use).
>>> It was such fun to hang out there, but not sure I'd want to (try to) sleep right next to it.<<<
It's no problem as long your room doesn't face the piazza. I'm not aware of any hotels on the piazza, only the convent Santa Sofia and Duca D'Alba a block or so away on Via Leonina.
Jan 13th, 2014, 06:48 PM
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Ky, I went back to look it up and it's the place you stayed. Didn't realize it was a convent.
http://www.casasantasofia.it/index.php/en/
Thanks for the ticket info. I was going to look that up for my next trip.
http://www.casasantasofia.it/index.php/en/
Thanks for the ticket info. I was going to look that up for my next trip.
Jan 14th, 2014, 07:22 AM
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Monday was a full day, and began with our first cornetti and capuccini of the trip, at a bar around the corner called Er Baretto, on Via Del Boschetto, 132. Their cappuccino was creamy and delicious, complete with a little tulip in the foam, and the service was friendly. It’s popular, and at 11 the bar area was packed. We stopped here a number of times during the week to supplement the coffee that K made for us each morning.
Fueled up, we made our way to the Complesso del Vittoriano, part of the Vittorio Emanuelle monument, for an exhibit called Cézanne e gli artisti italiani del ’900. We really enjoyed this. The space was great, two floors and very open, and not very crowded at all. There was a pretty big school group, but otherwise just a handful of other people. The exhibit showed the influence of Cezanne on Italian artists such as Boccioni and Carra, as well as others I was not familiar with. I think it’s open until Feb, so if you’re lucky enough to be in Rome in the coming weeks, I’d recommend it.
Our next stop of the day was a wine tasting with Vinoroma, but first we needed to figure out how to get out of the museum, hopefully with a stop at the ladies room on the way. We followed signs that led us through the Museo del Risorgimento. I didn’t realize it was connected to the exhibit space, and I would definitely like to return. It seemed interesting as we blew through. We twisted and turned through hallways following signs, and never did find the ladies room, but imagine our surprise when we walked out one door and onto the roof of the monument and the fabulous views of Rome it offers. What a happy accident, and we even had some sunshine to get in some good pics.
We finally made our way out of the museum complex and on to our Wine Tasting at Vinoroma. I had read about this here at Fodor’s from Low Country Islander (as did the couple that was also at the tasting with us). I began following Vinoroma on Twitter and Instagram and really like the owner’s style, so it seemed a no-brainer to sign up for one of the tastings. Our leader on this day was Maurizio, and we spent a great 1.5 hours tasting a variety of wines and cheeses and discussing terroir and taste, as well as picking his brain about life in Rome. Fun, tasty and educational, my favorite kind of activity!
http://www.vinoroma.com/
After the tasting we hopped on the metro and made our way to the Keats-Shelley House, adjacent to the Spanish steps. This is where Keats died, and his bedroom has been preserved and is on display. We didn’t get to see his grave, but did get to see his deathbed. There was also a small exhibit about Women during the Romantic time, which focused on Mary Shelley after Percy died. When I say small, I mean teeny. There was a small room full of letters and ephemera, and it was just too dark to read. That said, though, I was glad we stopped here.
Back to the metro and now to The Repubblica stop, to visit Santa Maria della Vittoria and the Bernini sculpture Ecstasy of Santa Teresa. Great big wow. I had read about this church before and seen pictures, so I knew it was Baroque to the max, but this church is over the top, with gilded gold, frescoes, and statues everywhere you looked. It was crazy. I loved it! Can’t believe we’ve never made it there before.
At this point, we were absolutely bursting with culture, so time for a little shopping and cocktails to provide some balance. We did a little damage at Benetton, and picked up some books at the bookstore near the Repubblica metro (I study Italian and found a few chapter books in the kids section, which sadly is about where I am), then hopped the bus back to Monti and the enoteca Ai Tre Scalini for some wine and a nibble before heading back to the apartment to freshen up for dinner.
We decided to venture outside of the centro for dinner, and took the metro back to Piramide. This time, we were headed to Porto Fluviale in the Ostiense neighborhood, just past Testaccio. It should have been a 10-ish minute walk from the metro, but somehow we over shot it by almost 15 minutes. I knew we were in trouble when I saw signs for Eataly. Oops. Guess we walked off dinner in advance.
We finally made it to our destination, Porto Fluviale, another place I found on EatRome, as well as a few other sites.
http://www.portofluviale.com/
The main appeal here was that they serve small plates, and I thought it would be fun to try a few different things. The place is cavernous and modern and must have been a warehouse or industrial building of some sort at one time. It’s actually three or four restaurants in one (we accidentally sat in the pizzeria at first, and had to change tables to order off the trattoria menu. Kinda goofy). It was Monday and busy, not totally packed, but I could see how it could be a trendy and popular place. There were a lot of hip-type people there. This would be a great place to go with a group of friends. I liked the ambiance better than the food. We ordered 3-4 small plates (including trippa. Bad idea), followed by a pasta for each of us, and nothing was bad (except the trippa) but nothing was memorable, either.
We did get to see a pretty cool mural near the restaurant, which I later read was done by a fairly well-known street artist called Blu. That was probably the highlight
http://www.demotix.com/news/2606921/...#media-2606866
Naturally it was pouring when we left, and we missed the last metro, so we hopped in a cab and made our way back to the apartment. A long but fun day!
Fueled up, we made our way to the Complesso del Vittoriano, part of the Vittorio Emanuelle monument, for an exhibit called Cézanne e gli artisti italiani del ’900. We really enjoyed this. The space was great, two floors and very open, and not very crowded at all. There was a pretty big school group, but otherwise just a handful of other people. The exhibit showed the influence of Cezanne on Italian artists such as Boccioni and Carra, as well as others I was not familiar with. I think it’s open until Feb, so if you’re lucky enough to be in Rome in the coming weeks, I’d recommend it.
Our next stop of the day was a wine tasting with Vinoroma, but first we needed to figure out how to get out of the museum, hopefully with a stop at the ladies room on the way. We followed signs that led us through the Museo del Risorgimento. I didn’t realize it was connected to the exhibit space, and I would definitely like to return. It seemed interesting as we blew through. We twisted and turned through hallways following signs, and never did find the ladies room, but imagine our surprise when we walked out one door and onto the roof of the monument and the fabulous views of Rome it offers. What a happy accident, and we even had some sunshine to get in some good pics.
We finally made our way out of the museum complex and on to our Wine Tasting at Vinoroma. I had read about this here at Fodor’s from Low Country Islander (as did the couple that was also at the tasting with us). I began following Vinoroma on Twitter and Instagram and really like the owner’s style, so it seemed a no-brainer to sign up for one of the tastings. Our leader on this day was Maurizio, and we spent a great 1.5 hours tasting a variety of wines and cheeses and discussing terroir and taste, as well as picking his brain about life in Rome. Fun, tasty and educational, my favorite kind of activity!
http://www.vinoroma.com/
After the tasting we hopped on the metro and made our way to the Keats-Shelley House, adjacent to the Spanish steps. This is where Keats died, and his bedroom has been preserved and is on display. We didn’t get to see his grave, but did get to see his deathbed. There was also a small exhibit about Women during the Romantic time, which focused on Mary Shelley after Percy died. When I say small, I mean teeny. There was a small room full of letters and ephemera, and it was just too dark to read. That said, though, I was glad we stopped here.
Back to the metro and now to The Repubblica stop, to visit Santa Maria della Vittoria and the Bernini sculpture Ecstasy of Santa Teresa. Great big wow. I had read about this church before and seen pictures, so I knew it was Baroque to the max, but this church is over the top, with gilded gold, frescoes, and statues everywhere you looked. It was crazy. I loved it! Can’t believe we’ve never made it there before.
At this point, we were absolutely bursting with culture, so time for a little shopping and cocktails to provide some balance. We did a little damage at Benetton, and picked up some books at the bookstore near the Repubblica metro (I study Italian and found a few chapter books in the kids section, which sadly is about where I am), then hopped the bus back to Monti and the enoteca Ai Tre Scalini for some wine and a nibble before heading back to the apartment to freshen up for dinner.
We decided to venture outside of the centro for dinner, and took the metro back to Piramide. This time, we were headed to Porto Fluviale in the Ostiense neighborhood, just past Testaccio. It should have been a 10-ish minute walk from the metro, but somehow we over shot it by almost 15 minutes. I knew we were in trouble when I saw signs for Eataly. Oops. Guess we walked off dinner in advance.
We finally made it to our destination, Porto Fluviale, another place I found on EatRome, as well as a few other sites.
http://www.portofluviale.com/
The main appeal here was that they serve small plates, and I thought it would be fun to try a few different things. The place is cavernous and modern and must have been a warehouse or industrial building of some sort at one time. It’s actually three or four restaurants in one (we accidentally sat in the pizzeria at first, and had to change tables to order off the trattoria menu. Kinda goofy). It was Monday and busy, not totally packed, but I could see how it could be a trendy and popular place. There were a lot of hip-type people there. This would be a great place to go with a group of friends. I liked the ambiance better than the food. We ordered 3-4 small plates (including trippa. Bad idea), followed by a pasta for each of us, and nothing was bad (except the trippa) but nothing was memorable, either.
We did get to see a pretty cool mural near the restaurant, which I later read was done by a fairly well-known street artist called Blu. That was probably the highlight
http://www.demotix.com/news/2606921/...#media-2606866
Naturally it was pouring when we left, and we missed the last metro, so we hopped in a cab and made our way back to the apartment. A long but fun day!
Jan 14th, 2014, 08:39 AM
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Glad you enjoyed your wine tasting with VinoRoma. We just met Maurizio for the first time during our October visit, such a nice guy!
I've never been to Ai Tre Scalini but have walked by many times. There always seems to be a huge number of people squeezed in and spilling out onto the steps, and I never felt like squirming my way through to stand up and drink wine. I'm curious to hear more about your experience there, was it very crowded, is there any seating at all inside?
I've never been to Ai Tre Scalini but have walked by many times. There always seems to be a huge number of people squeezed in and spilling out onto the steps, and I never felt like squirming my way through to stand up and drink wine. I'm curious to hear more about your experience there, was it very crowded, is there any seating at all inside?
