The Gallery 19 team just got back from three days in Rome. Of course you canot even scratch the surface of a city as old as Rome in just three days but if you follow our suggestions you can scratch yourself in some of Rome's most picturesque spots. Our apartment was in the Arco dei Acetari, a medieval couryard of distressed orange and ochre houses behind Campo de' Fiori, and with such a central location and so little time we eliminated pecincts such as Testaccio, Pigneto and Garbatella and out-of-the-way places such as the padlocks of Ponte Milvio, the view from the Janiculum Hill and the pyramids, protestant cemetery, rose and orange gardens of the Aventine Hill, and concentrated more on the centro storico. Enjoy and in bucca al lupo…
SUNDAY
If you are in Rome on a Sunday make your way to Porta Portese, the largest flea market in Europe
Lunch…find the porchetta van in Porta Portese and have yourself a suckling-pig-filled- pannino… or try Roma Sparita [Piazza di Santa Cecilia, 24] or Da Augusto [Piazza de' Renzi, 15]
2-4pm Arco dei Acetari, Campo de' Fiori
Walk through the medieval backstreets of Campo de' Fiori…Via del Pellegrino, Arco di Santa Margherita, Via dei Cappellari, Via di Monserrato, Piazza della Querica, San Paolo a Regola
Evening passegiata through Piazza Navona…chocolate truffle gelato from Tre Scalini
Coffee stop at Sant' Eustachio or Tazza d'Oro…the best coffee in Rome can be found a stone's throw from the Pantheon…try them both and decide for yourself…the Tazza d'Oro is the only roasting house in Rome and the smell is divine
Church hopping past the Pantheon…San Luigi de Francesi, Santa Maria della Maddalena, Santa Maria ad Martyres, Sant'Ignazio di Loyla, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
Salotto 42 [Piazza di Pietra, 42]…cool cocktail bar overlooking the remains of Hadrian's temple.
Dinner at Osteria da Fortunata [Via del Pellegrino]… or try Roscioli Restaurant [Via del Giubbonari, 21], try the baccala from the hole-in-the-wall Da Filettaro a Santa Barbara [Largo dei Librari, 88], Ditirambo [Piazza della Cancelleria, 74], Osteria la Querica [Piazza della Querica] or Settimio al Pellegrino [Via del Pellegrino, 117]
MONDAY
Early breakfast of pizza bianca and ricotta cakes at Il Forno [Piazza Campo de Fiori, 22]
St Peter's Basilica…opens at 7am…get there early to avoid long queues and dress appropriately to avoid being sent away
Vatican Musuems…one of the finest art collections in the world…book online and skip the queues
Lunch suggestions for the Vatican & the Borgo…Velando [Borgo Vittorio, 26] and Borgo Nuovo [Borgo Pio, 104]
2-4pm Arco dei Acetari, Campo de' Fiori
Gelato at Alberto Pica [Via della Seggiola]…artisan ice-cream parlour owned by the president of the Associazione Gelatieri
Walk through the Ghetto…madonna shrines and stars of David on the Via del Portico, Il Museo de Louvre [Via della Reginella, 26/28] is a very interesting bookshop/vintage photography gallery, discover the antique sculpture collection of the Marchese Asdrubale Mattei at the Palazzo Mattei di Giove [Via Michelangelo Caetani, 32], follow the smell of almond and cinnamon to the Roman-Jewish bakery Il Boccione [Via Portico d'Ottavio, 1]
Cross the river via the Tiber Island…and stop at the kiosk [after crossing Ponte Cestio] Chioscio della Sora Mirella for a grattachecca [hand-shaved ice and syrup]
Walk along the Lungaretta [making a detour to visit Santa Cecilia in Trastevere and the famous biscuit shop Biscottificio Innocenti on Via della Luce] to Santa Maria in Trastevere
Coffee at Bar Calisto [Piazza San Calisto]…sit outside, soak up the atmosphere
Shrines at the back of Piazza Trilussa…Vicolo del Leopardo, Via della Scala, Via del Mattonata and the grotty corners between Via della Scala and Piazza Trilussa
Stop for a drink at Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fa [Via Benedetta, 25] before crossing Ponte Sisto to get back to the Campo Marzio
Dinner at Armando al Patheon [Salita de' Crescenzi, 311]…or try La Pigna [Piazza della Pigna] or Fortunato al Pantheon [Via del Pantheon, 55]
TUESDAY
Breakfast at Bar Farnese [Piazza Farnese]
Santa Maria delle Pace…this church is rarely open but well worth a visit…Mon-Wed & Fri 10am-12.50pm…Bar Pace is a beautiful spot for a coffee [or an evening aperitif]
Catch the small electric bus No.116 to Porta Pinciana
Galleria Borghese, 11.30am…the Borghese family art collection…exquisite sculpture…pre-booked two hour slots available
Walk down the Spanish Steps…coffee in the musuem-cum-cafe located in Canova's workshop in Rome Museo Atelier Canova Tadolini…window shop down the Via Condotti and the Corso
Palazzo Doria-Pamphilj…art collection begun by the Pamphilj family in te seventeenth century…listen to Jonathan Pamphilj's audio guide while walking around the house he grew up in…one of my favourite picture galleries
Lunch at Maccheroni [Via delle Coppelle]…or try Desidero Preso dalla Coda [Vicolo della Palomba, 23], cheap & cheerful at Da Francesco [Piazza del Fico, 29] or La Campana [Vicolo della Campana]
2-4pm Arco dei Acetari, Campo de' Fiori
Backstreets of Piazza Navona…Piazza Pasquino [famous talking statue]…Via Governo Vecchio [vintage boutiques and independant fashion outlets]…Via dei Coronari [medieval pilgrim road named after the rosary bead sellers who once traded here, now mostly antique shops]
Ai Monesteri [Corso Rinascimento, 72]…medieval style apothecary selling products made by monks…herbal products, elixirs, candles, jams and honey, ancient ointments and remedies
Sant'Agostino…one last Caravaggio for the road
Gioltti [Via degli Uffici del Vicario, 40]…one last coffee and gelato and chance to spot a Italian politician in Rome
