When in Rome: best local eateries & amazing attractions

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Since 1946, the image of a Vespa scooter has become an inseparable part of Italy. And we suggest speeding up your transfer from one site to another, following Audrey Hebpurn’s “Roman holiday” lead. If you have a valid driver’s license and an international driving permit, for €59 per day you will get not only a pocket-friendly vehicle, but an adventure, where you can avoid all the discomfort of traffic jams while riding quickly as the wind in the most stunning backdrop. And if you cannot drive, you still can have real fun by booking a Vespa tour with an experienced guide/driver who will share with you the most exciting episodes of Roman history, while you are sitting in the sidecar and absorbing the view.

The most popular tours start with the mysterious marble Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Veritá) in the portico of Santa Maria in Cosmedin Church that is believed to bite off your hand if you are being dishonest. Next, you will visit Circus Maximus, Saint Peter's Square, Palatine Hill, and of course, Colosseum – the most symbolic landmark. A Vespa tour is the best way to cover as many sights as possible within a few hours. To replenish your energy after this energetic adventure, visit Settimo Roman Cuisine & Terrace.

Settimo Roman Cuisine & Terrace deserves everyone’s attention for its beautiful location, granting you a breathtaking view of the city. Using locally sourced ingredients, the restaurant team takes you on a journey of contemporary Roman cuisine accompanied by handcrafted beverages. Their monochromatic, elegant terrace has been designed in such a way in order to let the landscape mesmerize you without any distractions. And their inside seating full of deep emerald green colors, natural plants, and warm light, is the brainchild of a talented designer and architect, Jean-Philippe Nuel.

Their sensational menu includes homemade Tonnarelli pasta with pecorino cheese and black pepper, crispy prawns with raw vegetables and green sauce, and grilled beef filet with pan-fried chicory and stewed onion. Their tart with ricotta cheese and sour cherries is an absolute must for sweet lovers. As a perfect light addition, have a glass of Blanc de Blanc from Epernay.

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The Borghese Gallery is a worldwide famous museum of art housed in an elegant palace – Villa Borghese Pinciana. The major part of the exhibits is the collection of Cardinal Scipione Borghese (1576 – 1633). He was an art patron of Lorenzo Bernini and a passionate admirer of Caravaggio’s talent. A very unique feature of this gallery is that Bernini’s sculptures are actually placed the way their creator intended them to be. This lets you experience the amazing texture of beautiful figures, skillfully carved in marble with the same splashes of sun and color highlighting every composition, as Bernini himself would.

Here, you will find the paintings of Caravaggio, Raphael, Titian, Rubens, and many more world’s greatest artists that you can admire peacefully without big crowds. For this reason, you need to book tickets online in advance, and there is a limit on the number of people allowed to visit the museum at a given moment. We suggest you look up their webpage for the timings. One ticket without a guide will cost you €15.00.

Our next suggestion is a beautiful homage to the great Federico Fellini, whose films often depict Rome in a Baroque ‌style full of fantasies. For the filmmaker, eateries were a place where he would relax while working on his creative ideas. The very essence is reflected in the ambiance of Ristorante Il Fellini, with its duo-chromatic simple yellow earth and white colors with accents on the photos of the icons from the director's films. The dimmed candlelight adds coziness to the overall atmosphere.

With a well-balanced menu, they cater to every possible requirement, including gluten-free dishes, seafood delicacies, homemade pasta and ravioli, and succulent steaks. We recommend their homemade trofie pasta with pistachio sauce, king prawns, and lemon zest, pork filet served with pumpkin sauce and marsala wine sauce, and codfish salad with chickpeas cream and rosemary olive oil. Don’t forget to order a dessert – a tender creme brûlée, cinnamon flavor, and orange peel, or a creamy parfait with fresh persimmon and chocolate sauce. Take a glass of light, citrusy Italian pinot grigio to complete your meal.

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In this review, we can't miss mentioning the most recognized fountain in the world – Fontana di Trevi. Its name translates as “three ways” due to its location – an intersection of three streets. Apart from its magnificent Baroque beauty, the popularity of this attraction has grown thanks to its portrayal in multiple films.

At the fountain, you will always see people throwing coins in the water. This tradition derives from a 1954 movie, “Three Coins in the Fountain”. In order to return back to Rome, you should throw one coin in the water. Two coins will make you fall in love with an Italian, and three coins will lead to a marriage with the person you met. Little did the film directors know that this narrative would grow into one of the most charming traditions that, by the way, also works for a local charity: the municipality of the city cleans the fountain weekly and donates the coins (around 1.4 million annually) to help families in need. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to participate in this magical activity.

Situated a stone’s throw from Fontana di Trevi, this restaurant is dedicated to authentic Roman and Italian cuisine. The passionate team at Pizza in Trevi is very particular about genuineness, high quality, freshness, and simplicity reflected in their creations. At this establishment, you will experience the most welcoming environment thanks to the hospitality of the team as well as the pleasant interior design of the place. The combination of simple wooden furniture with many beautiful details, such as landscape photos, musical instruments on the walls, and bottles of Italian spirits on the shelves, all lit by soft orange light bulbs, immerse you into the nonchalant Roman mood.

All dishes at Pizza in Trevi are made exclusively of locally sourced ingredients. Indulge in their specialty – fettuccine with fresh tomato sauce, buffalo burrata, and homemade basil sauce, grilled squid with mixed vegetables, pizza Napoli with mozzarella and anchovies, or pizza boscaiola with sausages and champignons. To make your meal 100% Italian, order a coupette of gelato.

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Originally, the father of the Buonarotti family, wanted his son, Michelangelo, to follow his steps in choosing a reasonable occupation of becoming a lawyer. But the young boy’s artistic talent was so obvious that he proceeded to develop his soon-to-become consummate skill. Nowadays, Michelangelo is known as ‌the greatest of ‌ Italian Renaissance artists. That is why you just can’t miss one of his monumental works – the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

He spent 4 years of his life from 1508 to 1512 to complete this masterpiece, trying to depict ‌God’s invisible majesty and beauty. The best-known fresco is undoubtedly The Creation of Adam, located in the vault’s center. The Vatican is one of the most crowded attractions in the world. To skip the lines, consider booking a guided tour, which covers the Basilica and Vatican Museums. In Rome, you can also discover the perfection of Michelangelo’s stunning sculptures, Moses and Pieta, the latter carved by the artist at the age of 24.

Our last place, Panificio Bonci, has become extremely famous after being featured in a Netflix 2022 docu-series, “Chef's Table: Pizza”. Gabriele Bonci – the “Michelangelo of pizza” – is at the helm of this establishment. He started his career as a chef at a well-known Roman restaurant, Il Simposio. He has revolutionized the traditional Pizza Al Taglio (by the slice) – a hearty dish with a huge variety of toppings known for its shape and unique base texture.

Panificio Bonci is a bakery selling bread, cakes, cookies, and pizzas that attract people from all over the city thanks to the fame of the chef and his delicious food. You can pick from such amazing combinations as baked ham and mozzarella, mortadella, roasted pork, and many more. They also serve local and imported craft beers, lemonades, and wines to quench your thirst.

As you can see, a vacation in Rome can be an incredibly diverse blend of fascinating discoveries, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and celebrations of art, beauty, food, and people. To enjoy it all to its fullest, follow simple advice – forget about the rush and feel every moment of your stay in this vibrant city.

Have you ‌been to Rome? What advice can you give to other travelers? Share your thoughts with our community in the comment section below.