Things to do in Rome
Italian life is made to sit outside in the evening for a good glass of wine and a nice dish of pasta. When the weather is nice, the choice of places to sit and go for dinner or a drink is endless. Of course, there are many bars and restaurants in the centre and around popular spots as the Vatican and the Coliseum. Another part you can’t miss is the Trastevere area. This old working-class neighbourhood has grown into an area full of nice bars, restaurants and pizzerias. This is the place where Italians go for aperitivo: a nice glass of prosecco or wine, if you want with a little bite. In case you are looking for big discotheques, you’ll have to get a bit out of the centre. However, in the summer, there are great temporary clubs along the river Tiber.
When we are talking about food and drinks, we can’t miss the fact that Italy offers the best coffee and ice cream of the world. It is not difficult to get a good espresso, cappuccino or latte macchiato: just go to one of the thousands of espresso bars all in the city. In Rome, bad coffee just doesn’t exist. For ice cream, it’s similar: if you leave Rome without having eaten ice cream, you haven’t been there. Apart from Giolitti and Della Palma (mentioned in the Attractions section), there are many more good places for ice cream. According to Romans, the tiny store with amazing flavours San Crispino is the top of the bill. Another popular spot is the ancient ice cream fabric of Fassi. In this authentic building close to piazza Vittorio, you’ll taste some of the best creamy flavours as vanilla and tiramisu.
San Crispino, Via Acaia, 56
Palazza del Freddo (Palace of the cold) Fassi, Via Principe Eugenio, 65
Restaurants Rome
Italy is famous for its pasta and pizza. The Mediterranean diet – full of fresh ingredients from the sea and the mountains, with amazing olive oil, desserts and cheeses – on itself is a reason to visit Italy.
Some typical Roman pasta dishes include bucatini all’amatriciana (a sort of thick spaghetti in a spicy tomato sauce with bacon or pig cheek) and tonarelli cacio e pepe (a sort of tagliatelle with cheese and pepper). Other typical meals are coda alla vaccinara (a stew of oxtail or the tail of a veal), trippa alla romana (liver) and carciofi (artichokes); pizza is originally from Naples. Famous desserts are tiramisu and tartufo (an ice cream dessert, generally with chocolate). For breakfast, maritozzi (oval-shaped sweet buns) are typical.
The centre is full of restaurants, many of them aimed at tourists and offering special menus. Some more authentic restaurants can be found in Trastevere. It won’t be difficult to find a good place to eat, but let us give you some suggestions.
Gusto or Alfredo
One of the places where fancier restaurants are located, is the square of emperor Augustus’ mausoleum. Try out Gusto or Alfredo, the self-declared emperor of fettuccine, another type of pasta.
Gusto, Piazza Augusto Imperatore, 7
Alfredo l’Imperatore, Piazza Augusto Imperatore, 30
Da Baffetto
If you want to go for pizza, Da Baffetto is the place to be. The no-nonsense interior won’t distract you from their real talents: a thin pizza with the finest mozzarella (or anything else you’d like to have on it). They are generally considered the best pizzeria in Rome, so be prepared to queue.
Da Baffetto, Via del Governo Vecchio, 114 (close to Piazza Navona)
L’Insalata ricca
If you are vegetarian, or you just really like salads, the franchise L’Insalata ricca is a good option. You’ll find them in several places, for example close to the Vatican.
L’Insalata ricca, Piazza Risorgimento 4-5
Nightlife Rome
When in Rome, go for an aperitif. There are many places where you can get a glass of wine or prosecco, a cocktail or beer and snap some free finger food from a buffet. Romans love to sit outside and to talk into the night with a glass in the hand. Charming Trastevere is definitely the most popular place for an aperitif. Its elegant small streets around the piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere are worth a visit by itself, and of course there comes a moment to stop for a drink, right? San Lorenzo is less known, but this alternative neighbourhood hidden behind the Termini station is full of life. The little bars and restaurants around Via degli Equi and Via dei Latini are popular among university students; the university of La Sapienza is not for away. Campo de’ Fiori and piazza Bologna or other popular spots. Good places for aperitif include:
Freni e frizioni, Via del Politeama 4-6 (Trastevere)
Momart, Viale XXI Aprile, 19 (Piazza Bologna area, metro stop Bologna, B)
Il Circolo degli Artisti
The Circolo degli Artisti (the club of artists) is an alternative place with a close circle of clientele. It is much more than a nightclub: apart from concerts, they also have a theatre, sports events and even a pool. The big club, with several stages for live music and a regular clubbing room with DJ, is a great place to discover new bands. There is a lot of variation in musical styles amongst the rooms, so you might encounter rock, house, metal, electronic music, or even traditional world music at some nights. The pub of the complex is nicely situated in the garden and is a good place to enjoy the crazy atmosphere and meet some artistic minds.
Via Casilina Vecchia, 42
Testaccio
The area around Testaccio, dubbed ‘the eight hill of Rome’ is the true clubbing district of Rome. In the curve of this street, you’ll find many different clubs. One of the cool spots is Akab. The place is loved by people with an independent music style who like to discover new local bands. In any case, there are so many different places that you’ll surely find what you like. Radio Londra in the same street features rock and blues. A little down the road, you can find club Alibi, which is very popular among gays.
Akab, Via di Monte Testaccio, 69
Radio Londra, Via di Monte Testaccio, 67
L’Alibi, Via di Monte Testaccio, 39
Theatre in Rome
Rome has several renowned and world famous theatres and a bunch of smaller places with their own artistic flow, like the Ambra Jovinelli theatre in the piazza Vittorio area. Italians really like the opera, and they’re quite right if you see what a music tradition the country has. If you can read Italian, get the Repubblica on Thursday for the cultural programmes. Another option is the Roma c’è, which lists all programmes for art exhibitions, concerts, movies etcetera. Of course Rome has plenty of cinemas, but the temporary open-air cinemas on Piazza Vittorio and the Villa Ada park are more fun.
Teatro Ambra Jovinelli, Via Guglielmo Pepe, 43
Teatro dell\\\\\\\'Opera
The teatro dell’Opera on piazza dei Gigli is the main opera of Rome. The programme includes many Italian operas by composers as Verdi, Donizetti, Rossini and Puccini. However, there is also space for foreign masters as Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev. Being in Rome, you of course would prefer to see an Italian opera as La traviata or Tosca. Remember to honour the occasion and dress up, just like the Italians do.
Piazza dei Gigli
Terme di Caracalla
In the summer months, the plays of the Teatro dell’Opera are performed here, at the ancient Terme di Caracalla, the bathhouse of Roman emperor Caracalla. It is a great outdoor location to enjoy the music, although a bit out of the centre. Generally, the selection includes the most traditional operas such as Rigoletto or Aida.
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
Teatro nazionale
The national theatre has recently been renovated. The beautiful hall can contain five hundred spectators. The theatre mostly stages contemporary works of theatre and dance, but also classical tragedies and comedies, such as from the Neapolitan playwright De Filippo.
Via del Viminale, 51