Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome (PDF Chapter) Edition 9th Edition, Jan 2016 Pages 29 Page Range 50–69, 214–222 COVERAGE INCLUDES: Useful Links • Neighbourhood Top Five Want more guides? Head to our shop • Local Life • Getting There & Trouble with your PDF? Away Trouble shoot here • Sights Need more help? • Eating Head to our FAQs • Drinking & Nightlife Stay in touch • Shopping Contact us here • Sleeping

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Neighbourhood Top Five 1 Getting your first 2 Roaming the haunting 4 Exploring the basilicas, glimpse of the Colosseum ruins of the Palatino (p106), temples and triumphal (p52). Rome’s iconic ancient Rome’s birthplace arches of the Roman Forum amphitheatre is both an and most exclusive (p57). architectural masterpiece neighbourhood. 5 Surveying the city and a stark, spine-tingling 3 Coming face to face spread out beneath you from reminder of the brutality of with centuries of awe- atop Il Vittoriano (p66). ancient times. inspiring art at the historic Capitoline Museums (p61).

000000 00000000000000000 000000000000000000000Piazza 0 0000000000000000000000 e# 0200 m 000000000000000Venezia 0 00.1 miles 000000000000000000000000 0 000000000000rco000000000000 0 00000000n Ma 00000000000 0 Vi i Sa V ar 00000000di 00000000000 0 a ing V00000000ia 00000000000 0 i V i Z Al a egl 00000000000000000005# 0 i d Imperial a ia V000000000000000000000000000 0 es T 000000V 00000 0 o a 00000000ia 0000000000000000000 0 d 00000000000 0 000000000000000000000000000 Forums0 sa r 00000000n000 0 ä# e i 00000000d 0000000000000000000 0 d 000000 Le00on 000 0 'A i Via 000000000000000000000000000 0 ndri e 00000000000 0 r V ina S 000000000000000000000000000 0 ' cc 00000000000 0 a ia C a ia B ti e 00000000c 0000000000000000000 P 0 d V on 00000000o 000000000 e n o M r e i i p 00000000l 000000000 e V i a n de 000000 i t F a e 00000000000000000 i or t n 000000 r a n 00000000000000000 o i Im i ado n000000 d t ale 00000000o 000000000 i a M 000000 S l n ell i e 00 00000000l 000000000 i p d 000000000000tt S ia e 00 e 00000000000000 C e V 000000000000e S 00 000000 a r 00000000 000000ell c a iali d 00 r 000000 n 00000000 ia Cavour 000000Via 00 a 000000 r 00000000Largo C V 000000 000000Piazza del c 0000000000000 000000 M 000000 e 0000000000000Ricci V 000000 i r ia Vi d 000000Campidoglio e 0000000000000 000000 o 000000 0000000000000 d a de tr 0000003# 000000000000Larg0o della e a 000000 0000000000000 l C e 000000 000000000000Sala0ra Vecchia o T 000000 0000000000000 lo gl 0000000000000 s el s i e d 00000 o Anni a i ä# V 4# V ia ba S 00000 ac l 0000di0 ra V 00000 Parco ia 00000 d 00000 del Colle ne e 00000 io i F 00000V Oppio 0000 laz Roman Forum 0000000000000000ori 00000ia N S 0000 Conso 0000000000000000Impe alvi 0000000000Via 0 V 0000000000000000riali 00000000000 ia 0000000000000000 00000000000 dei 0000000000000000 00000000000 Fie 0000000000000000 0000000 nil 0000000000000000 Piazza000000 Bocca 0 i o 0000000000000000 0000000 r Vi 0000000000000000 0000000 o a Sa 0000000000000000 della Verità d cr 0000000 o 0000000000000000a P L0000000 e 0000000000000000 i 000000g 0 0000000000000000#ä# V 1 e T 000000t 0 0000000000000000 r 000000i 0 n 0000000000000000 l d a e 0000000 a 0000000000000000 000000e P 000000000 0000000000000000 o S i 000000e 000000000 0000000000000000Piazza del ni o i 000000t 000000000000br 0000000000000000 la d r 00000000000000000e 0 0000000000000000 o l V Colosseo 000000000000000 de000 a 2#ä# 0000000000000000 000000s 000000000Via 000 i 0000000000000000 000000e 000000000000 V 0000000000000000Vibenna l o 000000l 0 0000000000000000li 000000i 0 0000 Palatino 0000000000000000Ce 0000000 0000 0000000000000000ia 0000000 0000Piazza di 0000000000000000V 0000000 Sa0000nt'Anastasia 0000000000000000Parco CAMPITELLI 0000 del Celio For more detail of this area see Map p300 A 51 Lonely Planet’s Explore: Ancient Rome Top Tip Located to the south of the city centre, this area contains The big sights in this part of the great ruins of the ancient city, all within walking Rome are among the city’s distance of each other. They start to get crowded mid- most visited. To avoid the morning and throng with tourists until mid- to late worst of the crowds try to afternoon, although in peak season they can be busy all visit early morning or in the Ancient Rome day. Apart from the big sights, which you can comfort- late afternoon, when it’s ably cover in a couple of days, there’s little in the way of cooler and the light is much nightlife or after-hours action. better for taking photos. The area has two focal points: the Colosseum to the Bring bottled water and southeast, and the Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill) to the snacks with you as the bars

northwest. In between lie the forums: the Roman Forum and snack trucks around the to the left of Via dei Fori Imperiali as you walk up from main monuments are a real the Colosseum, the Imperial Forums to the right. Rising rip-off. above the Roman Forum is the Palatino, and behind that the grassy expanse of the Circo Massimo. To the northwest of the Circo, you’ll find the Bocca della Verità and a 5 Best Places couple of early Roman temples in an area that used to be to Eat ancient Rome’s cattle market (Forum Boarium). To explore ancient Rome, the obvious starting point is ¨¨Terre e Domus (p67) the Colosseum, which is easily accessible by metro. From ¨¨San Teo (p67) there you could go directly up to the Roman Forum, but ¨¨Ristorante Roof Garden if you go first to the Palatino (your Colosseum ticket Circus (p67) covers the Palatino and Roman Forum), you’ll get some For reviews, see p67.A wonderful views over the forums. From the Palatino enter the Forum and work your way up to Piazza del Campidoglio and the Capitoline Museums. Nearby, the mammoth white Vittoriano is hard to miss. 6 Best Places to Drink ¨¨0,75 (p69) Local Life ¨¨Caffè Capitolino (p69) ¨¨Cavour 313 (p69) Ëxhibitions While tourists climb all over Il Vittoriano, locals head inside to catch an exhibition at For reviews, see p69.A the Complesso del Vittoriano (p66). ¨Celebrations Join Romans to celebrate the city’s birthday, the Natale di Roma, on 21 April. Events and 1 Best historical re-enactments are held in and around Rome’s Lookouts ancient sights. ¨Ïl Vittoriano (p66) ¨Via Crucis Crowds gather at the Colosseum (p52) ¨Örti Farnesiani, Palatino every Good Friday to witness the pope lead the (p106) traditional Via Crucis procession. ¨¨Tabularium, Capitoline ¨Jogging Don your trainers and run with the Romans Museums (p61) on the Circo Massimo (p64), a popular jogging venue. ¨¨Mercati di Traiano Museo dei Fori Imperiali (p65) For reviews, see p64.A Getting There & Away ¨Bus Many buses stop in or near Piazza Venezia, including numbers 40, 64, 87, 170, 492, 916 and H. ¨Metro Metro line B has stops at the Colosseum (Colosseo) and Circo Massimo. At Termini follow signs for Line B direzione Laurentina. COLOSSEUM LOG PHOTOGRAPHY / GETTY IMAGES © A monument to raw, merciless power, the Colosseum DON’T MISS… is the most thrilling of Rome’s ancient sights. It was here that gladiators met in mortal combat and ¨¨The stands condemned prisoners fought off wild beasts in front ¨¨The arena of baying, bloodthirsty crowds. Two thousand years ¨¨The hypogeum on and it’s Italy’s top tourist attraction, drawing more than five million visitors a year. PRACTICALITIES Built by Vespasian (r AD 69−79) in the grounds of Nero’s vast Domus Aurea complex, it was inaugurated in AD 80, ¨¨Colosseo eight years after it had been commissioned. To mark the ¨¨Map p300 occasion, Vespasian’s son and successor Titus (r AD 79−81) ¨¨%06 3996 7700 staged games that lasted 100 days and nights, during which ¨¨www.coopculture.it 5000 animals were slaughtered. Trajan (r AD 98−117) later topped this, holding a marathon 117-day killing spree in- ¨¨Piazza del Colosseo volving 9000 gladiators and 10,000 animals. ¨ädult/reduced The 50,000-seat arena was originally known as the Fla- incl Roman Forum & vian Amphitheatre, and although it was Rome’s most fear- Palatino €12/7.50 some arena it wasn’t the biggest – the Circo Massimo could ¨¨h8.30am-1hr before hold up to 250,000 people. The name Colosseum, when sunset introduced in medieval times, was not a reference to its ¨¨mColosseo size but to the Colosso di Nerone, a giant statue of Nero that stood nearby. With the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Colosseum was abandoned and gradually became overgrown. In the Middle Ages it served as a fortress for two of the city’s warrior families, the Frangipani and the Annibaldi. Later, during the Renaissance and baroque periods it was plundered of its precious travertine, and marble stripped from it was used to make huge palaces such as Palazzo Venezia, Palazzo Barberini and Palazzo Cancelleria. More recently, pollution and vibrations caused by traffic and the metro have taken their toll. It is currently undergoing a €25-million clean-up, the first in its 2000-year history, and 53 until restoration is finished – at the time of research, BEAT THE QUEUES this was scheduled for March 2016 – you might find parts of the outer walls covered in scaffolding. Long waits are the norm at the Colosseum. You’ll Exterior have to queue for se- The outer walls have three levels of arches, framed curity checks and then Ancient Rome by Ionic, Doric and Corinthian columns. These were to buy a ticket. To save originally covered in travertine, and marble statues time, get your ticket at filled the niches on the 2nd and 3rd storeys. The the Palatino entrance upper level, punctuated with windows and slender (about 250m away at Corinthian pilasters, had supports for 240 masts that Via di San Gregorio 30) held up a huge canvas awning over the arena, shield- or book online at www. Colosseu ing the spectators from sun and rain. The 80 entrance coopculture.it (plus a arches, known as vomitoria, allowed the spectators €2 booking fee). Alter- to enter and be seated in a matter of minutes. natively, buy a Roma Pass (p17) or sign up

Arena for an official English- m The arena originally had a wooden floor covered in language tour (€5 sand to prevent the combatants from slipping and to on top of the regular soak up the blood. It could also be flooded for mock Colosseum ticket sea battles. Trapdoors led down to the hypogeum, a price). subterranean complex of corridors, cages and lifts beneath the arena floor.

Stands Games staged at the The cavea, for spectator seating, was divided into Colosseum usually three tiers: magistrates and senior officials sat involved gladiators in the lowest tier, wealthy citizens in the middle fighting wild animals and the plebs in the highest tier. Women (except or each other. But for vestal virgins) were relegated to the cheapest contrary to Holly- sections at the top. And as in modern stadiums, tick- wood folklore, bouts ets were numbered and spectators were assigned a rarely ended in death precise seat in a specific sector – in 2015, restorers as the games’ spon- uncovered traces of red numerals on the arches, sor was required to indicating how the sectors were numbered. pay compensation to The podium, a broad terrace in front of the seats, a gladiator’s owner if was reserved for the emperor, senators and VIPs. the gladiator died in action. Hypogeum The hypogeum served as the stadium’s backstage area. It was here that stage sets were prepared and GUIDED TOURS performers, both human and animal, would gather before showtime. The hypogeum, along ‘Gladiators entered the hypogeum through an un- with the top tier, can be derground corridor which led directly in from the visited on a guided tour. nearby Ludus Magnus (gladiator school),’ explains This must be booked in the Colosseum’s Technical Director, Barbara Naz- advance and costs €9 zaro. ‘In side corridors, which stand over a natural on top of the normal spring, boats were kept. When they wanted these Colosseum ticket. boats up in the arena they would let the spring water in and flood the tunnels. Later these passages were used for winch mechanisms, all of which were con- trolled by a single pulley system. There were about 80 lifts going up to the arena as well as cages where wild animals were kept.’ PALATINO RICHARD I’ANSON / GETTY IMAGES © Rising above the Roman Forum, the Palatino (Palatine DON’T MISS… Hill) is an atmospheric area of towering pine trees, majestic ruins and memorable views. According to ¨¨Stadio legend, this is where Romulus and Remus were saved ¨¨Domus Augustana by a wolf and where Romulus founded Rome in 753 BC. ¨¨Orti Farnesiani Archaeological evidence can’t prove the myth, but it has dated human habitation here to the 8th century BC. PRACTICALITIES As the most central of Rome’s seven hills, and because it was close to the Roman Forum, the Palatino was ancient ¨¨Map p300 Rome’s most exclusive neighbourhood. The emperor ¨¨%06 3996 7700 Augustus lived here all his life and successive emperors ¨¨www.coopculture.it built increasingly opulent palaces. But after Rome’s fall, ¨¨Via di San Gregorio it fell into disrepair and in the Middle Ages churches 30 & Via Sacra and castles were built over the ruins. Later, wealthy Renaissance families established gardens on the hill. ¨¨adult/reduced incl Most of the Palatino as it appears today is covered Colosseum & Roman by the ruins of the emperor Domitian’s vast complex, Forum €12/7.50 which served as the main imperial palace for 300 years. ¨¨h8.30am-1hr before Divided into the Domus Flavia (imperial palace), Domus sunset Augustana (the emperor’s private quarters) and a stadio ¨¨mColosseo (stadium), it was built in the 1st century AD. Stadio On entering the Palatino from Via di San Gregorio, head uphill until you come to the first recognisable construction, the stadio. This sunken area, which was part of the main imperial palace, was used by the emperor for private games. To the southeast of the stadium are the remains of a complex built by Septimius Severus, comprising baths (Terme di Settimio Severo) and a palace (Domus Severiana) where, if they’re open, you can visit the Arcate Severiane (Severian Arches; hTue & Fri), a series of arches built to facilitate further development. 55

Domus Augustana & Domus Flavia ROMULUS Next to the stadio are the ruins of the Domus & REMUS Augustana (Emperor’s Residence300), the emperor’s private quarters in the imperial palace. Over two The Palatino is closely levels, rooms lead off a peristilio (porticoed court- associated with the Ancient Rome yard) on each floor. You can’t get to the lower level, legend of Romulus but from above you can see the basin of a fountain and Remus. Rome’s and beyond it rooms that were originally paved with mythical founders were coloured marble. supposedly brought Over on the other side of the Museo Palatino is up here by a shepherd, the Domus Flavia, the public part of the palace. The Faustulus, after a wolf

Domus was centred on a grand columned peristyle – had saved them from P the grassy area with the base of an octagonal foun- death. From near the a l tain – off which the main halls led. To the north Casa di Augusto you at

was the emperor’s throne room (aula regia); to the can look down into ino west, a basilica (used by the emperor to meet his the 8th-century-BC advisers); and to the south, a large banqueting hall, Capanne Romulee the triclinium. (Romulean Huts), where the twins sup- Museo Palatino posedly lived with The Museo Palatino houses a small collection of their adopted father. finds from the Palatino. The downstairs section In 2007 the discovery illustrates the history of the hill from its origins to of a mosaic-covered the Republican age, while upstairs you’ll find arte- cave 15m beneath the facts from the Imperial age, including a beautiful Domus Augustana 1st-century bronze, the Erma di Canefora. reignited interest in the legend. According to Casa di Livia & Casa di Augusto some scholars, this was Among the best-preserved buildings on the Palatino the Lupercale, the cave (incl Casa di Augusto €4; hguided tour is the Casa di Livia believed by ancient 1pm daily, bookings essential) , northwest of the Domus Romans to be where Flavia. Home to Augustus’ wife Livia, it was built Romulus and Remus around an atrium leading onto what were once fres- were suckled by a wolf. coed reception rooms. Nearby, the Casa di Augusto (incl Casa di Livia €4; hguided tour 1pm daily, bookings essential) , Augustus’ separate residence, contains superb frescoes in vivid reds, yellows and blues. The best spot for a picnic is the Vigna Criptoportico Barberini (Barberini Reached from near the Orti Farnesiani, the Vineyard), near the criptoportico is a 128m tunnel where Caligula is Orti Farnesiani. A said to have been murdered, and which Nero used grassy area with to connect his Domus Aurea with the Palatino. Lit several benches, it’s by a series of windows, it is now used for temporary signposted off the exhibitions. path to the Roman Forum. Orti Farnesiani Covering the Domus Tiberiana (Tiberius’ palace) in the northwest corner of the Palatino, the Orti Farnesiani is one of Europe’s earliest botanical gardens. Named after Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, who had it laid out in the mid-16th century, it com- mands breathtaking views over the Roman Forum. 56

PALATINO (PALATINE HILL) Ancient Rome

Viewing

P Balcony Entrance/Exit

a from/to

l Roman Forum at

ino Orti Farnesiani Criptoportico

Capanne Romulee Casa di Livia Casa di Augusto

Vigna Barberini Domus Flavia

Museo Palatino

Domus Augustana

Stadio

Entrance Terme di Settimio Severo

Domus Severiana

Via di San Gregorio ROMAN FORUM S.BORISOV /GETTY IMAGES © The Roman Forum (Foro Romano) was ancient Rome’s DON’T MISS… centrepiece, a grandiose district of temples, basilicas and vibrant public spaces. Nowadays, it’s a collection ¨¨Curia of impressive, if badly labelled, ruins that can leave ¨Ärco di Settimio you drained and confused. But if you can get your Severo imagination going, there’s something wonderfully ¨¨Tempio di Saturno compelling about walking in the footsteps of Julius ¨¨Casa delle Vestali Caesar and other legendary figures of Roman history. ¨¨Basilica di Massenzio Originally an Etruscan burial ground, the Forum was ¨Ärco di Tito first developed in the 7th century BC, growing over time to become the social, political and commercial hub of the Roman Empire. In the Middle Ages it was reduced to PRACTICALITIES pasture land and extensively plundered for its marble. The area was systematically excavated in the 18th and 19th cen- ¨¨Map p300 turies and work continues to this day. ¨¨%06 3996 7700 ¨¨www.coopculture.it Via Sacra Towards Campidoglio ¨¨Largo della Salara Entering the Forum from Largo della Salara Vecchia – you Vecchia & Via Sacra can also enter from the Palatino or via an entrance near the ¨ädult/reduced incl Arco di Tito – you’ll see the Tempio di Antonino e Faustina Colosseum & Palatino ahead to your left. Erected in AD 141, this was later €12/7.50 transformed into a church, the Chiesa di San Lorenzo in ¨¨h8.30am-1hr before Miranda. To your right, the 179 BC Basilica Fulvia Aemilia sunset was a 100m-long public hall with a two-storey porticoed ¨ g facade. ¨ Via dei Fori Imperiali At the end of the path, you’ll come to Via Sacra, the Forum’s main thoroughfare, and the Tempio di Giulio Cesare (Tempio del Divo Giulio). Built by Augustus in 29 BC, this marks the spot where Julius Caesar was cremated. Heading right up Via Sacra brings you to the Curia, the original seat of the Roman Senate. This barn-like construction was 150360543 470339506 GETTY FREE GETTY Crowds of tourists on a cobbled path behind Arco Caption:Basilica of Maxentius and Constanine is di Settimio Severo, Roman Forum. a roman building in Foro Romano, Rome, Italy. It Rome, Lazio, Italy, Europe was the largest building in the site and called as Photographer: Lonely Planet the Basilica Nova. theJIPEN

Colonna di Foca Campidoglio Arco di Settimio Curia & Rostrum (Capitoline Hill) LONELY PLANET/GETTY IMAGES © Severo This big barn-like The free-standing, 13.5m-high One of the Forum’s building was the Column of Phocus is the Forum’s signature monuments, official seat of the youngest monument, dating to this imposing triumphal Roman Senate. Most

AD 608. Behind it, the Rostrum arch commemorates of what you see is a THEJIPEN/GETTYIMAGES © Roman Forum provided a suitably grandiose the military victories reconstruction, but In ancient times, a forum was a market platform for pontificating public of Septimius Severus. the interior marble speakers. place, civic centre and religious complex Relief panels depict his floor dates to the campaigns against the 3rd-century reign of all rolled into one, and the greatest of all Parthians. Diocletian. was the Roman Forum (Foro Romano). Sit- uated between the Palatino (Palatine Hill), ancient Rome’s most exclusive neighbourhood, and the Campidoglio (Capitoline Basilica di Massenzio Marvel at the scale of this vast 4th-century Hill), it was the city’s busy, bustling centre. 1 basilica. In its original form the central hall was On any given day it teemed with activity. divided into enormous naves; now only part of the Senators debated affairs of state in the 7 northern nave survives. Curia 1, shoppers thronged the squares and traffic-free streets, crowds gathered JULIUS under the Colonna di Foca 2 to listen to CAESAR politicians holding forth from the 5 2 Julius Caesar Rostrum 2. Elsewhere, lawyers worked was cremated the courts in basilicas including the Via on the site where Sacra Basilica di Massenzio 3, while the ADMISSION the Tempio di Giulio Cesare Vestal Virgins quietly went about their Although valid now stands. business in the Casa delle Vestali 4. for two days, admission tick- Special occasions were also celebrated ets only allow in the Forum: religious holidays were for one entry into the Forum, 3 marked with ceremonies at temples such Colosseum and as Tempio di Saturno 5 and Tempio Palatino. di Castore e Polluce 6, and military victories were honoured with dramatic Tempio di Saturno processions up Via Sacra and the building Ancient Rome’s Fort Knox, the Temple of Saturn was of monumental arches like Arco di the city treasury. In Caesar’s day it housed 13 tonnes of Settimio Severo 7 and Arco di gold, 114 tonnes of silver and 30 million sestertii worth Tito 8. 6 The ruins you see today are impressive

but they can be confusing without a clear JONATHAN SMITH/GETTY IMAGES© picture of what the Forum once looked Tempio di like. This spread shows the Forum in its Giulio Cesare 8 heyday, complete with temples, civic 4 buildings and towering monuments to heroes of the Roman Empire. Arco di Tito Casa delle Vestali Said to be the inspiration for the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the well-preserved Arch White statues line the grassy atrium of what was once the luxurious of Titus was built by the emperor Domitian 50-room home of the Vestal Virgins. The virgins played an important to honour his elder brother Titus. role in Roman religion, serving the goddess Vesta.

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» Get grandstand views of the Forum Tempio di from the Palatino and Campidoglio. LONELY PLANET/GETTY IMAGES © Castore e Polluce LONELY PLANET/GETTY IMAGES © Only three columns of » Visit first thing in the morning or late MANAKIN/GETTYIMAGES © afternoon; crowds are worst between the Temple of Castor and Pollux remain. The 11am and 2pm. temple was dedicated » In summer it gets hot in the Forum to the Heavenly Twins after they supposedly and there’s little shade, so take a hat led the Romans to and plenty of water. victory over the Latin League in 496 BC.

148596428 150366862 150382223 475362368 GETTY FREE GETTY FREE GETTY FREE GETTY Tempio di Saturno at the Roman Tempio di Castore e Polluce, from Via di San Foro Romano: Row of headless statues in the Casa delle Vestali ( Arch of Titus in Rome, square composition. Caption:Arch of titus, Forum. Rome, Lazio, Italy, Teodoro. House of the Vestal Virgins ) in the Roman Forum, home of the virgins in Roman Forum, was built in 1st Century a.c. It provided the gen- Photographer: Jonathan Smith Photographer: Lonely Planet who tended the sacred flame in the adjoining Tempo de Eta - Rome, eral model for many triumphal arches built in more recent times, Lazio as for example famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. Photographer: Lonely Planet Credit: Manakin 150360543 470339506 GETTY FREE GETTY Crowds of tourists on a cobbled path behind Arco Caption:Basilica of Maxentius and Constanine is di Settimio Severo, Roman Forum. a roman building in Foro Romano, Rome, Italy. It Rome, Lazio, Italy, Europe was the largest building in the site and called as Photographer: Lonely Planet the Basilica Nova. theJIPEN

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THE VESTAL rebuilt on various occasions and what you see today VIRGINS is a 1937 reconstruction of how it looked in the reign of Diocletian (r 284–305). Despite privilege and In front of the Curia, and hidden by scaffolding, is public acclaim, life as the Lapis Niger, a large piece of black marble that’s Ancient Rome a Vestal Virgin was no said to cover the tomb of Romulus. bed of roses. Every At the end of Via Sacra, the 23m-high Arco di year, six physically Settimio Severo (Arch of Septimius Severus300) is perfect patrician girls dedicated to the eponymous emperor and his sons, aged between six and Caracalla and Geta. Close by are the remains of 10 were chosen by lot- the Rostrum, an elaborate podium where Shake-

tery to serve Vesta, speare had Mark Antony make his famous ‘Friends, Ro goddess of hearth Romans, countrymen…’ speech. Facing this, the Col- ma n Fo and household. Once onna di Foca (Column of Phocus) rises above what was selected, they faced once the Forum’s main square, Piazza del Foro. a 30-year period of The eight granite columns that rise behind

r chaste servitude at the the Colonna are all that survive of the Tempio di u m Tempio di Vesta. During Saturno (Temple of Saturn300), an important temple this time their main that doubled as the state treasury. Behind it are duty was to ensure that (from north to south): the ruins of the Tempio della the temple’s sacred Concordia (Temple of Concord), the Tempio di Vespa- fire never went out. siano (Temple of Vespasian and Titus) and the Portico If it did, the priestess degli Dei Consenti. responsible would be flogged. The well-being Tempio di Castore e Polluce of the state was thought & Casa delle Vestali to depend on the cult From the path that runs parallel to Via Sacra, you’ll of Vesta and on the pass the stubby ruins of the Basilica Giulia, which vestals’ chastity, so if a was begun by Caesar and finished by Augustus. At priestess were to lose the end of the basilica, three columns remain from her virginity, she risked the 5th-century BC Tempio di Castore e Polluce being buried alive as (Temple of Castor and Pollux). Nearby, the 6th-century the offending man was Chiesa di Santa Maria Antiqua is the oldest flogged to death. Christian church in the Forum. Back towards Via Sacra is the Casa delle Vestali (House of the Vestal Virgins; currently off-limits), home of If you’re caught the virgins who tended the flame in the adjoining short, there are Tempio di Vesta. toilets by the Chiesa di Santa Maria Via Sacra Towards the Colosseum Antiqua. Heading up Via Sacra past the Tempio di Romolo (Temple of Romulus), you’ll come to the Basilica di Massenzio (Basilica di Costantino300), the largest building on the forum. Started by Maxentius and finished by Constantine in 315 – it’s also known as the Basilica di Costantino – it originally measured approximately 100m by 65m. It’s currently out of bounds due to construction work on a new metro line. Beyond the basilica, the Arco di Tito (Arch of Ti- tus300) was built in AD 81 to celebrate Vespasian and Titus’ victories against rebels in Jerusalem. CAPITOLINE MUSEUMS MAREMAGNUM/ GETTY IMAGES © The world’s oldest public museums, the Capitoline DON’T MISS… Museums (Musei Capitolini) occupy two stately palazzi on Piazza del Campidoglio. Their origins date to 1471, ¨¨Lupa Capitolina when Pope Sixtus IV donated a number of bronze ¨¨Spinario statues to the city, forming the nucleus of what is now ¨¨La Buona Ventura one of Italy’s finest collections of classical art. The ¨¨Galata Morente focus is very much on ancient sculpture but there’s ¨¨Venere Capitolina also a formidable picture gallery with works by many big-name Italian and Dutch artists. The museums’ entrance is in Palazzo dei Conservatori, PRACTICALITIES where you’ll find the original core of the sculptural ¨¨Map p300 collection on the 1st floor, and the Pinacoteca (picture gallery) on the 2nd storey. ¨¨%06 06 08 ¨¨www.museicapito- Palazzo dei Conservatori – 1st Floor lini.org Before you head up to start on the sculpture collection ¨¨Piazza del Campi- proper, take a moment to admire the marble body parts lit- doglio 1 tered around the ground-floor courtyard. The mammoth ¨¨adult/reduced head, hand, and feet all belonged to a 12m-high statue of €11.50/9.50 Constantine that once stood in the Basilica di Massenzio in ¨¨h9.30am-7.30pm, the Roman Forum. last admission 6.30pm Of the permanent sculpture collection on the 1st floor, the Etruscan Lupa Capitolina (Capitoline Wolf) is the most ¨¨gPiazza Venezia famous piece. Standing in the Sala della Lupa, this 5th- century-BC bronze wolf stands over her suckling wards, Romulus and Remus, who were added to the composition in 1471. Other crowd-pleasers include the Spinario, a delicate 1st-century-BC bronze of a boy removing a thorn from his foot in the Sala dei Trionfi, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s Medusa bust in the Sala delle Oche. 62

TREATY OF ROME Dominating the modern wing known as the Ese- dra di Marco Aurelio is an imposing bronze eques- With frescoes depicting trian statue of the emperor Marcus Aurelius – the episodes from ancient original of the copy that stands in the piazza outside. Roman history and two Here you can also see the foundations of the Temple Ancient Rome papal statues – one of of Jupiter, one of the ancient city’s most important Urban VIII by Bernini temples that once dominated the Capitoline Hill. and one of Innocent X by Algardi – the Sala Palazzo dei Conservatori – 2nd Floor degli Orazi e Curiazi The 2nd floor is given over to the Pinacoteca, the provided the grand set- museum’s picture gallery. Dating to 1749, the gallery’s collection is arranged chronologically with works ting for one of modern C

ap Europe’s key events. from the Middle Ages through to the 18th century. Each room harbours masterpieces, but two stand

i t On 25 March 1957 out: the Sala Pietro da Cortona, which features Pi- oline Museu the leaders of Italy, France, West Germany, etro da Cortona’s famous depiction of the Ratto delle Belgium, Holland and sabine (Rape of the Sabine Women; 1630), and the Luxembourg gathered Sala di Santa Petronilla, named after Guercino’s here to sign the Treaty huge canvas Seppellimento di Santa Petronilla (The of Rome and establish Burial of St Petronilla; 1621–23). This airy hall boasts

m the European Economic a number of important canvases, including two by s Community, the precur- Caravaggio: La Buona Ventura (The Fortune Teller; sor of the European Un- 1595), which shows a gypsy pretending to read a young man’s hand while stealing his ring, and San ion. The hall has a long Giovanni Battista (John the Baptist; 1602), a sensual history of hosting politi- and unusual depiction of the New Testament saint. cians. In the 15th century it was used for the Tabularium public hearings of the A tunnel links Palazzo dei Conservatori to Palazzo Council of Conservatori Nuovo on the other side of the square via the Tabu- (elected magistrates), larium, ancient Rome’s central archive, beneath after whom the palazzo Palazzo Senatorio. The tunnel is lined with panels is named. and inscriptions from ancient tombs, but more inspiring are the views over the Roman Forum from the brick-lined Tabularium. The Caffè Capi- tolino (p69), the Palazzo Nuovo museums’ terrace Palazzo Nuovo is crammed to its elegant 17th- cafe, is on the 2nd century rafters with classical Roman sculpture, floor of Palazzo dei including some unforgettable show-stoppers. Conservatori. Serv- From the lobby, where the curly-bearded Mars ing coffee, snacks stares ferociously at everyone who passes by, stairs and fine views, it’s an lead up to the main galleries. The first hall you come excellent spot for a to is the Sala del Gladiatore, home to one of the sightseeing timeout. museum’s greatest works – the Galata Morente (Dy- ing Gaul). A Roman copy of a 3rd-century-BC Greek original, this sublime sculpture movingly captures the quiet, resigned anguish of a dying Gaul warrior. Next door, the Sala del Fauno takes its name from the red marble statue of a faun. Another superb piece is the sensual yet demure portrayal of Venere Capitolina (Capitoline Venus) in the Gabinetto della Venere, off the main corridor, and also worth a look are the busts of philosophers, poets and orators in the Sala dei Filosofi. 63

CAPITOLINE MUSEUMS GROUND FLOOR FIRST FLOOR

stairs

Palazzo Nuovo Palazzo Nuovo Ancient Rome Gabinetto della Venere Sala del Gladiatore Venere Mars Capitolina Faun Salone Galata Morente

Sala dei C Filosofi Sala del ap

Fauno i t Piazza del Palazzo

Campidoglio Senatorio oline Museu Palazzo dei Conservatori Sala degli Sala dei Spinario Orazi e Main Entrance Trionfi Curiazi Sala della Lupa Lupa Capitolina

Medusa m

Courtyard s Head of Sala delle Constantine stairs Oche Esedra di Marco Aurelio Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius Foundations of Palazzo dei Conservatori Temple of Jupiter

SECOND FLOOR Palazzo dei Conservatori Pinacoteca (Picture Gallery)

San Giovanni Seppellimento di Battista Santa Petronilla stairs Ratto delle La Buona Ventura sabine

Caffè Sala di Santa Petronilla Capitolino Sala Pietro da Cortona 64 1 SIGHTS dividing island with ornate lap indicators and Egyptian obelisks. Chariot races were held here as far back as the 4th century BC, but it wasn’t until 1 Colosseum & Palatino Trajan rebuilt it after the AD 64 fire that it reached its maximum grandeur. COLOSSEUM RUIN

Ancient Rome Restoration work, which is ongoing at See p52. the southern end, has unearthed evidence of the taverns and shops that used to flank PALATINO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE the track. See p54. ARCO DI COSTANTINO MONUMENT 1 Map p300 (mColosseo) On the western side of The Forums & Around

i ght the Colosseum, this monumental triple arch ROMAN FORUM ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE was built in AD 315 to celebrate the emperor See p57.

s Constantine’s victory over his rival Maxen- tius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (AD BASILICA DI SS COSMA 312). Rising to a height of 25m, it’s the larg- E DAMIANO BASILICA est of Rome’s surviving triumphal arches. Map p300 (Via dei Fori Imperiali 1; presepio donation €1; h9am-1pm & 3-7pm, presepio 10am-1pm CIRCO MASSIMO HISTORIC SITE & 3-6pm Fri-Sun Sep-Jul; gVia dei Fori Imperi- Map p300 (Circus Maximus; Via del Circo Mas- ali) Backing onto the Roman Forum, this simo; mCirco Massimo) Now little more than 6th-century basilica incorporates parts a huge basin of dusty grass, the Circo Mas- of the Foro di Vespasiano and Tempio di simo was ancient Rome’s largest chariot Romolo, visible at the end of the nave. The racetrack, a 250,000-seater capable of hold- real reason to visit, though, is to admire the ing up to a quarter of the city’s entire popu- church’s vibrant 6th-century apse mosaics, lation. The 600m track circled a wooden depicting Peter and Paul presenting saints

IMPERIAL FORUMS

The sprawl of ruins over the road from the Roman Forum DON’T MISS… are known collectively as the Imperial Forums (Fori Imperiali). Constructed between 42 BC and AD 112, ¨¨Mercati di Traiano they were mostly buried in 1933 when Mussolini built ¨¨Colonna di Traiano Via dei Fori Imperiali through the area. Excavations have ¨¨Basilica Ulpia since unearthed much of them, but visits are limited to the Mercati di Traiano (Trajan’s Markets), accessible through the Museo dei Fori Imperiali. PRACTICALITIES Little recognisable remains of the Foro di Traiano ¨¨Map p300 (Trajan’s Forum300), except for some pillars from the ¨¨Via dei Fori Basilica Ulpia and the Colonna di Traiano (Trajan’s Imperiali Column), whose minutely detailed reliefs depict Trajan’s military victories over the Dacians (from modern-day ¨¨gVia dei Fori Romania). To the southeast, three columns rise from the Imperiali Foro di Augusto (Augustus’ Forum300). The 30m-high wall behind the forum was built to protect it from the fires that frequently swept down from the nearby Suburra slums. The Foro di Nerva (Nerva’s Forum300) is now largely buried, although part of a temple to Minerva still stands. Originally, it would have connected the Foro di Augusto to the 1st-century Foro di Vespasiano (Vespa- sian’s Forum). Over the road, three columns are the most visible remains of the Foro di Cesare (Caesar’s Forum). 65 Cosma, Damiano, Theodorus and Pope Fori Imperiali) At the foot of the Campidoglio, Felix IV to Christ. the Mamertine Prison was ancient Rome’s Also worth a look is the 18th-century maximum-security jail. St Peter did time Neapolitan presepio (nativity scene) in a here and while imprisoned supposedly cre- room off the 17th-century cloister. ated a miraculous stream of water to bap- tise his jailers. On the bare stone walls you MERCATI DI TRAIANO MUSEO can just make out early Christian frescoes Ancient Rome DEI FORI IMPERIALI MUSEUM depicting Jesus and Sts Peter and Paul. Map p300 (%06 06 08; www.mercatiditraiano.it; If you just want to nip in and have a look, Via IV Novembre 94; adult/reduced €11.50/9.50; get the €3 ticket, otherwise guided multi- h9.30am-7.30pm, last admission 6.30pm; gVia media tours take about half an hour. IV Novembre) This striking museum brings to life the Mercati di Traiano, emperor Tra-

jan’s great 2nd-century market complex, 1 S

Campidoglio i ght while also providing a fascinating intro- duction to the Imperial Forums with mul- Rising above the Roman Forum, the Campi- timedia displays, explanatory panels and a doglio (Capitoline Hill) was one of the seven s smattering of archaeological artefacts. hills on which Rome was founded. At its Sculptures, friezes and the occasional summit were Rome’s two most important bust are set out in rooms opening onto temples: one dedicated to Jupiter Capito- what was once the market’s Great Hall. But linus (a descendant of Jupiter, the Roman more than the exhibits, the real highlight equivalent of Zeus) and one to the goddess here is the chance to explore the echoing Juno Moneta (which housed Rome’s mint). ruins of the vast complex. The three-storey These days, the hill wields political clout as hemicycle that housed the markets is in re- the home of Rome’s municipal government. markably good shape and it doesn’t take a huge leap of the imagination to picture it CAPITOLINE MUSEUMS MUSEUM full of traders selling everything from oil See p61. and vegetables to flowers, silks and spices. Rising above the markets is the Torre PIAZZA DEL CAMPIDOGLIO PIAZZA delle Milizie (Militia Tower300), a 13th- Map p300 (gPiazza Venezia) This hilltop piaz- century red-brick tower. za, designed by Michelangelo in 1538, is one of Rome’s most beautiful squares. You can CARCERE MAMERTINO HISTORIC SITE reach it from the Roman Forum, but the Map p300 (Mamertine Prison; %06 69 89 61; most dramatic approach is via the graceful Clivo Argentario 1; admission €3, with tour €5; Cordonata (Map p300) staircase up from Pi- h9.30am-7pm summer, to 5pm winter; gVia dei azza d’Ara Coeli.

NAVIGATING THE ANCIENT SITES As fascinating as Rome’s ancient ruins are, they are not well labelled and it can be hard to know where to go and what to look at.

Entrances The Roman Forum and Palatino effectively form a single unified site. They’re covered by the same ticket (along with the Colosseum) and once you’ve entered the site, you can walk freely between the two areas. There are three entrances: ¨¨Via di San Gregorio 30 for the Palatino ¨¨Largo della Salara Vecchia for the Roman Forum ¨¨Via Sacra for both – go left for the Palatino or straight ahead for the Forum.

Specialist Guides Electa publishes a number of specialist guidebooks to Rome’s archaeological sites, including the Colosseum (€5); the Foro, Palatine and Colosseum (€10); the Archaeo- logical Guide to Rome (€12.90); The Appian Way (€8); and The Baths of Caracalla (€8). All are available at the Colosseum and Roman Forum bookshops. 66 to honour Italy’s first king, Victor Emma- POSING CENTURIONS nuel II, it incorporates the Museo Centrale del Risorgimento (Map p300; www.risor- Outside the Colosseum, Roman Forum gimento.it; Il Vittoriano , Piazza Venezia; adult/ and Vittoriano, you might find yourself reduced €5/2.50; h9.30am-6.30pm, closed 1st been hailed by costumed centurions Mon of month; gPiazza Venezia), a small mu- offering to pose for a photo with you.

Ancient Rome seum documenting Italian unification, and They’re not doing this for love and will the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. expect payment. There’s no set rate For Rome’s best 360-degree views, take but €5 is more than enough – and the Roma dal Cielo (Map p300; Il Vittoriano, Pi- that’s €5 in total, not per person. azza Venezia; adult/reduced €7/3.50; h9.30am- 6.30pm Mon-Thu, to 7.30pm Fri-Sun; gPiazza The piazza is flanked by Palazzo Nuovo Venezia) lift to the top.

S Housed in the monument’s eastern wing

i ght and Palazzo dei Conservatori, together home to the Capitoline Museums, and is the Complesso del Vittoriano (Map p300; % Palazzo Senatorio, seat of Rome city coun- 06 678 06 64; Via di San Pietro in Carcere; s g cil. In the centre is a copy of an equestrian Via dei Fori Imperiali), a gallery space that statue of Marcus Aurelius. The original, regularly hosts major art exhibitions. which dates to the 2nd century AD, is in the ROMAN INSULA RUIN Capitoline Museums. Map p300 (Piazza Santa Maria in Aracoeli; g CHIESA DI SANTA MARIA Piazza Venezia) At the bottom of the Cam- IN ARACOELI CHURCH pidoglio, next to the Aracoeli staircase, you Map p300 (Piazza Santa Maria in Aracoeli; h9am- can see the ruins of a Roman apartment 6.30pm summer, to 5.30pm winter; gPiazza Ven- block (insula). Only the upper storeys are ezia) Atop the steep 14th-century Aracoeli visible – the unexcavated ground-floor staircase, this 6th-century Romanesque shops are well below road level – but they church marks the highest point of the Cam- provide a fascinating, if fleeting, glimpse pidoglio. Its rich interior boasts several into the cramped, squalid conditions that treasures including a wooden gilt ceiling, an many ancients lived in. impressive Cosmatesque floor and a series of PALAZZO VENEZIA PALACE 15th-century Pinturicchio frescoes illustrat- Map p300 (Piazza Venezia; gPiazza Venezia) ing the life of St Bernadine of Siena. Its main Built between 1455 and 1464, this was the claim to fame, though, is a wooden baby Je- first of Rome’s great Renaissance palaces. sus that’s thought to have healing powers. For centuries it served as the embassy of In fact, the Jesus doll is a copy. The the Venetian Republic, but it’s most read- original, which was supposedly made of ily associated with Mussolini, who installed wood from the garden of Gethsemane, his office here in 1929, and famously made was pinched in 1994 and has never been speeches from the balcony. Nowadays, it’s recovered. home to the tranquil Museo Nazionale The church sits on the site of the Roman del Palazzo Venezia (Map p300; %06 678 temple to Juno Moneta and has long had an 01 31; http://museopalazzovenezia.beniculturali. association with the nativity. According to it; Via del Plebiscito 118; adult/reduced €5/2.50; legend, it was here that the Tiburtine Sybil h8.30am-7.30pm Tue-Sun; gPiazza Venezia) and told Augustus of the coming birth of Christ. its eclectic collection of Byzantine and early Renaissance paintings, furniture, ceramics, bronze figures, weaponry and armour. 1 Piazza Venezia BASILICA DI SAN MARCO BASILICA IL VITTORIANO MONUMENT Map p300 (Piazza di San Marco 48; h9am- Map p300 (Piazza Venezia; h9.30am-5.30pm 12.30pm & 4-6pm Tue-Sat, 10am-1pm & 4-8pm summer, to 4.30pm winter; gPiazza Venezia) Sun; gPiazza Venezia) F The early-4th-century Love it or loathe it, as most locals do, Basilica di San Marco stands over the house you can’t ignore Il Vittoriano (aka the Al- where St Mark the Evangelist is said to tare della Patria; Altar of the Fatherland), have stayed while in Rome. Its main attrac- the massive mountain of white marble that tion is the golden 9th-century apse mosaic towers over Piazza Venezia. Begun in 1885 67 showing Christ flanked by several saints and Pope Gregory IV. UNDERGROUND ARTS CENTRE The sheer depth of Rome’s archaeological legacy came to light in 2012, 1 Forum Boarium when archaeologists unearthed a & Around 900-seat athenaeum (arts centre) 5m below Piazza Venezia. Dating to Ancient Rome BOCCA DELLA VERITÀ MONUMENT the 2nd-century reign of Hadrian, Map p300 (Mouth of Truth; Piazza Bocca della Ver- the Auditoria di Adriano consists ità 18; admission by donation €0.50; h9.30am- of three 13m-high arched halls where 5.50pm summer, to 4.50pm winter; gPiazza spectators would have relaxed on Bocca della Verità) A bearded face carved into terraced marble seating to be enter- a giant marble disc, the Bocca della Verità tained by poets and philosophers. is one of Rome’s most popular curiosities. The discovery came during Eat Legend has it that if you put your hand in tunnelling work on a new metro in the mouth and tell a lie, the Bocca will slam line, illustrating the difficulties that g shut and bite your hand off. engineers face as they inch through The mouth, which was originally part of the city’s treasure-laden undersoil. a fountain, or possibly an ancient manhole The complex is off-limits to visitors. cover, now lives in the portico of the Chiesa di Santa Maria in Cosmedin, a handsome medieval church. 5 EATING Originally built in the 8th century, the church was given a major revamp in the SAN TEO CAFE, PASTRIES € 12th century, when the seven-storey bell Map p300 (Via di San Teodoro 88; snacks & pas- tower and portico were added and an inlaid tries €1-3.50; h7am-8pm; gVia dei Cerchi) With Cosmati floor was laid. dolci (sweets) laid out like jewels and an array of artfully crafted tarts and pastries, FORUM BOARIUM HISTORIC SITE this pasticceria-cum-cafe puts on a great Map p300 (Piazza Bocca della Verità; gPiazza display. Leave the crowds at the Bocca della Bocca della Verità) Car-choked Piazza Bocca Verità and sneak off to indulge your sweet della Verità stands on what was once an- tooth with macarons, marrons glacés and cient Rome’s cattle market, the Forum creamy cannoli. Savoury snacks are also Boarium. Opposite the Chiesa di Santa Ma- available. ria in Cosmedin are two tiny 2nd-century BC temples: the circular Tempio di Ercole TERRE E DOMUS LAZIO CUISINE €€ Vincitore (Map p300; %06 3996 7700; www. Map p300 (%06 6994 0273; Via Foro Traiano coopculture.it; Piazza Bocca della Verità; guided 82-4; meals €30; h7.30am-12.30am Mon-Sat; tour €5.50, booking necessary; h1st & 3rd Sun gVia dei Fori Imperiali) This modern white- of month; gPiazza Bocca della Verità), the old- and-glass restaurant is the best option in est marble temple in Rome, and the Tempio the touristy Forum area. Overlooking the di Portunus (Map p300; %06 3996 7700; www. Colonna di Traiano, it serves a menu of tra- coopculture.it; Piazza Bocca della Verità; guided ditional staples, all made with ingredients tour €5.50, booking necessary; h1st & 3rd Sun of sourced from the surrounding Lazio re- month; gPiazza Bocca della Verità), dedicated gion, and a thoughtful selection of regional to Portunus, god of rivers and ports. Both wines. Lunchtime can be busy but it quiet- temples are visitable by guided tour. ens down in the evening. Just off the piazza, the 4th-century Arco di Giano (Arch of Janus; Map p300; gPiazza RISTORANTE ROOF Bocca della Verità) is a four-fronted Roman GARDEN CIRCUS RISTORANTE €€€ arch where cattle traders used to shelter Map p300 (%06 678 78 16; www.fortyseven- from the sun and rain. Beyond it is the hotel.com; Hotel Forty Seven, Via Petroselli 47; Chiesa di San Giorgio in Velabro (Map meals €50; h12.30-3pm & 7.30-11.30pm; gVia p300; Via del Velabro 19; h9am-7pm; gPiazza Petroselli) The rooftop of the Forty Seven Bocca della Verità), a medieval church whose hotel sets the romantic stage for chef Vito original 7th-century portico was destroyed Grippa’s menu of classic Roman dishes and by a Mafia bomb attack in 1993. contemporary Italian cuisine. With the Aventino hill rising in the background, you 68 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000000000000000 0000 0000 0000000000000000 e# 0400 m 0000 0000000000000000000 00.2 miles 000 0000000000000000000 00¤#0 ¤#000000Piazza000000000000000 000000000 000 000000000000000000000#á Il Vittoriano 000000000 000 000000d'Ara000000000000000 0000Cavour0000#¡0 00000 0 000000Coeli000000000000000 000000000 000 000 000000000000000000000 0000

00000000 0 0000000000000 0000our

00000000 0 0 0000000000000 #16 Cav00000000 Ancient Rome 00000 0 0 000000000000000000€0 a 00000000 00000 0 00Piazza del 0000000000'‚ 000000 Vi 0000 00000 0 00 0000 000000Largo 0000 000 00 Campidoglio 0000 0000La000000rgo0 0000 000 0000#16 0000della0000000C Ricci 0000 000 0000 #14 00000000000V 000 0000 #15 0000Sa000000lara0 i 00000000000 a Campidoglio Vecchia de (Capitoline i F 13 o Hill) # ri 0000Parco del 12 Im 0000 Vi # 0000Colle Oppio #10 p 0000 a #11 e 0000 0000 ô# 000000000000ria0000 0 0000000000Pe 9 000000000000li #¡ Colosseo 0 Isola o # 0000000000 0000000000000 000000 r Roman 0000000000000 0000 tr Tiberina 0000000000 o 0000000000000 0000000000os d Forum 0000000000000 000000 o #8 0000000000000 e 000000e 000000000000Colosseum 0 000000 T 0000000000000 l 000000l 0000000000000 000000i n #7 0000000000000 000000 a 000000000000&~ #1 ô# 0 S 000000 000000000000 0000000000000 000000 000000Piazza000000 Bocca000 i 0000000000000 d Vigna 000000 000000000000000 000000000000Piazza 0 000000 000000000000000 a 0000000000000 della Verità i #5 Barberini 000 000000000000000 000000000000del Colosseo V 0 00 000000 V 000000000000i 0 00 000000 000 000000000000a 0 00 000000 000 Palatino #6 0000000000000 Piazza di C 00 00 r 000000 000 000000000000Parco 0 00 e 000000 000 000000000000l 0 Sant'Anastasia (Palatine Hill) a 00 v 000 i del Celio 00 000 u 00 R #4 d i r a 000 e 000 b 000000 i T #3 000000 Vi CAMPITELLI 000 a #2 000 d 000 ei 000 Ce 00 rc n Via 000 Parco hi de00lla C Savello io 00roce 0000 or 0000 di Sa 0000 g a 0000 re 0000 i Villa 0000 V G Celimontana 0 00 Neighbourhood Walk 22Explore the Ruins good views over the Roman Forum. Next, START COLOSSEUM stroll down to the Forum, entering near the END CAPITOLINE MUSEUMS 8 , one of the site’s great tri- LENGTH 1.5KM; FOUR HOURS Arco di Tito umphal arches. Beyond this, pick up 9Via Sacra, the Forum’s main drag. Follow this Start at the (p52), the great 1Colosseum down, passing the hulking aBasilica di gladiatorial arena that more than any other Massenzio (p60), and after a few hundred monument encapsulates the drama of the metres you’ll come to the bCasa delle ancient city. From there, follow Via di San Vestali, where the legendary Vestal Virgins Gregorio down to the 2Palatino (p106), lived tending to their duties and guarding 1st-century Rome’s most sought-after their virtue. Beyond the three columns of neighbourhood where the emperor lived the cTempio di Castore e Polluce, alongside the cream of imperial society. you’ll see a flattened area littered with The ruins here are confusing, but their scale column bases and brick stumps. This is the gives some sense of the luxury in which the dBasilica Giulia (p60), where lawyers ancient VIPs liked to live. and magistrates worked in the crowded law Beyond the 3stadio (p54), you can courts. Meanwhile, senators debated mat- still make out parts of the 4Domus ters of state in the eCuria (p57), over on Augustana (p55), the emperor’s private the other side of the Forum. From near the palace quarters, and the 5Domus Flavia Curia, exit the Forum past the fArco di (p55), where he would hold official audi- Settimio Severo (p60) and climb Campi- ences. Take time to pop into the 6Museo doglio (Capitoline Hill) to the magnificent (p55), before heading up to the Palatino gCapitoline Museums (p61), whose 7Orti Farnesiani (p55). These gardens collection of classical art includes some of weren’t part of the ancient city, but give the city’s finest ancient sculpture. 69 can tuck into stalwarts such as spaghetti ajo e ojio (with garlic and olive oil) or push PICNIC PROVISIONS the boat out and opt for something richer like roast guinea fowl with black truffles. Trawling through Ancient Rome’s extensive ruins can be hungry work. But rather than stopping off for an DRINKING & overpriced bite in a touristy restau- Ancient Rome 6 rant, search out Alimentari Pannella NIGHTLIFE Carmela (Map p300; Via dei Fienili 61; panini €2-3.50; h8.30am-2.30pm Mon- 0,75 BAR Sat & 5-8pm Mon-Fri; gVia Petroselli) for Map p300 (www.075roma.com; Via dei Cerchi 65; a fresh, cheap panino. A small, worka- h W g 11am-2am; ; Via dei Cerchi) This welcom- day food store concealed behind a ing bar on the Circo Massimo is good for curtain of creeping ivy, it’s a lunchtime D r a lingering drink, an aperitivo (6.30pm

favourite supplying many local workers in onwards) or a light meal (mains €6 to with pizza slices, takeaway salads and k in €13.50, salads €5.50 to €7.50). It’s a friendly hearty ham-and-cheese sandwiches. place with a laid-back vibe, an attractive g exposed-brick look and cool tunes. & N

(€8 to €12), but the headline act is the wine. i ght CAFFÈ CAPITOLINO CAFE And with more than 1200 labels to choose Map p300 (Piazzale Caffarelli 4; h9am-7.30pm

from you’re sure to find something to tickle li Tue-Sun; gPiazza Venezia) The Capitoline your palate. f Museums’ charming terrace cafe is a good e place to relax over a drink or light snack (panini, salads and pizza) and enjoy wonderful views across the city’s rooftops. Al- 7 SHOPPING though part of the museum complex, you don’t need a ticket to come here as it’s ac- MERCATO DI CIRCO MASSIMO FOOD & DRINK cessible via an independent entrance on Map p300 (www.mercatocircomassimo.it; Via Piazzale Caffarelli. di San Teodoro 74; h9am-6pm Sat, to 4pm Sun, closed Sun Jul & all Aug; gVia dei Cerchi) Rome’s CAVOUR 313 WINE BAR best and most popular farmers market is Map p300 (%06 678 54 96; www.cavour313. a colourful showcase for seasonal, zero- it; Via Cavour 313; h12.30-2.45pm & 7.30pm- kilometre produce. As well as fresh fruit 12.30am, closed Sun summer; mCavour) Close and veg, you can stock up on pecorino to the Forum, wood-panelled Cavour 313 at- Romano cheese, milky mozzarella (known tracts everyone from tourists to actors and locally as fior di latte), olive oils, preserves, politicians. It serves a daily food menu and and casareccio bread from the nearby town a selection of salads, cold cuts and cheeses of Genzano. ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 214

Sleeping

From opulent five-star palaces to chic boutique hotels, family-run pensions, B&Bs, hostels and convents, Rome has accommodation to please everyone. But while there’s plenty of choice, rates are universally high and you’ll need to book early to get the best deal.

Pensions & Hotels Rental Accommodation The bulk of Rome’s accommodation consists For longer stays, renting an apartment will of pensioni (pensions) and alberghi (hotels). generally work out cheaper than an extended A pensione is a small, family-run hotel, hotel sojourn. Bank on about €900 per month often in a converted apartment. Rooms are for a studio apartment or one-bedroom flat. usually fairly simple, though most come with For longer stays, you’ll probably have to pay a private bathroom. bills plus a building maintenance charge. Hotels are rated from one to five stars. Most hotels in Rome’s historic centre tend to Seasons & Rates be three-star and up. As a rule, a three-star Rome doesn’t have a low season as such but room will come with a hairdryer, a minibar rates are at their lowest from November to (or fridge), a safe, air-con and wi-fi. Some may March (excluding Christmas and New Year) also have satellite TV. Note that Roman ho- and from mid-July through August. Expect tel rooms tend to be small, especially in the to pay top whack in spring (April to June) centro storico and Trastevere, where hotels and autumn (September and October) and are often housed in centuries-old palazzi. over the main holiday periods (Christmas, New Year and Easter). Most midrange and B&Bs & Guesthouses top-end hotels accept credit cards. It’s always Alongside traditional B&Bs, Rome has many best to check in advance. boutique-style guesthouses offering chic accommodation at midrange to top-end prices. Accommodation Websites Breakfast in a Roman B&B usually con- ¨Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/ sists of bread rolls, croissants, yoghurt, ham rome/hotels) Consult a list of author-reviewed and cheese. accommodation options and book online. ¨060608 (www.060608.it/en/accoglienza/ Hostels dormire) Official Comune di Roma site with Rome’s hostels cater to everyone from back- accommodation lists. Details are not always packers to budget-minded families. Many offer up to date. hotel-style rooms alongside traditional dorms. ¨Bed & Breakfast Association of Rome Some hostels don’t accept reservations for (www.b-b.rm.it) Lists B&Bs and short-term dorm beds, so it’s first come, first served. apartment rentals. ¨ (www.bbitalia.it) Religious Institutions Bed & Breakfast Italia Rome’s longest-established B&B network. Many of Rome’s religious institutions offer ¨ (www.romeasyoufeel.com) cheap(ish) rooms. These often impose strict Rome As You Feel curfews and are fairly short on frills. Book Apartment rentals, from cheap studio flats well ahead. to luxury apartments. 215 Lonely Planet’s Best for Location NEED TO KNOW Top Choices Albergo Abruzzi (p217) Palm Gallery Hotel (p222) Wake up to the Pantheon. Price Ranges Arty retreat in elegant sur- Casa di Santa Brigida These price ranges roundings. (p217) A convent overlooking are for a high-season

Piazza Farnese. Sleeping Babuino 181 (p219) Chic double room with private luxury on top shopping street. bathroom: Arco del Lauro (p221) Best for € under €110 Minimalist comfort in Trastevere Romance €110 to €200 €€

.B&B Hotel Sant’Anselmo (p222) €€€ over €200 Villa Spalletti Trivelli (p221) Escape to this beautiful Liberty- Stately style in a city-centre Breakfast is included style villa. mansion. unless otherwise stated. Hotel Locarno (p219) Star in your own romance at this Reservations Best by Budget art-deco gem. ¨¨Always try to book ahead, especially for the € major religious festivals. Arco del Lauro (p221) A Best B&Bs ¨¨Ask for a camera cool bolthole in happening matrimoniale for a room Trastevere. Maria-Rosa Guesthouse (p221) Your Trastevere home with a double bed; a Althea Inn (p222) Designer from home. camera doppia has twin comfort at budget prices. beds. La Piccola Maison (p218) Beehive (p220) Classy hostel Quiet comfort near Piazza Checking In & Out near Termini. Barberini. ¨¨When you check in you’ll need to present €€ Best Value for your passport or ID card. ¨ Palm Gallery Hotel (p222) A Money ¨Checkout is usually be- delightful villa hotel. tween 10am and noon. In Althea Inn (p222) A hidden hostels it’s around 9am. Residenza Maritti (p216) gem near Testaccio. Welcoming hideaway near the ¨¨Some guesthouses and forums. Le Stanze di Orazio (p219) B&Bs require you to ar- Get your money’s worth at this range a time to check in. Daphne Inn (p218) Boutique Vatican B&B. hotel with superlative service. La Controra (p218) Quality hostel in upscale area. €€€ Babuino 181 (p219) Bask in understated luxury Villa Spalletti Trivelli (p221) Live like country-house nobility 216 Where to Stay

Neighbourhood For Against Ancient Rome Close to major sights such as Colosseum, Roman Not cheap and has few Forum and Capitoline Museums; quiet at night. budget options; restaurants are touristy. Sleeping Centro Storico Atmospheric area with everything on your Most expensive part of town; doorstep – Pantheon, Piazza Navona, restau- few budget options; can be rants, bars, shops. noisy.

ANCIENT ROME Tridente, Trevi Good for Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and Upmarket area with prices to & the Quirinale designer shopping; excellent midrange to top- match; subdued after dark. end options; good transport links. Monti, Esquilino Lots of budget accommodation around Stazione Some dodgy streets in & San Lorenzo Termini; top eating options in Monti and good Termini area, which is not nightlife in San Lorenzo; good transport links. Rome’s most characterful. San Giovanni Authentic atmosphere with good eating and Few options available; not & Testaccio drinking options; Aventino, a quiet, romantic many big sights. area; Testaccio, a top food and nightlife district. Trastevere & Gorgeous, atmospheric area; party vibe with Very noisy, particularly on Gianicolo hundreds of bars, cafes, and restaurants; some summer nights; expensive. interesting sights. Vatican City, Near St Peter’s Basilica and Vatican Museums; Expensive near St Peter’s; Borgo & Prati decent range of accommodation; some excel- not much nightlife; sells out lent shops and restaurants; on the metro. quickly for religious holidays. Villa Borghese Largely residential area good for the Auditorium Out of the centre; few budget & Northern and some top museums; generally quiet after choices. Rome dark.

leather bedsteads, hanging lamps, and the 4 Ancient Rome occasional art tome.

BOUTIQUE HOTEL oRESIDENZA MARITTI GUESTHOUSE €€ FORTY SEVEN €€€ Map p300 (%06 678 82 33; www.residenzamar- Map p300 (%06 678 78 16; www.fortysevenhotel. itti.com; Via Tor de’ Conti 17; s €50-120, d €80-170, com; Via Petroselli 47; r €170-300; aW; gVia tr €100-190; aW; mCavour) Boasting stun- Petroselli) Near the Bocca della Verità, the ning views over the forums, this gem has plain grey facade of this classy four-star rooms spread over several floors. Some are gives onto a bright modern interior, full of bright and modern, others are more cosy sunshine and sharply designed guest rooms. in feel, with antiques and family furniture. There’s also a rooftop restaurant and, in the There’s no breakfast but you can use a fully basement, a gym and Turkish bath. equipped kitchen. HOTEL FORUM HISTORIC HOTEL €€€ % NERVA BOUTIQUE HOTEL BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€ Map p300 ( 06 679 24 46; www.hotelforum. Map p300 (%06 678 18 35; www.hotelnerva. com; Via Tor de’ Conti 25-30; r €180-350; aW; com; Via Tor de’ Conti 3; s €70-180, d €90-300; mCavour) The stately Forum offers formal aW; mCavour) Fresh from a recent make elegance and inspiring views. From the over, this friendly hotel is tucked away be- rooftop restaurant you can survey a sea of hind the Imperial Forums. Its snug rooms ruins, while inside it’s all antiques, wood- display a contemporary look in shades panelling and dangling chandeliers. Rooms of cream, grey and black, with padded are small and classically attired. Parking is available for €40 per day. 217 aW; gCorso del Rinascimento) This small 4 Centro Storico hotel offers a range of handsome, modern rooms in a 15th-century palazzo near Pi- HOTEL PENSIONE BARRETT PENSION € azza Navona. They come in various shapes Map p304 (%06 686 84 81; www.pensionebar- and looks, but the most striking feature a rett.com; Largo di Torre Argentina 47; s €115, d showy silver-and-grey design. Breakfast aW g

€125, tr €150; ; Largo di Torre Argentina) costs €10 extra. Sleeping This charming pension boasts a convenient central location and an exuberant decor HOTEL TEATRO DI POMPEO HOTEL €€ that marries leafy pot plants with statues, Map p304 (%06 6830 0170; www.hotelteatro busts and vibrant stucco. Rooms are cosy dipompeo.it; Largo del Pallaro 8; s €90-165, d

€110-220; aiW; gCorso Vittorio Emanuele II) and come with thoughtful extras like foot CENTRO STORICO spas and fully stocked fridges. Tucked away behind Campo de’ Fiori, this charming hotel sits atop the 1st-century-BC ALBERGO DEL SOLE HOTEL € Theatre of Pompey – the basement break- Map p304 (%06 687 94 46; www.solealbiscione. fast room is actually in the theatre’s ruins. it; Via del Biscione 76; s €70-100, d €100-145, tr Rooms are attractive with classic wooden €120-180; aW; gCorso Vittorio Emanuele II) furniture, terracotta floor tiles, and, in This simple, no-frills place is supposedly some, sloping wood-beamed ceilings. the oldest hotel in Rome, dating to 1462. There’s nothing special about the function- DIMORA DEGLI DEI BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€ al rooms, but each floor has its own out- Map p304 (%06 6819 3267; www.pantheondimo- door terrace, and the location near Campo radeglidei.com; Via del Seminario 87; r €80-200; de’ Fiori is excellent. No breakfast. aW; gLargo di Torre Argentina) Location and discreet style are the selling points of this ALBERGO CESÀRI HISTORIC HOTEL €€ elegant bolthole near the Pantheon. On Map p304 (%06 674 97 01; www.albergocesari.it; the 1st floor of a centuries-old palazzo, it Via di Pietra 89/A; s €70-150, d €110-250; aW; has six high-ceilinged tastefully furnished gVia del Corso) This friendly three-star has rooms. Breakfast (€10) is optional. been welcoming guests since 1787 and both Stendhal and Mazzini are said to have slept CASA DI SANTA here. Modern visitors can expect tradition- BRIGIDA RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION €€ al rooms, a stunning rooftop terrace, and a Map p304 (%06 6889 2596; www.brigidine.org; wonderful central location. Piazza Farnese 96, entrance Via di Monserrato 54; s/d €120/200; aW; gCorso Vittorio Emanuele II) HOTEL DUE TORRI HOTEL €€ Named after the Swedish St Brigid who died Map p304 (%06 6880 6956; www.hotelduetor- here in 1373, this tranquil convent enjoys a riroma.com; Vicolo del Leonetto 23; s €70-140, d superb location overlooking Piazza Farnese. €110-220, tr €140-240; aW; gVia di Monte Bri- Rooms are simple, clean and decidedly low- anzo) If the rooms at this refined hotel could tech – entertainment here is limited to a pi- talk, they’d have some stories to tell. The ano in the communal room, a small library Due Torri might now be a classically attired and views from the roof terrace. three-star with period furniture and 26 cosy rooms, but in centuries past it housed oHOTEL CAMPO a cardinals’ residence and a brothel. DE’ FIORI BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€€ Map p304 (%06 687 48 86; www.hotelcampodefio- ARGENTINA RESIDENZA BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€ ri.com; Via del Biscione 6; r €90-400, apt €80-350; Map p304 (%06 6819 3267; www.argentinares- aiW; gCorso Vittorio Emanuele II) This rak- idenza.com; Via di Torre Argentina 47; r €120-200; ish four-star has got the lot – baroque bou- aW; gLargo di Torre Argentina) Escape the doir decor, an enviable location, professional hustle and relax in the comfort of this quiet staff and a fabulous panoramic roof terrace. boutique hotel on Largo di Torre Argentina. The interior feels delightfully decadent with Its six decently sized rooms sport a low-key its boldly coloured walls, low wooden ceil- contemporary look with design touches ings, gilt mirrors and restored bric-a-brac. and elegant furnishings. Also available are 13 apartments.

HOTEL NAVONA HOTEL €€ ALBERGO ABRUZZI HOTEL €€€ Map p304 (%06 6821 1392; www.hotelnavona. Map p304 (%06 679 20 21; www.hotelabruzzi.it; com; Via dei Sediari 8; s €60-170, d €60-260; Piazza della Rotonda 69; d €120-340, tr €150-400, 218 q €180-450; aW; gLargo di Torre Argentina) As DAPHNE INN BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€ locations go, the Abruzzi’s tops the charts, Map p308 (%06 8745 0086; www.daphne-rome. bang opposite the Pantheon. Its recently com; Via di San Basilio 55; s €115-180, d €130-240, refurbished rooms sport a smart look with ste €190-290, without bathroom s €70-130, d blown-up photos printed on white walls and €90-160; aW; mBarberini) Run by an Amer- dark wood flooring. They are small, though, ican-Italian couple, the Daphne has helpful

Sleeping and late-night noise might be a problem. English-speaking staff and chic, comfortable rooms. They come in various shapes and sizes, but the overall look is smart contem- 4 Tridente, Trevi porary. There’s a second branch, Daphne Trevi, at Via degli Avignonesi 20.

TRIDENTE, TREVI & THE QUIRINALE & the Quirinale

oLA CONTRORA HOSTEL € HOTEL SUISSE PENSION €€ (%06 9893 7366; Via Umbria 7; dm €20-40, d Map p308 (%06 678 36 49; www.hotelsuisse- €80-110; aiW; mBarberini, mRepubblica) rome.com; Via Gregoriana 54; s €80-100, d €135- Quality budget accommodation is thin on 170, tr €180-200; iW; mSpagna, mBarberini) the ground in the upmarket area north of An air of old-school elegance pervades at Piazza Repubblica, but this great little hos- this delightful family-run pension. Attrac- tel is a top choice. It has a friendly laid-back tive antique furniture and creaking, pol- vibe, cool staff, double rooms and bright, ished parquet floors set the tone for the 12 airy mixed dorms (for three and four peo- tasteful, modestly decorated rooms. ple), with parquet floors, air-con and private bathrooms. GREGORIANA HOTEL €€ Map p308 (%06 679 42 69; www.hotelgregoriana. a HOTEL PANDA PENSION € it; Via Gregoriana 18; s €120-168,d €150-288; ; Map p308 (%06 678 01 79; www.hotelpanda.it; Via mSpagna) This low-key, polished art-deco della Croce 35; s €65-90, d €85-130, tr €120-150, q hotel is fantastically set behind the Span- €160-190; aW; mSpagna) Near the Spanish ish Steps. Beds have beautiful, circular Steps, in an area where a bargain is a Bul- maple-wood headboards, snow-white linen gari watch bought at the sales, the Panda and lots of gleaming rosewood. Staff are flies the flag for budget accommodation. It’s friendly and unpretentious. a friendly place with high-ceilinged rooms and simple, tasteful decor. Air-con is free in MARGUTTA GLAMOUR summer, but €6 in other periods. STUDIOS APARTMENT €€ Map p308 (%333 7982702; www.marguttaglam- LA PICCOLA MAISON B&B €€ ourstudios.com; Via Margutta 54-55; apt €150- Map p308 (%06 4201 6331; www.lapiccolamaison. 180; mSpagna) Four charming apartments com; Via dei Cappuccini 30; s €50-180, d €70-270; on one of Rome’s prettiest streets, which aW; mBarberini) The excellent Piccola Mai- has a village feel despite being in the thick son is housed in a 19th-century building in of Tridente. All are decorated with flair, a great location close to Piazza Barberini, and the two larger apartments, in former and has pleasingly plain, neutrally decorated artists’ studios, are spectacular, with dou- rooms and thoughtful staff. It’s a great deal. ble height ceilings; the smaller two are charming, with pretty outlooks.

HOTEL TAX HOTEL MOZART HOTEL €€ Map p308 (%06 3600 1915; www.hotelmozart. Everyone overnighting in Rome has to com; Via dei Greci 23b; r €140-200; aiW; pay a room-occupancy tax on top of mSpagna) The Mozart has classic, immacu- their regular bill. late rooms, decorated in dove greys, egg- ¨¨€3 per person per night in one- and shell blues, golden yellows and rosy pinks, two-star hotels with comfortable beds, gleaming linen and ¨¨€3.50 in B&Bs and room rentals polished wooden furniture; deluxe rooms ¨¨€4/6/7 in three-/four-/five-star have jacuzzis and small terraces. hotels. It also administers the Vivaldi Luxury Suites and several apartments nearby. Look The tax is applicable for a maximum out for special offers on the website, where of 10 consecutive nights. Prices in rooms can go for as little as €80. reviews do not include the tax. 219 HOTEL BAROCCO HOTEL €€ CROSSING CONDOTTI GUESTHOUSE €€€ Map p308 (%06 487 20 01; www.hotelbarocco. Map p308 (%06 6992 0633; www.crossingcon- com; Piazza Barberini 9; d €160-290; aiW; dotti.com; Via Mario de’ Fiori 28; r €240-470; mBarberini) Very central, this well-run, wel- aW; mSpagna) This is one of Rome’s breed coming 41-room hotel overlooking Piazza of upmarket guesthouses, where all the Barberini (the pricier rooms have views) has fittings, linen and comforts are top of the

a classic feel, with rooms featuring oil paint- range, and the pretty, though not large, Sleeping ings, spotless linen, gentle colour schemes rooms have lots of character and antique and fabric-covered walls. Breakfast is ample furnishings. There’s also a well-stocked and served in a wood-panelled room. kitchen with drinks and a Nespresso machine. The more expensive rooms, recently HOTEL LOCARNO HOTEL €€ added, have walk-in showers and a kitchen- VATICAN CITY, BORGO & PRATI Map p308 (%06 361 08 41; www.hotellocarno. ette, and the top choice has a Turkish bath. com; Via della Penna 22; s €90-260, d €120-270; aiW; mFlaminio) With its ivy-clad exte- HOTEL DE RUSSIE HOTEL €€€ rior, stained-glass doors and rattling cage- Map p308 (%06 32 88 81; www.hotelderussie.it; lift, the Locarno is an art-deco classic – the Via del Babuino 9; d €550-850; ai; mFlaminio) kind of place Hercule Poirot might stay if he The historic de Russie is almost on Piazza were in town. Many rooms have silk wall- del Popolo, and has exquisite terraced gar- paper and period furniture, and are occa- dens. The decor is softly luxurious in many sionally in need of TLC, but full of charm. shades of grey, and the rooms offer state- There’s a roof garden, a restaurant and an of-the-art entertainment systems, massive atmospheric bar. mosaic-tiled bathrooms and all the luxu- ries. There’s a lovely courtyard bar. HOTEL MODIGLIANI HOTEL €€ Map p308 (%06 4281 5226; www.hotelmodigli- ani.com; Via della Purificazione 42; s €100-160, d 4 Vatican City, Borgo €100-270; aW; mBarberini) Run by an artis- tic couple, the Modigliani is all about atten- & Prati tion to detail and service. The 23 dove-grey HOTEL SAN PIETRINO HOTEL € rooms are spacious and light, and the best Map p312 (%06 370 01 32; www.sanpietrino. ones have views and balconies, either out- it; Via Bettolo 43; s €45-75, d €55-112; aiW; side or over the quiet courtyard garden. mOttaviano–San-Pietro) Within easy walking distance of St Peter’s, family-run San oBABUINO 181 BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€€ Pietrino is an excellent budget choice. Its Map p308 (%06 3229 5295; www.romeluxu- 11 cosy rooms are characterful and prettily rysuites.com/babuino; Via del Babuino 181; r decorated with terracotta-tiled floors and €240-715; aW; mFlaminio) A beautifully the occasional statue. No breakfast. renovated old palazzo, Babuino offers discreet luxury, with great attention to detail, COLORS HOTEL HOTEL € a sleek roof terrace and modern, chic rooms Map p312 (%06 687 40 30; www.colorshotel.com; with touches such as a Nespresso machine Via Boezio 31; s €30-90, d €45-122; aW; gVia and fluffy bathrobes. A new annexe across Cola di Rienzo) Popular with young travellers, the street has added more suites and rooms this welcoming hotel impresses with its that continue the theme of understated el- fresh, artful design and vibrantly coloured egance. The same company runs the simi- rooms. These come in various shapes and larly impressive Margutta 54 (Map p308; sizes, including some cheaper ones with %06 322 95 295; www.romeluxurysuites.com/ shared bathrooms and, from June to Au- margutta/default-en.html; Via Margutta 54; d gust, dorms for guests under 38. Breakfast from €250; mSpagna) and Mario de’ Fiori 37. on request costs €6.50.

CASA FABBRINI B&B €€€ LE STANZE DI ORAZIO B&B €€ Map p308 (%06 324 3706; www.casafabbrini. Map p312 (%06 3265 2474; www.lestanzediorazio. it; Vicolo delle Orsoline 13; r €280; mSpagna) A com; Via Orazio 3; r €85-135; aiW; mLepanto) beautifully styled boutique B&B that could This small boutique B&B is excellent value have sprung from the pages of Elle Deco- for money. It has five bright, playfully ration, with antique doors as bedheads, decorated rooms – think shimmering rain- coloured-glass lamps and painted furniture. bow wallpaper, lilac accents, and designer bathrooms – and a small breakfast area. 220 FABIO MASSIMO name only, this pearl offers small, hotel- DESIGN HOTEL BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€ standard rooms, each with its own ensuite Map p312 (%06 321 30 44; www.hotelfabiomas- bathroom, and decorated in tasteful low- simo.com; Viale Giulio Cesare 71; r €89-229; aW; key style – beamed ceilings, wooden floors, mOttaviano-San Pietro) Walkable from Ottavi- French windows, black-and-white framed ano metro station, this sleek design hotel is photos. There’s also an apartment, with

Sleeping convenient as well as stylish. From the 4th- kitchen, that sleeps up to four. No lift and floor reception and breakfast area, corri- no breakfast. dors lead off to nine rooms, each furnished in contemporary reds and slate greys, with WELROME HOTEL HOTEL € flower motifs and hanging lamps. Map p320 (%06 4782 4343; www.welrome.it;

;MONTI, ESQUILINO & SAN LORENZO Via Calatafimi 15-19; d/tr/q €110/148/187; aW HOTEL BRAMANTE HISTORIC HOTEL €€ mTermini) A small, spotless hotel in a quiet Map p312 (%06 6880 6426; www.hotelbramante. backstreet not far from Termini. Owners com; Vicolo delle Palline 24-25; s €100-160, d Mary and Carlo take great pride in looking €140-240, tr €175-260, q €190-300; aW; gBor- after their guests and will enthusiastically go Sant’Angelo) Nestled under the Vatican advise you on where to eat, what to do and walls, the Bramante exudes country- where to avoid. Their seven simply deco- house charm with its cosy internal court- rated rooms are clean and comfortable. No yard, wood-beamed ceilings and antique breakfast but kettles and fridges are pro- furniture. It’s housed in the 16th-century vided, and there are plenty of nearby bars building where architect Domenico Fon- for a cornetto (croissant) and coffee. tana once lived. PAPA GERMANO HOTEL € oVILLA LAETITIA BOUTIQUE HOTEL €€€ Map p320 (%06 48 69 19; www.hotelpapa (%06 322 67 76; www.villalaetitia.com; Lungote- germano.it; Via Calatafimi 14a; d €50-110, with- vere delle Armi 22; r €200-280, ste €500; aW; out bathroom dm €15-35, s €30-65, d €40-85; gLungotevere delle Armi) Villa Laetitia is a aiW; mTermini) Easygoing and popular, stunning boutique hotel in a riverside art- Papa Germano is a budget stalwart. There nouveau villa. Its 20 rooms, each individu- are various sleeping options, ranging from ally designed by Anna Venturini Fendi of four-person dorms to private rooms with or the famous fashion house, marry modern without bathrooms. It has a family-run feel, design touches with vintage pieces and the decor is plain and fairly smart, and all rare finds, such as an original Picasso in rooms are scrupulously clean. the Garden Room. ALESSANDRO PALACE HOSTEL HOSTEL € Map p320 (%06 446 19 58; www.hostelsalessan- 4 dro.com; Via Vicenza 42; dm €19-35, d €70-110, Monti, Esquilino tr €85-120; aiW; mCastro Pretorio) This & San Lorenzo well-kept favourite offers spick-and-span, oBEEHIVE HOSTEL € terracotta-floored doubles and triples, as Map p320 (%06 4470 4553; www.the-beehive. well as dorms sleeping from four to eight, com; Via Marghera 8; dm €25-35, s €50-80, d all with cheery bedspreads. Every room has €90-100, without bathroom s €60-70, d €70-80, tr its own bathroom with hairdryer. There’s a €95-105; aW; mTermini) S More boutique basement bar, and it runs local tours. chic than backpacker dive, the Beehive HOTEL ARTORIUS HOTEL €€ is Rome’s best hostel; book well ahead. Map p320 (%06 482 11 96; www.hotelartori- There’s a spotless, eight-person mixed dorm usrome.com; Via del Boschetto 13; d €86-140; or six private double rooms, some with air- aiW; mCavour) con. Original artworks and funky modular The art-deco lobby looks furniture add colour, and there’s a cafe. promising, and the rest delivers too in this Some off-site rooms, sharing communal 10-room Monti hotel with a family-run feel. bathrooms and kitchen, are another bar- Rooms are simple and plain – not large, but gain (single €40 to €50, double €60 to €80). perfectly comfortable – and one (room 109) has a terrace. Book well ahead. BLUE HOSTEL HOSTEL € DUCA D’ALBA HOTEL €€ Map p320 (%340 925 85 03; www.bluehostel.it; Map p320 (%06 48 44 71; www.hotelducadalba. Via Carlo Alberto 13, 3rd fl; d €60-150, apt €100- com; Via Leonina 14; r €115-380; aW; mCavour) 180; aW; mVittorio Emanuele) A hostel in 221 This appealing four-star hotel in the Monti aged 12 or younger are welcome) is housed district has small but charming rooms: in a lovely 16th-century convent, close to most have fabric-covered or handpainted the river. It is run by the Casa Internazi- walls, wood-beamed ceilings and big flat- onale delle Donne (International Women’s screen TVs. House) and offers safe, well-priced accommodation in Trastevere. Reception RESIDENZA CELLINI GUESTHOUSE €€

is open from 7am to 3am. The 13 simple Sleeping Map p320 (%06 4782 5204; www.residenza- rooms sleep two, four, five or eight, and cellini.it; Via Modena 5; s €100-135, d €115-150; some have views onto the internal garden. aiW; mRepubblica) With grown-up fur- It’s wheelchair accessible. nishings featuring potted palms, polished wood, pale-yellow walls, oil paintings and oARCO DEL LAURO B&B €€ & TRASTEVERE GIANICOLO a hint of chintz, this charming, family-run Map p316 (%346 2443212, 9am-2pm 06 9784 place on a quiet road parallel to Via Nazion- 0350; www.arcodellauro.it; Via Arco de’ Tolomei ale offers spacious, elegant rooms, all with 27; s €72-132, d €132-145; aW; gViale di Traste- satellite TV and jacuzzi or hydro-massage vere, jViale di Trastevere) This fab six-room shower. There’s a sunny flower-surrounded B&B occupies a centuries-old palazzo on a terrace for summer breakfasts. narrow cobbled street. Its gleaming white rooms combine rustic charm with a mod- oVILLA SPALLETTI TRIVELLI HOTEL €€€ ern look and comfortable beds. The owners Map p320 (%06 4890 7934; www.villaspalletti.it; are welcoming and always ready to help. Via Piacenza 4; r €450-620; aiW; mSpagna) With 12 rooms in a glorious mansion in RELAIS LE CLARISSE HOTEL €€ central Rome, Villa Spalletti Trivelli was Map p316 (%06 5833 4437; www.leclarisse.com; built by Gabriella Rasponi, widow of Italian Via Cardinale Merry del Val 20; r €80-230; aW; senator Count Venceslao Spalletti Triveli gViale di Trastevere, jViale di Trastevere) Set and the niece of Carolina Bonaparte (Na- hacienda-style around a pretty internal poleon’s sister). It’s a soujourn in a stately courtyard with an olive tree and a smat- home: rooms are soberly and elegantly tering of cast-iron tables, this is a delight- decorated, and the sitting rooms are hung ful oasis in Trastevere’s bustling core. In with 16th-century tapestries or lined with contrast to the urban mayhem outside, the antique books. There’s a basement spa. hotel is a picture of farmhouse charm with rooms, each named after a plant, decorated in rustic style with wrought-iron bedsteads 4 Trastevere & Gianicolo and wood-beamed ceilings.

MARIA-ROSA GUESTHOUSE B&B € RESIDENZA ARCO DE’ TOLOMEI HOTEL €€ Map p316 (%338 7700067; www.maria-rosa. Map p316 (%06 5832 0819; www.bbarcodeito- it; Via dei Vascellari 55; s €45-65, d €65-80, tr lomei.com; Via Arco de’ Tolomei 27; d €155-205; €80-120; iW; gViale di Trastevere, jViale di aW; gViale di Trastevere, jViale di Traste- Trastevere) This is a delightful B&B on the vere) This gorgeous place is decorated with 3rd floor of a Trastevere townhouse. It’s a polished antiques and rich contrasting simple affair with two guestrooms sharing chintzes that make the interiors feel like a a single bathroom and a small living room, country cottage. It’s a lovely place to stay, but the homey decor, pot plants and books and the owners are friendly and helpful. create a lovely, warm atmosphere. The owner, Sylvie, also has a further three rooms BUONANOTTE GARIBALDI GUESTHOUSE €€ on the floor above at La Casa di Kaia (Map Map p316 (%06 5833 0733; www.buonanottegar- p316; %338 7700067; www.kaia-trastevere.it; ibaldi.com; Via Garibaldi 83; r €210-280, closed 7 Via dei Vascellari 55; with shared bathroom s €45- Jan‒7 Mar; aiW; gPiazza Sonnino, jPiazza 55, d €65-75; W; gViale di Trastevere, jViale di Sonnino) With only three rooms, this is a ha- Trastevere). There’s no lift. ven: an upmarket B&B in a divinely pretty inner-city villa, set around a courtyard. The LA FORESTERIA ORSA MAGGIORE HOSTEL € rooms are beautifully decorated and there Map p316 (%06 689 37 53; www.casainternazi- are works of art and sculpture all over the onaledelledonne.org; 2nd fl, Via San Francesco di place – this is artist Luisa Longo’s house. Sales 1a; dm €26, s/d €75/110, without bathroom Pick of the rooms is Blue, upstairs, which €52/72; iW; gPiazza Trilussa) This lesbian- opens onto a greenery-shaded terrace. friendly, women-only guesthouse (boys 222 HOTEL SANTA MARIA HOTEL €€ HOTEL LANCELOT HOTEL €€ Map p316 (%06 589 46 26; www.hotelsantamaria. Map p314 (%06 7045 0615; www.lancelothotel. info; Vicolo del Piede 2; s €90-225, d €100-290, tr com; Via Capo d’Africa 47; s €100-128, d €130- €130-330 ; aiW; gViale di Trastevere, jViale di 196; aW; gVia di San Giovanni in Laterano) A Trastevere) Walk along the ivy-lined approach great location near the Colosseum, striking and you’ll enter a tranquil haven. Surround- views, and helpful English-speaking staff ing a spacious modern cloister (a former

Sleeping – the family-run Lancelot scores across convent site), shaded by orange trees, rooms the board. The lobby and communal areas are cool and comfortable, decorated in sunny gleam with marble and crystal while the colours, and with terracotta floors. There are spacious rooms exhibit a more classic style. some larger family rooms. The staff is pro-

SAN GIOVANNI & TESTACCIO GIOVANNI SAN fessional, and there’s access for people with HOTEL ROMANCE HOTEL €€ a disability. Nearby Residenza Santa Maria Map p314 (%06 8929 5106; www.hotelromance. (Map p316; %06 5833 5103; www.residenzasan- it; Via Marco Aurelio 37a; s €70-140, d €70-200; tamaria.com; Via dell’Arco di San Calisto 20; s €90- aW; mColosseo) A warm welcome awaits 190, d €100-230; iW) is its smaller sister. at this family-run three-star near the Colos- seum. It has quiet, comfy rooms decorated VILLA DELLA FONTE B&B €€ in traditional Roman style and views over a Map p316 (%06 580 37 97; www.villafonte.com; lush garden next door. Via della Fonte dell’Olio 8; r €80-230; aW; gViale j di Trastevere, Viale di Trastevere) A terracotta- oHOTEL SANT’ANSELMO HOTEL €€€ hued, ivy-shrouded gem, Villa della Fonte is Map p314 (%06 57 00 57; www.aventinohotels. a romantic choice, occupying a 17th-century com; Piazza Sant’Anselmo 2; s €90-265, d €99- building in a street off Piazza Santa Maria 290; aW; gVia Marmorata) A ravishing ro-

in Trastevere. It has five rooms, all of which mantic hideaway in the elegant Aventino are simply decorated but have pretty out- district. Its rooms are not the biggest but looks, good bathrooms and comfortable they are stylish, juxtaposing four-poster beds. The sunny garden terrace is a plus. beds, Liberty-style furniture and marble bathrooms with modern touches. oDONNA CAMILLA SAVELLI HOTEL €€€ Map p316 (%06 58 88 61; www.hoteldonnacamilla- savelli.com; Via Garibaldi 27; d €165-250; aiW; 4 gViale di Trastevere, jViale di Trastevere) It’s sel- Villa Borghese & dom you have such an exquisite opportunity Northern Rome as to stay in a converted convent designed oPALM GALLERY HOTEL HOTEL €€ by Borromini. It’s been beautifully updated; Map p324 (%06 6478 1859; www.palmgalleryho- muted colours complement the serene con- tel.com; Via delle Alpi 15d; s €100-120, d €100-210; cave and convex curves of the architecture, aW; gVia Nomentana, gViale Regina Margher- and service is excellent. The pricier of the 78 ita) Housed in an early-20th-century villa, rooms overlook the cloister garden or have this gorgeous hotel sports an eclectic look views of Rome, and are decorated with an- that effortlessly blends African and Middle tiques – it’s worth forking out that bit extra. Eastern art with original art-deco furniture, exposed brickwork and hand-painted tiles. Rooms are individually decorated, 4 San Giovanni with the best offering views over the wiste- & Testaccio ria and thick greenery in the surrounding streets. oALTHEA INN B&B € Map p314 (%339 4353717, 06 9893 2666; www. altheainn.com; Via dei Conciatori 9; d €70-125; mPiramide) In a workaday apartment block, 4 Southern Rome this friendly B&B offers superb value for HOTEL ABITART HOTEL €€ money and easy access to Testaccio’s bars, Map p326 (%06 454 31 91; www.abitarthotel. clubs and restaurants. Its spacious, light- com; Via Matteucci 12; d €130-150; mPiramide, filled rooms sport a modish look with white dOstiense) Located in the gritty, trendy Os- walls and tasteful modern furniture. Each tiense area, the Abitart is decorated with also has a small terrace. a pop-arty feel, and is close to some good restaurants. ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

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