Best of Rome 2020 Preview
Welcome to Rome An intoxicating cocktail of haunting ruins, iconic monuments, awe-inspiring art and vibrant street life, Italy’s hot-blooded capital is one of the world’s most charis- matic cities. It’s la dolce vita (the sweet life) at its Italian best. Rome’s historic cityscape, the result of 3000 years of ad hoc urban development, is an exhilarating spectacle. Ancient icons such as the Colosseum, ROME Roman Forum and Pantheon recall its golden age as TOP SIGHTS, AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES caput mundi (capital of the world), while barn- storming basilicas testify to its historical role as seat of the Catholic Church. The city’s artistic heritage is also astonishing. Throughout history, Rome has starred in the great upheavals of Western art, drawing the top artists of the day and inspiring them to push the boundaries of creative achievement. The result is a city awash with priceless treasures. Ancient statues adorn world-class museums; Byzantine mosaics and Renaissance frescoes dazzle in art-rich churches; and baroque fountains embellish medieval piazzas. Walk around the centre and without even trying you’ll come across masterpieces by the likes of Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Raphael and Bernini. But a trip to Rome is as much about lapping up the local lifestyle as feasting on art and culture. Whiling away hours on a sun-baked cafe terrace, getting lost in backstreet alleys and hidden piazzas, indulging in sunset aperitivi (evening drinks) in on-trend cocktail bars, dining after dark in raucous neighbourhood trattorias – all this, too, is part and parcel of the exquisite Roman experience.
…a trip to Rome is as much about lapping up the local lifestyle as feasting on art Nicola Williams, and culture Alexis Averbuck, Duncan Garwood, Virginia Maxwell
The Colosseum (p36) F11PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©
000-title-opener-bo-rom4.indd0-title-opener-bo-rom4.indd 1 221/05/20191/05/2019 1:54:201:54:20 PPMM 2# 0500m N# 0 0.25 miles Villa Borghese & 2 Northern Rome This is where you’ll find A the glorious park of Museo e Villa Borghese and Basilica di A Galleria the city’s cultural hub. Santa Maria KE CITY Borghese (Map p252) Contents 2# NEW RYORM del Popolo A Tivoli Plan Your Trip (32km) 2# r Tridente, Trevi & This Year in Rome ...... 4 Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore ....108 Vatic the Quirinale Hotspots For...... 18 Trastevere Treasures ...... 110 Tride Vatican A Glamorous, debonair Top Days in Rome ...... 20 Craft-Cocktail Culture ...... 112 Mon A Museums Spanish A and packed with Need to Know ...... 28 Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Tra s tourists: this is Rome’s A Steps Antica – Palazzo Barberini ...... 114 2# Museo Nazionale designer-clad soul. What’s New ...... 30 San St Peter's Palazzo A A Romano: Palazzo For Free ...... 31 Day Trip: Tivoli ...... 116 Villa River (Map p245) Basilica Tiber Barberini Trevi Massimo alle Terme Family Travel ...... 32 Sout Fountain A A Stazione # 2Termini Dining Out ...... 119 Piazza Pantheon A Vatican City, Navona A The Best...... 122 Sho Stazione Monti, Esquilino & Top Experiences ...... 35 BorgoSan & PietroPrati San Lorenzo A Ancient Rome ...... 124 Clas 2# A Colosseum ...... 36 Home to a stunning Busy areas, speckled Basilica di A Centro Storico ...... 124 Live wealth of artistic Santa Maria with glittering churches Vatican Museums ...... 40 treasures, the Sistine Vatican City, Borgo & Prati ...... 128 Thea Capitoline Maggiore and cool restaurants St Peter’s Basilica ...... 46 Chapel among them. Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale ...... 129 Club Museums A and bars. (Maps p245 Pantheon ...... 50 (Map p253) & p255) Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo ...... 133 Cine A Walking Tour: Isola Roman Trastevere & Gianicolo ...... 135 Tiberina Colosseum Centro Storico Piazzas ...... 54 Forum iamo A Basilica di on San Giovanni & Testaccio ...... 139 A Museo e Galleria Borghese ...... 56 A Villa Borghese & Northern Rome...... 141 Act Palatino A San Clemente Palatino ...... 60 A Southern Rome ...... 142 Cycl Acquedotto Ner Piazza Navona ...... 64 Walk Basilica di Museo Nazionale Romano: San Giovanni A Spec Palazzo Massimo alle Terme ...... 68 Treasure Hunt ...... 145 in Laterano Capitoline Museums ...... 72 Food The Best...... 148 Via Appia Antica ...... 76 Centro Storico ...... 150 Centro Storico Ancient Rome Roman Forum...... 80 A Terme di Vatican City, Borgo & Prati ...... 153 The historic centre’s Caracalla No other city has Trevi Fountain ...... 86 Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale ...... 154 tangled streets are A such an evocative Basilica di Santa Maria del Popolo ... 88 2# Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo ...... 159 packed with incredi- Ciampino Airportancientr heart. The Walking Tour: Literary Footsteps ..... 90 (12km)Colosseum, Palatino Trastevere & Gianicolo ...... 160 ble sights, including Basilica di San Giovanni and Roman Forum are palaces, piazzas and Ostia Antica (22km) in Laterano ...... 92 San Giovanni & Testaccio ...... 162 2# ruins. (Map p250) Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) r all here. (Map p246) Stazione Spanish Steps...... 94 Villa Borghese & Northern Rome...... 163 International Airport (26km) Roma-Ostia Roman Market Meanders ...... 96 2# 2# Day Trip: Ostia Antica ...... 98 Bar Open ...... 165 Basilica di San Clemente ...... 100 Trastevere & Gianicolo San Giovanni & Southern Rome The Best...... 168 Enchantingly pretty Testaccio Via Appia Encompassing the Terme di Caracalla ...... 102 A Ancient Rome ...... 170 and largely car-free, Monumental basilicas, Antica beautiful, cobbled Via Modern Architecture...... 104 with labyrinthine towering ruins, A Appia Antica, one of the Centro Storico ...... 170 lanes, ochre palazzi traditional trattorias world’s oldest roads, (mansions) and a boho and thumping nightlife. lined with historic vibe. (Map p254) (Map p255) catacombs.
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Keyw CONTENTS PLAN YOUR TRIP 3 tion, ture, foun gree land orna relax * sum vaca
108 Vatican City, Borgo & Prati ...... 171 110 Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale ...... 172 In Focus Tride .112 Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo ...... 172 Rome Today ...... 208 MED Trastevere & Gianicolo ...... 175 History ...... 210 LPT0 Tour 114 San Giovanni & Testaccio ...... 176 Architecture ...... 218 116 Villa Borghese & Northern Rome...... 178 The Arts ...... 223 Cred Southern Rome ...... 180 The Roman Way of Life ...... 227 119 Keyw Showtime ...... 183 Issue 122 Survival Guide .124 Classical Music & Opera ...... 186 Directory A–Z ...... 230 .124 Live Music ...... 186 Mon Transport ...... 234 128 Theatre & the Arts ...... 188 Language ...... 238 SHU 129 Clubbing ...... 191 Imag Index ...... 240 .133 Cinema ...... 191 Rom Rome Maps ...... 244 .135 di Sa Symbols & Map Key ...... 256 139 Sant .141 Active Rome ...... 193 ica a .142 Cycling & Scootering ...... 196 Rom Walking & Running ...... 196 Rest Your Head ...... 201 By: v Spectator Sports ...... 197 Accommodation Types ...... 204 145 Food & Wine ...... 198 Where to Stay ...... 205 Keyw 148 basil 150 cath .153 cross 154 gold .159 land 160 papa 162 naiss sant 163 vatic
165 Anci 168 MED shut .170 Rom .170 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: KAMIRA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©; JUSTIN FOULKES/LONELY PLANET ©; VAIVIRGA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©; Cred S.BORISOV/SHUTTERSTOCK ©; ANYAIVANOVA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©; MARCO RUBINO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©; TRAVELER1116/GETTY IMAGES ©; TTSTUDIO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©; NEJRON PHOTO/ SHUTTERSTOCK © Keyw ruin, colum cultu 000-title-opener-bo-rom4.indd0-title-opener-bo-rom4.indd 3 221/05/20191/05/2019 1:55:081:55:08 PMPM land sculp citys 4 Plan Your Trip This Year in Rome 2020 EZEEPICS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Rome From religious processions and neighbourhood parties to fashion shows, food fairs, arts festivals and world-class football (soccer) matches, Rome’s calendar bursts with events. Many are played out against atmospheric outdoor backdrops, adding a wonderful sense of occasion.
Above and top right: Natale di Rome (p9); Opposite bottom left: Festa de’ Noantri (p12); Opposite bottom right: Depeche Mode performing at Estate Romana (p11)
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01 January As New Year celebrations fade, the winter z Altaroma cold digs in. It’s a quiet time of year, but Fashion Week late Jan the winter sales are a welcome diversion. Fashionistas swan in for the winter out- ing of Rome’s top fashion event – four 2 Tuff o nel Tevere 1 Jan good-looking days of dazzling catwalk This New Year’s Day tradition dates from shows, fashion-driven exhibitions, work- 1946; Romans turn out in force to watch a shops and parties. Both established brave soul or two dive into the icy waters designers and new talents preview their of the Tiber from Ponte Cavour after the seasonal collections (www.altaroma.it). Gianicolo cannon sounds at midday. This year they will see local lifeguard Maurizio Palmulli’s 32nd New Year’s dive. z Festa di Sant’Antonio 17 Jan 7 Shopping Sales 4 Jan Animal lovers take their pets to be blessed Running from early January, typical- at the Chiesa di Sant’Eusebio on Piazza ly the first Saturday of the month, to Vittorio Emanuele in honour of St Anthony mid-February, the winter fashion sales offer the Abbot, the patron saint of animals. savings of between 20% and 50%. 3 Les Étoiles 24–26 Jan z Epiphany 6 Jan The curtain rises on some of classical A witch known as La Befana delivers gifts ballet’s finest dancers, choreographers and to Italian kids for Epiphany, the last day ballet companies at this prestigious inter- of the Christmas holidays. To mark the nazionale di danza (international dance occasion, a costumed procession makes gala), staged at Rome’s Auditorium Parco its way down Via della Conciliazione to St della Musica. Peter’s Square.
Above: Altaroma Fashion Week catwalk show
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2020 TIZIANA FABI/AFP/GETTY IMAGES ©
10 October Autumn is a good time to visit – the warm 1 Friday Night weather is holding, Romaeuropa ensures Openings at plenty of cultural action and, with the the Vatican late Apr–mid-Oct schools back, there are far fewer tourists around. October is your last chance to spend a Friday evening at the Vatican Museums, 3 Santa Cecilia home of the Sistine Chapel and kilo- Symphony Season early Oct metres of priceless art treasures. Check Rome’s premier orchestra, the Orchestra online for guided-tour and concert dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia ticketing information. (www.santacecilia.it), returns to its home stage at the Auditorium Parco della Mu- sica for the inauguration of its symphony MUHARREMZ/SHUTTERSTOCK © season.
3 Festa del Cinema di Roma mid-Oct Held at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in late October, Rome’s film festival rolls out the red carpet for Hollywood hot shots and bigwigs from Italian cinema. Consult the program on its website (www.romacinema fest.it).
Top: Viggo Mortensen at the Festa del Cinema di Roma; Bottom: Ceiling fresco in the Vatican Museums (p40)
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