zy Nightlife on a hill of shards yz Organic ice cream In ancient times Testaccio was a rub- Where the ice cream tastes home- The best bish tip where the Romans piled up made and the fruit is delivered by or- the pottery shards of amphorae – ganic farmers from the Piedmont or MARCO POLO they had no plastic or textile shop- rather from the tropics: Grom → p. 73 ping bags. Today the ragazzi come Insider Tips here to give their all on the dance yz Original or copy? floor → p. 92 If you think the glossy sheen of the Our top 15 Insider Tips equestrian statue on the Campidog- yz Organic bistro lio looks too new, you are right (pho- Ginger is the popular meeting spot in to below). Corrosive exhaust gases the exclusive Via Borgognona where were too much for the original Emper- a hip and health-conscious clientele or Marcus Aurelius, and he rode off to meet up for organic juices and teas, the Musei Capitolini → p. 37 smoothies, soya milkshakes, salads and light pasta dishes → p. 73 yz Picnic in the park Gina, a high-class snack bar on Piaz- yz Glass-covered antiquity za di Spagna, will make you a gour- The 2000-year-old altar of peace, met picnic, and all you have to do is the Augustae, is now pro- find a nice spot in the park of Villa tected by Richard Meier’s ultra-mod- Borghese → p. 77 yz Home in Greece or yz Goethe incognito ern glass roof (photo left) → p. 48 Legendary frescoes, mosaics and The classical German poet Goethe yz The ultimate restaurant sculptures from the apartments of was an early connoisseur of Italian yz Fairy houses Housed in a former warehouse in Empress Livia in Palazzo Massimo culture. Under the pseudonym Fil- The Coppedè quarter is like a fairy Ostiense, the Porto Fluviale restau- alle Terme → p. 38 lippo Moeller he enthusiastically tale. The architect Gino Coppedè built rant is the Italian equivalent of “Soul enjoyed life in the eternal city two wonderful villas and palazzi here in Kitchen”. Their lunchtime menu is zy Last stop – gourmet bistro hundred years ago. You can visit the early 20th century → p. 66 particularly delicious! → p. 78 At the Mercato Centrale beneath the the famous traveller from Weimar roof-canopy of Termini railway sta- in the Casa di Goethe → p. 48 tion you will find Roman fine cuisine and the bistro owned by Michelin- yz Sensational panoramic star chef Oliver Glowig → p. 74 vista – the National Monument Residents of Rome refer to the bulky yz Authentic Roman cooking white monument to King Vittorio Do you love Italian food? The web- Emanuele II as “the typewriter”. But site www.ceneromane.com has over from the top row of keys, the roof 50 hosts in Rome inviting you to terrace at a height of 65 m/213 ft, dinner parties in their own homes you have a fantastic panoramic view → p. 19 of all periods of history → p. 36 yz Sarcophagus dining yz Stone gossips Did all that walking along the Via They may be carved in stone, but Appia Antica make you hungry? that doesn’t stop the strange stat- Then stop at the Antica Hostaria L’ Ar- ue parlanti from talking. Once sa- cheologia garden restaurant, where tirical verses criticising papal rulers fountains splash, roses bloom and were hung round their necks, and the pasta is absolutely wonderful in the case of Pasquino the Romans → p. 77 still do this → p. 126 ONLY IN ROME BEST OF ... Unique experiences

Drink from the fountain GREAT PLACES FOR FREE rEleven aqueducts kept ancient Rome well supplied with water, and free drinking water still bubbles Discover new places and save money from numerous fontanelle, the little fountains in the Centro Storico. Do like the Romans do: close your hand over the spring and let the View of the Forum water spurt into your mouth from the up- Inr Caesar’s time Romans and travellers paid nothing to stroll across per hole → p. 126 the Foro Romano. Today you have to pay for admission, but if you just want to get a glimpse, there is a view from the steps to the left of the Where politicians get their ice cream Campidoglio – at its best in the evening → p. 29 rRome has a dozen good ice-cream par- lours, but Gelateria Giolitti is a must go. No A train to the Mediterranean matter that the prices are eye-watering and rRome’s beach fans and clubbers know the way. The almost 30-km/19- the service often rude: after heated debates mi trip on a local train to the beach resort of Lido di Ostia costs only nearby in parliament, Italian politicians of ev- 1.50 euros, next to nothing. Lovers of archaeology take the same train ery party sneak off and cast their vote for one of and get off one stop earlier at Ostia Antica → p. 97 their 40 kinds of cooling ice cream (photo) → p. 73

San Pietro through the keyhole Step up, sit down rThe Order of the Knights of St John, whose domicile is on the Piaz- rEven if you’ve already seen a thousand photos of these gaily curving za dei Cavalieri di Malta, boast an unusual attraction, and so far they steps, the Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti remains one of the nicest and are not charging a fee to see the surprising view of St Peter’s Basili- classiest places to sit and relax. People come here to flirt, laugh, take ca that you get through the keyhole of the main entrance, the Buco photos, meditate and dream the time away → p. 53

di Roma → p. 63 ONLY IN The mouth of truth Classical music in churches rAll Romans who are newly in love make a trip to the ancient lie detec- rThe view of the Baroque dome of Sant’Ignazio is confusing. It’s a paint- tor known as the Bocca della Verità. So far the man-sized marble face ed illusion, and nothing is real. By contrast the sound of the interna- in the atrium of has never really bitten off FOR FREE tional choirs that you can enjoy there is authentic – and the seats at the hand of a beautiful woman who lied or a cynical macho – but you the back cost nothing (photo) → p. 98 never know! → p. 28

Monthly cultural Sunday Eat on the piazza r On the first Sunday of every month you can visit all the na- rIn Trastevere there are still good ol’ trattorias like Da Augusto on Piaz- tional museums free of charge. And one of the world’s za de’Renzi. There is no printed menu here, but the dishes of the day largest museums, the , opens its are chalked up on a blackboard by the door and everyone knows Au- doors on the last Sunday of the month. You can also gusto, who will come straight away with bread, water and the house expect many other visitors on these dates → p. 36 wine, and take your order → p. 79

Sistine chapel for free Campo de’ Fiori: flower market and vanity fair rIf you want to see the world’s largest art collection, rFewer and fewer of Rome’s old market women now come to Campo de’ Raphael’s Stanze and the without Fiori, the city’s most popular vegetable market, in the mornings. But paying a penny: on the last Sunday of the month this square attracts a fashionable crowd round the clock. It’s a place there is free admission to the Musei Vaticani → p. 36 to see and be seen → p. 41

r r r r Dots in guidebook refer to “Best of...” tips 9 DISCOVERY TOURS

Would you like to explore the places that are unique to this city? Then ROME AT A GLANCE the Discovery Tours are just the thing for you – they include terrific tips A for stops worth making, breathtaking places to visit, selected restaurants START: Colosseo 1 day and fun activities. It’s even easier with the Touring App: download END: 1 Teatro Marcello Walking/driving time the tour with map and route to your smartphone using the QR Code on 13 (without stops) pages 2/3 or from the website address in the footer below – and you’ll Distance: B 3 hours never get lost again even when you’re offline. → p. 2/3 6 km/3.7 mi   COSTS: 1-day bus/Metro ticket 6 euros Lift at Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II 7 euros Rom is unique, magnificent and has been a cult destination for almost 3000 years.   Combined5 ticket for the Foro Romano and Colosseo 12 euros Take a personal tour of this amazing city with a cappuccino over the Capitol, a stroll   WHAT TO PACK: water, sun2 protection 1 through its ancient history, a visit to St. Peter’s, aperitivo on the piazza and eve- ning meal in the ghetto.   IMPORTANT TIPS: To avoid the queues for the Colosseo remember to buy the combined admission ticket for the Foro1 Romano/Colosseo uSlept well? Camera at the ready? Then start the Colosseo   at the new forum entrance, by the at the Arco di day at the Colosseo → p. 30. Have you already bought 1 Constantino, or ideally online beforehand. San Pietro is closed on    the combination1 ticket Forum/ Colosseo online? Then you Wednesday mornings due to the audience 7with the Pope.   can now visit the magnificent ancient monuments almost without waiting in queues. At the entrance near the Arch

110 You can find these tours as an app at: go.marco-polo.com/rom Photo: Piazza San Pietro 111