FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Rome’s calendar bursts with events, ranging from colourful traditional celebrations with a religious and/or historical flavour to festivals of the performing arts – including opera, music and theatre – particularly from June to September, when there are loads of outdoor events, such as cinema under the stars and riverside gigs. Check local tourist information sources Click here for further details.

January

March & April

May

June

July

August

September

December

SLEEPING

Hotel rooms in Rome tend to be expensive. While midrange choices abound in and around the centro storico, there’s only a smattering of good budget options. However, if you can afford it, you should aim to stay in the centre, as you’ll be perfectly placed for sightseeing, eating and drinking. There’s also a lot to be said for bunking down somewhere in peaceful Prati, which harbours some excellent restaurants, is near the Vatican and on metro A. Trastevere is drop-dead gorgeous and a great place to spend summer evenings, but can be noisy, especially in summer.

If you’re travelling on a tight budget, the cheapest places are scattered around Stazione Termini. Although it has greatly improved in recent years, this is one of Rome’s less salubrious neighbourhoods, and some of the streets to the west of the station, particularly Via Giovanni Giolitti, can be unsafe at night. Women in particular should be careful. That said, it is still possible to walk into the centro storico from Termini, and most other sights are only a convenient metro ride away.

Although Rome doesn’t have a low season as such, the majority of hotels offer discounts from November to March (excluding the Christmas and New Year period). Expect to pay top whack in spring and autumn and over the main holiday periods (Christmas, New Year and Easter). You should always book ahead if at all possible.

Arrive without a reservation, however, and all’s not lost. There’s a free hotel reservation service (Map; 06 699 10 00; Stazione Termini; 7am-10.30pm) at the main train station (opposite platform 21) and the nearby Enjoy Rome tourist office Click here can also book a room for you. Don’t follow the people hanging around at the train station who claim to be tourism officials and offer to find you a room. Chances are they’ll lead you to an overpriced dump.

Unless otherwise indicated, prices quoted include breakfast and all taxes.

Accommodation Options

BED & BREAKFASTS

B&B is becoming increasingly popular in Rome. Many of the newer places are effectively pensioni, meaning that you get your own keys and can come and go as you like. The Rome Tourist Board publishes a full list.

The following are agencies specialising in B&B accommodation and offer online booking services:

HOSTELS

Associazione Italiana Alberghi per la Gioventù (AIG; Map; 06 487 11 52; www.ostellionline.org; Piazza San Bernardo 107; 8am-6pm Mon-Fri) is an Italian youth hostel association that has information about all the youth hostels in Italy. It will assist with bookings to stay at universities during summer, and you can also join Hostelling International (HI) here.

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS

Unsurprisingly Rome is well furnished with religious institutions, many of which offer cheap(ish) rooms for the night. Bear in mind, though, that most religious institutions have strict curfews and the accommodation, while clean, tends to be the basic, no-frills variety. It’s always wise to book well in advance. For a list of institutions, check out www.santasusanna.org/comingtorome.

RENTAL ACCOMMODATION

You can usually find a small apartment near the centre of Rome for around €900 per month for a studio flat or one-bedroom place. Often renting an apartment will work out cheaper than an extended hotel sojourn, as well as giving you more space and self-catering facilities. For a mini-apartment in a hotel block, go online at www.060608.it and check out the ‘Sleeping’ section. It’s also worth checking the following websites:

Several of the English-language bookshops in Rome have notice boards where people looking for accommodation or offering a room on a short- or long-term basis place their messages. Another good option is to check the classified ads in Wanted in Rome (published online fortnightly on Wednesday; www.wantedinrome.com).

Ancient Rome

Caesar House (Map; 06 679 26 74; www.caesarhouse.com; Via Cavour 310; d €140-220; ) Quiet, friendly, yet in the thick of it on busy thoroughfare Via Cavour, this has 11 sunny rooms, terracotta floors, wi-fi, internet in the lounge, and even a tiny gym. The suite has a view over the forum. Rooms have a warm, peachy decor, small bathrooms, and are sparklingly clean.

Centro Storico

BUDGET & MIDRANGE

B&B 3 Coins (Map; 06 446 06 34; www.3coinsbb.com; Via dei Crociferi 26; s with/without bathroom €70-130/€60-90, d with/without bathroom €90-150/€80-100;) A coin’s lob from the Trevi Fountain, this modest B&B is snug and quaint. A steep climb up to the 3rd floor and you’ll find a warm, characterful apartment full of family knick-knacks. No two of the seven rooms are exactly alike – some are tiny, some bigger, some are carpeted and two have external bathrooms, but all are clean and cosy.

Hotel Antica Locanda (Map; 06 478 81 729; www.antica-locanda.com; Via del Boschetto 84; s €70-140, d €90-160; ) In the hip Monti district, this little hotel has characterful rooms of different shapes and sizes, all named after great composers. They’re decorated with antiques and wooden furniture, with some carved wooden headboards and wood beams. Windows overlook the cobbled street.

Fellini B&B (Map; 06 427 42 732; www.fellinibnb.com; Via Rasella 55; s €70-180, d €90-200, apt €200-370; ) A multistorey warren of bright, plain rooms, cheery, efficient Fellini is named for Italy’s great director, who made an icon of the nearby Trevi fountain. Film posters along the hallways fit the theme. All the spick-and-span rooms have satellite TV, good beds and well-equipped bathrooms. The standout option here is the knockout top-floor five-person apartment, which has a huge terrace with a view. It’s always worth asking for discounts.

Relais Palazzo Taverna (Map; 06 203 98 064; www.relaispalazzotaverna.com; Via dei Gabrielli 92; s €80-150, d €100-210; ) A boutique hotel in a sensational location, the Relais Palazzo Taverna has 11 contemporary rooms that set a modernist aesthetic (funky wallpaper, bright block colour) against an ancient building. Amenities such as plasma-screen satellite TVs, and tea- and coffee-making facilities ice the cake. Breakfast is served in your room.

Hotel Mimosa (Map; 06 427 42 732; www.hotelmimosa.net; Via di Santa Chiara 61, 2nd fl; s/d/tr/q €88/118/158/178, without bathroom €50/70/90/105; ) Imagine hard, and you’ll experience a faint air of impecunious romance, but remove rose-tinted specs and you’ll see basic accommodation in spartan rooms, some of which are cramped but all of which are clean. Anyway, it’s all about location: this is one of the scarce budget choices in the historic centre. To book a room you’ll need to leave a credit-card number, though the hotel accepts payment in cash only.

Albergo del Sole (Map; 06 687 94 46; www.solealbiscione.it; Via del Biscione 76; s with/without bathroom €100-130/€75, d with/without bathroom €125-160/€100-110; ) The oldest hotel in Rome, this place dates to 1462, and the complex warren of corridors and low wood-beamed ceilings give credence to its medieval architecture, though the decor is standard hotel fare. Rooms are basic; some have more character than others. The 2nd-floor roof terrace is a definite plus, there’s wi-fi, and the almost-on-the-Campo location is a lively spot. No credit cards.

Daphne B&B (Map; 06 478 23 529; www.daphne-rome.com; Via di San Basilio 55; d with/without bathroom €130-220/€90-160; ) Boutique B&B Daphne is a gem, run by an American-Italian couple, with chic, sleek, comfortable rooms, extremely helpful English-speaking staff, and top-notch breakfasts. There are 15 rooms in two locations: this one off Via Veneto (the pick, and every room is en suite) and a second one at Via degli Avignonesi 20, towards the Trevi Fountain. Wi-fi is available.

Hotel Navona (Map; 06 686 42 03; www.hotelnavona.com; Via dei Sediari 8; s €100-125, d €135-155; ) Spread over several floors of a 15th-century palazzo, and set around a courtyard, Navona’s rooms vary in quality: some are big and bright, others are small, and decor is largely ad hoc, with an antique desk here and a plastic lamp there. But what you’re really paying for is the location, a skip and a jump from Piazza Navona.

Hotel Modigliani (Map; 06 428 15 226; www.hotelmodigliani.com; Via della Purificazione 42; s €120-160, d €110-188, superior €180-280; ) Run by an artistic couple, the Modigliani is all about attention to detail and customer service. The 23 dove-grey rooms are spacious and light, with red and gold bedspreads, and the best have views and balconies, either outside, or over the quiet internal courtyard garden that’s a lovely place for a drink. There’s wi-fi.

Teatropace 33 (Map; 06 687 90 75; www.hotelteatropace.com; Via del Teatro Pace 33; s €120-160, d €150-250; ) Sublimely central, tucked in a lane beside Piazza Navona, this discreet, classy three-star is a top choice. In a former cardinal’s residence, it has 23 beautifully appointed rooms decorated with parquet flooring, damask curtains and exposed wooden beams. There’s no lift, just a monumental 17th-century stone staircase.

Hotel Portoghesi (Map; 06 686 42 31; www.hotelportoghesiroma.com; Via dei Portoghesi 1; s €130-160, d €160-200; ) This cosy, low-key hotel has a fabulous location on a picturesque street near Piazza Navona. Rooms are comfortable and have satellite TV and wi-fi, though some (particularly the singles) are small, with equally bijou bathrooms. Staff are pleasant and the peaceful roof terrace is a bonus.

Hotel Teatro di Pompeo (Map; 06 687 28 12; www.hotelteatrodipompeo.it; Largo del Pallaro 8; s €140-160, d €180-210; ) Built on top of a theatre that Pompey constructed in 55 BC (now the breakfast room), this family-run hotel is tucked away behind the Campo de’ Fiori. Rooms here are comfortable, with a charmingly old-fashioned feel – the best are on the 3rd floor, with sloping wood-beamed ceilings.

TOP END

Hotel Campo de’ Fiori (Map; 06 687 48 86; www.hotelcampodefiori.com; Via del Biscione 6; s €170-220, d €200-270, 2-person apt €130-150, 4-person apt €180; ) Here, red flock walls are hung with gilt mirrors and restored bric-a-brac, and facilities include swish bathrooms, flat-screen satellite TVs and wi-fi. They’ll even loan you a laptop if you need one. It’s close as can be to the happening Campo, but double-glazing sorts out the noise, and there is a wonderful roof terrace with wicker sofas. The hotel also offers 13 comfortable nearby apartments.

Tridente

BUDGET & MIDRANGE

Hotel Panda (Map; 06 678 01 79; www.hotelpanda.it; Via della Croce 35; s with/without bathroom €80/68, d with/without bathroom 108/78; ) Only 50m from the Spanish Steps, in an area where a bargain is a Bulgari watch bought in the sales, the friendly, efficient Panda is an anomaly, a budget pension, and a splendid one. The extremely clean rooms are smallish but nicely, if simply, furnished, and the beds are comfortable. Air-con costs €6 extra per night and there’s wi-fi.

Hotel Scalinata di Spagna (Map; 06 699 40896; www.hotelscalinata.com; Piazza della Trinità dei Monti 17; d €130-370; ) Given its location – perched alongside the Spanish Steps – the Scalinata is surprisingly modestly priced. An informal and friendly place, it’s something of a warren, with a great roof terrace, and low corridors leading off to smallish, old-fashioned, yet romantic rooms (think plush furnishings and gilt-edged mirrors), the best with balconies. Book early for a room with a view.

Casa Montani (Map; 06 326 00 421; www.casamontani.it; Piazzale Flaminio 9; d €140-240) Run by an Italian-French couple, this is a lovely, upmarket guest house with just five rooms. Fixtures and fittings are top quality, with rooms featuring custom-made furniture and contemporary art, yet prices are low considering the level of comfort and the position, overlooking the Porta del Popolo. It’s an especially good deal if you book for three nights in low season (€120 for a deluxe room).

TOP END

Casa Howard (Map; 06 699 24 555; www.casahoward.com; Via Sistina 149 & Via Capo le Case 18; s €140-220, d €190-250; ) This richly decorated boutique hotel, split between two nearby houses, has a great location and only 10 rooms, ranging from the funky Zebra room to the chinztastic Flower room. The Via Sistina rooms were designed by Tommaso Ziffer, who was also responsible for hot celebrity favourite Hotel de Russie. Three of the rooms have private, not en suite bathrooms. Both properties have Turkish hammams, which cost a cheeky €25/50 (Capo le Case/Sistina) to use. Continental breakfast, served in the rooms, costs an extra €10 per person.

Crossing Condotti (Map; 06 699 20633; www.crossingcondotti.com; Via Mario de’Fiori; r €180-280) A five-room place, this is one of Rome’s new breed of upmarket guest houses, where all the fittings, linen, and comforts are top-of-the-range, but prices are kept lower than equivalently furnished hotels because there is no restaurant, concierge etc. Smack bang in designer heaven, Crossing Condotti doesn’t serve breakfast, but has a well-stocked kitchen with drinks and a Nespresso machine. Rooms are pretty, with lots of character, antiques and exquisite furnishings.

Portrait Suites (Map; 06 68 28 31; www.portraitsuites.com; Via Bocca di Leone, 23; r €300-690; ) Owned by the Salvatore Ferragamo family – designer royalty – this is a discreet, exclusive boutique residence, designed by Florentine wonder-architect Michele Bonan. There are 14 exquisitely styled suites and studios across six floors in a townhouse overlooking Via Condotti, plus a dreamy 360-degree roof terrace and made-in-heaven staff. There’s no restaurant, but you can have meals delivered. Breakfast is served in your room or on the terrace.

Termini & Esquilino

BUDGET

Hotel Beautiful (Map; 06 447 03 927; www.solomonhotels.com; 4th fl, Via Milazzo 8; dm €16-27, s €25-40, d €45.50-80; ) A cross between a hostel and a hotel, this two-star place has 14 comfortable, clean, unexciting but bright rooms. There are doubles, triples and dorms, all with high ceilings and their own bathrooms. Reception is 24 hours.

Funny Palace (Map; 06 447 03 523; www.hostelfunny.com; 5th fl, Via Varese 31; dm €15-25, s without bathroom €30-70, d without bathroom €55-100; ) Run by a friendly international crew, with the Splashnet Laundry as their office-laundry-internet cafe, this great little backpackers’ hostel has doubles, triples and quads, with a comfortable, homey feel. Thoughtful touches such as clean towels, a bottle of wine on arrival and vouchers for breakfast in a nearby cafe make it an excellent choice. Wi-fi is available, as is Skype. No credit cards. They also run the similar Amazing Place around the corner.

M&J Hostel (Map; 06 446 28 02; www.mejplacehostel.com; Via Solferino 9; dm €10-35, s €50-70, d €60-100; ) The long-established M&J is a hotel-hostel run by two well-travelled brothers. There are a number of brightly painted dorms (up to 10 people), one of which is female-only and some of which have their own bathrooms. The doubles are more upmarket, decorated in a chic, Zen style and have air-con (dorms don’t). There’s 24-hour reception and a kitchen. The owners operate the Living Room bar downstairs, where breakfast is served as well as cheap meals (open till 2am). You can get deals if you book online, and there’s wi-fi.

Yellow (Map; 06 493 82 682; www.the-yellow.com; Via Palestro 44; dm €18-35; ) Popular Yellow caters to a youthful, party-loving crowd (there’s even an age limit – 18 to 40). Decor is bright, clean and funky, featuring Starsky-and-Hutch stencils on the walls. Mixed dorms sleep between four and 12 people in basic bunks, with barracks-style showers and toilets (bigger dorms have bathrooms down the hall). Internet is free, there’s wi-fi, and the bar downstairs (where you can buy breakfast), open till 2am, has outdoor tables where you can enjoy an afternoon beer or coffee. Reception is 24 hours.

Alessandro Palace Hostel (Map; 06 446 19 58; www.hostelalessandro.com; Via Vicenza 42; dm €18-35, d €70-110; ) This long-standing favourite appeals to both budgeting families and backpackers, and offers spick-and-span, terracotta-floored doubles, triples and quads, as well as dorms sleeping from four to eight, all with cheery bedspreads. Every room has its own bathroom plus hairdryer. In some you can’t open the windows. There’s a bar downstairs, which has satellite TV. Internet and wi-fi are available, and there’s 24-hour reception and no curfew. The same owners also run the slightly less palatial, and thus cheaper, Alessandro Downtown Hostel (Map; 06 443 40 147; Via Cattaneo 23).

Beehive (Map; 06 447 04 553; www.the-beehive.com; Via Marghera 8; dm €20-30, d without bathroom €70-95, tr €95-120) More boutique chic than backpacker crash pad, the Beehive is one of the best hostels in town. Run by a southern Californian couple, it’s an oasis of style with original artworks on the walls, funky modular furniture, a vegetarian cafe and a yoga studio. Beds are in a spotless, eight-person mixed dorm or in one of six private double rooms. Needless to say, it’s very popular, so make sure you book ahead. There’s an on-site internet lounge, a book exchange and vegan and vegetarian cafe (breakfast €5, dinner dish of the day €6.50), garden courtyard and yoga studio. Massage costs €35.

MIDRANGE

Welrome Hotel (Map; 06 478 24 343; www.welrome.it; Via Calatafimi 15-19; s €40-100, d €50-110, tr €105-148, q €120-187) The chatty owner of the Welrome has a personal mission to look after her guests: not only does she take huge pride in her small, spotless hotel but she enthusiastically points out the cheapest places to eat, tells you where not to waste your time and what’s good to do. Families should go for the huge room named after Piazza di Spagna.

Hotel des Artistes (Map; 06 445 43 65; www.hoteldesartistes.com; Via Villafranca 20; r without bathroom €55-95, r with bathroom €95-210; ) The rooms here are decked out in wood and gold with faux-antique furniture and rich reds, and pink high-sheen bedspreads and curtains. They have satellite TV and decent bathrooms. Offers discounts for longer stays and/or cash payment.

Suite Dreams (Map; 06 489 13 907; www.suitedreams.it; Via Modena 5; s €110-130, d €130-180, ste €200-250; ) This popular, hip-looking place offers 15 rooms styled with neutrals, slate greys, chocolate-browns and contemporary art. Each has parquet floors, Frette linen and big wardrobes, and there’s an impressive suite with a big round jacuzzi. Check the website for special offers.

Residenza Cellini (Map; 06 478 25 204; www.residenzacellini.it; Via Modena 5; d €145-240, ste €165-280; ) With grown-up furnishings featuring potted palms, polished wood, pale yellow walls, oil paintings, and a hint of chintz, this charming hotel offers 11 spacious, elegant rooms, all with satellite TV and jacuzzi or hydro-massage showers. There’s wi-fi, too, and a sunny flower-surrounded terrace for summer breakfasts.

Trastevere

BUDGET & MIDRANGE

La Foresteria Orsa Maggiore (Map; 06 689 37 53; www.casainternazionaledelledonne.org in Italian; 2nd fl, Via San Francesco di Sales 1a; dm €26, s/d without bathroom €52/72, s/d with bathroom €75/110; ) This lesbian-friendly, predominantly women-only guest house (boys aged 12 or younger are welcome to accompany their mums) is housed in a restored 16th-century convent. It is run by the Casa Internazionale delle Donne (International Women’s House) and offers safe and well-priced accommodation in a quiet corner of Trastevere. The 13 simple rooms sleep two, four, five or eight, and some have views onto the attractive internal garden. Those not en suite share institutional-style bathrooms. There’s a 3am curfew. Wheelchair accessible.

Hotel Antico Borgo Trastevere (Map; 06 588 39 24; www.hotelanticoborgo.it; Vicolo del Buco 7; s €45-100, d €65-150; ) Tucked away in a quiet corner of Trastevere, this quaint hotel is housed in a small palazzo dating from 1800. It has pretty, well-maintained rooms with comfortable beds, but they’re tiny – claustrophobics should steer clear. Breakfast is served in your room.

Arco del Lauro (Map; 9am-2pm 06 97840350, 346 244 3212; Via Arco de’ Tolomei, 27; s €75-125, d €95-145, tr €120-165, q €135-180; ) With only six rooms, this fab B&B in an ancient palazzo is a find, through a large stone arch and on a narrow cobbled street, with gleaming white rooms which combine rustic charm with minimalist simplicity. The largest room has a high wood-beamed ceiling.

Hotel Trastevere (Map; 06 581 47 13; www.hoteltrastevere.net; Via Manara 24a-25; s €80, d €103-105; ) Overlooking the market square of San Cosimato (noisy in the evening), this is a reasonable, cheap, Trastevere option, with basic, no-frills rooms. There’s a bit of a run-down feel about the place but the rooms are large, clean, fine for the money, and it’s completely unpretentious.

Villa della Fonte (Map; 06 580 37 97; www.villafonte.com; Via della Fonte dell’Olio 8; s €110-130, d €135-150; ) A lovely terracotta-hued, ivy-shrouded gem, Villa della Fonte occupies a 17th-century building in a street off Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere. It only has five rooms, all of which are simply decorated but have pretty outlooks, good bathrooms and comfortable beds covered with lovely linen. The sunny garden terrace (for breakfast in warm weather) is a plus.

Residenza Arco de’ Tolomei (Map; 06 583 20 819; www.bbarcodeitolomei.com; Via Arco de’ Tolomei 27; d €160-220; ) Upstairs from Arco del Lauro, this gorgeous place has a completely different feel from its neighbour, decorated with polished antiques and rich chintz. It’s also a lovely place to stay, and the owners are friendly and helpful. Wi-fi is available.

Hotel Santa Maria (Map; 06 589 46 26; www.hotelsantamaria.info; Vicolo del Piede 2; s €160-190, d €175-230; ) Walk along the ivy-lined approach and you’ll enter a tranquil haven. Housed in a spacious modern cloister (a former convent site), the Santa Maria has 19 rooms around a orange-tree-shaded courtyard garden. Rooms are cool and comfortable, with slightly fussy decor and terracotta floors. There are some much larger family rooms. Staff are helpful and professional, and it’s wheelchair-friendly. Nearby is the more intimate, prettily rustic Residenza Santa Maria, under the same management.

Aventino

Hotel Sant’Anselmo (Map; 06 574 52 31; www.aventinohotels.com; Via Melania 19; s €160-220, d €180-270; ) Enchanting, peaceful Aventine Hill, all terracotta walls and umbrella pines, is one of Rome’s most sought-after residential areas. This 34-room hotel is wonderfully romantic and fantastically over the top, with modern twists giving the design a sassy edge. Rooms have carved beds or four-posters, and many have frescoed walls and chandeliers. There are either claw-foot or jacuzzi baths or showers, and some rooms have terraces with dreamy views.

Vatican City, Borgo & Prati

BUDGET & MIDRANGE

Casa di Accoglienza Paolo VI (Piccolo Suore della Sacra Famiglia; Map; 06 390 9141; casapaolovi@tiscalinet.it; Viale Vaticano 92; s/d/tr/q €35/60/78/90; ) A lovely, palm-shaded convent, right opposite the entrance to the Vatican Museums, where the welcoming sisters offer small, sunny rooms, which are so clean they gleam. Book way ahead. There’s no breakfast, but you get a discount if you stay more than one night. There’s a midnight curfew.

Hotel Lady (Map; 06 324 21 12; www.hotel­adyroma.it; 4th fl, Via Germanico 198; s without bathroom €50-65, d with/without bathroom €100-130/€70-95; ) A homey old-school pensione on one floor of an apartment block, the Hotel Lady is a quiet and inviting place. The eight rooms are snug, comfortable, spotless, and 4 and 6 have wood-beamed ceilings. The owner and his wife don’t speak English, but will merrily chat to you in Italian and serve you breakfast (€10) in their attractive salon.

Hotel San Pietrino (Map; 06 370 01 32; www.sanpietrino.it; Via Bettolo 43; s without bathroom €60-85, d with/without bathroom €75-118/60-85; ) In peaceful Prati, not far from Ottaviano San Pietro metro station, San Pietrino is a fabulous choice. Its 16 rooms are characterful and prettily decorated, with terracotta floors, some with statuary, and carvings in the hallways. Added extras are the comfortable beds, wi-fi and helpful staff.

Colors Hostel & Hotel (Map; 06 687 40 30; www.colorshotel.com; Via Boezio 31; dm €23-27, s €50-90, d €100-135; ) This hostel-hotel is a relaxed place, with seven sunny, brightly painted dorms that can be noisy when windows are left open. It has a fully equipped kitchen, spotlessly clean shared bathrooms and a small roof terrace. The doubles are simple, bright and attractive, with comfortable beds, high ceilings and modern bathrooms. Note there’s an age limit for the dorms: 18 to 35. There are singles and doubles with shared bathrooms that are around €10 to €15 cheaper.

Hotel Bramante (Map; 06 688 06 426; www.hotelbramante.com; Vicolo delle Palline 24-25; s €100-160, d €150-220; ) Borgo-set Bramante feels like a country house in the city, full of rustic elegance, oriental rugs, beams and antiques. It’s housed in the 16th-century building that was home to architect Domenico Fontana before Pope Sixtus V banished him from Rome, and has just 16 characterful rooms.

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EATING

Romans love to eat out, and the city bulges with trattorie, ristoranti, pizzerias and enoteche (wine bars serving food). Excellent places dot the centro storico, Trastevere, Prati, Testaccio (the heartland of Roman cuisine, featuring lots of offal) and San Lorenzo. Be warned that the area around Termini has lots of substandard restaurants, and also choose carefully around the Vatican, which is packed with tourist traps.

Many restaurants close down for several weeks during the traditional summer holiday month of August, although council laws state that they must consult with local colleagues to ensure that a similar business is open no more than 300m away.

Rome has masses of alimentari (grocery stores) or bars where you can get a panino (sandwich) made up for you for about €3, or buy tramezzini (premade refrigerated sandwiches; about €4). In a cafe or bar it will cost more if you sit down to eat or drink. Alternatively, there are hundreds of pizza al taglio outlets for a takeaway slice of pizza (about €3 depending on the size and topping).

Ancient Rome

Cavour 313 (Map; 06 678 54 96; Via Cavour 313; 10am-2.30pm & 7.30pm-12.30am, closed Aug; dishes €7-14) Close to the Colosseum and Forum, wood-panelled, intimate wine-bar Cavour 313 attracts everyone from actors to politicians to tourists. Sink into its publike cosiness and while away hours over some sensational wine (over 1200 labels), cold cuts, cheeses, carpacci, or daily specials.

La Piazzetta (Map; 06 699 16 40; Vicolo del Buon Consiglio 23a; meals €35) Molto simpatico, on a tiny medieval lane, this tucked-away, informal yet classy restaurant has a fabulous antipasti buffet and equally impressive primi and secondi – try the yolky carbonara. The dessert-sampler buffet means you don’t have to face a difficult decision between puddings.

Centro Storico

BUDGET

Antico Forno (Map; 06 679 28 66; Via delle Muratte 8; 7am-9pm) Near the Trevi Fountain, Antico Forno is one of Rome’s oldest bakery shops, and its well-stocked deli counter has a grand array of freshly baked panini, focaccia and pizza.

Forno di Campo de’ Fiori (Map; 06 688 06 662; Campo de’ Fiori 22; 7am-1.30pm & 5.30-8.30pm Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat) Obscenely good, crispy, direct-from-the-oven pizza a taglio keeps this place permanently packed. The pizza bianca – white pizza with olive oil, rosemary and salt – is divine, the pizza rossa (‘red’ pizza, with olive oil, tomato and oregano) sublime, and the pizza patata (with potato and rosemary) and pizza pommidorini (with cherry tomatoes) are heavenly.

Lo Zozzone (Map; 06 688 085 75; Via del Teatro Pace 32; regular/large pizza €3/5; Mon-Sat) The affectionally named ‘dirty one’ is sparklingly clean, and is growing smarter by the year, with a few tables inside and out. It also has some of Rome’s best panini. Pay at the register for a regular/large pizza bianca, then ask for it to be stuffed with your belly’s desire at the bar.

Volpetti alla Scrofa (Map; 06 688 06 335; Via della Scrofa 31-32; meals under €10; Mon-Sat) This place is an Aladdin’s cave of delicacies, including Belgian beer, French champagne, Italian truffles, sausage and cheese. It’s also a tavola calda (‘hot table’) where you can enjoy a fast lunch of pasta, salad and fruit for under €10.

Zazá (Map; 06 688 01 357; Piazza San’Eustachio 49 9am-10pm Mon-Sat) Handily set between Piazza Navona and the Pantheon, this hole-in-the-wall, organic pizza a taglio place will hit the spot with its highly digestible pizza – the base is made using extra-virgin olive oil and is risen for up to 60 hours. Try the potato pizza or the margherita.

Pizzeria da Baffetto (Map; 06 686 16 17; Via del Governo Vecchio 114; pizzas €6-9; 6.30pm-midnight) Da Baffetto offers the full-on wham-bam Roman pizza experience and some of the best pizzas in the city. To partake, join the queue and wait for the bustling waiters to squeeze you in – don’t be surprised if you have to share a table. To start try the tasty fried things – zucchini flowers, olive ascolane and so on. Paper-thin, and served bubbling hot from the wood-fired oven, the scrumptious pizzas are as Roman as it gets.

GELATO A GO GO

Rome’s almost perpetual sunshine might go some way to explaining the local gelato habit. Ice cream is a natural, delectable part of Roman life, and the city is dotted with superb gelaterie artigianale (handmade ice cream). The best sell their creations on the day they make them; most give the customer an option of a crown of fresh panna (cream) on top. If going off-guidebook, a handy tip is to look at the pistachio flavour. Pale olive equals good, bright green is bad. When it gets really hot, every Roman’s favourite cooling pursuit is to eat grattachecca (crushed ice drowned in fruit syrup) by the river. There are several riverside stands around Rome’s central bridges.

Here’s our road-tested guide to the best gelataria in the city:

Filetti di Baccalà (Map; 06 686 40 18; Largo dei Librari 88; meals €20; dinner Mon-Sat) On a pretty, scooter-strewn piazza, this tiny stuck-in-time institution serves classic cod and chips, without the chips (the name means ‘fillet of cod’). You can have the crispy battered vegies instead, such as puntarella – chicory – salad or crisp-fried zucchini flowers.

Enoteca Corsi (Map; 06 679 08 21; Via del Gesù 88; meals €20; lunch Mon-Sat, closed Aug) Merrily worse for wear, family-run Corsi is a genuine old-style Roman osteria-wine shop. The look is rustic – wine-bottle-lined, bare wooden tables, paper tablecloths – and the atmosphere one of cheery organised chaos. On offer are homely dishes using good, fresh ingredients, and the menu follows the culinary calendar, so if it’s gnocchi, it’s Thursday.

Da Ricci (Map; 06 488 11 07; Via Genova 32; pizzas €8; 7pm-midnight Tue-Sun) In a tranquil, cobbled cul-de-sac a step away from smoggy Via Nazionale, Rome’s oldest pizzeria started life as an enoteca (wine bar) in 1905, and its wood-panelled interior feels like it hasn’t changed much since. The sign says Est! Est!! Est!!! – Da Ricci’s other name – named after its white wine from the north of Lazio. Pizzas are thick-based Neapolitan-style (though you can get thin-based if you like), and work best with lots of toppings.

Alfredo e Ada (Map; 06 687 88 42; Via dei Banchi Nuovo 14; meals €20; Mon-Fri) Once you’ve found a seat at this time-machine trattoria, all you need to do is wait. Never mind newfangled stuff like menus. You’ll get whatever blue-rinse Ada puts in front of you – simple, hearty and tasty stuff such as sausage and lentils. Dessert comes from Ada’s legendary biscuit tin. No credit cards.

MIDRANGE

Da Francesco (Map; 06 686 40 09; Piazza del Fico 29; pizzas €6-9, meals €24; 11.50am-2.50pm & 7pm-12.45am) Gingham, paper tablecloths, frazzled, jovial waiters, groaning plateloads of pasta, tasty pizza: this quintessential Roman kitchen has character coming out of its ears, and tables and chairs spilling out onto the pretty piazza. Rock up early or queue. No credit cards.

Sora Margherita (Map; 06 687 42 16; Piazza delle Cinque Scole 30; meals €25; lunch Tue-Sun, dinner Fri & Sat winter, lunch Mon-Fri, dinner Fri summer, closed Aug) No-frills Sora Margherita started as a cheap kitchen for hungry locals, but word has spread. Expect dog-eat-dog queues; cheap, hearty pasta and moreish gnocchi; Roman Jewish dishes (such as ricotta tart); and a rowdy Roman atmosphere. Service is prompt and you’re expected to be likewise. It’s closed weekends in summer as, according to the sign, ‘tutti al mare’ (everyone’s at the beach).

Cul de Sac (Map; 06 688 01 094; Piazza Pasquino 73; meals €30; noon-4pm & 6pm-12.30am Mon-Sat) A fabulous little enoteca, just off Piazza Navona, with a tiny terrace and narrow, pine and bottle-lined interior. The knowledgeable, swift waiters pass about delicious cold meats and cheeses, and moreish mains: try the surprisingly delicate involtini (beef rolls). There’s a phone-directory-sized wine list. Book ahead in the evening.

OUR TOP FIVE ASTOUNDINGLY GOOD-VALUE ROME EATS

Gino (Map; 06 687 34 34; Vicolo Rosini 4; meals €30; Mon-Sat) Oh, Gino! This is surely the perfect trattoria: quaint, busy and buzzing, dishing out well-executed staples such as rigotoni alla gricia (pasta with cured pig’s cheek) and meatballs under gaudily painted vines. It’s hidden away down a narrow lane close to parliament, and perennially packed by gossiping politicians. No credit cards.

Ar Galletto (Map; 06 686 17 14; Piazza Farnese 102; meals €35; daily) You wouldn’t expect there to be anywhere reasonably priced on Piazza Farnese, one of Rome’s loveliest outdoor rooms, but this long-running osteria is the real thing, with good, honest Roman food, a warm local atmosphere and dazzlingly set exterior tables. Roasted chicken is the house speciality (galletto means little rooster), but the roasted lamb in season is just as fine.

Vineria Chianti (Map; 06 678 75 50; Via del Lavatore 81-82; meals €35) Many restaurants around the Trevi Fountain dish up overpriced tourist fare, but this pretty ivy-clad wine bar is one of the exceptions, bottle-lined inside, and with watch-the-world-go-by outside seating in summer. Cuisine is Tuscan, so the beef is particularly good, but it also serves up imaginative salads, and pizza in the evenings.

Ditirambo (Map; 06 687 16 26; Piazza della Cancelleria 74-75; meals €35; lunch Tue-Sun, dinner daily) Just off Campo de’ Fiori, Ditirambo has a rustic, gingham-clad look, excellent wine list and innovative, sophisticated, seasonally driven cuisine. The menu changes according to what’s fresh at the market, the chef uses organic artisan products whenever possible, and there’s a good choice for vegetarians. Finish up with a divine tiramisu. It’s unpretentious and popular, so make sure you book ahead. Across the road is sister restaurant Grappolo D’Oro, sleeker and more modern in style, but another great choice.

Da Armando al Pantheon (Map; 06 688 03 034; Salita dei Crescenzi 31; meals €40; lunch & dinner Mon-Fri, lunch Sat, closed Aug) A family-run trattoria that is wood-panelled, inviting and authentic, barely a step from the Pantheon, and always busy. Armando’s son Claudio continues the tradition of cooking Roman fare to perfection. Philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre and footballer Pelé have both eaten here. To finish try the home-made cakes. Booking is advisable.

Matricianella (Map; 06 683 21 00; Via del Leone 2/4; meals €40; Mon-Sat, closed Aug) Tucked near Piazza di San Lorenzo in Lucina, this popular, chic trattoria, with gingham tablecloths and chintzy murals, also has some streetside seating on the quiet cobbled lane. The cooking is simple, delicious and in the Roman-Jewish tradition. Romans go crazy for the delectable fried antipasti, the carciofi alla giudia (Jewish-style artichokes), the meatballs and also the Jewish-style stew. Booking is essential.

Da Giggetto (Map; 06 686 11 05; Via del Portico d’Ottavia 21-22; meals €40; Tue-Sun) The atmo­spheric Ghetto, rustic interiors, white-jacketed waiters, fabuloso Roman-Jewish cooking – who needs more? Celebrate all things fried by tucking into the marvellous carciofi alla giudia, fiore di zucca (zucchini or squash flowers) and baccalà (cod) and follow on with a zuppa di pesce (fish soup) or rigatoni alla gricia. In the warmer months, sit outside under the shadow of the Portico d’Ottavia ruins. For those on a budget, there’s Giggetto 2 ( 06 64760369; Via Angelo in Pescheria 13-14), a simple cafe behind its parent restaurant.

TOP END

Colline Emiliane (Map; 06 481 75 38; Via degli Avignonesi 22; meals €45; Tue-Sat, Sun lunch, closed Aug) This welcoming, tucked-away trattoria off Piazza Barberini flies the flag for Emilia-Romagna, the well-fed Italian province that has gifted the world Parmesan, balsamic vinegar, bolognese sauce and Parma ham. On offer here are delicious meats, home-made pasta, rich ragù, and desserts worthy of a moment’s silence.

Osteria Sostegno (Map; 06 679 38 42; Via delle Colonnelle 5; meals €45) Here you have stumbled on a well-kept secret. It’s intimate, a favourite of journalists and politicians, with simple yet excellent dishes such as caprese (tomato and mozzarella salad) or lasagnetto al forno con punte di asparagi (little lasagne with asparagus heads). There’s a charming small terrace between the steep walls of a narrow alley. Nearby is the similarly splendid Ristorante Settimio ( 06 678 96 51; Via delle Colonnelle 14; meals €45), run by the same family.

Monti

La Carbonara (Map; 06 482 5176; Via Panisperna 214; meals €25) On the go since 1906, this busy restaurant was favoured by the infamous Ragazzi di Panisperna, a group of young physicists, including Enrico Fermi, who constructed the first nuclear reactor and atomic bomb. He was probably inspired by the delicious fried potato, an explosion of taste. Another speciality is the eponymous carbonara, though the restaurant is actually so-named because the first owner was hitched to a coal seller. The waiters are brusque, it crackleswith energy and the interior is covered in graffiti – tradition dictates that diners should leave their mark in a message on the wall.

Tridente

BUDGET

Da Michele (Map; 349 252 5347; Via dell’Umiltà 31; 8am-5am Mon-Fri, to 8pm summer) A handy address in Spagna district: buy your fresh, light and crispy pizza a taglio and you’ll not only have a delicious lunch on the move, but also save your cents so you can – perhaps – afford that dashing designer outfit.

Pizzeria al Leoncino (Map; 06 686 77 57; Via del Leoncino 28; pizzas €6-8.50; Thu-Tue, dinner only Sat & Sun) It can be difficult to source a cheap meal in upmarket Tridente, which is why the existence of Leoncino should be wholeheartedly celebrated. A boisterous neighbourhood pizzeria with a wood-fired oven, it has two small rooms, cheerful decor and gruff but efficient waiters who will serve you an excellent Roman-style pizza and ice-cold beer faster than you can say ‘delizioso’.

‘Gusto (Map; 06 322 62 73; Piazza Augusto Imperatore 9; pizzas €7-11) If Terence Conran were Italian, he might have dreamed up ’Gusto, once-upon-a-time a mould-breaking warehouse-style gastronomic complex, all exposed brickwork and industrial chic. It’s still buzzing, and is a great place to sit on the terrace and eye up the new Richard Meier—designed Ara Pacis museum Click here. Go for the Neapolitan-style pizzas rather than the upmarket restaurant fare, which receives mixed reports.

MIDRANGE

La Buca di Ripetta (Map; 06 321 93 91; Via di Ripetta 36; meals €40) Popular with actors and directors from the district, who know a good thing when they see it, this value-for-money foodie destination offers robust Roman cuisine. Try the zuppa rustica con crostini di pane aromatizzati (country-style soup with rosemary-scented bread) or the matolino di latte al forno alle erbe con patate (baked suckling pork with potatoes) and you’ll be fuelled either for more sightseeing or for a serious snooze.

Palatium (Map; 06 692 02 132; Via Frattina 94; meals €40; Mon-Sat, closed Aug) Conceived as a showcase of Lazio’s bounty, this sleek enoteca close to the Spanish Steps serves excellent local specialities, such as porchetta (pork roasted with herbs), artisan cheese, and delicious salami, as well as an impressive array of Lazio wines (try lesser-known drops such as Aleatico). Aperitivo is a good bet too.

Il Margutta (Map; 06 326 50 577; Via Margutta 118; meals €40) Vegetarian restaurants in Rome are rarer than parking spaces, and this art gallery/restaurant is an unusually chic way to eat your greens. As well as an epicurean array of dishes, there’s an impressive wine list and staff are friendly and bilingual. Best value is the Saturday/Sunday buffet brunch (€15/25), with over 50 dishes on Sunday. It also offers a four-course vegan menu (€30).

TOP END

Nino (Map; 06 679 5676; Via Borgognona 11; meals €50; 12.30-3pm & 7.30-11pm Mon-Sat) TomKat (Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes) had a pre-nuptial dinner here, and this old-style Tuscan trattoria close to the Spanish Steps is enduringly popular with the rich and famous. Waiters can be brusque if you’re not on the A-list, but the food is good hearty fare served in an old-school (polished dark wood and white tablecloths) atmosphere. The Tuscan bean soup is particularly memorable.

Open Colonna (Map; 06 478 22 641; Via Milano 9a; meals €55; noon-midnight) Spectacularly set at the back of Palazzo delle Esposizioni, superchef Antonello Colonna’s superb restaurant is tucked on a mezzanine floor under an extraordinary glass roof – wow factor before you’ve tasted a bite. The cuisine is new Roman: innovative takes on traditional dishes, cooked with wit and flair. The best thing of all? There’s a more basic but still delectable fixed two-course lunch for €15, and Saturday and Sunday brunch at €28, served in the larger downstairs room, so you can live the life without splashing the cash.

Termini & Esquilino

BUDGET

Panella l’Arte del Pane (Map; 06 487 24 35; Via Merulana 54; 8am-2pm & 5-8pm Mon-Wed & Fri, 8am-2pm Thu, 8am-2pm & 4.30-8pm Sat, 8.30am-2pm Sun) With a sumptuous array of pizza a tagio, supplì (fried rice balls), focaccia, and fried croquettes, this is a great lunch stop, where you can sip a glass of chilled prosecco while eying up gastronomic souvenirs from the deli.

Indian Fast Food (Map; 06 446 07 92; Via Mamiani 11; curries €5.50-7.50; 11am-4pm & 5-11.30pm) Basic, formica tables, Hindi hits, neon lights, chapatti and naan, lip-smacking samosas and bhajis, and a choice of main curry dishes: you could almost imagine yourself in India in this authentic joint.

MIDRANGE

Trimani Wine Bar (Map; 06 446 96 30; Via Cernaia 37b; meals €35; Mon-Sat, closed 2 weeks Aug) The best place around Termini for a quality lunch, this is a top-of-the-range wine bar, with a delectable range of dishes – from oysters to lentil soup to salami and cheeses served with mustard and jam – plus a choice of over 4500 international wines (be steered by the seriously knowledgeable waiters), and delicious bread and olive oil.

TOP END

Agata e Romeo (Map; 06 446 61 15; Via Carlo Alberto 45; meals €120; Mon-Fri) This elegant, restrained place was one of Rome’s gastronomic pioneers, and still holds its own as one of the city’s most gourmet takes on Roman cuisine. Chef Agata Parisella designs and cooks menus, offering creative uses of Roman traditions; husband Romeo curates the wine cellar; and daughter Maria Antonietta chooses the cheeses. Bookings essential.

San Lorenzo

BUDGET

Formula 1 (Map; 06 445 38 66; Via degli Equi 13; pizzas from €5; 6.30pm-1.30am Mon-Sat) As adrenalin-fueled as its name. At this basic, historic San Lorenzo pizzeria, waiters zoom around under whirring fans delivering tomato-loaded bruschetta, fried zucchini flowers, supplì al telefono and bubbling thin-crust pizza to eternal crowds of feasting students.

MIDRANGE

Said (Map; 06 446 9204; Via Tiburtina 135; meals €35; Mon-Sat) To experience San Lorenzo at its most chic, head to Said, housed in a 1920s chocolate factory. It’s now a glorious chocolate shop, selling delights such as Japanese pink-tea pralines – and a chic restaurant-bar that specialises in chocolate-tinged dishes – such as sformatino B-Said di cavolfiore e cioccolato (cauliflower mousse with chocolate) – great talking points, if not always entirely successful. There’s aperitivo from 7pm to 9pm.

Tram Tram (Map; 06 49 04 16; Via dei Reti 44; meals €40; Tue-Sun) This trendy yet old-style, lace-curtained trattoria takes its name from the trams that rattle past outside. It offers traditional dishes, such as baccalà on Friday, with a focus on rustic southern specialities such as orecchiette alla Norma (ear-shaped pasta with aubergine, tomato, basil and ricotta) and the pure comfort food of riso cozze patate (rice, mussels and potatoes).

Trastevere

BUDGET

Sisini (Map; Via di San Francesco a Ripa 137; 9am-10.30pm Mon-Sat, closed Aug) Locals love this pizza a taglio joint (the sign outside says ‘Suppli’), and you’ll need to jostle with them to make it to the counter. Simple styles reign supreme – try the margherita or marinara. It’s also worth sampling the supplì and roast chicken.

Forno la Renella (Map; 06 581 72 65; Via del Moro 15-16; 9am-9pm) The wood-fired ovens at this historic Trastevere bakery have been firing for decades, producing a delicious daily batch of pizza, bread and biscuits. Piled-high toppings (and fillings) vary seasonally. It’s popular with everyone from skinheads with big dogs to elderly ladies with little dogs.

Panattoni (Map; 06 580 09 19; Viale di Trastevere 53; pizzas €6-8.80; 6.30pm-1am Thu-Tue) Panattoni is nicknamed l’obitorio (the morgue) because of its marble-slab tabletops, but thankfully the similarity stops there. This is one of Trastevere’s liveliest pizzerias, with paper-thin pizzas, a clattering buzz, testy waiters, streetside seating and fine fried starters (specialities are supplì and baccalà).

Dar Poeta (Map; 06 588 05 16; Vicolo del Bologna 46; pizzas from €7; from 6.30pm) Tucked away in an atmospheric side street, with a few outside tables, always-busy Dar Poeta is fabuloso. Its pizzas are a cross between the crisp Roman variety and the more doughy Neapolitan variety, and the slow-risen dough apparently makes them supremely digestible. Those with room left over can try the decadent Nutella-and-ricotta calzone.

Da Augusto (Map; 06 580 37 98; Piazza de’Renzi 15; meals €20; lunch & dinner Mon-Sat Sep-Jul) For a true Trastevere feast, plonk yourself at one of Augusto’s rickety tables and prepare to enjoy some mamma-style cooking. The hard-working waiters dish out hearty platefuls of rigatoni all’amatriciana and stracciatella (clear broth with egg and Parmesan) among a host of Roman classics.

Da Lucia (Map; 06 580 36 01; Vicolo del Mattonato 2; meals €20; Tue-Sun) Eat beneath the fluttering knickers of the neighbourhood at this terrific trattoria, frequented by hungry locals and tourists, and packed with locals for Sunday lunch. On a cobbled backstreet that is classic Trastevere, it serves up a cavalcade of Roman specialities including trippa all romana (tripe with tomato sauce) and pollo con peperoni (chicken with peppers), as well as bountiful antipasti and possibly Rome’s best tiramisu.

MIDRANGE

Beer & Fud (Map; 06 58940 16; Via Benedetta 23; meals €25; 6.30pm-12.30am, to 2am Fri & Sat, closed Aug) This orange-and-terracotta, vaulted pizzeria, with a tented room at the back, wins plaudits for its amazingly good pizzas, crostini and delicious fried things (potato, pumpkin etc) and has a microbrewery on site. Save room for dessert too. Book ahead.

Alle Fratte di Trastevere (Map; 06 583 57 75; Via delle Fratte di Trastevere 49-50; meals €30; Thu-Tue, closed Aug) A warm, welcoming trattoria with chirpy paintings, frothy curtains, delicious food and outside seating, Alle Fratte is a big hit with savvy priests, busy businesspeople and grateful tourists, enjoying substantial, tasty platefuls of Roman classics washed down with the very quaffable house wine.

Da Enzo (Map; 06 581 83 55; Via dei Vascellari 29; meals €30; Mon-Sat) This snug dining room with rough yellow walls and lots of character serves up great, seasonally based Roman meals, such as spaghetti with clams and mussels or grilled lamb cutlets. There’s a tiny terrace on the quintessential Trastevere cobbled street.

TOP END

Osteria della Gensola (Map; 06 581 63 12; Piazza della Gensola 15; meals €45; closed Sun in summer) Tucked away in Trastevere, this tranquil, classy, yet unpretentious trattoria thrills foodies with delicious food that has a Sicilian slant and emphasis on seafood, including an excellent tuna tartare, linguine with fresh anchovies and divine zuccherini (tiny fish) with fresh mint.

Paris (Map; 06 581 53 78; Piazza San Calisto 7a; meals €45; Tue-Sat, lunch Sun, closed 3 weeks Aug) An old-school Roman restaurant set in a 17th-century building, Paris is the best place outside the Ghetto to sample Roman-Jewish cuisine, such as delicate fritto misto con baccalà (deep-fried vegetables with salt cod) and carciofi alla giudia, as well as Roman staples such as just-right rigatoni alla carbonara. There’s a sunshaded terrace.

Testaccio

Pizzeria Remo (Map; 06 574 62 70; Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice 44; pizzas from €6; dinner Mon-Sat) Not a place for a romantic tête-à-tête, Pizzeria Remo is one of the city’s most popular pizzerias, busy with noisy hordes of young Romans. The pizzas are among Rome’s biggest and thinnest, sizzling with toppings on the crisp, charred base. Place your order by ticking your choices on a sheet of paper slapped down by an overstretched waiter. Expect to queue.

Volpetti Più (Map; 06 574 43 06; Via Volta 8; meals under €15) One of the few places in town where you can sit down and eat well for less than €15, Volpetti Più is a sumptuous tavola calda, offering an opulent choice of pizza, pasta, soup, meat, vegetables and fried nibbles. It adjoins Volpetti’s to-die-for deli.

Trattoria da Bucatino (Map; 06 574 68 86; Via Luca della Robbia 84; meals €25; Tue-Sun) This intimate, neighbourhood place is hugely popular. Ask for a table upstairs (with wood panels, Chianti bottles and a mounted boar’s head) or outside, as downstairs has less atmosphere. The bucatini all’amatriciana is a must, the meat-filled cannelloni is another winner, and meaty secondi are also excellent, but do try to save room for a home-cooked dessert.

Da Felice (Map; 06 574 68 00; Via Mastro Giorgio 29; meals €30; Tue-Sun) Cantankerous former owner Felice used to vet every client on sight, but nowadays you can book ahead without worrying about whether your face will fit at this Testaccio institution. A makeover has seen it turn post-industrial chic, but the menu remains typically Roman. Try the glorious tonnarelli cacio e pepe (square-shaped pasta with pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper), mixed at the table, and the steaks. For those who love offal, there’s also some buttery Roman soul food. The tiramisu gets top marks.

Vatican City, Borgo & Prati

BUDGET

Dolce Maniera (Map; Via Barletta 27) This 24-hour bakery in a basement next to the British School supplies much of the neighbourhood with breakfast. Head here for cheap-as-chips, delicious cornetti, slabs of pizza, panini and an indulgent array of cakes.

Pizzeria Amalfi (Map; 06 397 33 165; Via dei Gracchi 12; pizzas €5-9.50) With a yolk-yellow interior featuring murals of the Bay of Naples, you could imagine yourself in Campania, while digging into the house pizzas – of course the Neapolitan, thick-crust variety. They’re justly popular, and it’s always busy, with some sunny streetside tables too. Finish with a creamy crème brulee.

Pizzarium (Map; 06 397 45 416; Via della Meloria 43; pizza slice €2-3) Another contender for Rome’s best pizza a taglio, this unassuming place offers a fluffy base and crisp crust topped by intensely flavoursome toppings. Eat standing up, and wash it down with a chilled beer.

Cacio e Pepe (Map; 06 321 72 68; Via Avezzana 11; meals €20; Mon-Sat) Romans flock for the home cooking at this humble trattoria, with gingham-clad tables spreading across the pavement in all directions. They’ll even put up with freezing winter temperatures to sit outside and dig into great steaming bowls of cacio e pepe – this-morning-fresh bucatini slicked with buttery cheese and pepper – and other classics such as spaghetti carbonara.

Osteria dell’Angelo (Map; 06 372 94 70; Via Bettolo 24; meals €20, menus €25-30; lunch Tue-Fri, dinner Mon-Sat, closed 2 weeks Aug) Having hung up his boots, former rugby player Angelo runs a neighbourhood trattoria that’s hugely popular (reservations are a must), with paper cloths on solid wooden tables, fresh-from-the-scrum waiters, photos of Angelo’s sporting heroes and a sociable atmosphere. The huge set menu features a mixed antipasti, a robust Roman-style pasta, salad and a choice of hearty main courses. To finish, you’re offered lightly spiced biscuits to dunk in sweet dessert wine.

MIDRANGE

Zigaetana (Map; 06 3212342; Via Cola di Rienzo 263; pizza €7.50-10, meals €30; 12.30pm-11pm Sun-Thur, 12.30pm-midnight Fri & Sat) A huge, arched cellar, this has a funky contemporary feel, but has been family run since early last century. The paintings on the walls and inscription around the fireplace were painted by impecunious artists in exchange for food during the recession of the ’30s, and the owner possesses poems written by Trilussa that were given as payment for meals. And you can see why, as the food is tip top, including great antipasti, pizzas and pastas.

Dal Toscano (Map; 06 397 25 717; Via Germanico 58-60; meals €35; Tue-Sun, closed Aug) Carnivores will adore Dal Toscano, an old-fashioned Italian ristorante that serves top-notch Tuscan food, with an emphasis on superb cuts of meat. Start with the hand-cut Tuscan prosciutto, then try the melt-in-your-mouth piccata di vitello (veal scaloppini with lemon sauce) or bistecche alla Fiorentina (Florentine-style steak). You’ll need to book.

Dino e Tony (Map; 06 397 33 284; Via Leone IV; meals €35; Tue-Sun, closed Aug) Tony stirs the pots; Dino delivers the songs, punch lines and mammoth portions of Roman soul food. It’s famous for its amatriciana and pasta alla gricia, if you get past the mighty antipasti. Belt loosened, you might be able to finish with their signature granita di caffè (coffee with crushed ice and loads of whipped cream). No credit cards.

TOP END

Ristorante l’Arcangelo (Map; 06 321 09 92; Via Belli 59-61; meals €55; closed Sun & lunch Sat) Prati harbours some of Rome’s best ristoranti, and l’Arcangelo is a jewel in its gastronomic crown. It has a traditional air, wood panelling, and is usually dotted by famous or almost-famous politicians and celebrities. The cuisine (surprisingly innovative) offers twists on classics, using fabulously fresh ingredients: the amatriciana, cacio e pepe, carbonara and baccalá are all contenders for the best in town.

La Veranda de l’Hotel Columbus (Map; 06 687 2973; Borgo Santo Spirito; meals €70) It’s worth eating here if only for the setting, in a wonderful hall frescoed by Pinturicchio or outside in the Renaissance courtyard. But the food is spectacular too – creative takes on Italian ingredients by the Italo-Argentinean chef. It’s an ideal place for an extravagant lunch (think beef fillet with foie gras) between all that high-calibre sightseeing, especially as they offer a lunch menu (primo, secondo, half-bottle mineral water, a glass of wine and coffee) for €35.

San Giovanni & Celio

Il Bocconcino (Map; 06 770 791 75; Via Ostilia 23; meals €30; Thu-Tue, closed Aug) Visited the Colosseum and need lunch in a local trattoria? Try ‘the little mouthful’. Its gingham tablecloths, outdoor seating and cosy interior look like all the others in the area, but it serves excellent traditional pasta and other dishes, such as insalata di finocchi arance e olive (fennel, orange and olive salad) and saltimbocca alla romana (‘leap in the mouth’ veal with sage).

Self-Catering

For deli supplies and wine, shop at alimentari, which generally open 7am to 1.30pm and 5pm to 8pm daily, except Thursday afternoons and Sundays (during the summer months they’ll often close on Saturday afternoons instead of Thursdays).

For fresh fruit and vegetables, there are hundreds of outdoor markets, open from 7.30am to 1pm Monday to Saturday:

You can stock up at the small supermarkets dotted around town:

Return to beginning of chapter

DRINKING

Bars and cafes are an essential part of Roman life. Most Romans breakfast in a cafe (a slurp of a cappuccino and a sugary bun) and pop back at least once for a pick-me-up espresso later in the afternoon. For drinks other than coffee, there are traditional enoteche, a few pubs –trendy by virtue of their novelty – super-sleek designer bars, and some alternative counter-culture hang-outs.

Much of the action is in the centro storico. Campo de’ Fiori is popular with a younger crowd, and is fun, though can be a bit rowdy and trashy. For a more upmarket scene, check out the bars in the alleyways around Piazza Navona. Trastevere is another bar-filled area where locals and tourists minglemerrily. San Lorenzo is the student area and is another great place to bar crawl. It’s dotted by bars, restaurants and clubs and is packed, grungy, a little more crazy than the centre, and proffers cheaper drinks.

Recent clampdowns on drinking after 2am have cooled the city-centre scene somewhat.

Cafes

ANCIENT ROME

Caffè Capitolino (Map; 06 326 51 236; Capitoline Museums, Piazza del Campidoglio 19) This well-kept-secret of a cafe is a lovely spot to take a break from the wonders of the Capitoline Museums and relax with a drink or a snack (panini, salads and pizza), but best are the incredible views from the rooftop terrace. You don’t even need a museum ticket; you can enter from the street entrance to the right of the Palazzo dei Conservatori.

CENTRO STORICO

Caffè Sant’Eustachio (Map; 06 686 13 09; Piazza Sant’Eustachio 82) A small stand-up place with some of Rome’s best coffee, this is always three deep at the bar. The famous gran caffè is created by beating the first drops of espresso and several teaspoons of sugar into a frothy paste, then adding the rest of the coffee on top. It’s superbly smooth and guaranteed to put some zing into your sightseeing. Specify if you want it amaro (bitter) or poco zucchero (with a little sugar).

Caffè Tazza d’Oro (Map; 06 678 97 92; Via degli Orfani 84; 8am-8pm Mon-Sat) A busy, stand-up bar with burnished fittings dating from the 1940s and some of the best coffee in the capital, which means it’s spectacularly good. A speciality is the granita di caffè, a crushed-ice, sugared coffee served with a generous dollop of cream, top and bottom.

Caffè Farnese (Map; 06 395 61 03; Via dei Baullari 106) We’re with Goethe, who thought Piazza Farnese one of the world’s most beautiful squares. Judge for yourself from the vantage of this unassuming cafe. On a street between Campo de’ Fiori and Piazza Farnese, it’s ideally placed for whiling away the early afternoon hours. Try the caffè alla casa (house coffee) – made to a secret recipe.

TRIDENTE

Caffè Greco (Map; 06 679 17 00; Via Condotti 86) Keats and Casanova were among the early regulars at this historic gilt-and-velvet-lined cafe. It opened in 1760 and although still going strong, it’s of more interest for its history than anything it serves. A coffee at the bar is the go here, or take out a mortgage for table service.

TERMINI, ESQUILINO & SAN LORENZO

Dagnino (Map; 06 481 86 60; Galleria Esedra, Via Orlando 75) In a marble-floored arcade off Via Orlando, this funky 1950s cafe serves delicious Sicilian treats such as cannoli Siciliana (ricotta-filled pastries) and moreish arancini (rice balls), though other morsels are a bit hit and miss.

VATICAN CITY, BORGO & PRATI

Castroni (Map; 06 687 43 83; Via Cola di Rienzo 196; 8am-8pm Mon-Sat) Near the Vatican, this Aladdin’s Cave of a gourmet food shop (it sells marrons glacés, sweets, and so on, as well as Vegemite and baked beans for homesick expats) has a bar where you can scoff a quick cornetto and coffee. There are other branches at Via Ottaviano 55 (Map), Via Flaminia 38 (Map), and Via Nazionale 71 (Map).

Bars

CENTRO STORICO

Société Lutèce (Map; 06 683 01 472; Piazza di Montevecchio 17; 6.30pm-2am Tue-Sat, closed 2 weeks Aug) A group of Turin trendsters opened Société Lutèce and it’s among Rome’s hippest bars – grungy and art-school (expect Joy Division and hair-raising bass) rather than dressed-up and glitzy – like their other venture in Trastevere, Freni e Frizioni. The music’s genuinely funky, aperitivo lavish, and the crowds spill out onto the piazza outside.

Les Affiches (Map; 06 686 89 86; Via Santa Maria dell’Anima 52; 8pm-2am Mon-Sat) Once boho-favourite ‘Stardust’, a name and management change doesn’t seem to have made much difference. The hep cats in cool hats are postcard-home handsome and artistically dishevelled, and hang out in the cobbled street as well as in the cramped red-and-black rooms inside, and there’s occasional live music at aperitivo o’clock (ie early evening).

APERITIVO, ANYONE?

Young Romans love the aperitivo (happy hour). A fashion that started in Milan, it sees bars offering a snack buffet from around 6pm to 9pm – usually with a special charge for a drink and food of around €7 to €10. If the buffet is lavish enough, sometimes the city’s bright young things can skip dinner altogether. Great places to drink up and chow down include Freni e Frizioni (Click here) Femme (see opposite) and Il Pentagrappolo (Click here).

Il Goccetto (Map; 06 686 42 68; Via dei Banchi Vecchi 14; 11.30am-2pm & 5.30pm-midnight Mon-Sat, closed Aug) Join the cast of regulars at the bar at this old-style vino e olio shop, and imbibe delicious drops by the glass, accompanied by a tasty assortment of snacks (cheeses, salamis, crostini etc) and large servings of neighbourhood banter.

Salotto 42 (Map; 06 678 58 04; Piazza di Pietra 42; Tue-Sun) Facing the weathered splendour of the Temple of Hadrian, this is a slinky, glamorous little bar, attracting a slinky, glamorous crowd. Run by an Italian-Swedish couple, it’s as close as you’ll get to a sitting-room experience in the city centre – think armchairs, sofas and coffee-table books.

Bar della Pace (Map; 06 686 12 16; Via della Pace 5; 8.30am-2am) Inside it’s gilded baroque and mismatched wooden tables; outside locals and tourists striking poses over their Camparis against a backdrop of ivy. The perfect people-watching spot.

Vineria Reggio (Map; 06 688 03 268; Campo de’ Fiori 15; 8.30am-2.30am) The coolest bar on Il Campo, this has a small, bottle-lined, cosy interior and outside tables as well, and attracts fighi (cool) Romans like bees to a honey pot.

Caffè Fandango (Map; 06 454 72919; Piazza di Pietra 32; 11am-2am) Owned by the Fandango film company, this is a buzzing, arty little labyrinth in black, white and red. There’s live music from Tuesday to Thursday (classical and pop) and frequent film showings. A beer costs €5, and aperitivo (6.30pm to 9pm) €12.

Circus (Map; 06 976 19 258; www.circusroma.com; Via della Vetrina 8; 10am-2am Tue-Sun) A great little new cafe-bar, tucked around the corner from Piazza Navona, this is a funky, informal place to lounge and chat, with DJs on Fridays, art exhibitions and lots of books to browse through. Popular with American students from the nearby school.

Etablì (Map; 06 97 616 694; Vicolo delle Vacche 9a; 6pm-2am Tue-Sun) Chilean-Italian brothers Massimo and Alessandro Aureli are the smiling hosts of this rustic-chic bar-cafe-restaurant in a 16th-century building. It’s a laid-back place, with an eclectic soundtrack that’s rich in 1960s cool. Roman lovelies float in to have a drink or coffee, read the paper, indulge in aperitivo and use the wi-fi.

Femme (Map; 06 686 48 62; Via del Pellegrino 14; Tue-Sun) Full of Rome’s gilded youth: entering this silver-seated modernist bar, with its funky sounds, is rather like wandering into a Calvin Klein advert, with ubercool lovelies everywhere you look, ready to preen, see and be seen, doubtless following dinner at home with mamma. The splendid aperitivo, from 7pm to 9pm, is almost worth losing one’s cool over.

Trinity College (Map; 06 678 64 72; Via del Collegio Romano 6; noon-2.30am) A big lively pub just off busy Via del Corso, Trinity College has a good selection of imported beers and bar food and a few outdoor tables. It gets packed to overflowing at weekends, when men might have trouble getting past the bouncers.

TRIDENTE

Bar at Il Palazzetto (Map; Piazza della Trinità dei Monti; noon-3pm & 7.30-10.30pm Tue-Sun) Accessed from near the top of the Spanish Steps, this suntrap, summer-only terrace bar is a great spot to enjoy a glass of Prosecco before dinner.

L’Antica Enoteca (Map; 06 679 08 96; Via della Croce 76; meals €25) Tridente bars are often overpriced and overgilded, but this old favourite bucks the trend. Locals and tourists alike prop at the 19th-century wooden bar to sample the 60 wines by the glass, snack on antipasti, and generally have a good time. If antipasti won’t cut it, dive into the back room and order well-priced soul food such as pasta or polenta.

Stravinkskij Bar – Hotel de Russie (Map; 06 328 88 70; Via del Babuino 9) Can’t afford to stay at celeb-magnet Hotel de Russie? Then splash out on a drink in its enchanting bar, set in the courtyard, with sunshaded tables overlooked by terraced gardens. Impossibly romantic in the best kind of 19th-century-traveller, dolce vita way, it’s perfect for a cocktail.

MONTI

Ai Tre Scalini (Map; 06 489 07 495; Via Panisperna 251; noon-1am Mon-Fri, 6pm-1am Sat & Sun) It’s almost obligatory to visit everyone’s favourite enoteca before or after dining at La Carbonara (Click here). ‘The Three Steps’ is always packed, with crowds spilling out onto the street. Apart from a tasty choice of wines, they also sell the damn fine Menabrea beer, brewed in Northern Italy. If you’ve missed out on dinner you can tuck into a heart-warming array of cheeses, salami and dishes such as porchetta di Ariccia con patate al forno (roasted Ariccia pork with roast potatoes).

TERMINI, ESQUILINO & SAN LORENZO

Solea Club (Map; 328 9252925; Via dei Latini 51; 9pm-2am) With lots of vintage sofas, chairs, and cushions on the floor, this has the look of a chill-out room in a decadent baroque mansion. It’s full of San Lorenzo hipsters lounging all over the floor, drinking the so-mean-they-snarl mojitos. Fun.

Fiddler’s Elbow (Map; 06 487 21 10; Via dell’Olmata 43; 5pm-2am) Near the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, the granddaddy of Rome’s Irish pubs sticks to the formula that has served it so well over the last 25 years: Guinness, darts, crisps, and football and rugby, attracting a mix of Romans, expats and tourists.

Bar Zest at the Radisson SAS (Map; 06 44 48 41; Via Filippo Turati 171; 10.30am-1am) The Radisson hotel is not ideally located as a base, but to pop by for a cocktail (€13) at the 7th-floor bar is another matter. Waiters are cute, chairs are by Jasper Morrison, there are views, plate-glass windows and a sexy rooftop pool.

SAN GIOVANNI & CELIO

Il Pentagrappolo (Map; 06 709 63 01; Via Celimontana 21b; noon-3pm & 6pm-1am Tue-Sun) A few blocks from the Colosseo, these star-vaulted rooms offer 250 labels to choose from and about 15 wines by the glass. There’s live jazz or soul from about 10pm and tasty aperitivo (6pm to 8.30pm). Equally good is the enoteca opposite, Kottabus ( 06 772 01 145; Via Celimontana 32; open 7pm to 1am).

TRASTEVERE

Bar San Calisto (Map; 06 589 56 78; Piazza San Calisto 3-5; 6-2.30am Mon-Sat) Those in the know head to the down-at-heel ‘Sanca’ for its basic, stuck-in-time atmosphere and cheap prices (a large beer costs €2.50). It attracts everyone from drug dealers, intellectuals, and pseudo-intellectuals, to keeping-it-real Romans, alcoholics and American students. It’s famous for its chocolate – drunk hot with cream in winter, eaten as ice cream in summer. We’re reliably told that unless you have drunk a post-dinner coffee here, or a Sambuca con la Mosca (‘with flies’, with two or three raw coffee beans dropped in the drink), you will not truly know Trastevere.

Freni e Frizoni (Map; 06 583 34 210; Via del Politeama 4-6) Everyone’s favourite cool Trastevere bar: in a former life, this hip bar-cafe was a garage, hence its name (‘brakes and clutches’). The arty crowd flocks here to slurp well-priced drinks (especially mojitos) and spill into the piazza out front. You can eat breakfast here, have lunch, munch brunch at the weekend, and feast on the good-value aperitivo. Hell, you could even move in here.

Ombre Rosse (Map; 06 588 41 55; Piazza Sant’Egidio 12; 8am-2am) Another seminal Trastevere hang out; grab a table on the terrace and watch the world go by. The cosmopolitan clientele ranges from elderly Italian wide boys to chic city slickers. Tunes are slinky and there’s live music (jazz, blues, world) on Thursday and Sunday evenings from October to May.

VATICAN CITY, BORGO & PRATI

Passaguai (Map; 06 874 513 58; Via Leto 1; 10am-2am Mon-Sat) A small, cavelike wine bar, Passaguai has a few outdoor tables and feels pleasingly off the beaten track. There’s a good wine list and range of artisanal beers, and the food – such as cheeses and cold cuts – is tasty too.

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CLUBBING

Rome is no nightlife nirvana, though there’s plenty of fun to be had if you seek it out. An evening out here starts late and goes on till early morning, a good night finishing with a cappuccino and cornetto in one of the many early-opening cafes. Concerts are typically listed for 10pm, but don’t kick off till around 11pm, and nightclubs usually don’t warm up until well after 1am.

Some of the more popular nightclubs can be tricky to get into: men (whether alone or in groups) will often find themselves turned away. Drinks can also be expensive and of indifferent quality whether mojito or beer; €10 per drink is usual, but many places charge €15.

CENTRO STORICO

Rialtosantambrogio (Map; 06 68133 640; www.rialto.roma.it; Via di San’Ambrogio 4; various) In the Ghetto, this ancient courtyard-centred building is Rome’s most central centro sociale (social centre), with an art-school vibe. Its edgy programme is open to all, with gigs, central Rome’s best club nights, exhibitions and art-house cinema.

La Maison (Map; 06 683 33 12; www.lamaisonroma.it; Vicolo dei Granari 3; 11pm-4am Wed-Sat, Oct-May) Chandeliers and velvet banquettes provide a sexy backdrop for a see-and-be-seen crowd, who flirt and frolic to a soundtrack of poppy tunes and commercial house. It’s smooth, mainstream and exclusive, yet La Maison is more fun than you might expect. Entrance is free, if you can get past the door-police, but drinks are €10 to €15 a throw. It gets busy by 2am.

GAY & LESBIAN ROME

Rome’s gay scene is out of the closet, but remains much smaller than other European capitals. Rome is essential conservative: the merest mention of same-sex unions would have most politicians spluttering into their cappuccini. Intolerance seems to have become more prevalent in recent years: in 2007 two gay men were arrested for kissing in front of the Colosseum, and there have been several minor arson attacks on gay venues. However the Gay Pride march that takes place every June, the annual summer Gay Village, and regular gay nights at local clubs are signals of a thriving, if somewhat underground, scene.

Rome’s main cultural and political gay organisation is the Circolo Mario Mieli di Cultura Omosessuale (Map; 06 541 39 85; www.mariomieli.it in Italian; Via Efeso 2a), off Via Ostiense near the Basilica di San Paolo Fuori-le-Mura. It organises social and political events, including Rome Pride, which takes place every year in June. Mario Mieli also publishes a free monthly magazine AUT, which includes listings, available from gay bookshops and organisations.

The national organisation for lesbians is Coordinamento Lesbiche Italiano (Map; 06 686 42 01; www.clrbp.it in Italian; Via San Francesco di Sales 1b, Trastevere). The centre has a women-only hostel, La Foresteria Orsa Maggiore.

An excellent source of information is the Libreria Babele (Map; 06 687 66 28; Via dei Banchi Vecchi 116), a gay and lesbian bookshop.

Other useful listings guides are the free monthly AUT, Clubbing and Guide Magazine, and the international gay guide, Spartacus, available at gay and lesbian organisations and in bookshops. You can also go online at www.gayrome.com or www.gayrome.it (in Italian). In summer there is a Gay Village (www.gayvillage.it), with various clubs and special events – the location changes from year to year.

The city has a small gay and lesbian nightclub and bar scene, though numerous clubs have gay nights – see the Clubbing listings for details. Check out the following:

Bloom (Map; 06 688 02 029; Via del Teatro Pace 30; 11.30pm-5am Wed-Mon Oct-May) A self-consciously stylish bar-club in a converted 14th-century chapel, Bloom has Philippe Stark lighting and minimalist look that attracts an easy-on-the-eye, label-loving crowd checking each other out.

MONTI

Galleria dei Serpenti (Map; 06 487 22 12; Via dei Serpenti 32; admission around €5. various) A kooky, hidden-away gallery-club in Monti, this hip place offers some nights to remember, from the monthly mod mashup, the Right Track (vinyltastic, featuring northern soul and boogaloo), to in-the-know electronica.

SAN LORENZO

Dimmidisí (Map; 06 446 18 55; www.dimmidisi.it; Via dei Volsci 126B) This intimate, small-scale white-walled loft of a club is devoted to new music, including jazz, soul, dub, electronica and breakbeat. There are regular DJs and it’s a good place to see live bands.

Lian Club (Map; 347 650 72 44; Via degli Enotri 6; 8pm-2am Oct—mid-Jun) Little, vaulted Lian Club is an intimate place to see up-and-coming local bands, set in San Lorenzo, the student district. Entrance is usually €5 (free if you’ve eaten here) and drinks are cheap too.

Locanda Atlantide (Map; 06 447 04 540; www.locandatlantide.it; Via dei Lucani 22b; usually 9pm-2am, Oct-Jun) Enter this back-street, graffiti-covered door to tickle Rome’s grungy underbelly: you’ll descend into a cavernous place decked with retro junk to see poetry, alternative music, experimental theatre and performance art. It’s good to know that punk is not dead.

TRASTEVERE

Lettere Caffè (Map; 06 972 70 991; www.letterecaffe.org; Via di San Francesco a Ripa 100-01; 10am-2am winter 6pm-2am summer, closed mid-Aug—mid-Sep) You like books? You like blues and jazz? Then you’ll love this place – a clutter of barstools and books, where there are regular live gigs, poetry readings and comedy nights, followed by DJ sets playing indie and new wave.

Big Mama (Map; 06 581 25 51; www.bigmama.it; Vicolo di San Francesco a Ripa 18; annual membership €13; 9.30pm-1.30am Wed-Sat, closed Jun-Sep) To wallow in the Eternal City blues, there’s only one place to go – this cramped Trastevere basement, which also hosts jazz, funk, soul and R&B.

TESTACCIO

Get down to Testaccio at midnight and saunter to the end of Via Galvani – in the square mile of the Monte Testaccio, a small hill – you’ll find more clubs than at a Captain Caveman fancy-dress ball. Some of these are loud, boozy meat markets, but there’s an undeniable buzz about it all, and there are a few havens of hip serving up cutting-edge tunes.

Villaggio Globale (Map; 334 1790006; www.vglobale.biz; Via di Monte Testaccio 22; various, gigs usually at 11pm, mid-Sep—Jun) For an illegal-warehouse-party vibe, head to Rome’s best-known centro sociale, originally a squat, but now part of the establishment after 30 years in the city’s former slaughterhouse. Entrance is usually around €5, beer is cheap, and dreadlocks are the look; the live music and DJs focus on dancehall, reggae, dubstep, and drum ’n’ bass. Cut-price gigs play the circus tent in the yard (recent big names include Massive Attack).

Conte Staccio (Map; 06 572 89 712; www.myspace.com\contestaccio; Via di Monte Testaccio 65b; 8pm-4am Tue-Sat, mid-Sep—Jun) With an under-the-stars terrace, Conte Staccio is a laid-back cocktail bar with an arched white interior that hosts DJs and regular live gigs. Admission is usually free during the week.

AKAB (Map; 06 572 50 585; www.akabcave.com; Via di Monte Testaccio 68-69; 11pm-4am Tue-Sat, closed end Jun—mid-Sep) This eclectic former workshop has an underground cellar, an upper floor, a garden and a whimsical door policy. On Tuesdays it’s electronica L’Etrika (www.lektrica.it), with some big names, while it goes retro on Wednesday and R&B on Thursday. Expect local live (often cover) bands on Friday, R&B and house on Saturday. Entrance is €15, including a complimentary drink.

OSTIENSE

Ostiense is where serious clubbers head. It has an eclectic range of post-industrial and warehouse venues catering to tastes from tango to electrobeat.

Alpheus (Map; 06 574 78 26; www.alpheus.it, in Italian; Via del Commercio 36; 11pm-4.30am Tue-Sun Oct-May) Alpheus has four halls hosting an eclectic array of sounds – from Argentine tango to Goldie – with plenty of live gigs. Saturday is the popular ‘Gorgeous, I am’ gay night, with lots of go-go dancers and guest DJs.

Goa (Map; 06 574 82 77; Via Libetta 13; 11pm-4.30am Tue-Sun Oct-May) Goa is Rome’s serious super-club, with international names (recent guests include 2ManyDJs), a fashion-forward crowd, podium dancers and heavies on the door. The night to head here, though, is Thursday, when top Italian DJ Claudio Coccoluto showcases the best of Europe’s electronic music DJs. Lesbian night, Venus Rising (www.venusrising.it), hits Goa the last Sunday of the month.

Rising Love (Map; 335 879 0428; www.risingrepublic.com; Via delle Conce 14; 11pm-4am Tue-Sun Oct-May) For those who like their electronica, techno, funky groove and house, this white, industrial space will tick all your boxes. Guest DJs such as DJ Falcon (Daft Punk), plus local talent, get the crowd rocking, and there are regular special nights.

ELSEWHERE

Circolo degli Artisti (Map; 06 703 05 684; www.circoloartisti.it; Via Casilina Vecchia 42; 7pm-2am Tue-Thu, to 4.30am Fri-Sun) One of Rome’s nightlife venues that hits the spot, Circolo is the place for alternative music gigs (think Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Glasvegas and Cornershop). Friday night cracks open the electronica and house for gay night – Omogenic – and Saturday sees the fun-packed Screamadelica (punk-funk, ska and new wave), usually also featuring a live band. There’s even a cool garden bar and admission is either free or a snip.

Micca Club (Map; 06 874 40 079; www.miccaclub.com; Via Pietra Micca 7a; 10pm-2am Mon, Tue & Thu, 10pm-4am Fri & Sat, 6pm-1am Sun Sep-May) At eclectic Micca, pop art and jelly-bright lighting fills ancient arched cellars. The program features everything from burlesque and doo-wop to glam rock and swing, with loads of live gigs. There’s an admission fee if a gig’s on and at the weekend. Register online for discounts.

Alexanderplatz (Map; 06 397 42 171; www.alexanderplatz.it; Via Ostia 9; 8pm-2am Sep-Jun) The daddy of all jazz clubs in a city that loves jazz, Alexanderplatz attracts a passionate crowd and some huge international names. You’ll need to book a table if you want dinner, and the music starts around 10pm. From July to September, the club moves outside to the grounds of Villa Celimontana (www.villacelimontanajazz.com) for an enchanting jazz festival under the stars.

Qube ( 06 438 54 45; www.qubedisco.com; Via di Portonaccio 212; 11.30pm-5.30am Thu-Sat Oct-May) In Rome’s eastern suburbs, the city’s hugest disco offers Radio Rock night on Thursday and the superb gay night Muccassassina (www.muccassina.com) on Friday, which attracts a mixed crowd. Saturday is Babylon, with regular international guest DJs.

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ENTERTAINMENT

To entertain yourself in Rome it’s often enough to park yourself at a streetside table and watch the world go by. But there’s a big cultural scene here too, particularly in summer when the Estate Romana (Roman Summer; Click here) festival sponsors hundreds of theatre, cinema, opera and music events. Many performances take place in parks, gardens and church courtyards, with classical ruins and Renaissance villas providing atmospheric backdrops. Autumn is also full of cultural activity, with specialised festivals dedicated to dance, drama and jazz.

Romac’è (www.romace.it, in Italian; €1) is Rome’s most comprehensive listings guide, and comes complete with a small English-language section; it’s published every Wednesday. Another useful guide is Trova Roma, which comes as a free insert with La Repubblica every Thursday. The English-language magazine Wanted in Rome (www.wantedinrome.com; €1) also contains listings of festivals, exhibitions, dance shows, classical-music events, operas and cinema releases. It’s published every second Wednesday. Useful websites include www.romaturismo.it and www.comune.roma.it.

Classical Music

The city’s abundance of spectacular settings makes Rome a superb place to catch a concert. The Auditorium Parco della Musica (below) is a state-of-the-art, modernist complex that combines architectural innovation with perfect acoustics. Free concerts are often held in many of Rome’s churches, especially at Easter and around Christmas and New Year. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis and the programmes are generally excellent. Check newspapers and listings for programmes.

Rome’s two major classical music organisations are the Accademia di Santa Cecilia (Map; 06 808 20 58; www.santacecilia.it; Viale Pietro de Coubertin 34) and the Accademia Filarmonica Romana (Map; 06 320 17 52; www.filarmonicaromana.org, in Italian; Piazza Gentile da Fabriano 17). The former is often joined by world-class international performers for concerts at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, while the latter also attracts big stars and performs a varied programme at the Teatro Olimpico.

Auditorium Parco della Musica (Map; 06 802 41 281; www.auditorium.com; Viale Pietro de Coubertin 10; 11am-8pm) Architect Renzo Piano’s Auditorium is just as audacious as his Pompidou centre in Paris. Three scarab-shaped buildings squat around a 3000-capacityamphitheatre, looking like alien spaceships landed in a northern Rome suburb. An amazing 2.5 million spectators flocked here in 2008, making it Europe’s most popular arts centre. It’s supersleek and uberchic, yet the excited throng is as wide a cross section as you’d see on the metro, a reflection of the democratic pricing (tickets cost from €5), and the programme, which encompasses anything from PJ Harvey to Puccini. Entering any of the halls (the largest is Sala Santa Cecilia, with 2800 seats), with their lipstick-red seating and billowing wooden interiors, you’re sold before anyone plays a note. The acoustics are so good that you can feel the soundwaves ripple across your skin – Piano studied the interiors of lutes and violins as part of his design process. To get to the auditorium take tram 2 from Piazzale Flaminio or bus M from Stazione Termini, which departs every 15 minutes between 5pm and the end of the last performance.

SUMMER NIGHTS IN ROME

From mid-June to mid-September, most of the city’s clubs and music joints close. Some of the clubs move to Fregene or Ostia for a summer’s dancing on the sand. In town, the Estate Romana supplies ample after-dark entertainment. It’s a huge umbrella festival encompassing concerts, exhibitions, theatre, open-air cinema and temporary markets and bars. Check www.estateromana.comune.roma.it for listings. Some guaranteed events include Roma Incontra il Mondo (Rome Meets the World; www.villaada.org) in Villa Ada, featuring world music and local reggae in a wonderful outdoor, lakeside setting; Fiesta Club (www.fiesta.it), a Latin-American dance feast in a 7000-sq-metre venue close to Via Appia Nuova, beyond Cinecittà; and the RomaEstate (www.romaestate.net), a busy programme of live music in September and October at the Imperial Forums near the Olympic football stadium.

Teatro Olimpico (Map; 06 326 59 91; www.teatroolimpico.it, in Italian; Piazza Gentile da Fabriano 17) The Accademia Filarmonica Romana holds its season here, and the programme features anything from classical soloists to opera performances, with some contemporary concerts and multimedia events, as well as regular ballet performances.

Opera

Rome’s indoor opera season runs from December to June, then moves outside in summer, to the spectacular setting of the Terme di Caracalla (Click here).

Teatro dell’Opera di Roma (Map; 06 480 78 400; www.operaroma.it, in Italian; Piazza Gigli; box office 9am-5pm Mon-Sat, 9am-1.30pm Sun) After the functional and Fascist-era outside, the interior of Rome’s premier opera house – all plush red-and-gilt – is a stunning surprise. This theatre has an impressive history: it premiered Puccini’s Tosca, and Maria Callas sang here. Built in 1880, it was given a Fascist makeover in the 1920s. Contemporary productions don’t always match the splendour of the setting, but you may get lucky. Tickets for the ballet cost anywhere between €13 and €65; for the opera you’ll be forking out between €30 and €140. First-night performances cost more.

Cinemas

Of Rome’s 80-odd cinemas only a handful show films in the original language (marked VO or versione originale in listings). Expect to pay around €8, with many cinemas offering discounts on Wednesdays. The following cinemas always show some VO films:

Warner Village Moderno (Map; 892 111; Piazza della Repubblica 45) Film premieres are often held at this multiplex, which screens Hollywood blockbusters (both in English and Italian) and major-release Italian films.

Metropolitan (Map; 06 320 09 33; Via del Corso 7) Near Piazza del Popolo.

Sport

A trip to Rome’s impressive football stadium, the Stadio Olimpico (Map; 06 3 68 51; Foro Italico, Viale dei Gladiatori 2), is an unforgettable insight into Rome’s sporting heart. Throughout the season (September to May) there’s a game on most Sundays involving one of the city’s two teams: AS Roma, known as the giallorossi (yellow and reds; www.asromacalcio.it, in Italian), or Lazio, the biancazzur (white and blues; www.sslazio.it, in Italian). Tickets cost from €10 to €100 depending on the match and can be bought at Lottomatica (lottery centres), the stadium, ticket agencies, www.listicket.it or one of the many Roma or Lazio stores around the city. Try AS Roma Store (Map; 06 692 00 642; Piazza Colonna 360) or Lazio Point (Map; 06 482 6688; Via Farini 34).

To get to the stadium take metro line A to Ottaviano and then bus 32.

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SHOPPING

For designers galore, head for the area around Piazza di Spagna (Map). Vintage shops and smaller designer boutiques dot the wonderful Via del Governo Vecchio (Map). If you’re looking for antiques or unusual gifts, try Via dei Coronari (Map), or Via dei Banchi Vecchi (Map). Via Margutta (Map) is lined by upmarket art galleries and antique shops.

Time your visit to coincide with the saldi (sales), and you’ll pick up some great bargains, although you’ll need to be up for some bare-knuckle shopping. Winter sales run from early January to mid-February and summer sales from July to early September.

Decorative Arts & Prints

Centro Russia Ecumenica il Messaggio dell’Icona (Map; 06 689 66 37; Borgo Pio 141) Join the queue of nuns and priests from around the world who pop into this serene store to buy prints, postcards and prayer cards with religious themes, as well as original painted icons, some glinting with real gold leaf.

Nardecchia (Map; 06 686 93 18; Piazza Navona 25) Check out Nardecchia for antique prints, including 18th-century etchings of Rome by Giovanni Battista Piranesi that have been reproduced from 19th-century glass-plate negatives by the Alinari brothers.

Bottega di Marmoraro (Map; Via Margutta 53b) A particularly charismatic hole-in-the-wall shop, lined in marble carvings, where you can get marble tablets engraved with any inscription you like (€15). Peer inside at lunchtime and you might see the marmoraro (marble artisan) cooking a pot of tripe for his lunch on the open log fire.

Clothing & Jewellery

The big designer names are here in force – Map: Armani, Gucci and La Perla are on Via Condotti; Dolce & Gabbana and Missoni are on Piazza di Spagna; Emporio Armani and Etro are on Via del Babuino; Max Mara is on both Via Frattina and Via Condotti; Prada is on both Via Condotti and Via del Babuino; Versace is on Via Bocca di Leone; and Fendi has a glittering art-deco mothership at Largo Goldoni 419.

More off-the-wall designer boutiques and vintage shops line the lovely Via del Governo Vecchio near Piazza Navona. Via del Corso and Via Cola di Rienzo (near the Vatican) are home to lots of mainstream high-street labels, as well as some smaller speciality shops.

Angelo di Nepi (Map; 06 360 42 99; Via del Babuino 147) Roman designer Nepi creates richly coloured, beautifully cut clothes with lots of ethnic influences, Indian silks, African cottons and so on, and prices are not stratospheric.

Arsenale (Map; 06 686 1360; Via del Governo Vecchio 64) A watchword with chic young Roman women, this warehouse-like shop is very NYC. Patrizia Pieroni’s designs are structuralist, in sumptuous fabrics – perfect for that art-gallery opening.

Borsalino (Map; 06 326 50 838; Piazza del Popolo 20; 10am-7.30pm Mon-Sat, 10.30am-7.30pm Sun) Romans really cut a dash in a hat, but don’t fret, you can learn. Borsalino is the Italian hatmaker, favoured by 1920s criminal Al Capone, Japanese Emperor Hirohito and Humphrey Bogart. Think fedoras, pork-pie styles, felt cloches and woven straw caps.

Scala Quattorodici (Map; 06 588 35 80; Via della Scala 13-14) Make yourself over a la Audrey Hepburn with these classically tailored clothes in beautiful fabrics – either made-to-measure or off-the-peg. Pricey (a frock will set you back €600 or so) but oh so worth it.

Mario Pelle (Map; Via Vittoria 15; Mon-Fri) Ring the bell at this unassuming doorway and hurry up flights of stairs to a family-run leather workshop that feels like it hasn’t changed for decades. The elderly artisans create belts (€70 to €100), watch straps (€40 to €90), bags, picture frames, travel cases and other such elegant stuff. You can take along a buckle or watch to which you want a belt or strap fitted.

DISCOUNT DESIGN

Discount designer outlets are big business here – helping to achieve the all-important bella figura (beautiful look). Discount dell’Alta Moda Tridente (Map; 06 361 37 96; Via Gesù e Maria 14); Barberini (Map 06 482 7790; Via dei Serviti 27) sells big names at knock-down prices (around 50% off) and is well worth a rummage. Outlet Point (Map; 06 325 04 661; Via Vittoria 11), in Spagna, sells De Carlis, a typical Roman high-fashion label, with prices at 50% to 60% off, including cashmere and cocktail dresses. You can also buy discount brands such as Chloe, Prada, Marni and Jill Sander at Gente Outlet (Map; 06 689 26 72; Via Cola di Rienzo 246) the less-expensive relation to Gente’s main store in Via del Babuino. Fashion fiends on a budget might want to schlep out to Castel Romano Designer Outlet ( 06 50 50 050), around 20km south of Rome, which has over 100 shops selling names such as Dolce & Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo and Valentino, with prices reduced from 30% to 70%. You can book a shuttle bus ( 06 373 50810) from your hotel (€23 return).

Designer Goods & Homewares

TAD (Map; 06 326 95 131; Via del Babuino 155a) TAD is a conceptual department store that sells an entire lifestyle. Here you can get kitted out in Chloe or Balenciaga, have a haircut, buy scent and flowers, and furnish your apartment with wooden daybeds and Perspex dining chairs. Don’t forget to pick up hip soundtracks to your perfect life from the CD rack. The serene Italian-Asian cafe is the perfect ladies-who-lunch pit stop.

Shoes & Leather Goods

Fausto Santini (Map; 06 678 41 14; Via Frattina 120) Style mavens adore Roman designer Fausto Santini for his simple, architectural shoe designs. Colours are beautiful, quality impeccable. For bargains and previous seasons’ designs, check out the outlet store, Giacomo Santini (Map; Via Cavour 106), where stock from previous seasons is discounted up to half-price. Both stores sell bags, too.

Furla (Map; 06 692 00 363; Piazza di Spagna 22) Popular local chain Furla offers well-priced, well-made bags, wallets, umbrellas and belts in candy-bright colours. Other branches are dotted all over town.

Sermoneta (Map; 06 679 19 60; Piazza di Spagna 61; 9.30am-8pm Mon-Sat, 10.30am-7pm Sun) Buying leather gloves in Rome is a rite-of-passagefor some, and this is the shop to do it. At Rome’s most famous glove-sellers, choose from a kaleidoscopic range of top-quality leather and suede gloves with linings in silk and cashmere. Expert assistants will size up your hand in a glance. Just don’t expect them to smile.

Crepida (Map; 06 686 17 33; Via Arco della Ciambella 7; 9.30am-1.30pm & 3.30-7.30pm) Join the queues of Romans-in-the-know at this tiny shop tucked behind Largo Argentina. Here you can get custom-made shoes at off-the-peg prices, that is, €250 for a pair of boots, €135 for a pair of shoes. They take about 10 days to make.

Markets

Porta Portese flea market (Map; Piazza Porta Portese) To see another side of Rome head to this mammoth flea market. With thousands of stalls selling everything from rare books to spare bike parts, from Peruvian shawls to MP3 players, it’s crazily busy and a lot of fun. Keep your valuables safe and wear your haggling hat.

Specialist Shops

Ai Monasteri (Map; 06 688 02 783; Corso del Rinascimento 72; 10am-1pm & 3-7.30pm Mon-Sat) This apothecary-like shop stocks all-natural cosmetics, sweets, honeys, jams and wines, all made by monks. Boost your love life with the Elixir of Love, though why monks are expert at this is anyone’s guess.

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella (Map; 06 687 96 08; Corso del Rinascimento 47; 9.30am-7.30pm Mon-Sat) This historic perfumery was established in Florence by Dominican friars in 1221 and has been concocting seductive scents and unguents ever since. Like Ai Monasteri, it sells all-natural perfumes, cosmetics, herbal infusions, teas and pot pourri.

Confetteria Moriondo & Gariglio (Map; 06 699 08 56; Via del Piè di Marmo 21-22; 9am-7.30pm Mon-Sat Oct-Apr) Roman poet Trilussa dedicated several sonnets to this place. It’s no ordinary sweetshop, but a bygone temple of bonbons. Rows of handmade chocolates and sweets (more than 80 varieties, many made to historic recipes) lie in ceremonial splendour in old-fashioned glass cabinets.

Stationery

Officina della Carta (Map; 06 589 55 57; Via Benedetta 26b; 10am-1pm & 3.30-7.30pm Mon-Sat) A tiny workshop that produces delicately hand-painted paper-bound boxes, photo albums, recipe books, notepads, photo frames, diaries, and charming marionette theatres.

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GETTING THERE & AWAY

Air

Rome’s main airport is Leonardo da Vinci (FCO; Map; 06 6 59 51; www.adr.it), commonly known as Fiumicino. The second smaller airport, Ciampino (CIA; Map; 06 6 59 51; www.adr.it), is used by many low-cost airlines and charter flights. For details on getting to and from the airports, see opposite.

Bus

Long-distance national and international buses use the bus terminus on Piazzale Tiburtina, in front of Stazione Tiburtina. Take metro line B from Stazione Termini to Tiburtina and turn right when you exit the station. The long-haul buses are beyond the overpass. From here, regular buses travel south to destinations such as Palermo (€43, 12 hours) and Lecce (€41, seven hours).

Cotral buses ( 800 174 471; www.cotralspa.it) serve the Lazio region and depart from numerous points throughout the city, depending on their destination. The company is linked with Rome’s public transport system, which means that you can buy one biglietto integrato regionale giornaliero (BIRG) ticket that covers city buses, trams, metro and train lines, as well as regional buses and trains (see boxed text, Click here).

Car & Motorcycle

Driving to the centre of Rome is challenging, even for the locals. There are traffic restrictions, one-way systems, serious parking shortages and a huge number of manic drivers.

Rome is circled by the Grande Raccordo Anulare (GRA) to which all major autostradas (motorways) and strade statali (SS; major state roads) connect. Approaching Rome from the north on the A1 autostrada, get off at the Roma Nord exit; from the south use Roma Sud. After a few kilometres, you’ll find yourself nearing the GRA. From the GRA the most important roads are the following:

From the GRA, take the autostrada Roma-Fiumicino for Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) airport and the A24 autostrada for the Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, Lazio, Molise and Pescara.

Train

Almost all trains arrive at and depart from Stazione Termini (Map). There are regular connections to other European countries, all the major cities in Italy and many smaller towns.

The train information office (Map; 24hr) at Stazione Termini is helpful, though it’s often crowded and you have to take a ticket and wait your turn (English is spoken). It cannot, however, make reservations. These must be made at the main ticket and reservation windows in the front hall. Alternatively, go online at www.trenitalia.com or find one of the many travel agencies that has an FS or biglietti treni (train tickets) sign in the window. Another way to reserve or buy tickets is to use the automatic ticket machines, where you can pay with cash, credit or ATM card.

Note that at Stazione Termini, platforms 25 to 29 are a good 10-minute walk from the main concourse.

Remember to validate your train ticket in the yellow machines on the station platforms before you get on your train. If you don’t, you may be fined. Be aware that claiming ignorance rarely works.

Rome’s other principal train stations are Stazione Tiburtina, Stazione Roma-Ostiense (Map) and Stazione Trastevere (Map).

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GETTING AROUND

To/From the Airport

Fiumicino is about 30km southwest of the city centre and is well connected to it. Getting to and from Ciampino airport is more time-consuming by public transport, despite it being only 15km southeast of the centre.

BUS

At night, from 12.30am to 6am you can catch take an N2 night bus to Tiburtina metro station from where you can take a Cotral bus to Fiumicino (€4.50, 40 minutes). Buy your ticket on the bus.

Buses to Ciampino leave from Anagnina, which is accessible via metro line A. The service runs every 40 minutes from 6.30am until 10.40pm and costs €1.20 (you can buy a ticket on the bus).

TRAIN SERVICES TO MAJOR CITIES

From Stazione Termini you can catch trains to the following cities and many others. All fares quoted are 2nd class.

Another Ciampino option is the SIT shuttle bus service ( 06 591 6826; www.sitbusshuttle.com). This travels between Stazione Termini and Ciampino from 4.30am to 9.45pm (from Termini) and 7.45am to 11.45pm (from Ciampino) daily. Tickets costs €6/5 from Termini/Ciampino. The buses leave Rome from a stop on Via Marsala, and you can buy tickets on board.

CAR

If you’ve decided to hire a car (see opposite) and pick it up at Fiumicino, follow the signs for Rome out of the airport and onto the autostrada. Exit the autostrada at EUR, then follow the centro signs (they look like a bull’s-eye) to reach Via Cristoforo Colombo, which will take you directly into the centre of Rome.

From Ciampino, it is easier: exit the airport, turn right onto Via Appia Nuova and follow it to the centre.

TAXI & SHUTTLE SERVICE

Official taxis registered by the Comune di Roma leave from outside the arrivals halls at Fiumicino and Ciampino. They are white and have a TAXI sign on their roof, as well as an identifying number on their doors. There are fixed rates between each airport and destinations within the Aurelian Walls in central Rome: €40/30 Fiumicino/Ciampino. These rates are inclusive of luggage and apply to fares coming from and going to the airports. For destinations outside the walls, taxis use their meters and will include a surcharge for luggage (€1.04 per bag). Note that taxis registered in Fiumicino charge a set fare of €60 to travel to the centre – make sure you catch a Comune di Roma taxi instead.

Several private companies run shuttle services. Terravision (www.terravision.eu) has a service from Fiumicino to Stazione Termini costing €7 one way and €12 return. It leaves about every two hours between 8.30am and 8.30pm; for tickets go to the desk in the arrivals hall. Airport Shuttle ( 06 420 13 469; www.airportshuttle.it) offers transfers to your hotel in Rome from Fiumicino in a minivan for €35 for one person, then €6 for each additional passenger up to a maximum of eight. From Rome to Fiumicino the price is €28. To/from Ciampino costs €42, with €6 for each additional person. A 30% surcharge is added between 9pm and 7am. You need to book in advance.

TRAIN

The airport at Fiumicino is easy to reach via train. The efficient Leonardo Express leaves from platform 24 at Stazione Termini and travels direct to the airport every 30 minutes from 5.52am until 10.52pm. It costs €11 (children under 12 years free) and takes about 30 minutes. Don’t take the trains marked Orte or Fara Sabina if you want to reach Termini from the airport. These slower trains stop at Rome’s Trastevere, Ostiense and Tiburtina stations only. They run every 15 minutes (hourly on Sunday) from 5.57am to 11.27pm, and from Tiburtina from 5.06am to 10.36pm. Tickets cost €4.50.

From Fiumicino, trains start at 6.36am and run half-hourly until 11.36pm. Tickets for the Leonardo Express are available at Termini from tabacchi and newsstands in the station, at vending machines or at the ticket desk on the platform. At Fiumicino, get tickets from the vending machines or the ticket desks at the rail terminus.

Car & Motorcycle

Roman traffic is notorious and driving or riding here requires skills that aren’t often taught in driving lessons. A cool head, nerves of steel and a primordial sense of survival help. As a general rule, worry about what’s in front of you, leaving those behind you to think about your rear!

Most of the centro storico is closed to normal traffic. You’re not allowed to drive in the centre from 6.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 2pm to 6pm Saturday unless you’re a resident or have special permission. You’ll also need to watch out for the increasing number of no-traffic Sundays and days when circulation is limited to vehicles with odd/even number plates.

All 22 streets accessing the ‘Limited Traffic Zone’ (ZTL) have been equipped with electronic-access detection devices. If you’re staying in this zone, contact your hotel, which will fax the authorities with your number plate, thus saving you a fine. For further information, check www.atac.roma.it or call 06 57 003 (between 8am and 8pm).

Parking in the city is no fun. Blue lines denote pay-and-display spaces, with tickets available from meters (coins only) and tabacchi. Costs vary but in the centre expect to pay €1 per hour between 8am and 8pm (11pm in some parts). Traffic wardens are vigilant and fines are common. If you’re really unlucky you could find your car’s been clamped or towed away. If so, call the traffic police ( 06 6 76 91) who can tell you where to go to collect it. You’ll have to pay about €100 to get it back, plus a hefty fine.

The city’s most convenient car park is at Villa Borghese (Map); entry is from Piazzale Brasile at the top of Via Vittorio Veneto. Between Monday and Saturday there are supervised car parks at metro and train stations including Stazione Ostiense (Map) and Stazione Tiburtina. These operate between 5.15am and 12.15am (to 1.15am on Saturday) and cost €1.50 per 12 hours.

CAR HIRE

The major car-rental companies all have representatives in Rome and at the airport arrivals halls.

Public Transport

Rome’s public transport system includes buses, trams, metro and a suburban train network. Tickets are valid for all forms of transport and come in various forms. The simplest is the biglietto integrato a tempo (BIT), which costs €1 and is valid for 75 minutes. In that time you can use as many buses or trams as you like but can take only one trip on the metro. Daily tickets (BIG) cost €4 (ask for a biglietto giornaliero) and give you unlimited trips; three-day tickets (BTI, biglietto turistico integrato) cost €11; and weekly tickets (CIS, carta integrata settimanale) cost €16. Children up to 1m tall, or under four years, travel free. Note that tickets do not include routes to Fiumicino airport.

You can buy tickets at tabacchi, at newsstands and at biglietterie (ticket offices) at metro, bus and train stations. They must be purchased before you get on the bus or train and then validated in the yellow machine once on board, or validated at the entrance gates for the metro. You risk a hefty fine if you’re caught without a validated ticket.

BUS & TRAM

Rome’s buses and trams are run by ATAC ( 06 57003; www.atac.roma.it). The main bus station (Map; Piazza Cinquecento) is in front of Stazione Termini, where there’s an ATAC information booth ( 8am-8pm) on the stand in the centre of the piazza. Largo di Torre Argentina, Piazza Venezia and Piazza San Silvestro are other important hubs. Buses generally run from about 5.30am until midnight, with limited services throughout the night on some routes. Useful routes:

METRO & TRAIN

Rome’s two metro ( 06 57531, available in English 8.30am-6.30pm; www.metroroma.it) lines, A and B, cross at Termini, the only point at which you can change from one line to the other. Trains run approximately every five to 10 minutes between 5.30am and 11.30pm (one hour later on Saturday).

All the metro stations on line B have wheelchair access, except for Circo Massimo, Colosseo and Cavour (direction Laurentina), while on line A Cipro-Musei Vaticani station is one of the few stations equipped with lifts. Note that Manzoni station on line A is currently closed for works.

Construction of line C is ongoing. It will eventually serve the city centre passing from Ottaviano (close to the Vatican), with stops at Piazza Venezia and Chiesa Nuova, and run out southeastwards to the suburbs. It is likely to open in stages after 2012.

In addition to the metro, Rome has an overground rail network. It is useful only if you are heading out of town to the Castelli Romani, the beaches at Lido di Ostia or the ruins at Ostia Antica (opposite).

NIGHT BUS

Rome’s night buses include more than 20 lines, most of which pass Termini and/or Piazza Venezia. Buses are marked with an N after the number. Night-bus stops have a blue owl symbol. Departures usually occur every 30 minutes, but can be much slower.

Scooter & Bicycle

Flying round Rome on a scooter is a memorable, if hair-raising, experience. If you’d prefer to cycle, be careful – Romans are not used to seeing bicycles on the roads. It’s worth bearing in mind that traffic is lighter on a Sunday, when much of central Rome is closed to motorised vehicles. For a traffic-free pedal try the pleasant cycle path along the Tiber.

The new ATAC bike-sharing scheme ( 06 57003; www.atacbikesharing.com, in Italian) offers 150 bicycles for use at 19 stands across Rome. You can see their locations online, and even check how many bikes are currently available at each stop. To use the bikes you need to register at ATAC ticket offices ( 7am-8pm Mon-Sat, 8am-8pm Sun) at metro stations Lepanto, Spagna or Termini (€5). You’ll receive a Smartcard that you can then charge as much as you wish (rental costs €0.50 per hour). You can use the bike for up to 24 hours and leave it at any of the stations.

To hire a scooter you’ll need a credit card and photo ID; for a bike, ID is usually sufficient. You may also have to leave a cash deposit. Reliable operators include:

Taxi

Rome’s taxi drivers are no better or worse than in any other city. Some will try to fleece you, others won’t. To minimise the risk, make sure your taxi is licensed and metered, and always go with the metered fare, never an arranged price (the set fares to and from the airports are an exception to this rule). In town (within the ring road) flag fall is €2.33 (€3.36/4.91 Sundays/10pm to 7am), then it’s €0.78 per km.

If you have a problem, get the driver’s name and licence number from the plaque on the inside of the rear door and call the Comune di Roma ( 06 06 06) or the central taxi office ( 06 671 070 844).

You can hail a cab in Rome, but it’s often easier to wait at a taxi rank or telephone for one. In the centro storico you can find taxi ranks at Largo di Torre Argentina, the Pantheon, Corso del Rinascimento and Piazza Navona, Piazza di Spagna, Largo Goldoni, Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Venezia, the Colosseum, at Piazza Belli in Trastevere and near the Vatican at Piazza del Pio XII and Piazza Risorgimento. When you call for a cab, the meter is switched on straight away and you pay for the cost of the journey from wherever the driver receives the call. To phone a taxi, try these:

LAZIO

With a capital like Rome, it’s unsurprising that the rest of Lazio gets overlooked. But when Rome feels starts to feel like the Eternal City for all the wrong reasons, do as the Romans do and leave the city behind. You’ll discover a region that’s not only beautiful – verdant and hilly in the north, parched and rugged in the south – but also a historical and cultural feast.

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OSTIA ANTICA

With preservation in places matching that of Pompeii, the ancient Roman port of Ostia Antica deserves more visitors than it gets. But its relatively undiscovered feel can only work to your advantage: you’ll get the site largely to yourself.

Founded in the 4th century BC, Ostia (referring to the mouth or ostium of the Tiber) became a great port and later a strategic centre for defence and trade. Decline arrived in the 5th century AD when barbarian invasions and the outbreak of malaria led to the abandonment of the city, and then its slow burial – up to 2nd-floor level – in river silt, hence its survival. Pope Gregory IV re-established the town in the 9th century.

Sights

Providing a vivid picture of everyday Roman life, the ruins (Scavi Archeologici di Ostia Antica; 06 563 52 830; www.ostiantica.info in Italian; Viale dei Romagnoli 717; adult/child €4/free, car park €2.50; 8.30am-7pm Tue-Sun Apr-Oct, to 6pm Mar, to 5pm Nov-Feb, last admission 1hr before closing) are spread out and you’ll need a few hours to do them justice. You can buy a handy map of the site from the ticket office for €2.

Ostia was a busy working port until 42 AD, and the town is made up of restaurants, laundries, shops, houses and public meeting places, giving a good impression of what life must have been like when it was at its busiest. The main thoroughfare, the Decumanus Maximus, runs over 1km from the city’s entrance (the Porta Romana) to the Porta Marina, which originally led to the sea.

At one stage, Ostia had 20 baths complexes, including the Terme di Foro – these were equipped with a roomful of stone toilets (the forica) that remain largely intact.

The most impressive mosaics on-site are at the huge Terme di Nettuno, which occupied a whole block and date from Hadrian’s renovation of the port. Make sure you climb the elevated platform and look at the three enormous mosaics here, including the stunning one of Neptune driving his sea-horse chariot, surrounded by sea monsters, mermaids and mermen. In the centre of the baths complex you’ll find the remains of a large arcaded courtyard called the Palaestra, in which athletes used to train. There’s an impressive mosaic here of four athletes engaged in boxing and wrestling.

Next to the baths is a good-sized amphitheatre, built by Agrippa and later enlarged to hold 3000 people. By climbing to its top and looking over the site, you’ll get a good idea of the original layout of the port and how it would have functioned.

Behind the amphitheatre is the Piazzale delle Corporazioni (Forum of the Corporations), the offices of Ostia’s merchant guilds, which sport well-preserved mosaics depicting the different interests of each business.

CHEAP BUS & TRAIN TICKETS

The best way to travel by public transport in Lazio is to arm yourself with a daily biglietto integrato regionale giornaliero (BIRG) ticket. These tickets allow unlimited travel on all city and regional transport, including buses, trams, the metro and trains (but not including Fiumicino airport services). They’re priced according to zones: the most expensive, zone 7, costs €10.50; the cheapest, zone 1, costs €2.50. Tickets are available from tabacchi, some newsstands and biglietterie (ticket offices) at metro stations.

Further towards the Porta Marina is one of the highlights of the site: the Thermopolium (the equivalent in contemporary Rome is the tavola calda – ‘hot table’), an ancient cafe that’s breathtakingly similar to our modern-day versions. Check out the central bar counter, the kitchen to the right and the small courtyard at the rear, where customers would have sat next to the fountain and relaxed over a drink. Above the bar is a fresco advertising the bill of fare.

The site has a complex comprising a cafeteria/bar (but a picnic is always a good idea), toilets, gift shop and museum, which houses statues and sarcophagi excavated on-site.

Near the entrance to the excavations is the imposing Castello di Giulio II ( 06 563 58 024; Piazza della Rocca; free guided tours 10am & noon Tue-Sun, plus 3pm Tue & Thu), an impressive example of 15th-century military architecture.

Getting There & Away

From Rome, take metro line B to Piramide, then the Ostia Lido train from Stazione Porta San Paolo (next to the metro station), getting off at Ostia Antica. Trains leave about every half-hour and the trip takes approximately 25 minutes. It is covered by the standard BIT tickets (Click here). On arrival, exit Ostia Antica station and walk over the pedestrian bridge. Go straight ahead and you’ll see the castle to your right and the ruins straight ahead.

The ruins are also easy to reach by car. Take Via del Mare, which runs parallel to Via Ostiense, or the A12 in the direction of Fiumicino, and follow the signs for the scavi (ruins).

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TIVOLI

pop 51,900 / elev 225m

For millennia, the hilltop town of Tivoli has been a summer escape for rich Romans, a status amply demonstrated by its two Unesco World Heritage sites, Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este, both incredible hedonistic playgrounds.

Villa Adriana was the country estate of Emperor Hadrian, more like a town than a villa, and the 16th-century Villa d’Este is a wonder of the High Renaissance. You can visit both in a day, though you’ll have to start early.

Information is available from the tourist information point ( 07 743 13 536; 10am-1pm 4pm-6.30pm, shorter hr in winter) on Piazza Garibaldi, where the bus arrives.

Sights

VILLA ADRIANA

Emperor Hadrian’s summer residence Villa Adriana ( 06 399 67 900; adult/child €6.50/3.25, plus for exhibition €3.50, car park €2; 9am-1hr before sunset), 5km outside Tivoli, set new standards of luxury when it was built between AD 118 and 134, even given the excess of the Roman Empire. A model near the entrance gives you an idea of the scale of the original complex, which you’ll need several hours to explore. Consider hiring an audioguide (€4), which gives a helpful overview. There’s a small cafeteria next to the ticket office, but nicer would be to bring a picnic lunch or eat in Tivoli.

A great traveller and enthusiastic architect, Hadrian personally designed much of the complex, taking inspiration from buildings he’d seen around the world. The pecile, a large porticoed pool area where the emperor used to stroll after lunch, was a reproduction of a building in Athens. Similarly, the canopo is a copy of the sanctuary of Serapis near Alexandria, with a long canal of water, originally surrounded by Egyptian statues, representing the Nile.

To the east of the pecile is one of the highlights, Hadrian’s private retreat, the Teatro Marittimo. Built on an island in an artificial pool, it was originally a minivilla accessible only by swing bridges, which the emperor would have raised when he felt like a dip. Nearby, the fish pond is encircled by an underground gallery where Hadrian liked to wander. There are also nymphaeums, temples and barracks, and a museum with the latest discoveries from ongoing excavations (often closed).

VILLA D’ESTE

In Tivoli’s hill-top centre, the gardens of Villa d’Este ( 199 766 166, 0445 230310; www.villadestetivoli.info; Piazza Trento; adult/child €6.50/free; 8.30am-1hr before sunset Tue-Sun) have an Alice in Wonderland magic, and are a unique and superlative example of the High Renaissance garden. The villa was once a Benedictine convent, converted by Lucrezia Borgia’s son, Cardinal Ippolito d’Este into a sumptuous pleasure palace in 1550. From 1865 to 1886 it was home to Franz Liszt and inspired his compositions ‘To the Cypresses of the Villa d’Este’, and ‘The Fountains of the Villa d’Este’.

The rich Mannerist frescoes of the villa interior merit a glance, but it’s the garden that you’re here for: terraces with water-spouting gargoyles, spectacular fountains powered by gravitational force and elaborate avenues lined by deep-green, knotty cypresses. One fountain (designed by Gianlorenzo Bernini) used its water pressure to play an organ concealed in the top part of its structure, another imitated the call of birds. One of the highlights is the 130m-long path of the Hundred Fountains, which joins the Fountain of Tivoli to the Fountain of Rome.

The villa is a two-minute walk north from Largo Garibaldi. Picnics are forbidden, but there’s a stylish cafe.

Getting There & Around

Tivoli is 30km east of Rome and is accessible by Cotral bus from outside the Ponte Mammolo station on metro line B.

Buses depart at least every 20 minutes and the one-hour journey costs €1.60 (€3.20 return). However, it’s best to buy a Zone 3 BIRG ticket (€6), which will cover you for the whole day.

The easiest way to visit both sites is to visit the Villa D’Este first, as it is close to Tivoli town centre. Then take the CAT bus 4 or 4X (www.cattivoli.com; €1, 10 minutes, half- hourly Monday to Saturday, every 70 minutes Sunday) from Largo Garibaldi, asking the driver to stop at the entrance to Villa Adriana. After visiting the villa, you can then take a bus (€2, 50 minutes) to metro stop Tiburtina from outside the site.

By car you can either take Via Tiburtina or, to save yourself some time, the Rome-L’Aquila autostrada (A24).

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ETRUSCAN SITES

The highly cultured ancient Etruscans had some of their most powerful strongholds in the north of Lazio. Dating to around 800 BC, the Etruscans used sophisticated architectural and artistic techniques that the Romans later adapted and claimed as their own. They were a major thorn in Roman flanks until the 3rd and 4th centuries BC, when successive waves of legionnaires swept aside the last Etruscan defences.

For the best Etruscan treasures, head to Tarquinia and Cerveteri, two of the major city-states in the Etruscan League; together they form a Unesco World Heritage site.

Cerveteri

pop 33,400 / elev 81m

Outside Rome lies an extraordinary, mysterious Etruscan burial complex. This Unesco-listed site is a haunting town of tombs.

Cerveteri, or Kysry to the Etruscans and Caere to Latin-speakers, was one of the most important commercial centres in the Mediterranean from the 7th to the 5th centuries BC. As Roman power grew, however, so Cerveteri’s fortunes faded, and in 358 BC the city was annexed by Rome.

The first half of the 19th century saw the first tentative archaeological explorations in the area, and in 1911 systematic excavations began in earnest.

For information about the site, visit the helpful tourist information point ( 06 995 52 637; Piazza Aldo Moro; 9.30am-12.30pm). From here you can get an hourly shuttle bus to the Necropoli di Banditaccia ( 06 399 67 150; www.pierrici.it; Via del Necropoli; admission €6, incl museum €8; 8.30am-1hr before sunset), the tomb complex 2km out of town. The bus leaves seven to nine times per day starting at 8.20am and finishing at 6pm (earlier in winter). The trip takes five minutes and costs €1. Alternatively, follow the well-signposted road – it’s a pleasant 15-minute walk.

The 10-hectare necropolis is laid out as an afterlife townscape, with streets, squares and terraces of ‘houses’. The most common type of tomb is the tumulus, a circular structure cut into the earth and topped by a cumulus – a topping of turf. Signs indicate the path to follow and some of the major tombs, including the 6th-century-BC Tomba dei Rilievi, are decorated with painted reliefs of figures from the underworld, cooking implements and other household items.

In Cerveteri’s medieval town centre is the splendid Museo Nazionale di Cerveteri (Piazza Santa Maria; admission €6, incl necropolis €8; 8.30am-7.30pm Tue-Sun), where treasures taken from the tombs help to bring the dead to life.

On the same square is the Antica Locanda le Ginestre ( 06 994 06 72; Piazza Santa Maria 5; meals €45; Tue-Sun), a highly recommended, top-notch family-run restaurant. The delicious food is prepared with organically grown local produce and is served in the elegant dining room or flower-filled courtyard garden. Book ahead. For a cheaper alternative, try Cavallino Bianco ( 06 9943693; Piazza Risorgimento; Wed-Sun).

GETTING THERE & AWAY

Cerveteri is easily accessible from Rome by Cotral bus (€3.50, 65 minutes, 19 daily from 6.25am) from outside the Cornelia metro stop on metro line A. When you arrive at Cornelia, go up the escalators and onto the main road – the stop is on the same side of the street a little way from the metro entrance (look for the Cotral sign). Buses leave Cerveteri for Rome from the main square, at the bottom of the staircase coming from the museum. The last return bus is at 8.05pm.

By car, take either Via Aurelia (SS1) or the Civitavecchia autostrada (A12) and exit at Cerveteri—Ladispoli. The journey should take approximately 40 minutes.

Tarquinia

pop 16,200 / elev 169m

A long day trip from Rome, Tarquinia is nevertheless well worth the effort, with beautiful, painted tombs, a wonderful Etruscan museum and an evocative medieval quarter. Legend suggests that the town was founded towards the end of the Bronze Age in the 12th century BC. Later home to the Tarquin kings of Rome before the creation of the Roman Republic, it reached its prime in the 4th century BC, before a century of struggle ended with surrender to Rome in 204 BC.

For information about the town and its sights, pop into the tourist information office ( 0766 84 92 82; info@tarquinia@apt.it; Piazza Cavour 1; 8am-2pm Mon-Sat), on your left as you walk through the town’s medieval gate (Barriera San Giusto).

Close by is the exquisite 15th-century Palazzo Vitelleschi, which houses the Museo Nazionale Tarquiniese ( 06 399 67 150; Piazza Cavour; adult/child €6/3, incl necropolis €8/4; 8.30am-7.30pm Tue-Sun). Highlights of its collection are a breathtaking terracotta frieze of winged horses (the Cavalli Alati); a room full of painted friezes from tombs; displays of sarcophagi, jewellery and amphorae; and some remarkably saucy ceramics in Sala VI on the ground floor. Also on the ground floor, in Sala IX, the Sarcofogo con cerbiatto is a model of 4th-century BC workmanship, showing a half-naked reclining woman holding a plate from which a long-necked dog (the cerbiatto) is drinking.

To see the famous painted tombs in situ, head for the necropolis ( 06 399 67 150; adult/child €6/3, incl museum adult/child €8/4; 8.30am-1hr before sunset Tue-Sun), 2km from town. Almost 6000 tombs, of which 60 are painted, have been excavated since the first digs in 1489 – only a tiny section of the original area used for burying the dead, which stretched to the coast. Now protected by Unesco, the tombs have suffered centuries of exposure and are maintained at constant temperatures, and are visible only through glass partitions. There are some beautiful hunting and fishing scenes in the Tomba della Caccia e della Pesca; scenes featuring dancers, she-lions and dolphins in the Tomba delle Leonesse; and a surprising S&M scene of a man whipping a woman in the Tomba della Fustigazione (Tomb of the Flogging), as well as hetero and homosexual scenes on the Tomb of the Bulls. Erotica was a common artistic theme for the open-minded Etruscans.

To get to the necropolis from the tourist office, walk up Corso Vittorio Emanuele and turn right at Piazza Nazionale into Via di Porta Tarquinia. Continue past the Chiesa di San Francesco and then down Via Ripagretta until you see the necropolis on your left. Alternatively, a shuttle bus (€0.60) leaves from outside the tourist office every 30 to 45 minutes from 9am to 11.45am and from 3pm to 6.15pm, returning to town five minutes after it arrives at the necropolis.

The town harbours a number of decent lunch spots, including Il Cavatappi ( 07 668 42 303; Via dei Granari 19; Wed-Mon), which specialises in dishes made with local products, and the highly regarded Re Tarquinio ( 07 668 42 125; Alberata Dante Alighieri 10; Wed-Mon), located in an ancient frescoed cellar in the medieval centre.

GETTING THERE & AWAY

From Rome, take a Cotral bus from Cornelia metro A station. You’ll have to change at Civitavecchia (€4.50, 1½ hours, about hourly) for a bus to Tarquinia (€2, 25 minutes). The last bus leaves Tarquinia for Rome at 8.45pm.

By train, catch the Pisa Centrale train from Termini (€6.20, 1¼ to 1½ hours, every one to two hours). Buy a return ticket as the ticket office in Tarquinia only operates in the morning. After getting off at Tarquinia station, you’ll need to catch the line BC shuttle bus to the centre of town.

By car, take the autostrada for Civitavecchia and then the Via Aurelia (SS1). Tarquinia is about 90km northwest of Rome.

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CIVITAVECCHIA

pop 51,400

There’s no compelling reason to come to Civitavecchia, other than to take a ferry to Sardinia, though you could make a stop long enough to eat at good fish restaurants in the pleasant town. Established by Emperor Trajan in AD 106, it was later conquered by the Saracens, but regained importance as a papal stronghold in the 16th century. The medieval town was almost completely des­troyed by bombing during WWII.

The port is about a 400m walk from the train station. As you leave the station, turn right into Viale Garibaldi and follow the road along the seafront. If you’re stopping for a meal, try upmarket La Scaletta ( 0766 24334; Lungoporto Gramsci Antonio 65).

Getting There & Away

TO/FROM ROME

Trains run regularly between Stazione Termini in Rome and Civitavecchia (€4.50 regional service, 1¼ hours), with fewer services on Sunday. Intercity services take 50 minutes, but cost €14.30. In Civitavecchia, the station is close to the port.

Cotral buses from Rome to Civitavecchia leave from outside the Cornelia station on metro line A approximately every hour or so (€4.50, 1½ hours). When you arrive at Cornelia, go up the escalators and onto the main road – the stop is on the same side of the street, a little way from the metro entrance (look for the Cotral sign). The bus stop in Civitavecchia is on Viale Guido Baccelli.

Civitavecchia is covered by a Zone 5 BIRG ticket (€9).

By car, take the A12 autostrada from Rome.

FERRIES TO/FROM SARDINIA

From Civitavecchia, ferries sail for Olbia (eight hours), Arbatax (10 hours) and Cagliari (14 to 17 hours) in Sardinia. Departure times and prices change every year, so you should always check ahead. All fares quoted are for a one-way ticket (seat only).

Tirrenia ( 02 263 02 803, within Italy 892.123; www.tirrenia.it) sails to Olbia (low/high season €30/35), Arbatax (low/high season €34/45) and Cagliari (low/high season €30/45).

Moby ( 199 30 30 40; www.moby.it) has services to Olbia (€30 to €70 one way) between May and September.

Buy tickets at travel agencies and at the ferry terminal in Civitavecchia. If travelling in high season, book well in advance.

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VITERBO

pop 60,500 / elev 327m

Viterbo is a medieval gem, despite having sustained WWII bomb damage. It makes a good base for exploring Lazio’s rugged north, or can be visited on a day trip from Rome.

Founded by the Etruscans and eventually taken over by Rome, Viterbo developed into an important medieval centre, and in the 13th century became the residence of the popes. Papal elections were held in the Gothic Palazzo dei Papi where, in 1271, the entire college of cardinals was briefly imprisoned. The story goes that after three years of deliberation the cardinals still hadn’t elected a new pope. Mad with frustration, the Viterbesi locked the dithering priests in a turreted hall and starved them into electing Pope Gregory X.

Apart from its historical appeal, Viterbo is famous for its therapeutic hot springs. The best known is the sulphurous Bulicame pool, mentioned by Dante in the Divine Comedy.

Orientation

Viterbo’s walled centro storico is small and best covered on foot. From Stazione Porta Roma it’s a short walk along Viale Armando Diaz to Porta Romana, one of the city’s medieval gates. Go through the gate and follow Via Giuseppe Garibaldi down to Piazza Fontana Grande. Keep going along Via Cavour and you arrive at Piazza del Plebiscito, the core of the historic centre. Here you have three choices: turn right into Via Roma and its extension Corso Italia, an elegant shopping street; take Via San Lorenzo for the cathedral and Palazzo dei Papi; or continue down Via Filippo Ascenzi to Piazza Martiri d’Ungheria – most of the hotels are in the area northeast of this huge and unlovely square.

The intercity bus station is located at Riello, a few kilometres out of town.

Information

Sights

PIAZZA DEL PLEBISCITO

This elegant Renaissance piazza is dominated by the imposing Palazzo dei Priori (Piazza del Plebiscito; admission free; 10am-1pm & 4-7pm). Now home to the town council, it’s worth venturing inside for the 16th-century frescoes that colourfully depict Viterbo’s ancient origins – the finest are in the Sala Regia on the 1st floor. Outside, the elegant courtyard and fountain were added two centuries after the palazzo was built in 1460.

PIAZZA SAN LORENZO

For an idea of how rich Viterbo once was, head to Piazza San Lorenzo, the religious heart of the medieval city. It was here that the cardinals came to vote for their popes and pray in the 12th-century Cattedrale di San Lorenzo (Piazza San Lorenzo). Built originally to a simple Romanesque design, it owes its current Gothic look to a 14th-century makeover; damage by Allied bombs meant the roof and nave had to be rebuilt. Next door, the Museo del Colle del Duomo (admission incl Sala del Conclave in Palazzo dei Papi, incl guided visit to Palazzo dei Papi €3 or €5, Loggia €5; 10am-1pm & 3-8pm Tue-Sun, to 6pm winter) displays a small collection of religious artefacts, including a reliquary said to contain the chin of John the Baptist.

On the northern side of the square, the 13th-century Palazzo dei Papi ( 0761 34 17 16) was built to entice the papacy away from Rome. Head up the stairs to the graceful Gothic loggia (colonnade) to peer into the Sala del Conclave, the hall where five popes were elected.

CHIESA DI SANTA MARIA NUOVA

The oldest church in Viterbo, the 11th-century Romanesque Chiesa di Santa Maria Nuova (Piazza Santa Maria Nuova; 10am-1pm & 3-5pm) was restored to its original form after bomb damage in WWII. The cloisters are particularly lovely, and are believed to date from an earlier period.

OTHER SIGHTS

For a shot of Etruscan culture, head to the Museo Archeologico Nazionale ( 0761 32 59 29; Piazza della Rocca; admission €6; 8.30am-7.30pm Tue-Sun), housed in an attractive palazzo by the northern entrance to the town. It’s small, but has an interesting collection of Etruscan artefacts found locally, and, on the 1st floor, an impressive series of statues dedicated to the Muses.

A short walk away from the museum is the Chiesa di San Francesco ( 0761 34 16 96; Piazza San Francesco; 8am-6.30pm), a Gothic church containing the tombs of two popes: Clement IV (d 1268) and Adrian V (d 1276). Both are attractively decorated, notably that of Adrian, which features Cosmati work (multicoloured marble and glass mosaics set into stone and white marble).

On the other side of town, the Museo Civico ( 0761 34 82 75; Piazza Crispi; admission €3.10; 9am-7pm Tue-Sun summer, to 6pm winter) features more Etruscan goodies, as well as curious fake antiquities created in the 15th century by Annius of Viterbo, a monk and forger trying to give Viterbo extra kudos. There’s also a small art gallery, the highlight of which is Sebastiano del Piombo’s Pietà.

In the piazza of the same name, the Fontana Grande (Big Fountain) lives up to its name, and is also the oldest of Viterbo’s Gothic fountains.

Sleeping & Eating

Hotel Venezia ( 07 613 03356; www.hotelvenezia­residence.it; Via del Pavone 23; s/d €45/70; ) Go for one of the bright, spacious front rooms of this well-located hotel – you’ll find the rear rooms are small and dark, though all are clean, with bright bedspreads. The price includes free parking.

Tuscia Hotel ( 07 613 44 400; www.tusciahotel.com; Via Cairoli 41; s €44-50, d €68-76; ) The best of the city’s midrange options, this central, spick-and-span three-star place is leagues ahead of the competition in cleanliness and comfort. The rooms here are large, light and kitted out with satellite TV; nine rooms have air-con. There’s a sunny roof terrace.

Gran Caffè Schenardi ( 07 613 45 860; Corso Italia 11-13) The Schenardi has been operating since 1818, and the wonderfully ornate interior looks like it hasn’t changed much since, though the coffee and cakes are nothing out of the ordinary.

Ristorante Tre Re ( 0761 30 46 19; Via Gattesco 3; meals €25; Fri-Wed) Tre Re reigns as a historic trattoria, dishing up steaming plates of tasty local specialities and seasonally driven dishes. None is more typical than the pollo alla Viterbese, excellent roast chicken stuffed with spiced potato and green olives. Heartwarmingly cheap and palate-pleasingly fantastic.

Ristorante Enoteca La Torre ( 0761 22 64 67; Via della Torre 5; meals €55; lunch Thu-Tue, dinner Thu-Wed) Viterbo’s best restaurant is a dream date for foodies: the Japanese chef combines precision and delicacy of presentation with innovative uses of fresh seasonal produce, and the sommelier here really knows his stuff.

Five kilometres from Viterbo, on SS Cassia Nord, is Agriturismo Antica Sosta ( 0761 251 369; meals €25, s/d €50/75), a mansion set in pea-green countryside, with spacious, simple rooms and a delicious restaurant, serving scrumptious dishes such as strozzapreti al radicchio gorgonzola e noci (‘priest-strangler’ pasta served with red chicory, gorgonzola cheese and nuts).

Getting There & Away

From Rome, Cotral buses (€4.80, 1½ to two hours, every 30 minutes) depart from the Saxa Rubra station on the Ferrovia Roma—Nord train line. Catch the train (standard BIT) to Saxa Rubra from Piazzale Flaminio (just north of Piazza del Popolo). Viterbo is covered by a Zone 5 BIRG ticket (€9).

In Viterbo, ensure you get off at Porta Romana, not the intercity bus station at Riello, which is a few kilometres northwest of the town. If this happens, you can catch a bus into town (€1). Returning to Rome, take the bus from the Porta Romana or Piazzale Gramsci stops.

Trains depart hourly from Monday to Saturday and every two hours on Sunday from Rome’s Ostiense station (get off at Viterbo Porta Romana). The journey takes nearly two hours and costs €4.50 one way.

By car, Viterbo is about a 1½-hour drive up Via Cassia (SS2). Enter the old town through the Porta Romana onto Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, which becomes Via Cavour. The best bet for parking is either Piazza Martiri d’Ungheria or Piazza della Rocca.

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AROUND VITERBO

The main reason Romans go to Viterbo is for the thermal springs, about 3km west of town. The easiest to get to are the Terme dei Papi ( 07 61 35 01; www.termedeipapi.it; Strada Bagni 12; pool €12, Sun €25; 9am-7pm Wed-Mon, plus 9.30pm-1am Sat), where you can take a dip in the sulphurous pool, have an invigorating massage (from €55 for 50 minutes) or treat yourself to a gloopy mud bath (from €10). Take the bus from Viterbo’s Viale Trento (€1).

For less mud and more High Renaissance spectacle, head to the wonderful Villa Lante, 4km northeast of Viterbo at Bagnaia. This Mannerist drama of a garden, with terraces, water cascades and gaily waving statues forms part of the large, bucolic park ( 07 612 88 008; admission €2; 8.30am-1hr before sunset Tue-Sun) that surrounds the 16th-century villa. To get to Bagnaia from Viterbo, take the bus from Viale Trieste (€1).

Nearby, another Renaissance wonder is the pentagonal Palazzo Farnese ( 07 616 46 052; admission €2; 8.30am-6.30pm Tue-Sun), with its internal circular courtyard. It’s at Caprarola, 20km southeast of Viterbo. The walls were started by a great military engineer, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, then adapted by Vignal. The extraordinary interior contains painting by some of the finest Mannerist artists of the day. Don’t miss the frescoes by Taddeo and Federico Zuccari in the Sala del Concilio di Trento. Around six buses daily leave from the Riello bus station just outside Viterbo for Caprarola; tickets cost €2.

At Bomarzo, 17km northeast of Viterbo, is a 16th-century pocket of weirdness that will entertain children and adults alike, the Parco dei Mostri (Monster Park; 07 619 24 029; www.parcodeimostri.com; admission €9; 8am-sunset). The gardens of the Palazzo Orsini is peopled by ancient gigantic sculptures, including an ogre, giant and a dragon. From Viterbo, catch the Cotral bus from near Viale Trieste to Bomarzo (€0.60, 30 minutes), then follow the signs to Palazzo Orsini.

Around 32km north of Viterbo, in beautiful, emerald-green countryside, lies handsome Bagnoregio, from where you can visit il paese che muore (the dying town) of the Civita di Bagnoregio that it has replaced. This dramatically scenic hilltop town is accessible via a long bridge. Already on the decline, its future was assured after a serious 17th-century earthquake. Set on a piece of volcanic tuff that is slowly crumbling, its buildings are gradually collapsing around the edges. The permanent population numbers around 12, though it multiplies in summer. For info, check www.civitadibagnoregio.it. Bagnoregio is accessible via regular Cotral buses from Viterbo (€2.50, 40 minutes), then the old town is around a 2km walk.

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CASTELLI ROMANI

About 20km south of Rome, the Colli Albani (Alban Hills) and their 13 towns are collectively known as the Castelli Romani. Since early Roman days they’ve provided a green refuge from the city and today Romans still flock to the area on hot summer weekends. The most famous towns are Castel Gandolfo, where the pope has his summer residence, and Frascati, famous for its delicate white wine.

Frascati

An easy bus or train ride from Rome, pretty Frascati makes for a refreshing day trip, with hazy views over Rome and delicious food and wine.

At Frascati Point ( 06 940 15 378; 10am-4pm Mon-Wed & Fri, 10am-3pm Thu, 10am-7pm Sat), you can access information about local wines, vineyards and cantinas (wine cellars). The building is the former stables of the Villa Aldobrandini and owes its makeover to Italy’s hippest architect, Massimiliano Fuksas.

The imposing villa that rises from gardens above the square is the 16th-century Villa Aldobrandini, designed by Giacomo della Porta and built by Carlo Maderno.

If you’ve got a car, head up to the ruins of ancient Tusculum. All that remains of this once imposing town is a small amphitheatre, a crumbling villa and a small stretch of road leading up to the city. The grassy hilltop, however, is a popular spot to do some walking and it commands some fine views.

However, the reasons people really come to Frascati are to eat and drink, and for a breath of fresh air in the dog days of summer (it’s a few degrees cooler up here). The area is famous for its white wine and there are plenty of places where you can try it and other local varieties. The town’s best restaurant is Cacciani ( 06 942 03 78; Via Al Diaz; meals €50; Tue-Sat, closed 1 week Aug), with fine food and a graceful terrace, but most fun are the town’s famous rough-and-ready cantinas, which usually sell porchetta, olives, salami and cheeses, to go with jugs of the fresh young white wine. You can also pick up a porchetta panini from one of the stands that do a brisk weekend trade around Piazza del Mercato. For wine-bar grub worthy of effusive toasts, head to the charismatic Le Vie dei Canti ( 06 940 10 413; Via D’Estouteville 3; 7.30pm-midnight), a rustic enoteca, softly lit and wood lined, tucked down a cobbled alleyway (off Piazza Paolo III) that serves up plates of delicious cheeses, salami, carpacci (thin slices of raw meat or fish) and crostone (toasted bread) – perfect with a glug of local wine.

Castel Gandolfo & Around

A short drive away in elegant Grottaferrata there’s a 15th-century abbey ( 06 945 93 09; Viale San Nilo; 7am-12.30pm & 3.30pm-1hr before sunset), founded in 1004. It’s now home to a congregation of Greek monks who sport tall black hats, and has a decidedly mystic atmosphere, the elaborate interior thick with incense.

Continuing southwest brings you to Castel Gandolfo, a smart hilltop borgo (village). Dominating the town is the pope’s summer residence, a 17th-century confection, where he holds audiences in July and August.

The town overlooks the great azure expanse of Lago di Albano, where you can swim, and there are places to rent sunloungers and pedalos around its banks, as well as cafes. The lake makes a great escape from Rome on a hot day.

The smaller of the two volcanic lakes in the Castelli Romani, Lago di Nemi was the centre of a cult to the goddess Diana in ancient times, and favourite holiday spot of the emperor Caligula. The Museo delle Navi Romani ( 06 939 80 40; Via Diana; admission €2; 9am-7pm) on the shore of the lake was built by Mussolini to house two Roman boats salvaged from the lake in 1932. These dated from Caligula’s time but were tragically destroyed by fire in 1944 – what you see now are scale models of the originals. You can grab a bite to eat at the clifftop Trattoria la Sirena del Lago ( 06 936 80 20; Via del Plebiscito 26; meals €25; Tue-Sun), where the local game and trout are excellent and the local wine refreshing. Nemi is also famous for its wild strawberries – sprinkled over almost everything (especially ice cream) in season.

Getting There & Around

To get to Frascati you can catch a bus (€2, 25 minutes, 35 per day weekdays, fewer on weekends) from the Anagnina station on metro line A. Alternatively, catch a train from Stazione Termini (€1.90, 30 minutes, about hourly Monday to Saturday, every two hours Sunday).

To get from Frascati to Grottaferrata (€1, 15 minutes, every 30 to 40 minutes), catch a Cotral bus from Piazza Marconi. To get to Lago di Nemi, catch a Velletri-headed bus and get off at Genzano di Roma (€1, 30 minutes, infrequent); from here you’ll need to catch another bus to the lake (€1, 10 minutes, infrequent). To get to Castel Gandolfo (€1, 30 minutes, hourly) catch the Pomezia bus from Piazza Marconi. You can catch a train from Rome’s Stazione Termini to Castel Gandolfo (€1.90, 40 minutes), but it’s not possible to catch a train between Frascati and Castel Gandolfo.

PALESTRINA

pop 18,700

The pretty town of Palestrina stands on the slopes of Monte Ginestro, one of the foothills of the Apennines. In imperial times it was an important getaway, favoured by wealthy Romans during the stifling summer.

It was dominated by the Santuario della Fortuna Primigenia, a massive sanctuary dating to the 2nd century BC, which had six terraced levels and was dedicated to the goddess of Fortune. It would have covered much of what is now the town’s centro storico, but was largely built over. In the 17th century the Palazzo Colonna Barberini was built on its uppermost terrace, and today houses the fantastic Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Palestrina ( 06 953 81 00; Piazza della Cortina; admission €3; 9am-7pm). Inside you can see some of the former structure through Perspex floor tiles. Highlights of its collection include the wonderful sculpture of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva with an owl, peacock and eagle at their feet; and the spectacular 2nd-century-BC Nile mosaic, an incredibly rich depiction of daily life in ancient Egypt. The remains of the sanctuary can be visited on the museum ticket and are open from 9am until one hour before sunset.

ST BENEDICT, CAVEMAN

Founder of the Benedictine order, St Benedict is generally regarded as the father of Western monasticism. He is also the patron saint of engineers and speleologists, an accolade that he owes to three years he spent holed up in a cave. Fleeing the vice that had so disgusted him as a student in Rome, he sought the gloom of the grotto to meditate and pray. During this time he attracted a large local following that eventually provoked the ire of his fellow friars and forced him onto the road.

Remote-feeling and dramatic, Subiaco is well worth the trip to see its wonderful monasteries and impressive abbey, with breathtaking cross-country views. The Monastery of St Benedict ( 07 748 50 39; 9am-12.30pm & 3-6.30pm) is carved into the rock over the saint’s former cave. Apart from its stunning setting, described by Petrarch as ‘the edge of Paradise’, it’s adorned with rich 13th- to 15th-century frescoes. Halfway down the hill from St Benedict is the Monastery of St Scholastica ( 07 748 55 25; 9am-12.30pm & 3.30-7pm), the only one of the 13 monasteries built by St Benedict still standing in the Valley of the Amiene. It has a restaurant offering set menus for €18 and €26. If you decide to stay the night, its Foresteria ( 07 748 55 69; www.benedettini-subiaco.it; per person B&B €36, half-board €49, full board €55) is a great place to spend a comfortable and contemplative night. But book ahead, as Benedictine clergy from around the world often make the pilgrimage here to work in the monastery’s famous library and archive ( 9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-12.30pm Sat).

From Subiaco, St Benedict headed south until, it’s said, three ravens led him to the top of Monte Cassino. Here, in 529 AD, he founded the abbey that was to be his home until he died in 547. One of the medieval world’s most important Christian centres, the monumental abbey ( 07 763 11 529; parking €2; 9am-12.30pm & 3.30-6pm) has been destroyed and rebuilt several times throughout its history, most recently in 1953. During WWII the abbey was central to German efforts to stop the Allied push north. After almost six months of bitter fighting, the Allies finally bombed the abbey in May 1944 in a desperate attempt to break through. In Cassino, there’s a helpful tourist office ( 07 762 12 92; Via Di Biasio; www.apt.frosinone.it; 8.30-1.30 & 3-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat)

To get to the monasteries in Subiaco from Rome by public transport, take a Cotral bus to the Subiaco bus station (€6.30, 50 minutes to 1¼ hours, every 15 to 30 minutes Monday to Friday from 5.55am to 10.45pm, less frequently at weekends) from Ponte Mammolo on metro line B. The shorter trip takes the A24; the longer trip is via Tivoli. The bus stops a little way from the Monastery of St Scholastica – it’s a 3km scenic, if demanding, uphill walk.

For Cassino, take one of the regular trains from Stazione Termini (€7.40, 2¼ hours). Some trains take around 1¾ hours and cost a little more. Then take one of the shuttle buses (€2 return) from Piazza San Benedetto up to the abbey. These leave at 9.45am (return at noon) and at 3.30pm (return 5pm). If you walk, it’ll take around two hours to get up the hill and 1½ hours to walk back down!

The best spot for lunch is Ristorante Stella ( 06 953 81 72; Piazza della Liberazione 3; meals €20) in the 1960s hotel of the same name just down from the cathedral. It serves delicious dishes such as pappardelle alla lepre (egg-noodle pasta with hare and tomato sauce) and risotto al tartufo (risotto with truffles).

Palestrina is accessible from Rome by Cotral bus (€2.50, one hour, half-hourly) from the Anagnina stop on metro line A. It is covered by a Zone 3 BIRG ticket (€6). When you arrive in Palestrina, get off at the second stop along the main street and walk up the very steep stairs and narrow roads to reach the museum, which is high on the hill above the cathedral.

By car it’s a straightforward 39km along Via Prenestina (SS155).

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ALONG THE COAST

Fregene and the Lido di Ostia, the two beaches nearest Rome, are all about Roman socialising in summer (when they’re especially fun in the evening, if you have your own transport, as many clubs move out here), but they are afflicted by bumper-to-bumper traffic jams, polluted water and crowds of poseurs on the pull. For a serener, cleaner experience, it’s best to head for the coast further south.

Sabaudia

Developed on reclaimed land by sun-worshipping­ Fascists, Sabaudia, 120km southeast of Rome, is a stark 1930s curiosity rather than a looker, but is nevertheless the centre of the Parco Nazionale del Circeo (www.parcocirceo.it; Via Carlo Alberto 107; 10am-1pm & 2.30-6pm), a lovely 800-hectare area of sand dunes, rocky coastline, forest and wetlands. The visitor centre ( 07 735 11 385) can provide details on activities available in the area including fishing, bird-watching, walking and cycling.

Cotral buses leave from outside the Laurentina station on metro line B heading for Terracina and pass by Sabaudia en route (€5.50, two to three hours depending on traffic).

Sperlonga

Fashionable coastal town Sperlonga is all about tourism. Its whitewashed centro storico is a buzzing spot (in summer, at least) and there are two inviting, sandy beaches either side of a rocky promontory.

Other than the beach, the town’s main attraction is the Museo Archeologico di Sperlonga ( 07 715 48 028; Via Flacca, km1.6; admission €4; 8.30am-7.30pm), home to sculptures and masks dating from the 2nd century BC, and a cave with a circular pool used by the emperor Tiberius. The remains of his villa are in front of the cave.

Hotel Mayor ( 07 715 49 245; Via 1 Romita 4; www.hotelmayor.it; s €65-140, d €80-140; ), just off the main seafront road into town, has plain, fairly smart, clean rooms, some with balconies, and excellent facilities for beach bunnies: tone up on your tan in the solarium before heading to the hotel’s private beach area. In high season you have to book for three nights or more.

To treat yourself to seafood so fresh it virtually wriggles off the plate, head to rustic Gli Archi ( 07 715 43 00; Via Ottaviano 17; meals €35), up in the medieval quarter. Signature dishes include a tantalising linguine agli scampi (long pasta with scampi) and zuppa di cozze (mussel soup). It’s worth eating fresh buffalo mozzarella in town – it’s super fresh because there are many producers in the area.

To get to Sperlonga from Rome, take a regional train (not the intercity) from Stazione Termini to Fondi (€6.20, 1¼ hours, about 20 daily). From the Fondi train station, you can catch the connecting Piazzoli Giorgio ( 07 715 19 067) bus to Sperlonga (€1, 15 minutes, hourly). Returning from Sperlonga, the bus to Fondi leaves from the main road in the lower town.

Sperlonga is 120km from Rome by car. Take the Via Pontina (SS148) and follow signs to Terracina and then Sperlonga.

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ISOLE PONTINE

This group of small islands between Rome and Naples serves as an Italian Hamptons. Roman weekenders descend in droves to eat shellfish at little terrace restaurants, swim in emerald coves and take boat trips around the craggy coast. Few foreigners have discovered this idyllic archipelago, though this is slowly changing. Be warned that Ponza and – the only two inhabited islands – get packed out during holiday periods, and it’s not cheap. It’s best to visit in spring or autumn.

They’ve long been a favoured getaway. Homer refers to Ponza in the Odyssey, while in Roman times emperors and courtiers came here for some downtime. But as the Roman Empire declined, the islands were left vulnerable to violent attacks by the Saracens and by groups from mainland Italy and the nearby Aeolian Islands. During this period the island’s main visitors were exiled outcasts from society: unfaithful wives, promiscuous daughters and persecuted Christians.

A golden age came in the 18th century, but commerce flourished at the expense of the natural habitat, which was largely destroyed in the locals’ rush to build and cultivate. Today Ponza is ecologically still in poor shape: there’s a lot of erosion caused by terraced farming, and migrating birds would do better to find a different route between Europe and Africa, as hunting is hugely popular. Fortunately, the islands are now under national park protection.

For online information about Ponza, check www.ponza.it (in Italian).

Sleeping

Many of the locals rent out individual rooms to tourists; you’ll find them touting at the port. Otherwise, the Pro Loco tourist office ( 0771 80031; www.prolocodiponza.it) will help you out. The following places are on Ponza.

Villa Ersilia ( 0771 800 97; www.villaersilia.it) This company rents out a variety of simple rooms, studios and apartments. Prices range from €35 to €100 per person per night.

Villa Laetitia ( 0771 9851003; www.villalaetitia.com; Salita Scotti; d €150-230) Book ahead for this haven of chic, a residence owned by the Fendi family, with just three rooms, exquisitely decorated with fabulous artefacts, plus with amazing sea views.

Grand Hotel Santa Domitilla ( 0771 80 99 51; www.santadomitilla.com; Via Panoramica; d €280-390; ) Divinely light bright rooms, space, tranquillity and chic rooms: make like the beautiful people and book up this swish four star, with three pools (one an ancient Roman saltwater pool).

Getting There & Around

Ponza and Ventotene are accessible by car ferry or hydrofoil from Anzio, Terracina, Naples and Formia. Some services run year-round but others run only from late June to the start of September. The major companies are SNAP (www.snapnavigazione.it, in Italian), Caremar (www.caremar.it, in Italian) and Vetor (www.vetor.it). Timetable information is available from the websites, from most travel agents and, in summer, from the Rome section of Il Messaggero and Il Tempo newspapers. Prices vary according to the point of departure and whether you’re on a hydrofoil or ferry (journey time varies from one hour 10 minutes to 2½ hours) – from Terracina to Ponza the 2½-hour daily ferry crossing costs from €25 (return).

Cars and large motorbikes are forbidden on Ponza in summer, but there’s a good local bus service (tickets €1). Otherwise, you can rent a scooter or even a golf buggy to get around.


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