Spanish Steps/ Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti
Credit: Xantana/Getty
day 2:
BREAKFAST – The Ghetto is one of Rome’s
oldest and most idiosyncratic neighborhoods,
and is the place to go to try the city’s very
unique cucina ebraica — the Roman-Jewish
cuisine developed here during the years the
community was subject to strict trading laws.
Start at Boccione, a tiny kosher bakery at
the beginning of Via Portico d’Ottavia with
no sign outside, but you’ll know it from the
signature ricotta cakes in the window and the
task force of female bakers inside doling out
slices of their pizza ebraica — a kind of dense
fruitcake — as well as bagfuls of biscottini
with toasted almonds.
TRASTEVERE – From the Ghetto, cross the
Tiber at the Isola Tiberina, a pretty island in
the middle of the river that is home to Rome’s
busiest maternity hospital. To get onto the
island, you’ll cross the Pons Fabricius, Rome’s
oldest intact antique bridge, built in 62 BCE.
On the other shore is the neighborhood of
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Trastevere, an old residential area, whose
cobbled labyrinthine streets could easily take
up the rest of your morning, whether you are
on foot or on two wheels. Dodge the crowds
by sticking to the part of the neighborhood
that lies to the west of Viale di Trastevere, and
the backstreets that lead off Via della Luce. view of the city from the Giardino degli
Aranci. From here you can also drop into the
Basilica di Santa Sabina all’Aventino, a church
that dates back to Roman times, before
heading to the Piazza Dei Cavalieri di Malta for
a peek through the mysterious keyhole in the
square’s grand gateway.
LUNCH – You could walk straight past Mani
in Pasta, located on one of Trastevere’s quiet
backstreets, without knowing the pasta
delights that lie within. Go for one of their
seafood dishes, many of which come in large
portions meant for sharing. Highlights include
the sea bass carpaccio, the spaghetti with
clams, the gnocchetti with fava beans and
truffle, and bottarga — a local delicacy of
salted, cured fish roe. Whatever you order
here, the waiters will invariably bring little
tasters from the kitchen to enhance your
lunch experience. APERITIVO – Alda Fendi is the youngest
daughter of the Fendi brand’s original
founders who started a leather and fur shop
in Rome in 1925. Committed to furthering
Italy’s cultural brand, her latest project,
the Fondazione Alda Fendi, is a curious mix
of high-end lodgings, art and dining in the
center of the antique city. The Fondazione
is housed in a building in a more forgotten
neighborhood between the Palatine and
Aventine hills that was recently renovated
by French architect Jean Nouvel. Check out
the experimental art space on the ground
floor — currently showing Michaelangelo’s
“Crouching Boy” until March 10th — before
heading up to the fifth-floor terrace for
a sunset aperitivo that comes with jaw
dropping views of the Eternal City.
AVENTINO – The lines that now form outside
La Bocca della Verità — another seminal
Roman Holiday location — are only for the
most dedicated Roman Holiday buffs. A much
more pleasant sightseeing option lies up the
Aventine hill where you can catch a stunning