Rome City Guide 

When To Go

The main tourist season starts at Easter and runs until October; peak periods are in spring and autumn, when the tour buses pour in and tourists are herded around like cattle. Numerous outdoor festivals and concerts and the fact that Romans desert the city for the beaches and mountains, which means very light traffic and a less-crowded city centre, makes summer almost worth the heat. If you do visit in summer, try to hit the sights early, take a long lunch and a nap, and then head out again around 18:00 to take advantage of the cooler evening. Winters are usually mild with few tourists and some fun events around Christmas time.

The bars of Rome

Supperclub  - Sister club to the already legendary Amsterdam Supperclub, the Rome version is even more sensational because it’s still such a secret. Set in a gorgeous restored 3rd century mansion (what Roman buildings are not works of art?) it’s tucked down a narrow alley, has no sign on the door or bouncers outside and you’ll miss it if you didn’t know it was here. Inside though it’s unforgettable: a forest of extravagant drapes lead to Bar Rouge holding area, beyond which are two sultry salons – Salle Neige and Baroque. On plush white beds the elite of Roman society recline like stars in La Dolce Vita, violinists and DJs provide the soundtrack and, unbelievably, waitresses massage you as you recline on the sofas! Or perhaps that was a one off. Either way, it’s like the Carlsberg ads have come to life. Cocktails mixed by unfeasibly sexy staff are world class, none finer than the Smoky Martini: Monte Cristo cigars are seeped in Lagavulin single malt and stirred over ice with frozen vodka and a dash of vermouth. Who comes up with these ideas? Add fine contemporary food, a great CD featuring Groove Armada and David Holmes, and you are living La Dolce Vita.

Bars are a universal feature of Italian life. Unlike bars in the US or pubs in England, Italian bars do not just sell or major only in alcoholic drinks, but also a variety of hot and cold non-alcoholic beverages, the chief being of course coffee - espresso (caffè) or cappuccino, or half a dozen other ways of serving it, including chilled (caffè freddo). Also thé freddo (iced tea, in lemon or peach flavours) They also sell ice-cream, cakes, and a large selection of hot and cold snacks, pizza and sandwiches (although the best pizza can be found in, surprise, surprise, pizzerie, not bars). There's few things nicer in the world than sitting outdoors at a Roman sidewalk café, sipping on your drink while watching the Italian world go by. More about the bars of Rome

THE FOODS

The Eternal City has been a melting pot for foods from other places since the Roman legions began collecting recipes and provisions, and, in some cases, cooks, from the far reaches of the empire. As the national capital, Rome has drawn culinary inspiration from Italian regions north and south, though most substantially from the home provinces of Latium.

Today, in a world center of art, religion, politics and trade, Roman eateries cater to visitors ranging from diplomats and jet-setters to pilgrims and backpackers. This compulsory cosmopolitanism may explain why precious little has been preserved of the epicurism of the ancient Romans or of the papal and princely courts of later eras. Yet what remains of la cucina romana provides some of the most flavorful foods of Italy served in some of its liveliest surroundings. For, beyond purely gastronomic aspects, eating is a social event to Romans, who on Sundays and holidays love to gather family and friends around tables as plates, glasses and bottles multiply with the passing hours.