When My Soul Has Cravings - Rome

It happens every year, usually in March, soon after our big annual tour. Or in the dullness of November. I feel restless, ungrounded. I feel a strange craving in my soul, something is missing but I cannot quite define what. Luckily, I’ve discovered a medicine that cures the symptoms quickly, and these pills are not hard to swallow: I just have to hop on the bus and go to Rome for a couple of days.

Here’s the prescription that’s proven 100% effective:

1. Galleria Doria Pamphilij

An absolute gem of a gallery on Via del Corso, the main street in the historic center of Rome. In spite of the location, you’ll find an oasis of tranquility inside, and no lines to enter even in high season. It’s not obvious from the street, but the palace is gloriously beautiful inside and houses an incredible private art collection. I always make my way first to the Caravaggios, then wander through the impressive state rooms, following the audioguide. It is absolutely the most inspiring audio guide I’ve ever encountered in a museum anywhere in the world! Parts of it are narrated by an actual family member, Prince Jonathan Doria Pamphilj. Listening to his tranquil voice sharing stories makes you feel a bit like a guest in their house.

2. Palazzo Barberini

Another 16th century palace in the Eternal City, home to the principal national collection of older paintings in Rome. This gallery is another one that has never been crowded on my numerous visits, in spite of its importance and location. It’s a magical place for me, not only because of the famous masterpieces - including some Caravaggios - but because of the way the collection is organized chronologically and thematically. You can follow the evolution of art through centuries and let your imagination fly free, dreaming of times gone by. I always end my visit by visiting (and getting dizzy) in the grand salon with Pietro da Cortona’s fresco in the ceiling.

Palazzo Barberini’s grand salon with Pietro da Cortona’s fresco in the ceiling.

3. Villa Borghese - park and gallery

The enormous Villa Borghese park is fantastic for a run. It is one of the three biggest parks in the Italian capital, and features beautiful gardens, buildings and museums. The most famous one is the Galleria Borghese, which for me is a synonym for the world’s most beautiful sculpture. In addition to the Bernini masterpieces, the gallery also houses one of the world’s most prestigious collections of paintings. Tickets must be booked well in advance, which is not possible when I decide to go to Rome at last minute. In this case, I enjoy an energizing morning run around the park and say ciao to Venus in the 17th century fountain behind the gallery.

4. Monumento Vittorio Emanuele II

If you ever visit the Eternal City, you cannot avoid seeing this monument. It is gigantic, well, literally, monumental. In addition to its significance as a symbol of Italian unification, it also has a personal meaning to me. I was 22 years old when I first visited Rome, and this monument left a lasting impression on my young mind, in particular, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its perpetually burning flame. And the unique 360-degree from the top! Back then, there were no elevators so we climbed up in the heat. The wonderful thing about this monument is also, you can enter for free up to the first level. This is handy if you don’t have time to stand in line for the elevators to visit the highest panoramic level.

View over Rome from the top level of the Vittorio Emanuele II Monument.

5. Piazza Navona

This is the most beautiful of all piazzas in Rome for me, day and night. In today’s world, known as a showcase of Baroque sculpture, it was actually built on the site of a first century AD Stadium of Domitian. If you look around yourself, you can perceive the long oval shape of the space, and imagine the stadium two thousand years ago, athletic games with sweaty muscly Romans…

Back to reality, the piazza’s most striking feature today is Bernini’s Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, the Fountain of the Four Rivers. Bernini designed it in 1651, for Pope Innocent X, and the fountain is strategically placed in front of the Pope’s family palace - yes, it’s the Pamphilis again. The male figures sculpted in stone are river gods, representing the four major rivers of the four continents where papal authority had been established: the Danube, the Nile, the Ganges and the Rio de la Plata. At the center of the fountain, a Roman copy of an Egyptian obelisk scrapes the sky.

6. Aperitivo at a rooftop bar

Here’s a little tradition I have with myself: when in Rome, have an aperitivo at a rooftop bar. There are many in the historic center. My personal favorite is the Otivm Hotel bar, because of its stunning view across to the Vittorio Emanuele II monument. Another one that I really like is Divinity Terrace, on top of the Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel. Magnetic atmosphere, professional service, and a stone’s throw from the Pantheon. You can tell by now that I’m big on avoiding excessive crowds. Neither of these rooftop bars has ever been crowded in all the years that I’ve visited.

7. Roman Dinner

Umberto finds this amusing. When I go to Rome, I need to have these two Roman specialities at least once: carciofi alla giudia and alla romana. I just love the flavors. There’s also something deeply soothing about having the same dishes in the same places. The former is a crispy deep-fried artichoke, a famous dish of Roman Jewish cuisine. The latter, a fillet of veal cooked with butter, sage, prosciutto and wine. I like to pair them with Frascati Superiore DOCG, a dry, lightly aromatic and beautifully fragrant white wine of the region. Or if I feel like a red, I go for a glass of a ruby-colored smooth Cesanese del Piglio DOCG.

8. Pantheon by night

After a rich Roman dinner, a light-paced passeggiata is a must. I go and see the Pantheon by night. Some people believe you need to toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain, in order to be sure to return to the Eternal City. I believe this instead. Back in the day, visiting the Pantheon during the day was inspiring, too, but not any more. The lines are too long and the crowds too noisy. Night time is better to admire the architectural miracle of this ancient temple, mounted in the second century AD.

The inscription above the entrance reads “M. AGRIPPA. L.F. COS. TERTIUM. FECIT” - Marcus Agrippa, the son of Lucius, made [this building] when consul for the third time. The temple that we see was rebuilt by Hadrian, and the text honors Agrippa who built the original one a hundred years earlier. The Pantheon is the only ancient Roman building that has remained intact throughout the last two thousand years. How inspiring is that?

9. Tiber river bank

The Tiber River Promenade, down by the water, is well liked by us runners as well as cyclists, during daytime. At night, the curvy river with its numerous bridges turns into a treasure trove for lovers of photography. Walking on the river bank at night offers you a dream-like world without the tourist masses. I particularly love the across-the-Tiber views of Castel Sant’ Angelo and the cupola of San Pietro in the Vatican.

Castel Sant Angelo night view across Tiber — Castel Sant’ Angelo by night.

10. Walk up the Spanish Steps at night - and Good Night!

Rome is packed with excellent hotels and B&Bs. For me, one is cut above the rest. If available, I book a room at Scalinata di Spagna, a traditional and friendly hotel located at the top of the Spanish Steps. If I’m lucky, I get a room with a view across the city, or overlooking the splendid Trinità dei Monti church. My days in Rome are intense, involve walking and running a minimum of 12km a day, and almost get me into a state of sensory overload.

The night-time walk up the famous staircase is a bedtime ritual for me. I visualize the beauty of the day’s experiences and store it in my heart. My soul’s cravings have been fulfilled.

Links to the official websites:

Galleria Doria Pamphilij https://www.doriapamphilj.it/roma/

Palazzo Barberini https://barberinicorsini.org/palazzo-barberini/

Galleria Borghese https://galleriaborghese.cultura.gov.it/

Monumento Vittorio Emanuele II https://vive.cultura.gov.it/it/

Otivm Hotel Rooftop https://otivmroofbar.eu/

Divinity Terrace https://www.thepantheonhotel.com/en/terrace/

Hotel Scalinata di Spagna https://www.hotelscalinata.com/

NB. As noted previously, this blog is one of my hobbies and has no commercial affiliations. All recommendations are based on my own experience and personal views, and do not benefit me financially. I am, however, delighted if readers find any of the tips useful.