ROME
Where to drink espresso
BAR FRATELLI CAPONE Run by brothers Gigi and Nando, this small bar in Piazza Testaccio is always busy. The gold bags of beans upended in the grinders are pure arabica from one of Rome’s oldest roasters, Tintori, and the brothers conjure consistently good espresso from the cafe’s well-worn machines. Piazza Testaccio 30
SCIASCIA CAFFÈ This is a beautiful place for a coffee, low-lit by green-glass lamps under which skilled baristas turn out spot-on, crema-topped espresso (the cup lined with chocolate, if you wish) using their excellent house blend, which is available to buy at the counter.
sciasciacaffe1919.it
ROSCIOLI CAFFÈ Long, narrow and popular with locals and tourists alike, this is the sister bar to the sleek Roscioli deli and kitchen, and down-to-earth Forno bakery. The busy cafe effortlessly blends the best elements of its siblings: serious coffee, whether espresso or cappuccino, and exquisite pastry creations from chef Rodrigo Bernoni.
rosciolicaffe.com
SANT’EUSTACHIO IL CAFFÈ This cafe’s 1940s vibe is best admired either early or late in the day when it’s quieter (it’s open until aſter midnight). Sugar is added by the barista, so if you prefer yours without, be sure to ask for amaro (without sugar).
caffesanteustachio.com
CASA MANFREDI The Torinese coffee empire Lavazza has a new offering: 1895 by Lavazza Coffee Designers, a range of rare blends from small producers supplied to selected bars, including Casa Manfredi. The coffee is exceptional at this luminous bar on a tree- lined street near Palatine Hill, particularly the single-blend. Try it with one of the cafe’s fruit-and-custard tarts.
casamanfredi.it
MARIGOLD ROMA Set on a quiet street in the Ostiense district, Marigold is a stylish micro-bakery whose commitment to sourcing the finest produce is reflected in its smooth, rich and fruity house blend from organic farms in Papua New Guinea, Peru, Colombia and Rwanda.
marigoldroma.com RR
ESSENTIALS Villa Borghese
VATICAN CITY
Centro Storico
Trastevere
Campitellio Monti
Palatino- Testaccio Pigneto
1 mile
Getting there & around
Take the Eurostar to Paris, then the TGV to Milan (the latter takes around seven hours). From there, high-speed Freccia trains get you to Rome in just over three hours.
eurostar.com
trenitalia.com Several airlines fly direct to Rome’s main airport, in Fiumicino, including British Airways from Heathrow, EasyJet from Bristol, Gatwick and Manchester, Jet2 from Manchester and Vueling from Gatwick. The city’s smaller Ciampino Airport is served by Ryanair from Manchester and Wizz Air from Luton and Stansted.
ba.com
easyjet.com
jet2.com
vueling.com
ryanair.com
wizzair.com. Average flight time: 2.5h. Rome has a decent Metro system but it only skirts the top of the historic centre, which is best explored on foot. Buses run to neighbourhoods such as Testaccio and Pigneto. Good shoes are recommended, as the city’s sampietrini cobbles are notoriously hard.
When to go
With temperatures in the low 20Cs, October in Rome is so special that there’s a special name for it: ottobrata romana. Mild winters get rain, but a sunny winter’s day can still feel like autumn in the UK. Summers are very hot and humid — so try to avoid July and August.
Where to stay
Mama Shelter, near the Vatican. From €139 (£119).
mamashelter.com The Hoxton, in Parioli. From €149 (£127).
thehoxton.com Hotel Locarno, in the Centro Storico. From €252 (£215).
hotellocarno.com Hotel Vilòn, in Campo Marzio. From €570 (£486, B&B.
hotelvilon.com
More info
Rome Tourism.
turismoroma.it The 500 Hidden Secrets of Rome (Luster, £14.95) SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome, by Mary Beard (Profile, £19.99)
How to do it A barista serves espresso at Sant’Eustachio il Caffè
MERRION CHARLES has three nights at Hotel Locarno, B&B, plus flights and transfers from £520 per person.
merrioncharles.com
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nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
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ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER
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