Palazzo delle Pietre

Worth getting out of bed for

The cobbled Via delle Coppelle on which the hotel sits was named for the cheap cups of wine you could purchase from vendors along it. These days you can’t exactly swig your way about like a drunk-on-power emperor, but there’s plenty to match that buzz close by, because all the pomp and circumstance of the Eternal City is concentrated in this neighbourhood. Go west and you’ll hit the gloriously OTT San Luigi dei Francesi church, whose ceiling has been thoroughly Midas-touched, and casually hanging on the walls are no less than three Caravaggio masterworks (Saint Matthew and the Angel, The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew and The Calling of Saint Matthew). A little further along is the Church of Sant’Agostino, where you’ll find yet more Caravaggios crowding the walls with works by Raphael, Sansovino and other masters. Go down a bit and you’ll see 16th-century ​​Palazzo Giustiniani, home to the President of the Senate of the Republic, and a sight grander than most government buildings, frescoed and gilded to the hilt within. And then, a few steps away, you’ll come out into Piazza Navona, formerly emperor Domitian’s chariot-racing stadium in the ADs, hence its oval shape, now a lively enclave with Bernini’s famed Fountain of Rivers at its heart. It’s alright, but it does pale into insignificance when you take a 10-minute walk east and find yourself in the fray surrounding the Trevi Fountain – remember, it’s one coin if you want to return, two if you want to return and fall in love, and three if you want to do all that and get married. We can’t promise any of that, but the around €1.5 million that gets tossed in each year goes to homeless charity Caritas Roma, so at least someone’s guaranteed something good from it. And, you’re also a bag swish from Via Campo Marzio and Via Condotti – two of the city’s most well-heeled and dressed streets, lined with luxury-label boutiques (and some indies). If you feel a little overwhelmed ask the hotel to hire you a personal shopper for the day. The latter Via culminates in the Spanish Steps, the Villa Medici and the Villa Borghese encased in its spectacularly landscaped gardens with all the fussy parterre, follies and serene fountains you could ask for. And to the south, the Colosseum and Forum complex are a 30-minute walk away. It’s worth taking a more leisurely walk by the Tiber down to Trastevere, a bohemian ‘hood with a renowned vintage market (Mercato della Città Ecosolidale), paintings and photography in the Museo di Roma, 1930s arthouse cinema Sacher Film and Tiber Island where screenings are held from June to September as part of the Isola del Cinema festival. But, you needn’t go far for cultural fodder – as part of your stay you have access to the Frammenti (‘fragment’) Club, where luminaries from the science, literature and art worlds hold classes and talks a few times a month.

Local restaurants

Dining in the Centro Storico does involve some discernment – is that an heirloom trattoria with generational recipes, staff you feel like you’ve grown up with and the sort of food you’ll pine for? Or the dining equivalent of a selfie stick and ‘sexy gladiator’ calendar? We’ve cherry-picked some of the area’s more authentic and stylish eateries to try. Il Sanlorenzo is set in a palazzo built over the foundations of the Teatro Pompeo, chandeliers hang from ancient stone ceilings and artwork by up-and-coming Romans (Veronica Botticelli, Piero Pizzi Cannella, Oliviero Rainaldi and Marco Tirelli). Only fish and seafood are served here – delivered daily from the isle of Ponza – but in eloquent style, say swordfish with porcini; grilled squid stuffed with friarielli, scamorza and red prawns in a bouillabaisse sauce; or sea-urchin spaghetti. And Sapora di Mare in Piazza Navona also does a fine line in fish, seabass comes on a bed of salt, amberjack delicately sliced, and tonnarelli tossed with pata negra lard, red prawns and cherry tomatoes. To the north, Alfredo Alla Scrofa is the birthplace of creamy comfort food fettuccine alfredo, its fame attributed to American actress Mary Pickford who visited on her honeymoon and loved it so much she sent back two golden spoons declaring ‘To Alfredo the king of noodles’. It dominates the menu, but there are other Roman classics here (veal saltimbocca, cacio e pepe, meatballs) in tasting menus dense with carbs. Close to the Colosseum, Cuoco e Camicia modernises centuries-old favourites; they’re best known for their ‘reverse carbonara’ where the sauce is encased in tortellini, but why not try their wackier inventions: creamed fish popsicle with strawberry and dukkah; beef tartare with plums and popcorn; or Iberian pork in bell-pepper barbecue sauce with cherries and ‘nduja.

Local cafés

For coffee, hit Caffè Sant'Eustachio near the Pantheon – they’ve earned a reputation for their sugar-frothed espresso (and the equally easy-downing regular version). And for that other Italian treat – gelato – try Günther Gelato Italiano. The South Tyrolean maker uses microfiltered bio milk and Alpine Plose water (known for its purity and high oxygen content) in his ice-creams and sorbets. But enough of the science bit – the cones you need to try are the eggnog, mountain pine and ricotta strega – or the panettone if you’re around at Christmas.

Local bars

Rome’s nightlife is as exuberant as its citizens and as modish, so pull out your big-gun outfits. Vyta is a mod-deco drinkery (and bistro) in glittering gold and black, which has a very fashion-forward crowd, gins from all over the world, an all-classics cocktail list and excellent regional wines, of course. On Piazza Navona, Liòn, too, is a snazzy dresser, with mosaic-tiled columns, looping brass medallions hanging from the ceiling, patterned floor tiles, and a scarlet and teal colour scheme. Cocktails are vaguely film-themed (there’s a menu dedicated to Bond) – try the Alien with tequila, blackberry syrup, lime, cointreau and a spritz of oud; or the Sober Up with rum, strega, raspberry and redcurrant syrup and orange juice. An old-school drinkery, which spills out onto a chattery square, Osteria Delle Coppelle is where the locals come for a friendly apéritif; but, push open the wardrobe at the back and you’ll find yourself in – not Narnia – but Club Derrière, an intimate speakeasy serving cocktails like the English Pie (gin muddled with sage, raspberry and cocoa). Dress up, secure your password in advance, and keep your phone tucked into your bag.