Rome Part 2

Michael & Martha Liscano

One day, Michael and Martha met us at the Pantheon, and after some coffee and pastry nearby, Michael took us on a walking tour of some of their favorite sights in Rome.


Of course we started with the Pantheon, which is one of the most important and copied architectural monuments in history.  Roman legend says that this was the location where Romulus, at his death, was seized by an eagle and taken off to be with the gods.  The original was built around 27 – 25 BC as a temple to all of the Roman gods.  The current structure was rebuilt after a fire by the Emperor Hadrian about 126 AD.  The dome is still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.  At the top of the dome is an open oculus, which is the sole source of light and provides ventilation.  It has no seal or closure, so when it storms, what water that gets in is handled by drains in the floor.

Pantheon oculus

See the bee at the top of the column?

One of the fun things that Michael pointed out to us was the capital of one of the columns had a bee carved into it.  In 1625, Pope Urban VIII, a Barberini, removed a bronze truss from the portico to make arms. This created uproar, and to make amends, he made improvements to the portico, including the placement of this column, which had fallen – his vanity got the best of him so he had his family symbol, the bee, carved into the capital.

The Trevi Fountain, Rome

Fountain at the Piazza Navona

From the Pantheon we walked up to the Trevi Fountain, Rome’s largest and most important, completed in 1792.  The site marked the beginning of a 19 BCE Roman aqueduct that channeled water to one of ancient Rome’s bath houses.  We worked our way to the Piazza Navona, which sits on the site of a first century stadium.  The piazza is now one of the social centers of the city and has three magnificent Bernini fountains, the most important of which is the fountain of the four rivers, the Nile, Plate, Ganges and Danube. 

A street scene in Trastevere

A little more meandering took us down a small street to Santa Maria della Pace.  Set on the foundations of an older church, in the 1400s, it was enlarged and in 1656 the edifice was restored adding the famous Baroque façade projecting from its concave wings, which gives it the appearance of a theatrical set.

Santa Maria del Pace

The real reason we came here, however, was for the attached Cloister of Bramonte, which now has a museum and restaurant. We had a  lunch of risotto on the gallery overlooking the courtyard.

Risotto at the Cloister of Bramonte cafe



Courtyard of the Cloister of Bramante

Michael loved the symmetry of the design of the cloister courtyard.  

We still had leather on the bottom of our shoes, so marched on to an interesting intersection called Quattro Fontane. On one corner was the church San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane which had a beautiful dome.

Dome of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

Bernini altar at Sant' Andrea al Quirinale

Nearby was Sant’Andrea al Quirinale, under restoration, which had an amazing Bernini alter depicting the martyrdom of Saint Andrew.

Flowers for sale in the Campo Fiori

Of course being with Martha & Michael, we had to visit the Campo Fiori, window shop for fabulous Italian food, and even try some street food along the way.

Window shopping Liscano style!

Dane and Martha enjoying some foccacia from a Roman bakery

The huge mortadella Michael keeps eyeing in Rome.

We wandered around the ancient area on our way to the Capitoline Museum.  We were coming from a different direction then before, and got some good views from a higher elevation.

The Capitoline Museums are actually two palaces designed by Michelangelo, the smaller Palazzo Nuova, and the larger Palazzo dei Conservatori. In 1471 Pope Sixtus IV donated a group of sculptures to the city, and they along with other paintings and sculptures were housed here.

Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius

 In 1734 Palazzo Nuova was first opened to the public. Conservatori was the seat of the city magistrates in the late Middle Ages, and still has some municipal offices, though much of the Palazzo is now given over to art and historical displays, including fragments of a huge sculpture of Constantinezza.

The grand Cordonata designed by Michelangelo is a popular spot for photographs in Rome.

The two Palazzos are joined by the Piazza del Campidoglio, also designed by Michelangelo.  The Cordonata, a grand staircase presided over by two colossal statues, leads down to Via del Teatro di Marcento and Piazza Venezia.

A beautiful sunset from the steps of the Capitoline Museum

On our way to dinner, we stopped at Santa Maria in Portico on the Piazza di Campitelli  to watch the celebration of the liturgical feast of St. John Leonardi, founder of the Order of the Mother of God, and patron of pharmacists.  What really caught our attention about this was a procession lead by a brass band, the Alpine Group of Bourbon. 

Members of the Alpine Group of Bourbon band

The Mass was being led by an archbishop, so took longer than anticipated.  We missed the music (dinner reservations calling) but got a look-see at the band.

Cacio e pepe at Osteria La Quercia in Rome

For the dinner we were meeting up with the rest of Michael and Martha’s group at a very nice restaurant, Osteria La Quercia, Piazza della Quercia 23.  They had brought some special wines from our friend Sergio Mottura's vineyard, and we enjoyed cacio e pepe, a traditional Roman pasta.  (WE made it at home later in the fall, using fresh pasta from Superior Pasta and cheeses from DiBruno's in the Italian Market, and it was as delicious as we remembered.  Here's a link to a recipe on one of our favorite blogs, Smitten Kitchen.

A narrow cobbled street in Trastevere

Trastevere is the 13th district of Rome, on the west bank of the Tiber, south of Vatican City.   In Roman times it was occupied by the Etruscans.  In the Middle Ages Trastevere had narrow, winding, irregular pathways.  In the 15^th century some effort was made open up to make it easier for  carriages, but nowadays, Trastevere maintains its character thanks to its narrow cobbled streets lined by medieval houses.  We enjoyed exploring Trastevere by following two walking tours in our guidebook. 

Crossing the Tiber (Tevere) River

One way to find it is to get to Tiber Island, and cross either the Ponte Palatine or the Ponte Garibaldi.  At night, natives and tourists alike flock to its many pubs and restaurants, but much of the original character of Trastevere remains.  The unique character of this neighborhood has attracted artists, foreign expats, and many famous people, including our friends, Michael and Martha, who rented an apartment there.

For those whose thirst patterns follow Dane’s, in Trastevere is a tiny bar at Via Benedetta #25 called Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fa.  Between the two rooms it might seat 30 people, but it has 16 taps and an inventory of 150 bottles, including many of the sought-after Italian micro beers.  Dane and Michael stopped in for a quick pint (they were supposed to be doing errands…) and the very knowledgeable bartender gave them samples.  BeerAdvocate gives the bar a score of 98 – world class.  Right across the street is Bir & Fud, Via di Benedetta #23, where we tried to eat twice, but it was never open when we were near, alas.

In the Orto Botanico

In between rain showers, we visited the Orto Botanico in Trastevere.  A hidden gem of a botanical garden, we enjoyed strolling the paths and climbing to the hilltop for wonderful views of the churchtops and statues of Rome.  

Another day we spent at the Villa Borghese Gardens, a huge landscaped park. In 1605, Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V and patron of sculptor Bernini, began turning this former vineyard into an extensive garden.  In the 19th century much of the garden's formality was remade as a landscape garden in the English style.  The park contains several villas, including the Galleria. The Spanish Steps lead up to this park, and there is another entrance from the Piazza del Popolo which leads up to the Piazzale Napoleone I.  From this Piazzale we enjoyed a panoramic view of Rome.

View of Rome at sunset from the Piazzale Napoleone I 

To get around the Borghese Park, we rented a bike, actually a 4-wheel surrey bike with an electric motor, powered by the pedals – a new experience for us.  It sure did make covering the extensive park easier.  

Bicycling through the Borghese Gardens

What really drew us to the park was the Galleria Borghese, a spectacular art museum which used to be Cardinal Borghese’s home.  It showcases his extensive collection of art, including some fabulous Bernini sculptures.  

Visitors tip:  Advance reservations are required-make them from home before you leave to be sure you can get in!  We endured the long lines for the bag check and the audio guide, and found the guide helpful-it focussed on one premier piece of art in each room.

Tiramisu at Da Armando da Pantheon

After our fresh air, it was time for a fabulous meal, so we taxiied to the Slow Food recommended Da Armando da Pantheon where we were lucky enough to get a table after a short wait, while we visited with another patient young couple.  The farro and tomato soup was a shared starter, followed by tagllioni with asparagus, and chicken with roasted peppers, followed by a shared tiramisu.  Delicious!

At the other end of the museum spectrum, we visited the MAXXI Museum of XXI Century Arts. The collection was small but interesting; the building was an amazing contemporary construct by female “starchitect” Zaha Hadid.

Intriguing architecture of the MAXII Contemporary Art Museum in Rome by Zaha Hadid

Dane spent most of his time photographing the stairs.  There was also a large window with reflecting glass that literally mirrored a nearby building in an interesting way that caught our attention. Inside and out, it was a visual treat.

Obligatory shot of St. Peter's Basilica at Vatican City

Street parking, Vatican City style

We saved the Vatican City for our last day.  We didn’t go in any of the museums, rather followed the route of a suggested walking tour to explore the neighborhood, which was not crowded.  We walked right into the Colonnade of St Peter and were able to gawk, unhindered, at St. Peter’s Basilica.  We also enjoyed seeing the fort-like Mausoleum of Hadrian, which originally had a defensive role.  Between this fort and the Basilica is the grand Via della Concillazione which is a recommended stroll, but the side streets in this area were also a treat.  

The Ponte Sant’Angelo, which crosses the Tiber River, was also a platform for some great sculpture, and generally a photographer’s delight – good foregrounds and great backgrounds.

Ponte and Castel Sant' Angelo

We enjoyed the humor we found in the Vatican City:

Artisanal gelato choices in Rome!

Aperol Spritz in a "go cup"

We can't end our Roman saga without talking a bit more about the fabulous food and wine.  One of the nice things about house exchanges is that we aren't in a rush.  One afternoon in Trastevere we rested on a bench outside a little bar called Antico Caffe del Moro, sipping Aperol Spritz from "go cups."  Another evening, when we'd had a big lunch, we stopped for artisinal gelato.

Even stopping for a coffee and cookie was an artistic treat in Rome:

The cool interior of Open Baladin in the central district of Rome.

Craft beer and eggplant parm at Open Baladin in Rome

And of course Dane, ever on his search for interesting craft beers, dragged Joan to Open Baladin, which we had some trouble finding in the winding streets of Centro Storico Rome.  But the food and beers were worth it:  We shared a grilled radiccio with ham and pear salad, then enjoyed ravioli with mushrooms and eggplant parm, all delicious.

Panzanella Italian bread salad and ricotta flan with tomato jam at Palatium Enoteca Regionale

Our final meal in Rome was probably the most delicious, at another Slow Food-recommended restaurant, Palatium Enoteca Regionale at via Frattina 94, which features the food of the Roman region of Lazio.

Joan finally found a panzanella or Italian bread salad, and Dane started with ricotta flan with tomato jam.  Rigatoni carbonara and pasta with cherry tomatoes, cheese and pancetta were our primos, followed by molten chocolate torte with cinnamon ice cream. We were sorry the extensive wine list did not include any Sergio Mottura Pioggi, but our helpful server recommended another delicious Lazio regional specialty, so we were happy!

Rome, October, 2013

On October 5 we said goodbye to Campo Santo, and took the vaporetto water taxi to the Venice railroad station where we caught a Ferrari-red Treno Italo, a relatively new privately-owned and moderately-priced high speed train to Rome. 

The treno Italo we took from Venice to Rome-Ferrari Red!

We thought it would be fun to see some more Italian countryside, which we did, but there were many tunnels between Bologna and Florence.  Reading about it afterwards, we learned we went through the Apennine Tunnel, one of the longest in the world.  In all there were 73.8 km of tunnels, which substantially shortened the trip, but not so much view!  Our e-readers got us through the vista blackout.

We detrained at the Tiburtina station which was very close to our lodgings, another Intervac house exchange.  Lorenzo Spaziani, our host, met us at the station, and took us to the apartment nearby.  (Lorenzo and his wife had stayed with us last year, so this was what is called a non-simultaneous exchange.)  They live in the country outside Rome but their small pied-a-terre in the city is in a residential neighborhood, 10 minute walk or bus ride from the Tiburtina transportation hub.    Naturally we bought 7-day passses and got to know the bus and subway system well.

A view of our comfortable apartment in Rome

Our neighborhood was one of apartment blocks, most of which had shops or restaurants at street level, so most anything we could want was at our finger tips and at prices that were much more reasonable than in the tourist districts.  Lorenzo gave us his tips on where the grocery stores were as well as showing us around the spacious apartment (with washing machine!) We should have known, and henceforth when do house exchanges in Europe, we will pack ice cube trays.  We keep forgetting that Americans have this fixation about ice that is not shared with others.  This was about the only complaint we had about this apartment.  This was not a neighborhood for fancy restaurants, though did have many more causal places to eat.

Ristoart restaurant near our apartment in Rome

With the help of tripadvisor, we found a very nice nearby restaurant for our first night.  Ristorart, Via di Cloniacensi 9/11 [pic 10/5,0486], just off the busy Via Tiburtina, had nice décor, featuring different local artists on the walls, and a sophisticated menu that kept us happy. 

Dane's colorful pizza at Ristoart

We had ravioli pomodoro and pizza partenopea (like Neapolitan, with mozzarella, black olives and anchovies).  Their best beers were from Germany – we were starting to find out that even though some excellent artisanal beers are now being made in Rome, even the better restaurants only serve bland domestic or fancy imported beers – sort of like the U.S. in the 80s and 90s. 

The "Wedding Cake" monument to Victor Emmanuel II

The ancient Romans may have had a penchant for well-built, straight roads, but you would never guess it from what exists today in the ancient part of Rome.  The amount of ruins to see is staggering and a bit confusing, since there are so many layers – different eras to be explored.  The national monument to Victor Emmanuel II, also known as the Altar of the Motherland or Il Vittoriano or “the wedding cake” is a help.  It stands high, and the chariots of the winged victories can be seen on the horizon from many directions to give us bearings.   This monument was built to honor the first king of a unified Italy, so it is a Victorian fluffery designed in 1885 and fully completed in 1935.  It is just off the Piazza Venezia, which is a transportation hub, and around the corner from the Capitoline Museums.   The Capitoline Museums are certainly worth a visit, both the central courtyard area and the museum. 

We found a useful web tool to help us keep track of what was where: Wikimapia.org.  Of course you can zoom in and out like Google maps but the cursor will highlight and name an area and the closest zoom shows a picture of the building or site itself.

The area bounded by the Vitorino, the Coliseum and the Palatine Hill, includes the Roman Forum and is where the complete landscape is one of ruins.  Joan had to keep reminding Dane that there were more ruins in Rome than he could imagine; he was snapping pictures everywhere, and then we would find another spectacular ruin around the next corner!

The Roman Forum

With the Palatine Hill in the background it makes for great photography, and there are special maps posted throughout showing the before and after which help sort it all out.  We found the Forum area to be quite walkable; we enjoyed several walking tours with a Frommer’s guidebook from the library.

Courtyard of the Doria Pamphilji Gallery museum

A fabulous, undiscovered museum we visited was the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj.  The home and gallery of the Pamphilj family for centuries, we wandered through sumptous apartments and galleries of fine art, including masterpieces by Caravaggio, Claude Lorrain, Bernini and the Brueghels.  Just a couple blocks from the Roman Forum, it was a quiet respite from the crowds in the popular touristic sites and an experience we treasured.  

Monte Testaccio

Another time we took a walking tour of Testaccio, in the vicinity of the metro stop Pyramide. The main geographic feature is the Monte Testaccio, an artificial mound composed almost entirely of fragments of broken amphorae dating from the time of ancient Rome which represents the remains of over 50 million vessels that probably held 1.6 billion gallons of olive oil used in Rome! 

See, we are not the only ones that use a lot of oil and create big landfills.  Now is it worn down and verdant and forms the center of the very nice Testaccio residential district.  We ate at a great neighborhood restaurant, Il Canfinone Ristorante, Piazza Testaccio 31 where we enjoyed being surrounded by locals.  Joan had a very nice veal saltimbocca alla Romana 

Veal Saltimbocca, a traditional dish of Rome.

 but the hit, at least for Dane, was rigatoni with pajata (veal entrails with the milk still inside) in a tomato sauce.  You have to sort of suspend cerebral functions (Dane says he is good at this) and just taste –honest, it was good.

!

Also nearby, on via Benjamino Franklin was an old abattoir, or meat processing center, which has morphed into a museum of contemporary art called Macro Testaccio.  Behind the main entry was a construct made of bamboo in the shape of a pyramid which actually had stairs for climbing. 

Bamboo installation at Macro Testaccio

Just down the road was a city of alternate economy that had a very nice bio market (think green and wholesome) as well as a park that was sporting a theatrical show for kids.

Rome's pyramid under restoration taken from the Protestant Cemetery

The metro stop, which makes this whole area so easy to get to, is named for an actual pyramid that can be seen from the station. It was built about 18 – 12 BCE as a tomb for Gaius Cestius, a magistrate and religious leader, and was sited at the fork of two ancient roads.  It had been incorporated into Rome’s fortifications which helped it become one of the city’s best-preserved ancient buildings.   When we were there, the marble facing was being restored, so pardon us for including a picture with the scaffolding.
The photograph is taken from the nearby  Protestant cemetery, established in 1738, and among those buried here are Keats and Shelley. 

The English poet John Keats' grave in the Protestant Cemetery in Rome

Eataly in Rome

 Less than a mile away, from the Pyramide area is a shopping complex called Eataly in a vacant air terminal building connected to the Roma Ostiense railway station.  (Be careful in the Roman metro-Dane had his wallet stolen by gypsies as we were jammed into a subway car!  Thank heavens for Michael Liscano's telephone-we were able to cancel the credit cards with no lasting damage.)

We have visited the Eatalys in New York, and Chicago, so were were happy to visit the largest one in Italy.  (There are also several in Japan-we had no idea they were global.)

Map of the Eataly locations throughout the world

Eataly is very Slow Food oriented, and has great produce and pasta, coffee, gelato, bread, fish, meat, pork and poultry departments, all with restaurants.  You can purchase the best cuts or dine in a restaurant area themed to each area’s offering.  We ate in the fish area but were also able to choose from the nearby meat market.  Though it may be a big complex, the food was anything but factory-like.  We were with a group of friends and all had spectacular meals, reasonably priced.

Enjoying our lunch at Eataly with Michael, Martha and Michael.

Just to keep Dane happy, this Eataly even had a brew-pub and an excellent selection of local and foreign beer in bottles and on tap (alla spina).  We purchased a big bottle of local, bourbon-barrel-aged barley-wine for a dinner party we were going to that evening. 

Dane pondering the wide variety of Italian mircobrews at Eataly Rome.

We mention friends and a dinner party; we should explain.  Former Queen Victoria Inn guests, Michael and Martha Liscano, who live in Columbus, Ohio, have become very good friends.  Before we left for Italy we discovered that they would be in Italy at the same time as we, so we planned to get together.  Michael, an architect and artist, and Martha, who patiently puts up with Michael’s bon homme personality and humor, go to Italy quite a bit.  It turns out they have a group, who often travel with them, and we were invited to “crash” the party.  What a fun and engaging group they were.  The evening of our Eataly visit, we were going to an apartment they rented in the Trastevere area.  Hence Dane took the very fancy bottle of after-dinner beer.  Everybody chipped and helped produce a magnificent feast. 

The two Michaels pondering our fish order at Eataly, Rome

Enjoying a wonderful meal in the apartment in Trastevere with Michael and Martha's travelling friends from Ohio.

Next:  We are treated to a full-walking tour of their favorite places in Rome by Michael & Martha Liscano.