Empirical Rome

Let’s talk about the iconic 2,000-year-old temptations of the beloved Italian capital city. They haven’t changed that much since antiquity. A 1942 travel poster advertised a thrilling ride across the chaotic street plan on the back of a scooter, highlighting a fly-by at the Coliseum, show-stopping sporty convertibles and ornate baroque buildings. But often overlooked is not what’s directly in front of your eyes—instead consider what’s to be discovered out at the periphery. You can jostle with the tourists, but look closely for the crazy details. The streets of Rome remain an infinitely rich time machine filled with indelible impressions.

What is the Vatican Jubilee 2025? This year, an estimated 32 million travellers plan to descend on the Italian capital. Pope Francis has designated 2025 a year of reconciliation, pilgrimage, and coming home. At 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 27, 2025, the holy door to the Vatican will be thrown open in a special ceremony. Be prepared to rub shoulders and share the popular monuments with ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.

Above: Don’t be deceived by the graffiti-bedecked walls leading into the central train station, Roma Termini. A squeaky clean modernization of the terminal recently completed, with vaulted, teeming public spaces cleared of obstructions to speed your entry into town. One caveat: Rome’s legendary pickpockets haven’t taken mass retirement, so be vigilant here and in the surrounding neighbourhood, where much reduced street crime is still an issue.

LoveItaly’s Tracy Roberts invited Stanley Moss on an open-air tour of the Piazza Navona neighbourhood from the back of a classic Piaggio scooter. There’s no better way to see downtown Roma than from the street level with the wind rushing by your temples, dodging the surrounding traffic as you careen over the cobblestones.

Above: It’s entirely possible to reserve your own spiffy scooter transport for a chauffeured cruise around town. Vespa Sidecar Tours can be booked online in advance, or on-site near the Coliseum. A stylish alternative if you don’t want to ride behind the driver and keep both hands free for photography.

Remnants of Roman aqueducts, some dating to 350 BC, can still be encountered here and there, and bear silent witness to the glory that was Rome.

Pyramid of Cestius, dating to 12 BC, the only surviving pyramid in Rome, is testament to the influence of ancient Egyptian culture on the Roman Empire. No big deal for the locals. People drive by it every day without looking up.

The Roman Forum is situated in a valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, a key area in ancient Rome. To the left, down the hill you’ll find the Coliseum.

Rome’s Coliseum was constructed in AD 72, and attracts tourists no matter what the weather conditions. It is the most popular monument in town, ever-crowded. Hold on to your wallets, and be amazed at what the Empire built. Rome is a walking city where all the action is on the streets.

Above: There’s a new crowd management system in place at the Pantheon. You book your tickets online, with timed entry, €5 per person. There are also machines in front that dispense tickets, but reservations are recommended. In the old days you just walked in, free of charge. Today you’re assaulted by touts offering discounted passes. Beware! These guys are talented scammers and their photocopied tickets prove both illegal and worthless.

Faded glory: Trajan’s column—everyone stops by and cranes their neck. For a better view, you can see a full-size replica up close in London at the V&A. The typographic sign dated 1754 threatens a penalty of 10 crowns ‘and other corporal punishments’ for rubbish violations. Diggers keep running into major archæological finds as they try to expand the subway system—this discovery called Stadio Domiziano contains the ruins of the Domitian Stadium, a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site located under Piazza Navona. The archæological area is all that remains of the only masonry athletics stadium known in Roman history.

You’re being watched over wherever you go by a wealth of baroque faces. A reclining pope seems to be dreaming of otherworldly things from his tomb in a church.

Traditional street entertainers coexist with fashion victims. Workers take a break for a lunch hour game of chess.

Above: A Rome institution, the bustling Sant’Eustachio caffe bar serves up its signature arabica blend, and boasts an incredible gift selection of bagged beans, branded cups, and confectionery items. This is an obligatory stop on any visit. Great people-watching from the outdoor tables.

Culinary wisdom: in addition to the ubiquitous classic cacio e pepe pasta, you must sample the carciofini (local artichokes) available in most restaurants. And it’s always appropriate to order an after-meal espresso with cantucci, those little hard cookies perfect for dipping—which can also be dunked in sweet vin santo liquor following your meal.

Fendi’s former headquarters at Palazzo della Civilta Italiana is a photogenic landmark, a Mussolini-era regeneration, perfect for fashion shoots or channelling your inner di Chirico. Be ready for a healthy taxi fare if you go, since it’s located far from the centre, on the southern side of town.

Zaha Hadid’s spectacular Maxxi museum, the National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome, opened to the public in 2010. An example of stylized wraparound wayfinding signage, an upholstered bench exhausted travellers must try, and a selection of couture books on offer from the bookshop. Highly recommended.

A short three-minute walk from the Roma Termini, the 242-room Hotel Mediterraneo is an authentic treasure trove of art-déco style. A heritage company founded by Piemontese wine merchants in 1875, operator Bettoja Hotels is a family-owned business that has welcomed guests to Rome for over 150 years. Mediterraneo is housed in a structure that was once the highest building in the centre of Rome, in a style inspired by the 1942 expo (which never happened due to World War II). Work was completed by prestigious architects and artisans who employed only first-class materials. There you’ll encounter huge mosaics, Murano lamps and glasswork, vintage custom furniture, expert wood carving and opulent stairways rendered in Carrara marble, to a luxurious degree no longer seen. A recent renovation upgraded the en suite bathrooms and bedrooms. Popular as a business hotel, the property is favoured for both leisure and professional travellers and tour groups, for its business centre and for easy access to intercity connections. Upper floors feature suites with views. The deluxe suite 816 has a wraparound terrace. The 10th-floor Ligea Terrace bar offers heroic panoramas of the city with a museum-grade collection of vintage furniture and decorative arts, and seven premium rooms on the same floor. One suite numbered 3 includes double wraparound balconies. Bettoja Hotels also operates two nearby properties, Hotel Massimo d’Azeglio and Hotel Atlantico.

Hotel Mediterraneo’s cinematic entry and nostalgic déco reception area.

Bedside manner: authentic retro style with ultra-comfort and every modern convenience.

Classic déco seating, fabric, lighting and woodwork in the hotel public areas. Heroic mosaics above the elevators. Vintage directional signage.

Carrara marble staircases, custom Murano chandeliers, historic radio.

A range of déco clocks can be found in the public areas.

Custom writing desks, seating and unique textile designs.

The rooftop terrace Ligea Bar at the Mediterraneo Hotel has views of Rome’s seven hills, and is the perfect platform for watching huge murmurations of starlings swarming in the skies; Romans hate them and carry umbrellas to avoid torrential poop. The art-déco bar is open 6 p.m. to midnight, a perfect spot to observe New Year’s Day fireworks.

It’s entirely possible to step back in time in Meditrraneo’s breakfast room, with its nautical theme and wealth of carved wood details. A light-filled oasis of retro charm.

Directly across the street from the hotel entrance you will find the Massimo d’Azeglio restaurant with its typical wood panelled interiors. Operated in the classic style with career waiters and traditional menu, you can immerse yourself in an environment of culinary history, thanks to the work of an outstanding team and kitchen. Reservations suggested. One flight below the restaurant level an historic cantina is available for special event booking.

The ideal location for a sunset cocktail and snack has to be one of Rome’s popular rooftop terraces. Two prime platforms in the sky near Piazza Navona were sampled, both set on a backdrop of historic domes, turrets and tiled roofs, both highly recommended for sightings of breathtaking skies and beautiful people. Our first stop was the Divinity Terrace at the Pantheon Iconic hotel, a Marriott property, via di Santa Chiara 4/A. The bartender recommended a smashing champagne cocktail shaken up with edible gold and bergamotto hints, infused with a splash of gentian liqueur; or Il Fontanone, a potion concocted with a blue meringue Belvedere vodka base, clementine cocktail, Rooibos tonic infused water and big square ice cube. To a soundtrack of popular songs mixed with the calls of seagulls, we devoured irresistible amberjack tapas and burrata with basil pesto, dusted with sesame seeds. Our second stop on the sunset odyssey took us to the Terrazza Borromini ‘La Grande Bellezza’, located on the rooftop above the fifth floor of Palazzo Pamphilj, via del Pellegrino, 54, Piazza Navona. •

An open-air Spritz Aperol, and an atypical view of the Pantheon’s roof.

On exhibit at Hotel Mediterraneo: meet a Roman goddess from AD 200

Here’s your opportunity to get up close and personal with a goddess of Rome dating to AD 200.

LoveItaly, a non-profit organization, dedicates itself to the preservation and appreciation of Italy’s unique cultural heritage and the world’s greatest living museum. Eighty-five per cent of historic art is kept in store rooms. As part of its ‘art out of the museum’ programme, pieces like the goddess are placed on loan for a year. After, she returns home to her permanent spot in the National Roman Museum. LoveItaly arranges loans of art to public places in collaborations like this one. The non-profit also engages in event creation, promotes lesser known museums and encourages museum visits. •

Stanley Moss is travel editor of Lucire.

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