Rome

Eternal beauty. Big words. But if the historic center of a city deserves this superlative, then that of Rome! The magic never fades - also thanks to Trevi, Supplì, Fendi, Bulgari.
Text: Andreas Jaros

The trip to the capital of Italy, the lost Roman Empire and the invisible realm of faith, begins with a clichéd, wild ride in a cab from Fiumicino airport to the city center. The driver thrashes his car through the traffic, taking advantage of every gap that presents itself and, apart from red light phases, almost constantly accelerating at full throttle. A driving style with consequences: The desolate glove compartment keeps opening and hitting my knee - discreetly, but nevertheless. Nevertheless, a discount on the 50 euro fare is impossibile when I reach my destination in Via del Corso and gratefully stagger out of the car.



All repeat offenders among the visitors who have already marveled at the classic sights can also be thankful. These are and have been mercilessly overrun - 2023 is likely to be the most touristy year in history for Rome. The Colosseum, for Stendhal "the most beautiful of all ruins, breathing all the majesty of ancient Rome", was ordered by the authorities in October to combat the black market with personalized tickets like gladiators. Sistine Chapel? Hours of queuing for a few seconds of Ohhhh. Or St. Peter's Basilica, already outed as a no-go area many years ago by travel magazines: transformed into a very secular place by security guards, barriers and a host of flying traders. The Trevi Fountain? Flooded by crowds day and night, you shouldn't be afraid of contact. And you should dive underground there anyway, ideally with a guide: the exciting "Vicus Caprarius" excavation site consists of a complex of buildings from Roman times and the last remaining section of the "Young and Fruited Aqueduct", which still supplies the Trevi Fountain and other important fountains with water today. The archaeological site, which also houses a museum, was only discovered in 1999 during the restoration of the movie theater in the same building.

Dive into the underworld

This is typical of Rome, this city of layers: There are still so many ancient treasures slumbering in the depths. Just a stone's throw from the Trevi Fountain, for example, a baptismal font from the fourth century was discovered in an old palazzo that was converted into the luxurious "Six Senses". Hotel guests, who might otherwise be more inclined towards contemporary Roman bling-bling from Fendi to Bulgari, can view the relic comfortably through a glass floor. During the construction work for the Renzo Piano Auditorium - the first truly modern building in the city centre when it opened in 2002 - they stumbled across the remains of a villa from the 4th century B.C. The result: Piano, caught on the wrong foot, had to build his work around it in order to be allowed to realize it at all. 3,000 years of history are sacred to the Romans. Fantastic, glorious things await around every corner, behind every piazza. So just let yourself drift, without a plan, and slowly let the emotion sink in. This is guaranteed to happen at the sight of monumental, overwhelming, but also delicate buildings. Chapels, churches, basilicas, museums, galleries, monuments, columns, rippling fountains. Mostly surrounded by the delicious aroma of bakeries, pizzerias, osterias and trattorias.

From little happiness in Via dei Coronari

Apropos "delicious smell": Time for a snack in a side street of the chronically congested Piazza Navona! "Supplì", deep-fried rice croquettes with mozzarella seeds, are a hot tip and just as much a Roman classic as spaghetti all'Amatriciana or pasta cacio e pepe. The "Supplì" in the store of the same name in Via dei Coronari 25 is also a real Roman delight. "Childhood memories," smiles Roberta Lupardini, who has spent her whole life in the area, and sees herself strolling past as a six-year-old with her grandfather. Like all the locals, Roberta appreciates the fact that the little street, which is home to art nouveau antiques, boutiques and supplì as well as one of the best ice cream parlors in the city ("Gelateria del Teatro"), has retained its charm and even a kind of innocence. An espresso at the counter for 1 euro and tramezzini for 2.50? You can actually still get that in a café about halfway along the route. Not to mention the gift at the end of Via dei Coronari: a total view of Castel Sant'Angelo.

Susan Sarandon's hot night in Rome

Hollywood also has a thing for Rome. Older generations are sure to remember the Fifties monzette "A Heart and a Crown", in which Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck inhale the dolce vita on a Vespa. Decades later, Julia Roberts was banging her way appetizingly through "Eat Pray Love". And Woody Allen delighted the local tourism industry with his "To Rome with Love". In the hot autumn of 2023, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel were shot down by paparazzi on a couples' vacation. James Franco ("Why him?") preferred to remain incognito, hid under his hoodie and was nevertheless recognized when he graced the dreamy rooftop of the romantic hotel "Raphael". Susan Sarandon, on the other hand, shows her - probably eternal - love for Rome in an offensive and demonstrative manner. Almost 40 years ago, the great character actress from New Jersey moved into a room with Roman director and screenwriter Franco Amurri above the Spanish Steps in the "De La Ville" hotel, which had also served as a temporary home for Leonard Bernstein. The Oscar-winning actress had always been told that she could not get pregnant. But then that's exactly what happened. Since then, Eva Amurri's famous mother has been beating the drum: "Go to Rome, eat, drink and be merry - and a miracle will happen!"

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