Rome in style
Every year, the Saldi in Bella Roma is a big happening!
Prices at Gucci, Prada & Co. plummet to astronomical lows and cosmopolitan bargain hunters book their flights well in advance - because in no other Italian city can you combine shopping and la dolce vita as beautifully as here! What does all this have to do with body & soul? Allora ... every body wants to be beautifully covered and is happy about a "refresh" of the closet in the form of new it-pieces from time to time! And if you're in the mood for a "refresh" for your taste buds after an exhaustive shopping tour, you won't have to look far in the alleyways between the Spanish Steps and the Pantheon!
Slowing down is the new credo in the countless trendy slow-food restaurants and smoothie bars! The place to be if you fancy a crispy organic salad, a light pasta or a detox smoothie in between meals is the foodie haven on the top floor of the brand new luxury shopping temple Rinascente Tritone - with fantastic views over Rome from the roof terrace! After-shopping pampering for the soul awaits me in my exclusive city hideaway, the Rocco Forte Hotel de Russie.
The modern palazzo with its beautiful garden is located in the middle of the golden triangle of luxury boutiques between the Spanish Steps, Via Condotti and Piazza del Popolo - the ideal strategic location for shopping queens, as you don't have to lug your shopping bag around with you all day! The Stravinskij Bar is the hotspot for chic Romans at aperitivo time, and the De Russie Spa is considered the ultimate retreat in the heart of Rome, where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the Centro Storico and indulge in a signature Rocco Forte ritual. It begins with a soothing foot bath and concludes with the specially created Forte Organics Smoothie, served in the relaxation area or by the Marine Hydro Pool, where the ancient Roman tradition of bathing is revived. The rituals use fine products from the hotel's own organic cosmetics line Forte Organics.
I book the "Body Ritual", including a fragrant apricot full-body scrub, herbal cream pack for silky-soft skin and a massage. And while I indulge in the dolce farniente under the magical hands of the spa therapist, I think with a rapturous smile about which of my newly purchased outfits I'm about to wear to dinner!
More info:
www.roccofortehotels.com www.gingersaporiesalute.com www.zumarestaurant.com
Photo credits: (c) Rocco Forte Hotels
