Revealed Rome

The Most Romantic Hotels in Rome

Planning a honeymoon in Rome... or simply looking for a romantic break? Here's my list of the eight of the most romantic Rome hotels!

Of course, one person's amore-inspiring room is another person's crazy-maker. So let's break it down. If your idea of romance means....

Knights, turrets and damsels:

Then stay at: Hotel Campo de Fiori (top). Located in a Renaissance-era palazzo right on Campo de Fiori (luckily, given the piazza's popularity with late-night carousers, all the windows are fully soundproofed), the boutique hotel's 23 rooms come with the kinds of details that'll make you feel like you've fallen into a fairytale—think velvet headboards, elaborate tapestries, wood-beamed ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and ornate gilt frames, even for the flat-screened televisions. As with most Rome hotel rooms, the standard rooms aren't particularly spacious, and they tend to be on the dim side. But that's all part of the Olde Worlde romance. Doubles start at €150 a night. Via del Biscione, 6. +39 0668806865. 

 

Or: Hotel Manfredi Suite in Rome (above).  This 2-year-old hotel hides in an 18^th-century palazzo on artsy Via Margutta. Rooms aren’t big (they start at 140 square feet), but with their deep colors, ornate wallpaper, and elaborate gold frames, they still manage to feel nearly regal. For more space, opt for a deluxe, which starts at 215 square feet—or live like a king in a 430-square-foot junior suite. Doubles start at €150 a night. Via Margutta, 61. +39 063207676.

Sexy times:

Then stay at: Spagna Royal Suite. This brand-new boutique hotel has details so sensuous, they'd be ridiculous—if they weren't so cool. Think unusual features like an in-room steam sauna or mosaic Jacuzzi, not to mention lots of play with textures and lighting, with everything from leather to snakeskin to gold gilt showing up on the walls. Rooms start at €200 a night. Via Mario de’ Fiori, 3. +39 0669923793.

Want to Know Where to Stay in Rome? Check Out National Geographic Traveller

Want to know where to find the best accommodation in Rome? You could check out my articles on the best B&Bs and boutique hotels in Rome for the Guardian.

Or you could pick up the National Geographic Traveller (that's the UK version of the magazine) March/April 2012 issue to find my favorite hotels in Rome—this time, organized by neighborhood. (Hello, Prati/Monti/Trastevere/"heart of the centro storico." Love you all.) On newsstands now.

(A third option is in the works: I'm working on beefing up my "accommodation" section on this blog. The first attempt is this post on the most romantic hotels in Rome).

No (Fiscal) Receipt? No Party: How Tourists Can Help the Campaign Against Tax Evasion in Italy

Everyone knows that tax evasion is one of the biggest issues facing Italy's economy. But very few tourists to Italy know that they have the power to do something about it.

And should.

That's because tax evasion in Italy doesn't just happen in accountants' offices behind closed doors. It happens every time a product, meal, or coffee is sold. Why? Because Italian stores and restaurants have a book of "fiscal receipts" issued by the government—and legally, they need to give the customer a fiscal receipt (ricevuta fiscale) for each interaction. Each time they use a ricevuta fiscale, the government knows about the purchase... and the interaction is taxed.

Without issuing that ricevuta fiscale, it's like the interaction never happened. And, therefore, it's untaxed.

And so, guess what: You hardly ever see fiscal receipts in Italy. Especially if you're a tourist.

Restaurants and stores know that tourists have no idea what a fiscal receipt looks like versus a non-fiscal receipt. They also know that tourists have a tendency to think it's "cute" when their waiter does something like, say, scribble the total on the tablecloth or a napkin. Guess what? That's not a fiscal receipt. And that's not cute. It means that your meal isn't being taxed. It's going right into the owner's pockets, tax-free.

Can You Guess Where, and What, These Little Bits of Roman Antiquity Are?

It's no secret that Rome is a city chock-full of the ancient past. Reminders of a city, and empire, of 2,000 years ago aren't just rife in the Forum, Palatine and Colosseum, but beneath churches like the Basilica of San Clemente and San Nicola in Carcere, acting as the main event in open spaces like the Park of the Aqueducts, and even serving as forums for everything from ballet and opera to light shows and displays. In short, ruins are everywhere.

Maybe that's why some of my favorite ancient ruins in Rome aren't the big, famous monuments. They're the little bits of antiquity that you simply stumble across: an ancient column sunk into the wall of an otherwise-unassuming apartment building, a still-running fountain with a wornaway face that you just know must be 2,000 years old. These can be tough to find. That's part of the fun.

Here, I'll share with you my favorite "secret" bits of antiquity, tucked into street corners and buildings all across the city.

Can you guess where—and what—they are?

I've now published all of the guesses in the "Comments." To see how close you were, scroll to the bottom of this page for the answers!

Ready? Set? ...Go!

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Weekend Trip to Verona (Maybe for Valentine's Day?)

Verona—an easy day trip from Venice, or a weekend trip from Rome—just happens to be one of the most romantic cities in Italy. And not just because Shakespeare set Romeo and Juliet there. It boasts everything from gorgeous scenery (hello, sunset over the River Adige) to atmospheric ruins, medieval palaces to what might just be the loveliest piazza in Italy.

Out today in the Guardian, here's my pick for 10 of the best hotels, restaurants, and activities in Verona.

By the way: Yes, you can get there easily from Rome. The fast train, which takes just 3 hours, costs 63 euros on Trenitalia's MINI fare or 70 for full-price. Valentine's Day escape, anyone?

 

The Tombs of the Scipioni Reopen in Rome

Excellent news: After being closed for 20 years, the 2,300-year-old tombs of the Scipio family have been reopened to the public. More over at my post for the New York Times here.

Two More Art Opportunities in Rome

A fan of art? And of Rome? Then you'll be happy to know that two new opportunities for viewing some of the city's best pieces have just opened up—on both the modern and Renaissance sides.

Check out my two latest pieces, "Palazzo Farnese Now Offers English Tours" and "A Home for Art Reopens in Rome," for the New York Times. (Photo: Massimo Siragusa for the Galleria d’Arte Moderna di Roma Capitale).

Obscured Frescoes See the Light in Rome, for the NYT

A fan of restorations that reveal art as it was meant to be seen? Me too. So I'm liking the "big reveal" that took place this fall at the Palazzo Quirinale, unveiling decorations by Cortona and his students for the first time in 200 years. For more, check out my latest In Transit post here. (Photo: Palazzo Quirinale press office).

Christmas in Rome: Some Serious Lights

This year, Rome is celebrating Christmas with some of the glitteriest, prettiest lights I've seen. Ever. And since that includes the decorations that glitter-bomb American shopping malls and cul-de-sac neighborhoods every year, that's saying quite a bit.

Here, just a few twinkly tastes of the most Christmas-sy corners of Rome. Photos—and even a couple of short videos—to follow.

Prepare to be dazzled.

    Piazza Venezia

Via dei Coronari

Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina

In the NYT: Show Explores Rome's Role in the Renaissance

Turns out, it's not all about Florence: A show at the Fondazione Roma proves just how much of a role Rome played in the Renaissance. Learn more by checking out my post on the "Renaissance in Rome" show over at the New York Times' In Transit blog.