Alternative Rome

Overview

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Very few cities can boast nearly 3,000 years of art treasures, many of which are sitting out in the open for all to enjoy under a Roman sky. Rome has always been a city of art collectors. All those popes (and the families that supported them) had ample opportunity and funds to spend on relics, portraits, sculpture, and jewelry. Dig deeper into the list of minor museums and collections and you'll find a multitude of smaller museums, churches, private collections and galleries to whet your appetite for culture, history, and sometimes, the strange.Quick Tips: If you want some relief from the tourist hordes, there are some strategies. Prepare to arrive at the iconic historical sites about a half ...Read More

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Gina

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Restaurant

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I like the family-style osterias as much as the next person. But sometimes I crave lighter interpretations of those traditional dishes. I came upon GiNa by accident. Strategically located on the way to the Villa Borghese, the café sits on the corner of Via San Sebasatianello in a terra-cotta colored building.The toney all-white (with blue accents) interior begs you to chill out. The lively crowd, though, urges you to eavesdrop discreetly, as fashion folks from the local boutiques have to eat too! If you are brave enough, eat at the communal table to the right of the entrance. It’s a good way to practice your Italian, as undoubtedly others will draw you in with a "mi ‘scusi" for the ...Read More

I like the family-style osterias as much as the next person. But sometimes I crave lighter interpretations of those traditional dishes. I came upon GiNa by accident. Strategically located on the way to the Villa Borghese, the café sits on the corner of Via San Sebasatianello in a terra-cotta colored building.

The toney all-white (with blue accents) interior begs you to chill out. The lively crowd, though, urges you to eavesdrop discreetly, as fashion folks from the local boutiques have to eat too! If you are brave enough, eat at the communal table to the right of the entrance. It’s a good way to practice your Italian, as undoubtedly others will draw you in with a "mi ‘scusi" for the balsamic vinegar.

The menu is set up instinctively (at least, to a Roman) into sections that tune in to how you may feel (and, by extension, what you feel like eating). For example, I started my meal with bresaola with shaved Parmigiano and arugula from the "Be Classic" section of the menu and then moved on to a familiar entree, pasta e fagioli, from the "Be Warm" section. In between courses, we munched on complimentary bread and pizza bianca. All were delicious and surprisingly light and fresh (even the pasta e fagioli), demonstrating the open kitchen’s commitment to the best ingredients possible. I ended my meal with an authentic dessert, Meringata alla panna e marron glaceès salsa al cioccolato, (meringue with cream, marron glacees, and chocolate sauce) from the "Be Sweet" list (what else?). Truly decadent!

Insider’s tip: The next time I return to Rome, I’m going to take my lunch to go. The restaurant supplies overstuffed baskets for a picnic in nearby Villa Borghese, including dishes, glasses, and thermoses of espresso. Look on the menu under "Be Classic". It has a subheading that reads: "Be Romantic."

Their well-designed website: http://www.ginaroma.com contains the complete menu (with prices) and hours. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on February 13, 2007

Gina
Via San Sebastianello 7A
Rome, Italy
+39 (06) 678-0251

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Galleria Doria Pamphilj

Attraction

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The lines at the Vatican Museum wind around to St. Peter's Basilica, and you have a jones for some serious art. Another private collection is waiting for you at the not oft-visited Galleria Doria Pamphilj. Housed in a palazzo with an unassuming facade (enter on the Via Del Corso), the interior was designed to imitate a tiny Versailles (yes, there is a tiny Hall of Mirrors). However, it won't be the furniture that impresses you. Rather the sheer number of portaits, still lifes, paintings, and sculptures in this jam-packed collection is actually quite impressive. It includes several important pieces, like a couple of early Caravaggios ("Rest on the Flight into Egypt" and "The Penitent Magdalene")....Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on January 29, 2007

Galleria Doria Pamphilj
Piazza del Collegio Romano, 2
Rome, Italy 00186
+39 06 6797323

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Ara Pacis

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Attraction

Ara Pacis Monument Photo - Ara Pacis, Rome, Italy

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Perhaps you’ve already seen the Fora Romana and were bewildered by all the rubble. While each of the Fora are important archaeological sites, one doesn’t really know what they are looking at unless they have a guide (or at least, a guide book). And these two sites are absolutely no fun in the rain. If you are looking for one beautifully preserved monument in Rome that comes with its own guide (for a small price) and shelter, look no further than the Ara Pacis Augustae (Augustus’ Altar of Peace).Recently housed within a sleek ultra-modern glass boxlike building designed by Richard Meier, the altar itself (which lies within an enclosure decorated on the inside with realistically carved flora...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 31, 2007

Ara Pacis
Lungotevere in Augusta
Rome, Italy 00186
+39 0636003471

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Museo Napoleonico

Attraction

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When in Rome, the Pantheon is a must-see. At one time the building was a temple to all gods. Now as a temple to great men, it houses the tombs of famous Italians like Raphael and Vittorio Emanuele II. Great Man Napoleon didn’t spend much time in Rome (he was too busy conquering the rest of the known western world), but his sister Pauline and mother Letizia like the city so much they decided to stay. Ultimately, the Pantheon didn’t get his tomb (Paris did), but Rome was left with a lovely little museum that houses Bonaparte family artifacts, including jewelry, portraits and busts and documents relating to the Corsican’s Italian Campaign (especially the Battle of Rivoli). Some of the most touching it...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on January 31, 2007

Museo Napoleonico
Piazza Ponte Umberto I, 1
Rome, Italy 00186
+39 0668806286

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Santa Maria del Popolo

Attraction

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You've seen St. Peter's already and are not prepared to deal with the tourist hordes on a hot Summer day. Since Rome is the city of hundreds of churches and chapels, you have plenty of alternatives if you want art with your religion.The Augustinian church next to the north gate of the Piazza del Popolo, Santa Maria del Popolo (1227), contains works by a who’s who of the finest artists working in Rome at the time: tombs by Andrea Sansovino, frescoes by Pinturicchio, a chapel designed by Raphael, and sculptures by Bernini.Walk down the nave to the left side transept and you find the crown jewel, in my opinion, of this collection, the chapel (Cappella Cerasi) decorated by two Caravagg...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on April 6, 2008

Santa Maria del Popolo
Via del Popolo, 12
Rome, Italy 00187
+39 063610836

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Day Trip to Calcata

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Story/Tip

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Upon first pronunciation it may sound like a detour to India, but it couldn't be farther from that country. In many ways Calcata is your typical Italian citadel: well preserved, remote, and picturesque. Located about 30 miles north of Rome, the fortress hill town sits protectively on a volcanic mound and overlooks a valley of lush juniper and hazelnut trees. But this medieval village differs from others in that decades ago, it was on the brink of extinction because the Italian government had determined the rugged crag it was sitting upon was anything but protective; it was crumbling and a danger to its inhabitants. Most of Calcata (Vecchia) packed up and moved to the neighboring Calcata Nuova a half m...Read More

Upon first pronunciation it may sound like a detour to India, but it couldn't be farther from that country. In many ways Calcata is your typical Italian citadel: well preserved, remote, and picturesque. Located about 30 miles north of Rome, the fortress hill town sits protectively on a volcanic mound and overlooks a valley of lush juniper and hazelnut trees. But this medieval village differs from others in that decades ago, it was on the brink of extinction because the Italian government had determined the rugged crag it was sitting upon was anything but protective; it was crumbling and a danger to its inhabitants. Most of Calcata (Vecchia) packed up and moved to the neighboring Calcata Nuova a half mile away.

Luckily the artists, musicians, and entrepreneurs who adopted and re-settled Calcata in the 1970s have revived the city from certain death (they even got the government’s death sentence lifted). Slowly these "re-animators" are bringing commerce and culture back to the slumbering village. They have become the village’s pulse by rebuilding it stone by stone, opening cafés, and fostering an artisanal spirit that is now evident when you stroll down the main drag of this one donkey town. Case in point: as I was strolling down the main street I came upon a tiny jewelry shop filled with exquisite handmade pieces. I settled on a ring, and wanted to pay, but no one was running the shop. I went across the street into a ceramics studio and asked (in broken Italian) the proprietress if there was someone running the jewelry shop. She promptly took off her cap (which held back her thick hair while she was using the potter’s wheel), wiped off her hands, and ran across the street, apologetic. Not only was she a jewelry designer, but a master stoneware artisan as well.

As with most hill towns, you have to check your car at the gate. In this case you just park your car along the road that approaches the city and trek in. There’s no mistaking where the entrance is...the way in and out are the same. As you pass through the ramparts, you’ll be struck at how the residents today are living much as their former inhabitants did during medieval times, like the town has been protected from the modern world. Furniture is delivered by donkey. No one does business during the siesta. Steep and sometimes slick cobblestones on an S curve lead into the historical center, where you’ll find the lone church (and some unusual stone chairs in front of it). At first glance, you may think the entire town has shut down (it may have if it’s Sunday or Monday), or maybe everyone is taking an extended siesta. But look closer down the cross streets and alleyways past the families of feral cats, and you’ll see and hear small signs of life coming from tiny artist studios, boutiques, and galleries.

Driving is the most convenient way to reach Calcata (see the town’s website for specific driving directions: http://www.calcata.info/enindex.html). To get there by bus, take one of the light-rail trains from the Ferrovia Nord station in Rome to the Saxa Rubra bus terminal (a 20-minute ride) and switch to a blue Cotral bus (www.cotralspa.it) that stops at Calcata. Buses leave almost every hour, and the ride takes about 45 minutes. Tickets are sold at the snack bar, Bar Saxa.

2009 Update: Calcata has recently been featured in David Farley's book"In Irreverent Curiousity." [Gotham Books, $25] In the tale, he describes the most holy and unusual of relics once owned by the village. Read Less

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