How does one even describe a place like Rome? A city that holds so much history, it feels impossible to put it into words.
The buildings that give off a pink glow in the evening, reflecting the light of the setting sun. The sound of Vespas and old Fiats weaving and zipping through traffic. The smells of pizza, supplì, salty prosciutto, and espresso wafting through the air around every corner. It’s just magic, and a magic few days we had in the eternal city.
In case you’re planning a trip anytime soon, I thought I’d share a little bit of what we got up to on our visit.
To Stay
The Hoxton Rome: Imagine a glamorous lounge from the 1970’s, infused with a distinctly Italian sensibility, and you have the lobby of the Hoxton in Rome. It’s a sprawling space that feels like an expansive living room, with people coming and going throughout the day — a real third space. Cozy earth tones, warm woods, comfortable sofas for lounging, a café and bar (depending on your mood), it was truly the perfect space to wind down after a day of sightseeing. I just love when a hotel feels simultaneously influenced by and integrated with the city in which it exists, and the Hoxton accomplished both. From the moment we checked in, I felt immersed in the city. The rooms were no different: impeccably designed, super functional, and comfortable. The squiggle green headboard and herringbone floors were a particular highlight for me and gave the room a real hit of personality. I would stay at the Hoxton Rome (and genuinely any other Hoxton location) again in a heartbeat, we had such a lovely experience.
Mama Shelter: After returning from Tuscany, we stayed two nights at Mama Shelter before flying home. The hotel was vibrantly decorated, a definite contrast from the earth tones of The Hoxton, with metallics and bright colours throughout the lobby and restaurants. It’s tongue-in-cheek, irreverent, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. The room itself was much more toned down, with raffia lampshades and blonde woods. Oddly, there were plastic cartoon masks hanging on the lamps, which I think were there to encourage posting on social media, and although it wasn’t quite to my taste it was certainly in keeping with the overall cheekiness of the hotel. We ended up being upgraded so the room was truly massive, with a balcony and two queen-sized beds. There is also a spa and a rooftop patio, neither of which we had time to explore, but would certainly be a bonus for longer stays. Unfortunately I don’t have photos to share of this spot because after nine days, I was a bit exhausted of lugging my camera around, but their website definitely gives a good indication of the overall vibe!
Seeing
The Sights: No matter how many times you’ve been to Rome (this was my third visit), it’s almost an essential to see at least some of the major sights: the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, Piazza Navona, this list goes on. Rome is full of these relics of a bygone era, and many of them are situated close together so it makes seeing them all in one day very easy. Even if you don’t have the time to go inside or for an in-depth tour, seeing these places in person is simply awe-inspiring.
Hendrik Christian Andersen Museum: An off-the-beaten-path museum that I couldn’t recommend more if you’re in need of a break from the crowds. Andersen was a Norwegian-American sculptor who eventually settled in Rome and bequeathed his home and studio (a grand pink palazzo near the Tiber) to the Italian government, which is now a museum. It truly felt more like a studio than a museum, with his works placed on wooden palettes and scattered somewhat haphazardly around the rooms, but this only adds to the charm. It’s a small museum but it was a welcome pit-stop on a touristy day.
Villa Borghese: The Hoxton was situated around the corner from Villa Borghese, so we often walked through the park at the start of our days. It’s expansive and you could easily spend an entire day exploring the gardens and museums. While we weren’t able to snag tickets for the Galleria Borghese (housing works by Caravaggio, Canova, and Raphael), we did visit the Canonica Museum, which is the former house-turned-museum of sculptor Pietro Canonica. It’s entry by donation and certainly worth a visit!
Eating
I need to preface this section by saying that this list is by no means exhaustive. There are of course so many incredible restaurants in Rome and I really feel like if you’re even slightly discerning, you really can’t go wrong with anywhere (apart from the places where waiters are practically dragging you inside and have massive poster-boards of their menu on the sidewalk). These are just a few places we enjoyed!
Ai Balestrari a Porta Pia: This spot was a short walk away from The Hoxton in a residential neighbourhood, and felt like a real local’s spot. There were people coming and going all evening to pick up pizzas, chat with the staff, and sit for a glass of wine on the patio. The menu was full of Roman classics, but we both went for the carbonara and it was truly incredible. The portions were generous, the house wine delicious, and the atmosphere lively. What more could you ask for?
Berberè: Another spot in close proximity to The Hoxton, this is some of the best pizza we had on the trip. It’s a sourdough pizza and the menu was seemingly endless. Definitely not the most classic or authentic pizza spot you’ll ever visit in Italy, but they were truly delicious pies!
Elio: This is actually the restaurant inside The Hoxton lobby, and it was a truly great spot. The patio was lively and the food was delicious. Portions were on the smaller side relative to some other spots we visited, but the flavours were incredible and very refined. Call me boring but on the first night of a trip, I simply love eating in a good lobby restaurant and taking the elevator directly upstairs to bed!
Supplì: A tiny little spot in Trastevere serving a Roman street food called supplì (of course) and other local classics like Roman-style pizza. Supplì are similar to arancini (which are a southern Italian specialty), but supplì have the addition of tomato sauce alongside the risotto, and are of course deep fried. Supplì (the restaurant) had a delicious array of flavours including amatriciana, cacio e pepe, and carbonara alongside the classic marinara. A great spot for an afternoon snack!
Pizzeria Da Baffetto: This one we didn’t actually have a chance to dine in, but it came highly recommended from a few people. It’s high on our list for next time!
And that’s it! Thanks as always for reading! xx
