Hit up the restaurant “La Scala”, it is my absolute favorite little spot in my favorite city: http://rome-hotels.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d786061-Reviews-La_Scala-Rome_Lazio.html

Enjoy Roma my friend!

You should do as the Romans do sorry I couldn’t resist! Gawd, now all I can think of is Monty Python quotes like “what have the Romans ever done for us”

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ExWfh6sGyso

Hands down best gelato is http://www.ilgelatodisancrispino.it/. Conveniently located (once you find it) between Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon.

A most unusual site/sight is the “bone church” at Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini. http://tinyurl.com/2kb86u

An often overlooked museum is the Borghese Gallery: http://tinyurl.com/5fw4rf
It’s chockablock with things you saw in Art History 101. The Bernini sculptures are particularly mind boggling: http://tinyurl.com/6me7b6

For a brief, but worthwhile and unusual architectural sight, drop by the Palazzo Zuccari http://tinyurl.com/6lqxol. You can’t go inside (privately owned), but it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen.

Go to the Bar San Callisto. A guaranteed good time.

http://community.roughguides.com/planning/journalEntryActivity.asp?JournalID=33108&EntryID=54566&n=Bar+San+Callisto

take the train to florence!!! it’s WAY better than rome. get some tortellini or a 5 cheese pizza.. flask of white table wine, i’m drooling. walk thru the leather market and grab a leather jacket.

EAT
Primo al Pigneto \ via del pigneto 46 in the brand new trendy neighborhod
Open Colonna \ via piacenza in the “palazzo delle esposizioni” magniloquent architecture
L’Altro Mastai \ via giraud near Piazza Navona haute cuisine

PIZZA
Bir&Fud \ via benedetta in Trastevere, the best in town

DRINK
SetteZest in che Radisson Sas Hotel \ Via Turati, 7th floor
Stravinsky Bar in the De Russie Hotel \ Via del Babbuino near Piazza del Popolo

APERITIVO
Societe Lutece \ piazza di montevecchio

SHOPPING
in the Rione Monti (metro Cavour) though the Via Bendetta, Via del Boschetto, Via Leonina…
And in the historic center (near Pantheon, Piazza Navona

ops…

GELATO

Di Noto \ Piazza Colonna
San Crispino \ Piazza della Maddalena
Fata Morgana \ Via Ostiense near Piramide

SNACK

RosticceRì \ corso rinascimento near Senato
Roscioli \ Via dei Chiavari

I love Italian food but it’s hard to find good one in Rome. My favorite by far was also the cheapest, smallest restaurant, run by a family for years and years.

It looks ugly from the outside and yes, it is ugly inside, especially in the contrast with the surrounding restaurants in Travestere, but you will thank me when back! (hopefully the will still have the fried artichokes)

I think there is a cheap set menu. Book in advance otherwise you won’t have a table, even for 2.

Da Enzo
Via dei Vascellari 29, Testaccio and Trastevere

From the Hg2 site:
On the hipper side of Trastevere, this tiny authentic trattoria belongs in a Fellini film for the characters it attracts. Plates come piled unspeakably high with unspeakably satisfying pasta. Head to Galleria Santa Cecilia afterwards for a fix of modern culture.

On the other, less touristy side of Trastevere this unaffected, homely trattoria dishes up some of the best and heartiest pasta in Rome.

Crema di peperoni (pasta with creamed red pepper sauce) is the exquisite signature dish, alongside traditional Roman classics with simple, predominant flavours (such as penne all’amatriciana). Bowls of pasta arrive on the table in never-decreasing mountains, so don’t expect an express meal but instead enjoy watching a cast of fellow diners who wouldn’t seem out of place in a Fellini film. Wash it all down with some honest table wine and save room for some of the best tiramisu in Rome.

Don’t be put off by the brusque and surly service – it’s all part of the experience; just be surly back and you’ll earn their respect. Take a peek into the kitchen to see worryingly large monoliths of meat in preparation, and finally we’ve a word of warning: do not attempt lunch here if you have a busy afternoon of sightseeing. You won’t make it past the Isola Tiberina before needing a rest.

Opening Times: 12.30–3.30pm, 7.30–11.30pm. Closed Sundays.
Telephone: + 39 (0)6 581 8355
Price: €30

I totaly agree with Oliver, Da Enzo is a great experience, even if you are italian… as me.

I think that I have something that might interest you!

We just developed a new pervasive game based on an alternative tourist guide that leads people to discover Rome in an innovative way, being involved in a mystery that they can solve by visiting different famous places.

The gaming platform (based on a book and an SMS server that provides you codes to interpret the riddles) has already been successfully tested in Venice. We are about to publish the Rome chapter and more will come worldwide, but if you like, we could possibly arrange a special free beta test for you. How long will you be here?

For sure, it would be a rather uncommon (and fascinating) way to discover the city! If you want to guess go to http://whaiwhai.com

By the way, I can also advise you about food. If you feel like to try a good vegetarian, I suggest you Ristorarte in Via Margutta (http://ilmargutta.it/margutta_en/index.php).

Have fun!

Hey Josh, it’s been a while since I’ve been to Rome but if you do want to take a day trip or find yourself on the railway to Florence, you should check out Orvieto. It’s an amazing little town. Check it out here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orvieto

Hi,
I was in Rome last September and the best restaurant by far was “da Alfredo e Ada” and it’s located at 14 Via Banchi Nuovi – very close to the East bank of Tiber River and West of Piazza Navona. They are closed on Saturday and Sunday. Buon Appetito!

I wrote a review of it here: http://www.misscrew.com/blog/2007/09/25/roma-quaranta-gradi-da-alfredo-e-ada/

Quaranta Gradi is also a cool shop to check out and it’s also mentioned in the review I did above. Hope that helps and buon viaggio!

* View The Forum from the Capitoline at night (big typewriter building)
* The Pantheon (especially if it rains)

Hello Josh!
I send you a mail … it would be great if we can meet in Italy!