Rome - Citibank Singapore · GALLERIA BORGHESE Activity Not only is the villa pretty, but the...

Intro Blah Blah LUXE Insider LUXE Loves LUXE Loathes Fab vs. Drab LUXE ItinerariesP1 / LUXE ROME

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Rome

THERE ARE FEW CITIES ON THE PLANET MORE STEEPED IN HISTORY, INTRIGUE, POLITICS, CULTURE, ROMANCE, AND JAW-DROPPING ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE THAN ROME.

The sheer scale and breathtaking

preservation of many of the cities

greatest monuments is a joy to behold.

And then of course, there is the cooking,

the staggering art, the fashion, la bella

figura and of course la dolce vita. The

Romans love life, and who are we to deny

them? Embrace Rome with open arms,

and go as often as you can, there’s simply

nowhere like it.

The cult pocket city guides and mobile

apps for the busy, sophisticated traveler

www.luxecityguides.comCITI PRESENTS LUXE CITY GUIDES


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• Rome is super-saturated with

visitors on all major holidays,

particularly religious ones; the best

times to visit are Nov, Jan or Feb;

Aug broils, the population flee en

masse and the city all but shuts, but

at least the streets are relatively

crowd free – your call

• Fiumicino to Centro set fare by taxi:

€45 / 40 mins

• Cycling and walking are great

options around Centro. Beyond,

the metro and trams are easy and

frequent

• Ciampino to Centro set fare by taxi:

€35 / 35 mins

• Taxi drivers are notorious for adding

extras, so watch the meter, Peter. In

town, the meter’s red dot should be

next to the #1; if not, he’s diddling

you...

• Check your change, Romans rarely

tip their drivers

Blah blah• Stillies + cobble streets don’t mix, so

break out the flats

• Spring: Settimana della Cultura –

Culture Week, all state museums

are free / beniculturali.it. Sep/

Oct: Roma Europa Art Festival –

music, dance and theatre / http://

www.romaeuropa.net. Oct/Nov:

Festa del Cinema / http://www.

romacinemafest.it.

• Shops generally open from 10am-

7:30pm, although smaller ones take

an afternoon pause from 1-4pm, and

most close all day Sun and on Mon

mornings too

• Restaurants and services tend to

close on Sunday as well, so use this

day for museums and activities

• Always book well ahead for the city’s

best tables and be sure to reconfirm

as reservations often get ‘lost’

• Service is always included, but add

up to 10% anyway

• All indoor restaurants and bars are

non-smoking

• Bars are legally required to let non-

patrons use loos which is terribly

useful if you’r caught short

• Coffee etiquette: caffè/espresso is a

single shot, doppio is a double shot,

Americano is a long black

• Drinking cappuccino after midday is

considered a tad declassé

• The intl dialing code for Italy is +39,

Rome’s city code is 6, although this

prefix is not needed when calling

mobiles; for general emergencies

dial 113


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LUXE INSIDER

Kika Repetto / PERSONAL SHOPPER

Style consultant Kika Repetto is

the city’s go-to personal shopper

offering full or half-day bespoke

itineraries tailored to match

each client’s budget and taste.

Commuting between Rome, São

Paulo, Paris and London she keeps

a firm finger on the pulse of all

the latest trends and forecasts,

openings, closings and city secrets.

By appt only +39 328 696 4886


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1) WHAT’S THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT ROME AND WHY? ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL EVENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR?

May, flowers everywhere, walls

covered in jasmine, the entire town

is jasmine scented! Visit the Roseto

Comunale (open from May to October

an amazing rose garden with 1100

different varieties of roses – Via di

Valle Murcia, 6 (Aventino)

2) WHAT’S THE ONE THING EVERY VISITOR TO ROME MUST DO AND WHY?

View Rome from the top! From the

Passeggiata del Gianicolo by the

statue of Garibaldi, from the terrace

of Musei Capitoline, or Hotel Eden’s

La Terrazza dell’Eden (fantastic

for drinks), from the Pincio Villa

Borghese, or from the terrace of

Castel SantÁngelo. All offer sublime

views of the city around sunset.

www.museicapitolini.org

www.laterrazzadelleden.com

www.castelsantangelo.com

3) WHERE CAN YOU BE FOUND ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY MORNING? In spring or on a sunny winter day, for

lunch at Ciampini at Piazza Trinita dei

Monti by the Spanish Steps, or Bar

Cafe Ciampini in Piazza San Lorenzo

in Lucina for cappuccino and cornetti

or a light lunch.

www.caffeciampini.com

www.ciampini.net

4) WHAT’S THE BEST LOCAL DELICACY IN ROME, AND WHY AND WHERE IS IT WORTH TRYING?

Burrata and dried pachino tomatoes

with nut bread you could die for

at Roscioli, one of the best Italian

gourmet shops that has a small

restaurant in the back. Make sure

you book!

www.salumeriaroscioli.com

5) WHERE WOULD YOU GO FOR A COCKTAIL AND WHAT WOULD YOU ORDER?

Salotto 42 at Piazza di Pietra 42.

Very good drinks in a cool modern

atmosphere in front of the most

striking columns in Rome, steps away

from the Pantheon. Good music, and a

young and hip Roman crowd that give

a sense of where the city’s scene is

at right now! I love their Bloody Mary

with lots of lemon.

www.salotto42.it

LUXE INSIDER

Kika Repetto / PERSONAL SHOPPER


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LA TAVERNA DEI FORI IMPERIALI Dining

Packed to the rafters and always

popular, the serious, no nonsense, big

flavors cooking, and cheerful, swift

service keep the diners coming back

for more. If you like gingham on your

table, and classic dishes like carbonara

or meat loaf on your plate, you’ll be in

heaven.

AL MORO Dining

Fellini was a fan, and Valentino still is.

Head to this charming time warp for

polished woods, nostalgic photographs

and traditional recipes served up

with old-fashioned finesse. Try the

house speciality, Spaghetti Al Moro (a

version of carbonara) and don’t worry,

Franco the grumpy owner is grumpy

to everyone, not just you!

SANTA LUCIA Dining

In late spring and all through summer

can there be anything lovelier than

dining alfresco at night on the little

triangular, tree-lined terrazza of Santa

Lucia? The freshest of ingredients

are paraded for your delectation, the

waiters are beyond friendly, and its

location means it’s literally steps from

the Raphael Hotel and its glorious little

rooftop bar where you will no doubt

wish to sit pre and post. Cin cin!

Largo Febo, 12 / Navona /

+39 6 6880 2427

www.santaluciaristorante.it

Via Madonna dei Monti 9 / Monti /

+39 6 679 8643 / closed Tuesday

www.latavernadeiforiimperiali.com

Vicolo delle Bollette, 13 / Trevi /

+39 6 678 3495 / closed Sunday

LUXE Loves


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LUXE Loves

LUCIA ODESCALCHI Shopping

If contemporary jewelry rings your

bell, then don’t dare miss these

stunning collections housed in Ms.

Odescalchi’s beautiful family palazzo.

Pairing bronze and iron and steel with

diamonds and precious stones, Lucia

has set the fashion world alight, and

more than a few hearts fluttering.

Piazza Santi Apostoli, 81 /

+39 6 699 2556

www.luciaodescalchi.com

MORIONDO & GARIGLIO

Shopping

Who can resist sweets for the sweet?

No matter what time of year you visit

this confetteria you’re guaranteed

a seasonal delight of homemade

chocolates and candies, from

marron glacés in winter to sugar

violets in spring. Adorable and sinful,

in equal measure.

Via del Pie di Marmo, 21 / Pantheon /

+39 6 699 0856 / closed Sunday

GALLERIA BORGHESE Activity

Not only is the villa pretty, but the

superb, perfectly-sized museum inside

it contains gorgeous works by Titian,

Raphael, Caravaggio and Rubens, as

well as staggering Bernini and Canova

marble masterpieces that seem to be

alive. What’s more, tickets are limited

and timed, so there is no push or shove

and no over-crowding. A joy!

Villa Borghese / Piazzale Scipione

Borghese, 5 / +39 6 328 10 / tickets

must be booked in advance

www.galleriaborghese.it

IL GOCCETTO Bar

As you amble down Via dei Banchi

Vecchi, at lunchtime, but more

especially in the evening, you’ll

see patrons spilling out onto the

street at this greatly loved and

mellow institution that specialises

in small labels from Sicily to Venice.

Fun and friendly.

Via dei Banchi Vecchi, 14 / Campo

di Fioro / +39 6 686 4268 /

closed Sunday

www.ilgoccetto.com

SALOTTO 42 Bar

Rome’s fashionistas love the relaxed,

but chic vibe of this book-lined salon

with its great cocktails, sounds and

plush places to perch. Tucked in the

back streets behind the Pantheon and

open throughout the day, it’s a great

bolt-hole for a coffee too.

Piazza di Pietra, 42 / Pantheon /

+39 6 678 5804 / closed Monday

www.salotto42.it

GELATERIA SAN CRISPINO

Dining

There’s ice cream, and then there’s

San Crispino gelati. This traditional

parlour delivers divine homemade

honey, meringue, ginger and fig

amongst many, many others, and

while you have to run the gauntlet of

the Trevi milling masses to get to it, it

sure is worth it when you do. Dreamy

and creamy!

Via della Panetteria, 42 / Trevi /

+39 6 679 3924 / closed Tuesdays

in autumn and winter

www.ilgelatodisancrispino.it


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LUXE LovesTHE SCAVI TOUR

Activity

Not for the fainthearted, nor those

suffering from claustrophobia, this

unique tour is severely restricted

in numbers, highly atmospheric

and takes you into the bowels of St.

Peter’s Basilica to visit the original

pagan necropolis underneath it and

purported last resting place of St.

Peter himself.

BABUINO 181 Hotel

Fabulously situated, molto elegante

contemporary chambers wrapped

in a C.18th palazzo, with comp WiFi,

snappy service and quieter courtyard-

facing rooms for light sleepers, and all

but a Gucci loafer’s toss from Piazza

Popolo, Hotel de Russie and the lovely

shopping of Via Margutta and Via

Condotti. Bliss!

PORTRAIT SUITES Hotel

This 14-suite ‘residence’ oozes

Ferragamo attention to detail and

style, attentive staff, a calm palette

of limed woods and dove grey, plus a

fabulous rooftop deck that’s perfect for

sunset views of the city. All rooms have

kitchenettes, while #51 has a private

terrace and #52 is super-doop duplex.

Via Bocca di Leone, 23 / Spagna /

+39 6 6938 0742 /

www.lungarnocollection.com/en

Via del Babuino, 181 / Popolo /

+39 6 6992 1907

www.romeluxurysuites.com

You can only book (in advance) via the

Vatican Excavations Office by email

or fax – [email protected] / +39 6 69 873

017 / for full application details type in

‘excavations office scavi’ on the search

engine at www.vatican.va


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LUXE LoathesTAXI DRIVERS

Notorious for adding extras, watch out

for the red dot scam (see Blah blah).

GRAFFITI

Everywhere, particularly Trastevere,

such a shame.

WAITERS

You could expire and be buried before

being served.

‘CENTURIONS’ AT THE COLISEUM

These photo ops, are photo flops.

OPENING TIMES

What do Roman shopkeepers do on

Sunday, Monday morning and daily

between 1-4pm?


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Fab vs. DrabVATICAN VISIT

Nothing can be more drab than

standing in line outside the Vatican

Museums with literally thousands of

other grumpy people, so to cut your

queue time to only minutes, book a

personal guided tour with Context

Travel – ta-dah!

www.contexttravel.com

PICNIC

Don’t waste time racing all around

town trying to put together hamper

ingredients, pop into Gina and pick

up a picnic ‘cestino’ packed with

summery goodies.

www.ginaroma.com

GETTING AROUND

Rome’s myriad of tiny streets can

mean getting stuck in noisy traffic

on baking summer days is a strong

possibility, consider instead zipping

around town on your very own scooter

or bicycle from Bici e baci.

www.bicibaci.com

WINE APPRECIATION

If you enjoy drinking delicious Italian

wine with every meal, you’ll enjoy it

all the more once you understand its

nuances. Arrange a fab wine tasting

masterclass at Vino Roma and amaze

your friends back home with your

newfound knowledge.

www.vinoroma.com

COOL OFF

Being all hot and bothered with

nowhere to cool off and relax is not

ideal, but rather than throw yourself

in the Trevi Fountain, all you have to

do is simply buy lunch at the Parco

dei Principi Hotel and you can treat

yourself to an afternoon poolside at

the hotel’s lovely oasis, one of the

very few swimming pools in the city.

www.parcodeiprincipi.com


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Start your day viewing the charming

private family collection housed at

the Galleria Doria Pamphilj. This vast

palazzo is still home to the Pamphilj

family, and is a fascinating insight into

the art and daily life of the house. The

audio tour is narrated in English by

Prince Jonathan himself. Afterwards

head to Ciampini for a well-earned

coffee, or better yet, a large portion of

their scandalously good pistachio ice-

cream, before zipping to the Spanish

Steps and popping into Gina to pick

up a picnic (see Fab vs Drab). Now,

off with you to the sylvan grounds of

the Villa Borghese, the perfect park

to eat your lunch alfresco. Having

booked your tickets in advance you

will now be perfectly placed to saunter

LUXE ITINERARY

Romance

into your timed opening slot at the

sublime Galleria Borghese (see LUXE

Loves), home to some to the loveliest

treasures in the city, and with limited

numbers allowed in at any one time,

there are none of the heaving crowds

of the Vatican Museum. Well, you’ve

certainly earned a pamper, and the

glorious, limpid Wellness Zone spa

at the Hotel de Russie is the perfect

place to relax in the company of the

city’s divas and divos who can’t get

enough of the Watsu and hydro-

relaxation. As the clock hits 5pm your

thoughts should be turning to Campari

time atop the pretty roof of the

Raphael Hotel for the inevitably lovely

sunset over the ravishing city skyline.

Cocktails here come with a handsome

selection of tidbits, but don’t fill up,

you’ve only a few steps to go outside

the hotel to find the gracefully

romantic, tree-lined terrazza of Santa

Lucia (see LUXE Loves) where a high

likelihood of Cupidity is always in

the air. Saunter homewards now, but

stop for a nightcap if you can at Bar

della Pace – the streetside tables of

this eternal favorite line one of the

city’s most picturesque backstreets,

drenched in atmosphere and always

lively.


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LUXE ITINERARY

Style

Well, you’ve certainly got a stylish

day ahead, but don’t skimp on the

most important meal of the day,

instead make a beeline to chicster

café La Buvette where they even offer

delicious health and low-cal breakfasts

(mostly unheard of in Roma). Suitably

replete, can there be any greater joy

than shopping the nearby streets

Babuino, Margutta and legendary

Condotti? So many shopportunities;

from fashion staples Eleonora and

TAD, glove emporium Sermoneta, and

home décor at Pratesi, to labelista

Marni and shoe maestro Caovilla.

It’s always important, of course, to

balance retail with culture, so don’t

miss Richard Meier’s stupendous

glass and travertine ‘temple’ that

houses the utterly beautiful Ara

Pacis, or Altar of Peace. It sits rather

conveniently in the same square as

stylish, all day flop-spot Gusto, equally

great for coffee, lunch or supper,

and rightly famous for its jazzy

Sunday brunch buffet. Drop those

heavy shopping bags back at the

hotel and off with you velocemente

to the fabulous MAXXI. Zaha Hadid’s

architectural tour de force is alone

worth a viz, but the contemporary art

makes it an afternoon well spent and

there’s also a natty café in case you

get a sudden attack of gallery-itis.

When the weather is fine there is little

more pleasant occupation in Rome

than escaping the milling streets to a

rooftop bar for alfresco sundowners

surrounded by the amber rapture

of ancient buildings, and the lounge

bar of I Sofa di Via Giulia atop the

St. George Hotel perfectly matches

sophisticated cocktails with stunning

views. Hungry? Ask yourself how

are you feeling; chic, urbane and in

the mood for elegant dining? Then

make sleekster Baby your choice

with its poolside garden terrace. Or,

if something a little grittier, relaxed

and local is called for, hotfoot it to

Monti and the always popular, organic

regional cooking of Urbana 47. It just

remains to take nightcaps at the book-

lined social salon Salotto 42 (see LUXE

Loves), and that’s one stylish day in

the bag!


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LUXE ITINERARY

BusinessHaving a summer breakfast meeting?

Try to arrange it at the Hotel De

Russie so you can enjoy the alfresco

perfection of the 2 Michelin star

Jardin de Russie, with its pretty,

clipped shrubs and roses. Should

you have forgotten the mandatory

sunglasses that no Italian would be

seen dead without, fret not, simply

scoot across the road from the hotel

to Ottica Spieza and get yourself

suitably shaded from their up to

the moment range of specs. There

is little or no excuse for being badly

turned out in Rome with a plethora

of men’s and women’s outfitters, but

for serious men’s shirt tailoring and

excellent suits saunter down Condotti

to find Battistoni, and classically

tasteful men’s and womenswear at

Brunello Cucinelli. Now that you’re

sartorially sorted, you will need to

think of grooming. Rome’s ladies in

the know all make tracks to the head-

turning Noi salon where up-do’s and

blowouts rule the day from celebs

to contessas. Gentlemen meanwhile,

should check into one-stop guy spot

Wonderfool. This groovy groomer

features a barber, spa, Turkish

bath, mini-gym, massages, facials,

male-nails and great Art of Shaving

products to buy. Lunch! When great

value and a great venue are called

for, book ahead for the 2-course set

lunch at Open Colonna. This soaring

glass conservatory attracts a very

stylish, professional clientele and is

also a social hub at aperitivi hour.

Speaking of which, on the occasion

that you may prefer a quiet business

drink away from the eyes of all, the

gloriously old fashioned Bar Bistro

Mascagni scores top marks – hidden

away in the Grand Hotel Plaza, this

step-back-in-time capsule of brass and

red velvet serves up a very decent

martini and peaceful Proseccos, safely

undiscovered by the milling hordes.

For dinner, Dal Bolognese is packed

with the Estab crowd, politicos, WAGS

and celebs, but for a venue where

the accent is more firmly on the food,

your clients will love Antico Arco –

great cuisine, swish crowd and lovely

surroundings.


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LUXE ITINERARY

The Essentials

• Galleria Doria Pamphilj

Via del Corso, 305 / Patheon /

+39 6 679 7323 /

www.doriapamphilj.it

• Ciampini

Plazza Trinita dei Monti / Centro /

+39 6 678 5678

www.caffeciampini.com

• Gina

(see Fab vs Drab)

• Villa Borghese

Via Pinciana

• Galleria Borghese

(see LUXE Loves)

Wellness Zone

Hotel de Russie / Via del Babuino, 9

/ Popolo / +39 6 3288 820 /

www.hotelderussie.it

• Raphael Hotel

Large Febo, 2 / Piazza Navona /

00186 Rome / +39 6 682 831 /

www.hotelraphael.it

• Santa Lucia

(see LUXE Loves)

• Bar della Pace

Via della Pace 3-7 / Navona /

+39 6 686 1216

www.caffedellapace.it

• La Buvette

Via Vittoria, 47 / Spagna /

+39 6 679 0383

www.labuvetteroma.it

• Eleonora

Via del Babuino, 97 / Spagna /

+39 6 6919 0554 /

www.eleonoraboutique.it

• TAD

Via del Babuino, 155a / Spagna /

+39 6 3269 5122

• Sermoneta

Piazza di Spagna, 61 / Spagna /

+39 6 679 1960

www.sermonetagloves.com

• Pratesi

Via Vittoria, 67a / Spagna /

+39 6 6819 0252

www.ue.pratesi.com

• Marni

Via Bocca di Leone 8 / Spagna /

+39 6 786 320

• Caovilla

Via Borgognona, 10 / Spagna /

+39 6 678 3879 /

www.caovilla.com

• Ara Pacis

Lungotevere in Augusta / Corso /

+39 6 8205 9127

www.arapacis.it

• Gusto

Piazza Augusto Imperatore, 9 /

Centro / +39 6 322 6273

www.gusto.it

• MAXXI

Via Guido Reni, 6 / Flaminio /

+39 6 678 4350

www.fondazionemaxxi.it

• I Sofa di Via Giulia

Via Giulia, 62 / Pantheon /

+39 6 6866 1826

www.isofadiviagiulia.com

• Baby

(Closed but other restaurants

available: www.aldrovandi.com/

en/48/restaurants-and-bars.aspx)

• Urbana 47

Via Urbana, 47 / Monti /

+39 6 4788 406

www.urbana47.it

• Salotto 42

(see LUXE Loves)

ROMANTIC ITINERARY STYLISH ITINERARY


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LUXE ITINERARY

The EssentialsBUSINESS ITINERARY

• Jardin de Russie

Hotel de Russie / Via del Babuino, 9

/ Popolo / +39 6 3288 8870 /

www.hotelderussie.it

• Ottica Spieza

Via del Babuino, 199 / Popolo /

+39 6 361 0593

• Battistoni

Via Condotti 60/61a / Tridente /

+39 6 697 6111 /

www.battistoni.com

• Brunello Cucinelli

Via Borgognona, 33 / Spagna /

+39 6 678 7680

www.brunellocucinelli.it

• Noi

Piazza del Popolo, 3 / Popolo /

+39 6 3600 6284

www.noisalon.com

• Wonderfool

Via dei Banchi Nuovi, 39 / Navona /

+39 6 6889 2315

www.wonderfool.it

• Open Colonna

Scalinata di via Milano, 9a / 00184

Roma / +39 6 4782 2641 /

www.opencolonna.it

• Bar Bistro Mascagni

Grand Hotel Plaza / Via del Corso,

126 / Corso / +39 6 674 952 /

www.grandhotelplaza.com

• Grand Hotel Plaza

Via del Corso, 126 / Corso /

+39 6 674 952 393

www.grandhotelplaza.com

• Dal Bolognese

Piazza del Popolo, 1 / Popolo /

+39 6 361 1426

• Antico Arco

Piazzale Aurelio, 7 / Janiculum /

+39 6 581 5274

www.anticoarco.it


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Rome - Citibank Singapore · GALLERIA BORGHESE Activity Not only is the villa pretty, but the...

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