Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Welcome to the Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Destination Guides

bthere! Destination guides

Previous issues for Rome

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy,
please confirm event/venue details in advance.

Italy : Rome - January 2010

Country Code: Dial for Italy

There’s still a festive atmosphere in Rome on 6 January, when you can watch friendly witches give away coal-shaped confectionery in Piazza Navona on the Epiphany holiday. You can also dive into the Roman shopping adventure and celebrate the start of the sales season on Via del Corso. Solveig Steinhardt enjoys her Roman holiday

Getting around

Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport

Bus: The Terravision bus is cheap (about €15 for a return), but the timetable less frequent – there’s approximately one bus every two hours and the journey takes 45 minutes.
Train: The Leonardo Express runs every 30 minutes into Termini station. The journey takes 35 minutes and costs €11.
Taxi: The journey from the airport to the city centre takes 50 minutes. Expect to pay around €40-60.
Tourist information: The main office is at 11 Via Parigi (, www.romaturismo.com).

CENTRO STORICO

Government buildings, stylish shops, baroque churches, and the scent of good food are the highlights of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods.

Sleep soundly – There’s nothing like a hot Finnish sauna after a day out and about. Conceived for lovers of fashion, designer hotel La Griffe offers gym and pampering facilities to its guests (13 Via Nazionale, , hotelgriffe rome.com, double rooms from €150).

Culture vultures – World-famous works of Dadaism and Surrealism adorn the walls of the Complesso del Vittoriano (Via di San Pietro in Carcere), while the PalaExpo (194 Via Nazionale) hosts the wire sculptures of Alexander Calder.

Must eat – It’s all in the name at restaurant Mare (242 Via di Ripetta, 06 , ristorantemare.it), serving fresh delights from the sea, such as raw fish carpaccio, paccheri pasta with calamari, or grilled fish of your choice.

Must drink – Need to quench your cultural thirst? The L’Emporio alla Pace café (28 Via della Pace) serves regular book presentations and art shows, along with teas and wines.

Shop til you drop – Go green at concept store Re(f)use (40 Via Fontanella Borghese), stocking fashion accessories and design objects made from recycled or rejected materials.

TESTACCIO-OSTIENSE

This former industrial area has been converted into the heart of Rome’s nightlife scene.

Culture vultures – Gaze at the stunning contrast between the Roman statues on display and the industrial machinery in the ex-power plant Centrale Montemartini (106 Via Ostiense, centralemontemartini. org). And admire experimental art at MACRO Future (4 Piazza Orazio Giustiniani, macro.roma.museum).

Must drink – Italy meets Latin America at Caffè Caruso (36 Via di Monte Testaccio), offering live music and drinks till late into the night.

Dance the night away – The modelling and film industries rub shoulders with tourists and students at Joia (20 Via Galvani), for three floors of salsa, American hip hop and 80s classics. Around the corner, DJs at the lively La Saponeria (20 Via degli Argonauti) mix house and electro in a space that’s colourful and curvy.

TRASTEVERE

Romantic alleys by day and aperitivolovers by night define this district.

Sleep soundly – Budget travellers will feel at home in Maria Rosa Guesthouse, a charming French-owned bed and breakfast (55 Via dei Vascellari, , maria-rosa.it, double room with shared bathroom from €65).

Must eat – A homely atmosphere, friendly service and art on the walls are the main ingredients at historic Trattoria la Gensola (15 Piazza della Gensola, tel. ). It specialises in rare and precious ingredients, such as sea anemone, Sicilian tuna and king crab.

Must drink – Pronounced “beer and food”, Bir & Fud (23 Via Benedetta) serves up its own beers and many others from around the globe.

Shop til you drop – Wear Italy on your skin with a fragrance from Roma Store Profumi (36 Via della Lungaretta). It sells bottled Mediterranean scents from Eau d’Italie.

PRATI

The elegant 19th-century district housing the Court of Justice is a regular hangout for lawyers and judges, and is just steps away from the Vatican.

Sleep soundly – For a marvellous view of the Tiber, stay at the four-star Hotel Donna Laura Palace (21 Lungotevere delle Armi, , donna laurapalacehotel.com, rooms from €125).

Must eat – The menu at L’Arcangelo (58 Via Belli, tel. ) occasionally includes foie gras, however their traditional cacio e pepe (cheese and black pepper) pasta is the third best in Rome, according to the reputable Gambero Rosso guide.

Shop til you drop – Get a full body treatment at Thai spa Baan Sabai (173a Via degli Scipioni), then head to Angelo di Nepi (267a Via Cola di Rienzo) to brighten up winter with multihued ethnic garments that also have Italian style.

Compiled by Solveig Steinhardt