Campo de Fiori apartment, Rome: Giulia - Tips and Area

Delightful 1BR / 1BA rental apartment with character in one of the finest streets of Rome

Tips and Area

This Rome apartment is centrally located in Via Giulia, one of Rome’s elite shopping streets, noted for its antique shops.

As part of his campaign in the early 1500s, Pope Julius II commissioned Bramante to construct a straight road leading to the Vatican. Via Giulia runs - for a full kilometre in a straight line - parallel to the Tiber north-west from Ponte Sisto to Ponte d’Oro. Throughout the 16^th century, the charming road was a fashionable neighbourhood, and later architects and artists such as Raphael, Cellini, Borromini and Sangallo built their expensive residences in accordance with Bramante’s Classical vision. In the XVIIth century, Innocent X built a prison here to slum down the area and make his own Piazza Navona more important. It didn’t work: the neighbourhood still attracted popes, nobility, and artists, including Raphael, who lived at # 85, while Piazza Navona attracted second-rate caricaturists and pickpockets.

Today the cobblestoned Via Giulia unquestionably remains one of Rome’s most exclusive streets, with well-maintained palazzo, spectacular antique stores and art galleries. It runs parallel to the Tiber for over one kilometre, wonderful for a memorable promenade any time of the day or the evenings. From the apartment one could walk everywhere. If tired or if you want to experience something different you can take the cute electric No. 116 bus that hurtles through the historic centre.

Restaurants:
Hosteria del Pesce - Via di Monserrato, 32 (tel. +39-06-6865617). This glamorous restaurant has the reputation of one of the Rome’s finest seafood. Full of celebrities (from soccer players to veline) is an hip mix of casual and elegant and overflows with a contagiously energetic buzz. Starters include sworfish, grilled shrimps, octopus, prawns while Primi Piatti feature a wide selection of seafood-laced pastas, linguine with shrimps and claims. Secondi range from carpaccio to oysters, from fried paranza (small-sized fish) to mussel souté. The fish is incredibly fresh and deliciously prepared. Brothers Johnny and Giuliano Micalusi use only the day’s catch brought in each morning from nearby Terracina. It’s displayed on beds of ice, giving you a preview of the menu as you enter. Bill from 70 € upwards.

Roscioli - Via dei Giubbonari 21-22/a (tel. +39-06.687 5287). For decades, Marco Roscioli has produced some of the best bread and white pizza in Rome (Panificio Roscioli, via dei Chiavari 34). Now sons Pierluigi and Alessandro have opened a modern wine bar and gourmet shop in nearby Via Giubbonari with a small restaurant in the back. At the tables, you can sample any of the offerings from the spectacular selection of cheese, hams and salamis, oils and vinegars offered at the counter in front, or order one of the specialties prepared in the kitchen. Open for lunch, dinner and snacks. Reservations at dinner a must. Trattoria da Sergio – Via delle Grotte, 27 (tel. +39-06-6864293). Simple atmosphere, huge portions of good Roman food. Spaghetti all’amatriciana (a tomato-and bacon sauce with pecorino cheese) and straccetti (shredded beef) a must.

L’Insalata Ricca – Largo dei Chiavari, 85-6 (tel. +39-06-68803656). The Place for salad-lovers! Great offers of all kind of salads. La Pollarola – Piazza della Pollarola, 24-25 (tel. +39-06-68801654). Typical Roman menus including succulent Primi (first courses), Secondi (second courses) and Contorni (vegetable side dish). Dishes like pasta all’arrabbiata (tomato and lots of hot red pepper), cannelloni (fresh pasta filled with meat), abbacchio (young lamb) prepared alla cacciatora (sautéed with herbs and wine) and roasted potatoes. If you want to try a real Roman thing then go for trippa alla romana (tripe Roman style) and coda alla vaccinara (oxtail stew).

Filetti di Baccalà – Largo dei Librari, 88 (tel. +39-06-6864018). Famous amongsdt locals for one specialty: filetti di baccalà, delicious slabs of deep-fried salt cod. The menu is very includes salad, beans, puntarelle (one of the typical fresh greens of Rome) when in season and some reasonably good choices of wine. Only few desserts, but homemade. Go early in order to avoid huge lines.

Il Forno di Campo dè Fiori - Piazza Campo dè Fiori (tel. +39-06-68806662 http://www.fornocampodefiori.com/main.php). The place to come for great crunchy salty white pizza, eaten as a snack in brown paper that soaks up the oil. One of our guest said: "The amazing focaccia in Campo dei Fiori, carrying it out into the street wrapped in wh"i"""te paper on a crisp fall evening, feeling it hot in my hands and having to eat it quick before the olive oil seeps through the paper, licking the salt off your lips, it’s foodie heaven. The smell of that place alone makes me swoon....".