City Guide Rome DAY TWO: STAY: DOM It’s the unbeatable location that sold us on DOM. The dark, velvet-lined bar and narrow restaurant might not be to all tastes, but the rooms are sumptuous and light-filled – studies in opulent silks and linens, brass and stone – and the roof terrace affords quite a horizon: the rosy dome of Vatican, the Juniculum, and the myriad terraces of the centro storico. EAT: PORTO FLUVIALE Flush at the border of buzzy Testaccio and up-and-coming Ostiense is Porto Fluviale, a multi-venue tribute to *la gastronomia romana.*You can drink a good negroni in the bar, compare the virtues of Neopolitan (doughy crust) and Roman (thin crust) pizzas in the dual-oven pizzeria, or get versed in how Romans do nose-to-tail at the charcuterie counter. Should your carnivore pangs still not be met, head for Monte Testaccio, and Flavio al Velavevodetto, which is literally built into the side of the famous ‘mountain’ (actually a hill of ancient Roman detritus). The rigatoni alla gricia– cacio cheese, guanciale, and tons of black pepper – is bar-setting; the polpettehave achieved near-legendary status; and the abbacchio(roast lamb) with potatoes and broccoli is enormous - one portion feeds two. PLAY: MAXXI MUSEUM Whether or not you’re a Zaha Hadid fan, MAXXI is the face of 21st century Rome (or at least one of them). The building’s an opinion divider, but the exhibitions earn universal praise: the work of William Kentridge, Francesco Vezzoli, Antonio Citterio, and dozens of others cycle through the exhibition spaces each year. The courtyard and outdoor café are a great place for little ones to run off excess energy or bask in the sun. DRINK: BARNUM CAFE By day, Barnum Café, around the corner from the Palazzo Farnese, is a coffee bar; after dark, however, it morphs into one of the only places in this city to serve truly good cocktails: these bartenders know their London drys, their single malts, and just about everything else—but the vibe is 100% Roman. If wine is your thing, go old-school: two of the most atmospheric enotechein Rome are a five-minute walk from each other. Il Goccetto and Angolo Divino both have rustic interiors, walls lined with top bottles, both big-name and obscure, and glass counters filled with small nibbles – tramezzini, nice breads, olives and, at Il Goccetto, a killer cheese plate. Amazing Destinations 137
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