To continue from where I left off on our honeymoon in Rome, we realized we wouldn’t have enough time to see both the Colosseum and the Roman Forum in one day, but luckily our tour guide gave us the option to return the next day and see the Forum and Palatine Hill. With more of the afternoon to explore, we started walking over the river to the Trastevere neighborhood, while first passing the famous Vittorio Emanuele II monument.
In 2012, the neighborhood of Trastevere wasn’t as touristy as it is now. It also seemed more filled with locals of all ages, compared to the young atmosphere and trendy scene we’ve seen there on future travels. We strolled down near-empty streets, embracing the area’s charm and allure. We marveled at the beautiful ivy, swinging gently between two buildings on a narrow street. We eventually made our way to the main square, la Piazza di Santa Maria, where we sat at a cafe for an aperitivo and some people watching. Interestingly enough, a march of protestors was approaching the piazza at the same time, joining at the fountain in the center, believed to be the oldest fountain in Rome. We weren’t exactly sure what the protest was for, but we did enjoy being spectators on the scene.
After our long and leisurely aperitivo hour, we decided pizza was in order. We ate at a small table outside at Popi Popi, a pizzeria a few blocks from the square. Not to keep harping on the fact that it was all locals, but I distinctly remember that we were the only non-Romans eating at the restaurant, which is funny because I’m sure that is not the case these days. We walked the long way back to the hotel, passing the Colosseum along the way. If you have not seen the Colosseum close up at night, we highly recommend it. The landmark takes on a different persona when all lit up and devoid of tourist swarms.
Our hotel stood next to an Irish pub, the Flann O’Brien, so after dinner we decided to stop there for a nightcap or two. We sat outside, next to a lovely couple on holiday from Bristol in the UK. We shared the same taste in television and movies and chatted for several hours. With all of our future travels we have found that, no matter where in the world you are, be it Thailand or Japan or Austria, if you are either missing home or in the mood to meet new people, head to the Irish pub. It has functioned as a comforting oasis for us in just about every country we have visited.
The next day, our last full day in Rome, we woke up late and went wandering, looking for a place for lunch. We found a small spot around the block from our hotel and for the life of me, I wish I had wrote down the name of this place. I decided to have a lighter lunch of proscuitto and melon, yet when Kevin’s cacio e pepe arrived at the table, I had immediate order envy. Even now, as I sit here in my Chicago condo with no restaurants open due to the pandemic, I am craving this pasta dish just from the photo.
After lunch, we strolled through the cobblestone streets back to the Roman Forum for the second part of our tour on Ancient Rome. The first stop on the tour was Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome and, during ancient times, homes to the uber rich. Next we headed to the Roman Forum, which houses the ruins of the ancient Roman government buildings and is a must see on your trip to the city.
Kevin and I had recently just started watching Anthony Bourdain and before dinner we did some quick internet research (finally!) for where he went in the Rome episode. The blogosphere seemed to believe that he went to a restaurant in the Jewish ghetto, so we decided that would be a fitting last meal. In recent years, I have done everything I can to figure out the name of this restaurant. It’s definitely in the Jewish ghetto and there is a mural on the wall inside, as you can see in the photos below. Can anyone help me out and tell me the name of the restaurant?
After one final drink on our hotel rooftop, we walked to the Jewish ghetto looking for said restaurant, only to find ourselves extremely lost. We finally asked some people sitting at a nearby cafe if they knew where it was, and they very kindly pointed us in the right direction, around the block and near a large construction site. We sat at a table outside and ordered a delicious artichoke antipasti. According to the blogs we were reading, they had a great cacio e pepe and bucatini amatriciana. Unfortunately, the amatriciana was not on the menu that evening, but seeing the disappointment in my face, the server said he would get it for me anyway. I think that last meal solidified my love for all things Rome. After we finished eating, we asked the server to take our photo. He insisted that we use the antiquated mural on the restaurant’s wall as the backdrop of the photo, and led us inside. Our flight left for Chicago the next morning, ending our Italian honeymoon but beginning a lengthy travel journey that would soon take us all over the world.
Recommendations
- Hotel Artemide – Via Nazionale, 22, 00184 Roma RM, Italy. https://www.hotelartemide.it/it/
- Popi Popi Ristorante – Via delle Fratte di Trastevere, 45, 00153 Roma RM, Italy.
- The Flann O’Brien Pub – Via Nazionale, 17, 00184 Roma RM, Italy. https://flannobrien.it/
