Rome Another Way: Our 3-Day Quest
by Marla Norman & Michel Thibault
Our happy dilemma: We’ve been lucky to visit Rome on several occasions and were looking for new experiences. That’s not to say that the Vatican, Castel Sant’Angelo, Galleria Borghese, Pantheon, Roman Forum and Colosseum aren’t worth visiting again and again. They most certainly are…although (Call us wimpy!) a single visit to the Colosseum with the requisite accounts of gore and slaughter is probably sufficient.
At any rate, after a little research Michel and I booked an afternoon to explore outlying sites around the city, including the Appian Way, Basilica Santa Sabina and a few of the famous Sette Colli di Roma (the Seven Hills). We decided to devote a second day to Cinecittà, Rome’s iconic film studios. Day three would be for relaxing, shopping and wandering the Navona neighborhood close to our hotel.
Buckle up ~ Here we go!
ROMAN ROUNDABOUT
We know we’re in for a great ride the second we spot Andrea Bonanni (Fiat 500 Rome Tour) in his bright yellow mini-car. As we climb (squeeze) into his Fiat, we confirm our itinerary and head immediately outside of the city to the Via Appia. Andrea explains that the road was constructed in 300 BC, which makes it around 2,300 years old. Incredible! The road is in excellent condition and winds through beautiful scenery — past Sophia Loren’s house and the Catacombs.
Next up is Ostiense, a neighborhood notable for one of the few original gates left in Rome — Porta San Paolo dates back to the third century. Even more interesting is that these walls were constructed around the Pyramid of Cestius, a tomb built in 18 BC for Gaius Cestius, a Roman Magistrate. The ancient entrance and even older pyramid seem almost surreal surrounded by modern buildings and contemporary cars zooming by them.
Our intrepid driver, Andrea Bonanni. Photo by Marla Norman.
Porta San Paolo – one of the few remaining original gates to Rome and the Pyramid of Cestius.
Vibrant street art in the Ostiense District outside Rome.
By way of contrast, Ostiense is also famously home to some of Rome’s most vibrant street art — several blocks worth. “Don’t confuse these murals with graffiti,” Andrea says. “Not that we Romans have a problem with graffiti,” he laughs. “We invented it!”
After taking a gelato break, we move on to Aventino, one of the Sette Colli di Roma (Seven Hills). And, as we admire the exceptional homes, Andrea confirms that this is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city. Nearby is the Roseto Comunale (Municipal Rose Garden). The second we climb out of the Fiat, the fragrances waft over us — extraordinary. With over 1,000 varieties of roses collected from all over the world, it’s no wonder the perfume is so beautifully intense. And as if that’s not enough, at the end of the acres of roses, is a magnificent view of Rome spread out below us. From the Vatican and Tiber River to the Vittorio Emanuele II monument, it’s an unforgettable moment.
Nave of the Basilica di Santa Sabina with altarpiece “Madonna of the Rosary” by Giovanni Battista Salvi.
Andrea patiently lets us photograph and enjoy the gardens, then we pop over to Basilica di Santa Sabina – the oldest church in Rome. Built in 422, the church exterior is notable for its simplicity, unlike the more ornate architecture that evolved as Christianity became established. The Basilica was constructed near the site of an ancient Temple to Juno. Early recyclers, the builders repurposed marble, including 24 Corinthian columns from the original temple.
Back in the city, Andrea takes us for a quick tour of all the famous Roman landmarks — the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Castel Sant’Angelo and Vatican City. To accomplish this feat, Andrea runs up alleys, back streets and sidewalks, maneuvering as only a tiny Fiat can. Absolutely thrilling! This is the ultimate joy ride. Grazie mille, Andrea!
Castel Sant’ Angelo – Once a papal palace, the fortress still connects to Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican
CINECITTÀ FILM STUDIOS
At 400,000 square meters (99 acres) Cinecittà is the second largest movie studio in the world. Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad, India is the largest with 2,000 acres.
The massive site was originally founded by Mussolini to produce propaganda during World War II. Later, the facility was heavily damaged during the Western Allies bombardment of Rome. After the war, the site was used as a displaced persons’ camp. But by the early 1950s, Cinecittà was rebuilt and producing one blockbuster after another with releases such as Roman Holiday, Ben-Hur, Cleopatra, Barbarella, Romeo and Juliet.
Federico Fellini made Cinecittà his home and directed La Dolce Vita, 8½, Amarcord, Satyricon and many more — enough to garner 17 Academy Awards over the course of his career. Nearby, Sergio Leone pioneered his Spaghetti Westerns featuring Clint Eastwood and The Man with No Name Trilogy.
More recently Anthony Minghella produced The English Patient and The Talented Mr. Ripley, Martin Scorsese Gangs of New York, Mel Gibson the Passion of Christ. The Book Club Trilogy, starring Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton and Don Johnson was filmed at Cinecittà as was the recently-released Conclave.
All to say, we’re eager to learn more about this world-class studio. The morning of our visit, we discuss our plans with Marco Ciampini, the manager of our hotel. “Oh!!” he exclaims with a frown. “That’s about 13 kilometers (8 miles) from here.”
“Right. We have a car. We’ll drive.”
“Sì, ma c’è un grosso problema.” Marco says, still frowning. “We have uno sciopero today. I think you say “labor strike” in English. The transportation workers are striking — buses, taxis and trains. Everyone is driving to work this morning. There’s a lot of extra traffic and congestion.” He pauses for emphasis, “Maybe you should leave now.”
We head out immediately and see that Marco wasn’t exaggerating. The streets are packed with every kind of vehicle imaginable: scooters, bicycles, cars, golf carts, skateboards. We’d estimated that the drive would take about 30 minutes, but now it’s two hours!!
I repeatedly try to call the main office at Cinecittà to let them know we’ll be late. No answer. (NOTE: Private Tours are $150 per person and must be prepaid.) Meanwhile, Michel is maneuvering through traffic — gesturing and shouting just like all the other Italian drivers —except in French. It’s a free-for-all. The honking and hollering are deafening. Traffic lights and stop signs are, of course, totally ignored. Anything we thought we understood about driving in Rome is useless.
Eventually we arrive at the studio parking lot. The car is intact and, other than having sore throats — me from screaming out of fear and Michel from combating other drivers — we’re fine too. But we’re over an hour late…
At the studio offices we’re greeted enthusiastically. “Non preoccuparti,” they tell us reassuringly. “We understand the situation. Your guide is here and ready for you. Meet Michèle.”
Coincidentally, Michèle is a Parisian who decided she preferred the sunny weather in Rome to the cooler winters in northern France. (We wonder if there isn’t a handome Italian in her story as well, but she is French afterall and “très, très discrète.”)
Michèle loads us into her golf cart, which is parked next to a space permanently reserved for Francis Ford Coppola (Coppola filmed The Godfather at Cinecittà). “Of course,” she adds confidentially, “Sofia Coppola used her Dad’s spot when she made Marie Antoinette.”
Our first stop is the set for the tv series Rome, produced for HBO. Here the enormous temples seem to be made of stone. “Touch them,” Michèle instructs us. “Everything’s made from styrofoam, so its easy to move and reconstruct the pieces.”
From ancient Rome, we zip over to New York circa the 1800s to see the set built for Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York. Then it’s off to the Costume Department, where we see past wardrobes for Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penélope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, Nicole Kidman and other notable actresses.
Sets from the film Rome, produced for HBO. Photos by Marla Norman.
Hundreds of cameras are on display at Cinecittà, some dating back to the 1800s.
A Screening Room shows clips from many of the 3,000+ films shot over the years at Cinecittà. Visitors could literally spend days there. Our next stop is the Special Effects Room, where we have a chance to experiment with the “Green Screen” and virtual settings that shift from dusty Old West towns, to ships out at sea and a space station on Mars. “Anything you can imagine is possible,” Michèle confirms.
We visit a museum displaying hundreds of cameras, some dating from the early 1800s. Then in the Sound Room, we have fun dubbing a script in English for La Dolce Vita. Michel makes a wonderful voiceover for Marcello Mastroianni, while I dub for Anouk Aimée.
The former office of Federico Fellini is filled with memorabilia, more scripts, miniature set designs and numerous awards. Sergio Leone’s office is decorated with posters featuring Henry Fonda, Claudia Cardinale, Eli Wallach and Clint Eastwood. Bernardo Bertolucci, the first Italian filmmaker to win an Academy Award for Best Director, has plenty of other awards along with props and scripts from his films: The Last Emperor, Last Tango in Paris, The Sheltering Sky, Stealing Beauty and many more.
Federico Fellini won 17 Academy awards during his career. Photo courtesy of Cinecittà.
Henry Fonda, Claudia Cardinale, Sergio Leone, Charles Bronson & Jason Robards on the set of Once upon a Time in the West. Photo courtesy of Cinecittà.
By the tour’s conclusion, some four hours later, we’re exhausted, but thrilled with all we’ve experienced and learned. “So what did you think?” Michèle asks. “I know your day had a rough beginning, but it was finally a Happy Ending, no?”
“Absolutely,” we agree. And we have a grand finale photo to prove it!
OUR ROMAN HIDEAWAY
If I had to describe Rome in a few words, I would have to say “emotion-provoking”!
It is impossible to remain neutral when thinking about the Italian capital. You can feel shock at the flurry of graffiti on buildings (although the recent campaign to clean up tagging has been somewhat successful.) You can feel fear when bikes and motorcycles are zooming around you on the streets, whether in front of you or going around you, sometimes bumping into your car. You can feel frustration when the business, which posts an opening hour of 9:00 am, is still closed at 9:35am…
But then there is Rome, at almost 3,000 years old, the city is an undeniable part of history, with magnificent architecture, the breath of civilization imparted in every street and finally, the pleasure of life in chatty cafes, fashion everywhere — all of which makes up for any inconvenience.
Focusing on the positive…our stay at the Hotel De’ Ricci was exceptional. If you are into location, comfort, gourmet food and of course wine, this is your place in Rome!
Champagne welcome at Hotel De’ Ricci, part of the Hilton Small Luxury Hotel collection. Photo courtesy of Hotel De’ Ricci.
Bernini’s Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) in Piazza Navona. Photo by Marla Norman
Comfort to me means a small, personable hotel with plush rooms in a peaceful environment. De’ Ricci offers eight rooms only, all suites, in a quaint environment where privacy is at a premium. And yet, the hotel is just a few steps from busy Piazza Navona, near the Pantheon and Tiber River. Parking is a couple of streets away.
The food is quite amazing, from the breakfast offerings to tapas and complete meals at lunch and dinner. The bar area is called Charade and this is where I had zucchini, eggplant and tomato toast for breakfast with a side of fresh fruit compote and cured Prosciutto. A healthy juice combo with apple, carrot and ginger was delicious. Marla tried the poached eggs with smoked salmon and cheese and declared she would likely have the same breakfast the next day — not a bad way to start the morning.
Later that evening, we sampled the hotel’s appetizer selections: smoked goose breast with canneloni beans cream, a soup of beef tortelli with pumpkin, extra-aged Parmigiano Reggiano and a pasta dish of prawns over Orecchiette on a thin layer of seafood bisque.
On the last day of our Rome stay, we came back to De’ Ricci for dinner and what a treat it was, from the Beef Carpaccio in a lemony marinade to the seabass with fresh baby spinach and toasted almonds. All so yummy and so unusual for a small hotel restaurant.
Cozy and intimate Charade Bar at Hotel De’ Ricci.
A quick aside on the subject of food: De’ Ricci is managed by the same group who owns Pierluigi, a famous restaurant near the hotel. Surprisingly, that was one of the poorer dining experiences we had in Rome — a typical tourist trap. From the blasé waitstaff to poorly-plated foods that seemed very average in quality with very high prices.
But back to De’ Ricci — where wine is the superstar and the list is impressive in terms of selections. Primarily Italian choices, of course, but also wines of quality from many other areas. Even more fun was their by the glass selection. I usually complain about BTG choices whenever we travel as restaurants seem to pick discounted, on-sale wines that are usually at the tail end of their life. At De’ Ricci, we sampled an excellent Francia Corta to start (Castello Bonomi) and we shared samples of Le Cupole (Trinoro) a Bordeaux-style blend and a 2015 Brunello by Suadela, which was beautiful. While on this subject, I have got to say that we had some amazing grappas there in the late evening and the bar selection of Rums, Whiskies and Ports made me want to stay an extra week!
Best of all was their wine cellar. The young manager, Marco Ciampini, a well-versed sommelier, took us down to their gorgeous wine hideaway where we marvelled at the displays of Brunellos, Barolos, Super Tuscans, Champagnes and even Pétrus and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. What an experience! If that’s not enough, you can book a professional tasting where, for a variety of prices, you can taste and learn about wine at the hotel.
Finally, since we are discussing wines, a short mention of offerings from the fourteen hillsides around Rome. These are called Castelli Romani where wine has been cultivated since approximately 5000 BC on volcanic soil, rich in potassium. Harvests are abundant and for the primary wine produced, Frascati, we are talking about over 7-million bottles a year.
Michel with Marco Ciampini, Manager of De’ Ricci, in the hotel wine cellar. Photo by Marla Norman.
Frascati comes in still and sparkling. It is traditionally a light, dry wine and the better ones clock in at 13% alcohol versus 12 or 12.5 for the others. The main grape varietal is Malvasia (up to 70%) and the balance usually comes from either Trebbiano or a few minor grapes grown in the Lazio hills. I recommend a visit to some Frascati wineries when in Rome as the city of Frascati is only 15 to 20 miles away.
A bit further away is Orvieto, another region famed for white wines. Orvieto’s terroir is Tufo or soft volcanic ash rock ( ejected during a volcanic eruption). Orvieto offers a palette of sweet, semi dry (Abboccato) and dry wines, the better ones being the Classico version grown around the city. Main varietals are Grechetto and Trebbiano for about 60% and the balance is Canaiolo and Malvasia. Modern versions of Orvieto give us light, dry, slightly acidic and mineral wines with peach and almonds scents. Seldom great wines but very often good wines.
Saluti a Roma ~ Ciao cari amici!
