How many times have you walked right by the Academy of Saint Luke (Accademia di San Luca) on your way to visit the nearby Fontana di Trevi and never even noticed it? My guess is many. The next time you’re in the area add the Academy of Saint Luke to your itinerary. It’s an often overlooked jewel…
What to See and Do
Rome is a marvel of art, architecture, history, food and culture so it's hard to know exactly where to start when you're visiting the Eternal City.
The more iconic sites and places to visit are the easiest part to figure out. The most popular sites have their own websites so you can book directly online for
The Vatican
The Coliseum
The Roman Forum
Sometimes you'd rather have a guide to show you Rome's best sites. Contact Flavor of Italy for a few of my suggestions.
Flavor of Italy offers culinary walking tours and great day trips.
Or you might want to do something a little bit different while you're visiting; I have a few suggestions for you that are some of my favorites. They include fascinating neighborhoods, unique buildings and palazzi, and special events going on in Rome that usually only the locals know about.
If you feel like venturing outside of the city for a day, or even a weekend, then check out our recommended day trips and weekend trips.
Palazzo Caetani and the Isola Mattei, a virtual tour
The Palazzo Caetani was one of the great sixteenth century palazzi in Rome. Originally one of a group of palazzi belonging to the powerful Mattei family, it occupied an entire city block on the edge of Largo Argentina. This block is known as the Isola Mattei, or Mattei Island. The Mattei began as rich merchants and over time evolved into…
Courtyards in Rome
When you stroll through Rome’s historic center, behind the palazzi’s huge wooden doors are beautiful courtyards with sculptures. Slip in to take a look! Here are some of Rome’s best courtyards: The Palazzo Borghese trumps all other courtyards for its beauty; the photograph below features one of the many sculptures in this courtyard. The courtyard…
Rome Flora Cult Plant & Flower Market
It was my first time to attend the annual FloraCult plant and flower show. I was expecting something more formal, elaborate and extensive but instead it was more like a country fair. A beautiful, thoroughly enjoyable country fair! There were flowers, fruit trees and plants from throughout of Italy. A Sicilian producer was selling delicious oranges, avocados…
The Arrotino or Knife Sharpener
This special bicycle was used by the arrotino to sharpen knives, throughout neighborhoods in Rome. The box on the front carries the tools of the trade, and the stone disk (center of the bike) is the sharpening device, powered by the arrotino’s bicycle pedals. I used to love seeing the arrotino in our neighborhood, but…
Christmas Panettone packages
One of the signs that Christmas is around the corner is that panettone sales start popping up everywhere. I love them and I love looking at the vast array of packages, each one more beautiful than the next. It’s true that Italians don’t go in for a lot of holiday decor, but they do love…
Aromaticus
Aromaticus in the Monti area, Via Urbana 134, is quite a few things to its clientele: purveyor of specialty fresh herbs & greens, sales of garden supplies ranging from organic fertilizer to seeds to gardening tools, Monti area rooftop and garden consultants and last but not least restaurant service for light lunches showcasing the greens…
Hotel Locarno, Via dell’Oca & Via della Penna
Just around the corner from Piazza del Popolo you’ll find a short two block street, with a different name for each block: Via dell’Oca (Goose street) and Via della Penna (Feather street), so I guess you could simply call the street goose feathers! I love this street because it’s a peaceful oasis in the midst…