A stylish, sociable outpost of the design-led Hoxton brand just north of the centre, with a lively lobby, good in-house dining and that easy, hang-out-all-day feel. A great base if you value atmosphere over a bullseye-central address.
See Rome the Dolce Vita way – riding pillion on a classic Vespa (or in a little electric cart) as a local driver loops the floodlit monuments at golden hour. Pure romance, and a lot of fun.
Roll up your sleeves and learn to make fresh Roman pasta from scratch – typically fettuccine or ravioli – then sit down to eat your handiwork with wine. A fun, hands-on break and a skill to take home.
Descend into the eerie early-Christian catacombs carved beneath Rome, where the dead were buried in miles of tunnels. Guided tours explain the history and symbolism – some pair it with the bone-lined Capuchin crypt.
Explore the working-class neighbourhood that gave birth to Roman cuisine, tasting your way around the Testaccio market and old-school delis and bakeries with a local guide. Come hungry.
Swap the traffic for the cypress-lined Appian Way on an easy electric bike, rolling past ancient tombs, catacombs and ruined aqueducts in the green Parco dell’Appia Antica. A refreshing half-day away from the crowds.
Go beyond the standard ticket with a guided tour onto the reconstructed arena floor and down into the underground hypogeum where gladiators and animals once waited. The best way to grasp how the amphitheatre actually worked.
A guided evening graze through Trastevere’s cobbled lanes, stopping for supplì, pizza, cured meats, cheese, wine and gelato while a local shares the neighbourhood’s stories. A delicious introduction to Roman food and life.
A buzzy, great-value Trastevere spot doing all the Roman pasta hits in generous portions, often with a strolling musician. No reservations and always busy – put your name down and wait with a spritz.
A stylish little counter dedicated to the supplì – Rome’s beloved fried rice croquette – done to a gourmet standard alongside other classic fritti. The perfect cheap, delicious bite between sights.