H is for Hill

Rome is known for it's seven hills which surround the centre of the city. Originally each hill was a separate settlement before the city of Rome was formed. Although, Gianicolo Hill is not included as one of the seven (as it was outside the boundaries of the Ancient Rome), it is still seen as one of Rome's Hills. 

It is one of my favourite spots in Rome and gives amazing views over the whole of Rome. You can see all the main sights of Rome but from a different prospective. I love sitting up there and looking out at all the layers of history intertwined together to make up the "Eternal City". 

G is for Gelato

Although 'gelato' translates as ice cream; you just can't translate it, as Italian gelato is on another level to all other ice cream. The best ice cream shop is in none other than Monte. It's called Fatamorgana and located very near to the Cavour metro stop. Although there are lots of great ice cream shops around Rome, I think that this one is the best as the flavours are incredible and every time that I go there (which is a lot) there is another new flavour that I just have to try. Some of the flavours that I've had so far are: lemon, honey and ginger or cardamom pod with almonds or chocolate and lypsung tea or coffee, chocolate and hazelnut  or pistachio with hazelnut and of course there are all the usual flavours. 

A little tip: you can also ask to test a flavour by saying "posso provare" - so if you can't decide you can test them out :) 

www.gelateriafatamorgana.com

F is for Food Markets

In the centre if the city there is only one food market to go to - Campo dei Fiori. For food enthusiasts (like me), I love to wander around markets looking at all the fresh produce and soaking up the atmosphere. This market is mostly fresh fruit and vegetables although there are some stalls selling herbs and spices or cheeses too. It is one of the oldest markets so I always feel very 'Roman' going to it, imagining all the people in the past who have done the same as me. It's located in Piazza di Campo dei Fiori and open everyday except Sunday. 

E is for Eataly

Yesterday I had the luxury of visiting Eataly: which is a high end Italian supermarket / foodhall. It is very focused on food being seasonable, from Italy and of good quality.  When I'm rich I'll be doing my weekly shop there, but for now I'll just have to browse! 

D is for Districts

My favourite district in the evening in Trastevere as it just comes alive with musicians, people and resturants spilling into the cobbled streets. 

Nuns walking to evening mass, Trastevere. 

C for Church

In Rome there is no shortage of churches (over 900); therefore it had to be my 'c'. Around every corner there are lovely churches. Most churches are free and absolutely beautiful inside, so defiantly worth a look! Some people (including me) find it confusing that there are 'Basilica' and 'Chiesa': they are both churches.  The reason a church is called a 'Basilica' is because it has the original rectangle shape with a dome on one end, whereas a 'Chiesa' is any other shaped church (usually a cross shape). 

This afternoon, I focused on the centre on the city and visited quite a few churches, to try to decide which one was my favourite for this post. However, I couldn't. There are too many churches. All the churches were beautiful on the inside and were important in some way to the history of Rome.  Instead I will tell you about one which really stood out for me. 

The Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri looks very plain and simple from the outside: but when you enter it is a different story. The reason I like this church is due to the meridian line that runs through it. The line was added many hundreds of years after the church was built so truthfully I find it cuts the church at a very odd angle. The line was commissioned by the Pope so he could know when Easter would fall each year, to test the Gregorian Reformation of the calendar and because there had recently been one built in Bologna so Rome needed one. I found it very peculiar to have this meridian line through the centre of the church as it's not often you see maths, science and religion combined! 

The outside 

The meridian line 

B - Breakfast

 I'm slightly biased here, but my Italian Breakfasts are good! On hot days a "cappuccino freddo" (a cold cappuccino), served in a very thin, tall glass, with a fresh pastry is pure heaven. In Italy the perfect cappuccino is not what we are used to. Instead of a layer of frothiness floating on top of the coffee the froth should be mixed in with the milk creating a light frothy drink.

A is for Aperitivo

My dictionary definition:

"An evening appointment with cocktails (usually aperol spritz) and nibbles" 

My favourite place in a Rome to have an Aperitivo is down by the river. The cool breeze from the river is refreshing after a stuffy hot day in the city. The drinks let you unwind. The good company is animates the evening. And finally the light nibbles are just plain delicious - Italians can never do things by halves! 

Il Alfabet di Roma

Last night as I was walking home a girl came up to me asking 'sai Roma bene?' (do you know rome well?). I was stumped I have been here 3 weeks, so in theory I should, but when can one say I know a city well? Anyway, I answered 'abbastanza bene' (fairly well). And she asked whether I had been to the Arts Cafe and whether it was any good. Surprisingly I had and I knew where it was, so I told her which bus to get. After this encounter I felt I had was on my way out of the tourist zone towards being a local ... 

In Rome there are so many wonderful things. Every corner you turn there is something new and exciting to see. So I have decided to do an A to Z on my favourite things in Rome. 

A week in Rome

I can't believe that a whole week has gone by. 

I'm sitting in a really cute cafe in 'la zona di Monti' with a croissant and cappuccino - a perfect start to a Sunday morning! There is a mouthwatering display of pastries and relaxing (English) music playing. Monti was once a slum area but now it is a hip neighbourhood with lots of craft shops, funky cafés and restaurants. The streets are all cobbled with no road markings making it extremely quaint. I love to wonder through this distract as around every corner there is something new and there is barely any chain shops. 

This week I have focused on my language course and living like a roman so haven't 'discovered' much of Rome, as such. But I've enjoyed actually living in an apartment in Rome, commuting to school, going home for lunch and then returning to school. Also other things like having drinks on the Isola di Tiberina, or watching the sunset over Rome, or going out for dinner in Trastevere, or going to the beach...

But now it's time for Phase 2 of the adventure in Rome ! Wish me luck :)