I love Rome! A walk through the Forum transports me back in time and puts me in touch with over 2,000 years of history and thousands of souls. Then there’s Trastevere, the Pantheon and a hundred other must-see sights. It’s all one-of-a-kind, and it’s only in Rome. What I find almost painful is seeing all the soot and pollution that covers the beautiful “white” carrera marble! The constant stream of cars, scooters and people in the streets can get to be a bit much, even with a gelato in hand.

One way to chill out a bit and enjoy a different type of Rome is to visit the Villa Borghese Park, located at the top of Via Veneto, one of the nicest streets in Rome. You can rent bikes by the hour or just stroll. If you plan ahead, you can reserve a time to go through the Borghese Gallery. We DID this, but then were so tired from being up 24 hours that we slept through it instead.

But we did see the outside!

Our real theme for the trip was gastronomy though and one of our favorite restaurants was Ristorante del Pallaro, both for the food and the local color. The proprietress, Paola Fazi, is quite well know for both her turban and fixed menu: You eat whatever they are serving that day. We enjoyed multiple courses including lentils, sliced chicory, prosciutto, mozzarella and basil, penne carbonara, roast pork, wine and a delicious liquor to go with our cake. Then we rolled down the street to Sant’ Eustachio for Italy’s “best” cappuccino. A coin tossed over my shoulder into the Trevi Fountain ensures my return to Rome. I can’t wait.