If the award for Best Market in Europe was dished out by name alone, Rome’s Campo de’ Fiori (or ‘field of flowers’) would win hands down. (Well, it’s certainly better than Barcelona’s Boqueria, which translates as ‘slaughterhouse’). Campo de’ Fiori is primarily one of Rome’s most beloved squares, even though it lacks the formal architectural arrangements of the city’s other great piazzi such as the Piazza Navona or del Popolo. However this one-time meadow has always been a hub of the city’s commercial activity and the nomenclature of the surrounding streets reflect this. In the Middle Ages, you could have picked up a bespoke cape in Via dei Giubbonari (Tailor’s street) and a bow and arrow in Via dei Balestrari (Crossbow makers street) before heading off to one of the many inns in the square for a night of bawdy revelry. This still happens once the sun sets on the Campo de’ Fiori, when hoards of young people, mainly tourists, pack out the outdoor cafes that line the piazza. But every morning (except Sunday) the Campo de’ Fiori comes alive with a genuine local experience; Rome’s biggest (and possibly Europe’s prettiest) open air market. This being Italy the stalls of ...

Because the last time I was there I was heavily pregnant, and every single person smiled at me, and wished me tanti aguri (best wishes). Everywhere else in the world I felt large, to say the least, and a strain on everyone but in Rome I was a welcome addition to society. In restaurants I was sent delicious dishes by chefs (that I didn’t order) and whenever I think of my midnight munchies- the pizza! Lordie lord the pizza! I became a regular at the Pizzeria da Baffetto (via del Governo Vechio 11), a roman institution and the queues that snake outside are testament to this. The large pizzas would feed a small village - all this for as little at 7 Euros for a meal. Oh and then there was the ice-cream! I should probably admit at this point that the chestnut ice-cream (a favourite of the late John Paul II I was told) is a memory that I will carry with me into my old age. Most Romans consider Giolitti (via Uffici del Vicario 40) to make the best gelato in Rome but I found it delicious wherever I bought it. What more can I say other than about ...

Here at Holiday Velvet we often get asked about where you can leave your luggage whilst you are waiting to 'check in' to your apartment or after you have 'checked-out'. Whilst you can always ask the owner directly if they are able to look after your bags for a few hours, left luggage facilities still exist at many major train stations and other transport hubs. These days, most of these facilities run on an automated locker system (gone are the days when you checked in your bag in as you would a coat in a nightclub). Remember that they may fill up at peak periods. Rome When arriving at Termini Station on the Leonardo Express train from Fiumicino airport, you can leave your baggage in the ‘piazza’ on the lower-ground floor (follow the ‘Deposito bagagli’ signs). It’s open 6am-midnight, 7 days a week. Venice ‘Deposito bagagli’ is available at Santa Lucia Train Station (open 6am-midnight daily). Cooperative Trasbagagli is a private company that will not only store you luggage for you, but take it by boat to your place of accommodation, saving you schlepping bags over the bridges and canals. They have two offices in Venice; one at the Piazzale ...

Around the Spanish Steps of Rome there are some excellent restaurants and these include options for all budgets whether you are looking for high-end Rome restaurants or budget ones. The great thing about food in Italy is that even if you go for budget restaurants, you can still expect very decent quality food and this is especially true for restaurants around the Spanish Steps area. Da Gino Trattoria (Vicolo Rosini, 4) – is a traditional trattoria which is a great option if you are looking for a budget restaurant near the Spanish steps. Be sure to try the pasta e ceci in brodo di arzilla or the home-made fettuccine. Order the house wine and you will get to sample a quality wine and a budget price. Situated near to the Piazza del Parlamento, this restaurant comes highly recommended. Naturist Club L'Isola - despite its name, the Naturist Club L'Isola has nothing to do with nudists and is in fact a macrobiotic restaurant. Both well priced and known for using fresh, seasonal, organically grown vegetables in their cooking, this is a wonderful place to eat. Although the menu is largely vegetarian and features many vegan dishes, fish is available here as well. The ...

Rome is famous for the delicious ice cream available in the Gelaterie as they are known locally. The area around the Pantheon in particular is typically full of gelaterie or ice cream shops that offer tourists and locals the chance to sample the rich and creamy delights of Italian Gelato. Giolitti (Via degli Uffici del Vicario) – is one of the most famous places for buying ice cream in Rome and this has been a favourite haunt of locals and tourists alike for years. Giolitti is located close to the Piazza Montecitorio on the Via Uffici del Vicario and the place can be quite crowded, such is the popularity of the ice cream here. There is a fantastic range of ice cream flavours and this place comes highly recommended. Cremeria Monteforte (via della Rotonda 22) - is another popular place for ice cream and located in the Pantheon area. The ice cream at the Cremeria Monteforte is made on the spot by the owner of this ice cream shop, with Roberto’s yoghurt gelato particularly delicious and believed by many to be the best in the city. Note that the Cremeria Monteforte is closed between the middle of December and the middle of ...

Looking for an art gallery in Rome with an amazing history and a rich collection of artwork? Then head to the Galleria Doria Pamphilj located near the Spanish Steps in Rome. This gallery is home to a wealth of seventeenth century art, collected by the Italian Doria-Pamphilj family. The family, whose umbrella name of Doria-Pamphilj embraces the families of Doria, Pamphilj, Aldobrandini and Landi, is an illustrious and wealthy one, with Popes and Princes among its members. The Galleria Doria Pamphilj was once the home of Pope Innocent X, who belonged to the Pamphilj family. An English heritage line runs in the family and the quarter-English Princess Orietta Pogson Doria Pamphilj and her English husband were responsible for the restoration of the family’s art collection. The collection was opened to the public soon after the collection was restored. Some of the seventeenth century artists represented here includes Annibale Carracci, Jan Bruegel, Caravaggio, Gaspard Dughet, Guido Reni, Claude Lorrain and Guercino. In addition to paintings, the Galleria Doria Pamphilj also houses fine sculptures by Bernini and Algardi. Some of the sculptures in the Galleria Doria Pamphilj collection date from ancient times; the gallery also boasts interesting antique furniture and furnishings on display. The ...

The Piazza Navona is considered by many to be the most wonderful of all of Rome’s piazzas. There are three incredible fountains complemented by the baroque Church of Sant'Agnese. The piazza was once a Roman sporting stadium called Circus Agonalis and bits of the original stadium which was paved over in the fifteenth century can still be seen. Within a short walk of Piazza Navona apartment there are some magical sights: • The Pantheon was built over eighteen hundred years ago and is a classic reminder of the might of Rome. The dome is over forty-three metres high and was the largest dome in the world until the 15th century when the cathedral in Florence was built. The Pantheon has 3 rows of columns and a bronze door that enters into the cylindrical-shaped building. • Piazza Campo de' Fiori translates as field of flowers because it was once a meadow that used to flood regularly. In the 15th century, the piazza was developed and the first construction was the Church of Santa Brigida. There was no uniform architectural style for Piazza Campo de' Fiori so the buildings are varied and individual. For the last 140 years, the piazza has held a fish ...

Once a year in the summer, the 100 Painters exhibition in Via Margutta (near the Spanish Steps) displays the works of one hundred local and international artists. There is also a 100 Painters exhibition in Piazza Indipendenza Pomezia in the spring. The one hundred painters’ exhibition was first held in the 1950s in the Via Margutta, which is a small Roman street renowned for inspiring the works of sculptors, painters, poets and musicians. The Via Margutta is in the ancient quarter of Campo Marzio, and it has many fashionable restaurants and art galleries located in former stables and artisan workshops. In the early 1950s, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck made a film called ‘Roman Holiday’ and the Via Margutta, which features in the film, became the haunt of artists such as Frederico Fellini and is now an exclusive residential street. Every year since 1953 there has been a one hundred painters’ exhibition except in 1969, when everyone was too busy thinking about the first moon landing to put on an exhibition. To find the Via Margutta it is necessary to go via Via Cassia to Piazzale Flaminio and then to walk through the entrance in the wall that leads to Piazza del ...

The centre of Rome is for walking or travelling by bus or tram. If you are looking to park your rental car in Rome it will probably be much cheaper to hand it back to the rental company and hire another car when you wish to leave your Rome accommodation. But, if that is not an option and you do wish to park your rental car in Rome, it does require a certain amount of advance planning. The historic centre of Rome is out of bounds to all cars that do not have a special pass and there are cameras and police at the entry points waiting to enforce the restriction. If a rental car does enter the historic zone then the fine is at least sixty Euros. If you proceed to park in the forbidden area, your car will receive a second fine, will have its wheel clamped or may even be towed away. Assuming that you are not deterred from driving in Rome, there is on street parking in certain areas but without a resident’s permit, it is necessary to keep buying a parking ticket and that can get very expensive. So, the solution to parking your rental car in ...

All roads lead to Rome and all trains too. Therefore, travelling from Rome for a day trip is usually very easy. For example, fifty minutes by express train from Rome’s Ostiense Station and you are in the fortified town of Tarquinia; 1 hour and a half by train and you will be able to admire the treasures of Florence. ROME TO TARQUINIA Tarquinia sits atop rocky cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean and is a fascinating medieval town, with a swimming beach. Worth visiting here is the Monterozzi: 6,000 graves carved into the rock that are complemented by beautiful frescoes. Also within the town is the Tarquinia National Museum which exhibits a couple of winged horses that were originally part of the town’s temple. ROME TO FLORENCE One of Italy's main art cities, the beautiful Florence, is only 1 and 1/2 hours by train. There are many trains leaving everyday from Termini station straight to Santa Maria Novella station in the center of Florence. Make sure you visit the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries. If you wish to stay longer in Florence Holiday Velvet has many holiday apartments in Florence. ROME TO BRACCIANO About an hour by train from Rome’s Termini Station is the village ...