Nouri knows Rome the way you know a city where you once lived. He studied here. Cornell, semester abroad, spring. The waiter at Ristorante Nino stopped handing him a menu three visits ago. He has never quite left.
Rome is two cities. There is the one that exists for people who did not do the research — restaurants near the Colosseum, hotels charging for their address, the Trevi Fountain at noon in August. And then there is the other one, available to anyone who knows where to look, for two thousand years. We go in January. The streets belong to us.
Stay at the Rome Edition or Palazzo Talia. Both are renovated and well-positioned to get around the city. The Edition has better staff than most properties in the chain — the rooftop alone earns the rate. Palazzo Talia is Luca Guadagnino's first hotel, and the passion shows in the details. If you are willing to spend more, A Step Above is where that money should go.
For your second night, go to Trattoria al Moro. Yes, they may seat you next to every other international in the room — go with it. The food is genuinely great and tastes homemade, which in Italy is both the highest and most honest compliment. Do not skip the Fragoline di bosco con panna at the end. It is a pure delight.
If you have time during the day, go to Dal Bolognese for lunch and order the Tortellini in Brodo — tiny dumplings in broth, the kind of dish that sounds modest until you taste it. Dress for the occasion. The room will be full of men in suits and elegant women.
If you can get a table, Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina — make the reservation. Part deli, part wine bar, part restaurant, entirely serious about all three. La Matriciana for a heavier dinner, when you are in the mood for something meat-forward.
One of the evenings, get drinks at The Terrace at Hotel de Russie. Beautiful space. Worth the price of a drink whether you are staying or not. For a quick bite during the day, stop at Antico Forno Roscioli.
When you visit the Pantheon: if the ticket kiosk line looks long, go around to the side of the building and buy with cash — the lines there are shorter. Cash is still king in Rome. You do not need more than four days. The city is a museum, which is wonderful, but if you are not going to every sight and spending full days in the galleries, four days is exactly right.
