Rome with a View

The Curtain Is Up, but the prima donna has not stepped forward. The overture is finished, but the aria has not begun. Perhaps it's the bright lights or the beautiful clothes that heighten the expectant mood. Perhaps it's the way these extras strut and gesture. Seeming intent only on their companions, they watch the audience from the corners of their flashing eyes.

In daylight, the Piazza del Popolo with its ocher-tinted buildings and domed churches, has an air of neglect. The cracks and flaws exposed mercilessly by the strong sunlight are, in this dusk, a magical backdrop.

White-jacketed waiters peer out from the doorway of the Café Rosati to make sure they don't miss a star entrance. Rome is a city of fashion and, as work ends in the nearby offices, the fashion for Rome's young style setters is to be there. They will toy with an espresso coffee or linger over a vermouth for an hour. Girls in Pucci dresses and girls in homemade cotton ones wave to men in souped-up minicars. Only for an hour is it like this; then they begin to drift away--some to the big apartment blocks on the edge of town and others to a replay of the same show on the Via Veneto.

Rome is not a city; it's a series of theatrical experiences, vignettes and epics, a profusion of sights and incidents that leaves the newcomer with the feeling that he has arrived midway through the performance of some colossal and intricate spectacular and that, for all his concentration, he will never fully understand what has gone before.

Seeing it for the first time, the visitor finds himself incapable of absorbing everything that passes before his eyes: It has almost too much history, magnificence, life, movement. There are cities that can make greater claims to antiquity, and there are many where the lights burn later at night; yet none has Rome's special magic, its powerful blend of vibrancy and romance with splendor and a strangely tragic sense of neglect. But don't mourn the passing of this ancient capital's former glory; for all the ruin and rubble, Rome thrives and dazzles with a zest that other, more modern cities could never match.

Within a few days, it is possible to taste each of the many layers of experience that Rome can offer; but even in that short a stay, it's not necessary to rush. Be selective, check opening hours of all stores, restaurants, monuments and night clubs, and start your sight-seeing early in the day. Equip yourself with a map (the Provincial Tourist Office issues one of the handiest), circle the sights that appeal to your own taste and use the phone book to locate cafés, restaurants and shops.

Not to have a plan, a map and one comprehensive guidebook for historical background (Masson's Companion Guide to Rome is one of the best and can be picked up on arrival) would mean a largely wasted journey. And don't skip the obvious sights. Some people think that because the Colosseum is so familiar, they needn't bother to see it, which is akin to a belief that an illustrated cookbook is a substitute for food. All of the old city's monuments, no matter how often they may have been photographed, are a revelation. Sight, smell, sound, light and texture weave their own spell and, when combined firsthand with the memories that Rome inevitably evokes, they leave an impression that nothing will dislodge.

The city is seen at its best from late March to the end of June and from September to mid-November. These are the months when the weather is kindest; there are cool shadows in the narrow, twisting alleys, the marble gleams white and brilliant in the sun and wisps of steam rise from the pavement of piazzas that have just been hosed. The early-morning air is fragrant with the smell of fresh-ground coffee and the perfume of secretaries as they hurry to their offices, and the smell of damp plaster floats into a wakening street from a dark and slumbering courtyard. These will give way to the scent and sound of the city's traffic as the day passes; but now, in the new morning, the time when knowledgeable travelers start their shopping or sight-seeing, the air is calm and clean and the splash of fountains in a deserted square is still one of the loudest sounds to be heard.

Our chart gives a sampling of Rome's luxury hotels; but, when making reservations (especially in the summer in the more modern part of the city), make sure your room is well away from traffic. The best solution is an air-conditioned suite high above the street; but if none is available, and if your hotel has a large inner courtyard, as many do, settle for something on the inside; there'll be plenty of light, even if the view doesn't amount to much.

The older section of the city--that part from the Tiber in the west to the Villa Borghese in the east and from Piazza del Popolo in the north to the Colosseum in the south--is quietest at night, although there, luxury hotels are outnumbered by first-class establishments. The latter include the Nazionale, the Forum and the Valadier, all of which can be recommended for visitors who are more interested in rest than in revelry--as far as their hotels are concerned. For those who want to mix their pleasures, there are dozens of luxury and first-class hotels on or close to the demarcation line between old and new Rome. The plushest are located in Trinità dei Monti, atop the Spanish Steps; or on or near the Via Veneto, a street that has long been associated with all that is smartest and most sophisticated in the capital and to which we'll return later. Although luxury hotels are on the high-rise in Rome, the city's two traditional leaders, the Grand and the Hassler (both near the Trinità dei Monti), still can't be matched for over-all excellence. The Grand is Rome's grandest caravansary; its rooms are handsomely appointed, its staff remarkably efficient, its cocktail lounges and dining room rewardingly intimate. The Hassler is almost on a par with the Grand; we find it, however, a shade too formal for our tastes, an almost unavoidable state of affairs, since its guest list is often sprinkled with the titles of visiting royalty.

Trying to recommend what to see in Rome is like advocating abstinence at an orgy: There's so much around that you can't help yourself. This flood of history--and sheer sensory experiences--often overwhelms many visitors; but it shouldn't, because Rome is a fairly compact city and, in many instances, the greatest sights are located within easy walking distance of one another. People are surprised at the city's size; it's smaller than they expected and its population is only about 2,500,000, a figure that's less than double that of Imperial Rome at its height.

Rome is probably the only city in the world that can boast two independent states within its boundaries: the Vatican and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, which is the world's tiniest state. S. M. O. M., as it is commonly acronymed, has a diplomatic service, and issues its own passports and license plates.

There are four rush hours in Rome (the usual two, plus two more for the long lunch-siesta), so try to fit your vehicular peregrinations in between or, whenever you can, walk. Taxis are cheap and plentiful (though they tend to vanish at midday), but it's unlikely that the driver will speak English. If you're pressed for time and your Roman friends are unavailable, get a car with a chauffeur-guide as soon as you arrive or acquaint yourself with the city by taking a couple of the more leisurely bus excursions--not the stop-and-start numbers that promise (as one company does) 40 sights before lunch. Better to miss half than to see them all on the gallop.

A typical first day should start immediately after a light early breakfast of juice, rolls and cappuccino--or espresso, if you prefer your coffee black. At this time of day, the flower sellers are arranging their stalls and displays on the Spanish Steps, a three-tiered Baroque stairway that climbs from the Piazza di Spagna to the square at the top of the steps, Trinità dei Monti. This is a convenient spot from which to familiarize yourself with the city's topography. From there, Rome spreads before one like some glittering mosaic: an eye-filling panorama of bronze domes, lofty columns, basilicas and office blocks, tightly interwoven streets and, in the haze across the Tiber, the massive dome of St. Peter's.

To the viewer's right is the Piazza del Popolo and its outdoor cafés. Behind him is Villa Medici, where Galileo was imprisoned during the Inquisition; and beyond that, the gardens of Villa Borghese, with a zoo and the art gallery in the Casino Borghese. Old Rome--the forums, Colosseum, Pantheon, stadia and circuses, baths, palaces, arches and temples--spreads out below and to the left, sweeping out of vision to the remains of the historic aqueduct and ancient city walls.

At the height of the season, this small square is crowded with sight-seers, many of them girls traveling alone or in twos or threes. It is a circumstance that leads to the demonstration of what Stephen Potter might have described as basic Romesmanship. Unattached young men, some carrying binoculars, occupy the best positions and, while waiting for the girls to approach, pretend to make an intense study of the landscape. The binoculars are soon transferred to feminine hands and, within a couple of minutes, their owner is pointing out the sights, a task that gives frequent opportunity to (continued on page 214)Rome with a View(continued from page 94) adjust the focus and size up the challenge.

"Of course," he'll say, "you'd get a much better idea of what the real Rome looked like if you saw the model in the Museum of Roman Civilization."

"What's it like?"

"Fantastic--a complete reconstruction of the old city, right down to the last roof tile."

It takes a good 20 minutes to drive to the museum, which is in E.U.R., the suburb built by Mussolini for the Universal Exposition of Rome in 1942. There are other museums and art exhibitions in E.U.R., and no end of pleasant outdoor terraces at which to linger with your new-found companion.

Within easy walking distance of the Piazza di Spagna are daytime Rome's equally notable get-acquainted grounds: the Lion Bookshop on Via del Babuino; American Express (located at the far end of the piazza itself); the antique shops and galleries along Via Margutta and Via dei Coronari; and the city's smartest shop-and-snack streets--Condotti, Borgognona, Frattina and Corso. It was at the famed Caffè Greco on Condotti that the original swinger, Casanova, swung for the first time; or so they say. It must have had bigger tables and wider couches in those days.

Less than a ten-minute walk from the top of the Spanish Steps is the fleshpot circuit of Via Veneto and vicinity, the locale where you'll find the most expensive shops (don't get swept off your feet by their wares--you'll often get better prices on the same or comparable goods elsewhere). On Veneto, the action starts early in the day but doesn't get into full swing until night. The present center of it all is the Café de Paris, opposite the Excelsior hotel, although Doney's, on the Excelsior side, still attracts a faithful retinue of American residents.

Rome's unrecognized separate city-state, Via Veneto is policed by the waiters of the sidewalk cafés. It may seem strange that one of these sharp-eyed custodians should ask that august gentleman over there, with the gold cigar holder and the vicuña windbreaker, to pay for his coffee in advance, but hardly remarkable; for in this short strip of high-priced real estate, there is a tendency among its habitués to look famous but to be broke. To the princely men and the gorgeously dressed girls who accompany them, Rome begins and ends in the immediate vicinity of the Café de Paris; but to those who know better, it is where the genuine Rome begins.

Veneto is no longer quite the gossipy, lip-smacking, paparazzi-studded paradise of some years ago, when Anthony Steel was decking photographers in defense of Anita Ekberg and La Dolce Vita was part of the local philosophy. But the cast and the scenery have changed very little: exceptionally good-looking girls, sometimes squired, sometimes not; a pair of shades for every face; and a fairly mixed crowd from Rome's gigantic movie industry--everyone, from electrician to director, with an attendant audience of gawkers and nudgers. The street's two most prized prestige symbols arc a leather-bound script cover (available from Gucci on Condotti, where you can also pick up those chain-link loafers) and business cards with a Los Angeles address and the word "film" somewhere in the title. Neither will impress the waiters, but both have been known to work wonders in other quarters. If you're staying nearby, you can case the geography and whet your curiosity by taking a morning coffee there before embarking on the day's expedition. Go back later, when it's dark.

You'll need to devote most of the morning to see the city's most visited site--the 109-acre Vatican complex, an absolute essential for any initial Roman holiday. The Vatican Museum, a treasure house of religious art through the centuries, closes at two P.M., and you won't want to miss it. The Vatican's other priceless assets: the Vatican Library, which contains, among an assortment of rarities, Galileo's first microscope and a map of America published in 1493; the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's incredible master-work; and St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the world (and don't miss the view from the roof--fantastic).

If you believe, incidentally, that the Church has always been chary of depicting sexuality, take a look at the designs on the marble bases of Bernini's canopy over the Papal Altar. The work is said to have been commissioned by Pope Urban VIII to celebrate a birth in the family. His coat of arms, three bees, is arranged below the head of a girl, in a design that forms breasts and pubis. Each panel depicts her advancing pregnancy, and the last one shows the face of a smiling infant. Under these, the complex heraldic design depicts the male and female organs. The guides never mention it, and neither do the guidebooks.

If you've been successful in your quest for companionship, after touring the Vatican take a rented car out along Appia Antica--better known as the Appian Way--where you'll have a chance to explore the dark catacombs (those at St. Sebastian have English-speaking monks for guides) and the tombs and temples built alongside this ancient highway. On the way, visit the massive ruins of the Baths of Caracalla, which once catered to 1600 ladies and gentlemen at a time and still retain some of the original mosaic decoration. The steel trelliswork and stage you'll see inside the main walls are for the spectacular alfresco operas that are staged there during the summer. For a few lire, one of the attendants will take you on a tour of the intricate underground passages. For a few more, you can return another time to see and hear an opera in these extraordinary surroundings.

There's no need to follow the Appian Way to its end in the Alban Hills, but go far enough so that you pass over the one or two short stretches of the original pavement, some of which still bears the mark of chariot-wheel ruts. If you have forgotten to take lunch (a rosticceria is best for this; these Italian-style delicatessens pack delicious picnics of cold meats, bread and cheeses), watch for the striped umbrella you'll see about halfway along the old road. It looks like a frankfurter stand from a distance, but you'll find far fairer fare: roasted stuffed pig. The meat is sold by the slice, there is freshly baked bread to enjoy it on, and there are great beakers of wine with which to sluice it down.

Farther along the road, your companion will probably wonder what all those young ladies are doing sitting on the rocks along the shoulder. Tell her they're pursuing Rome's oldest profession on one of Rome's oldest roads; their customers are drivers who aren't averse to circuitous detours from the main highways. Once you're past this autoerotic region, pick out a likely spot beside the road, spread a cloth and break out the picnic provender. After a leisurely meal, you can return directly to the heart of Rome--via the Cristoforo Colombo expressway--and to Trajan's Park, behind the Colosseum, where you'll get a look at the few remnants of Nero's fabulous palace, the Golden House. The grounds used to stretch from a point east of there to the Palatine Hill on the far side of the Colosseum; a 120-foot statue of Nero stood at the entrance to a pillared arcade that was a mile long. Rome was horrified at the extravagance, but Nero's opinion was eloquently expressed by his observation on seeing his new home for the first time: "Now I can at last begin to live like a human being."

Having explored the Golden House, you can proceed to the Colosseum and attach yourself to one of the regular tours that are led by the very attractive and multilingual female guides, although a visit at night with company and a good guidebook might be an even more satisfying experience. Built on this site in the First Century A.D., the Colosseum seated upward of 50,000 spectators who came to witness the gory spectacles of gladiatorial combat staged for their amusement by the emperor.

By the time you leave the Colosseum, Rome will be well into its siesta; most shops, offices, travel agencies and all banks are closed from one to four P.M. if you're not inclined to do as the Romans, this will be a good time to visit a few of the city's museums, all of which, except for the Vatican Museum, stay open throughout the afternoon. Bars and restaurants also remain unshuttered; head for the Grand Hotel's downstairs cocktail lounge; it's an action spot and often packed with celebrities during the afternoon. Or if you don't mind touristy crowds, siesta time might be well spent at the Tre Scalini, a trattoria that serves up what may be the best ice cream in the world; you won't believe how good it can be until you've tried some there.

By now, your energy sufficiently restored, you'll be ready to visit three more Roman imperatives: the Pantheon, the only complete ancient Roman building still standing; the Campidoglio, for its impressive overview of the Imperial Forum; and the Forum itself. One of the most memorable sights in the city, the Forum was not only the site of Rome's senate but the center of the civilized world for more than 1500 years. It was where Mark Antony eulogized over Caesar's body, where the vestal virgins were housed and where all roads to Rome finally converged. A historical sound-and-light spectacle, presented every night each week at the Forum during summer, compellingly evokes those vanished days of empire. But make certain you don't visit the Forum until the sun has almost set; in summer, the valley that surrounds it is broiling hot, and it's unwise to time your visit at the height of the afternoon heat.

Following your long day of sight-seeing, you'll want to head back to your hotel to freshen up and dress for an evening on the town.

The night's events should start with a reconnoiter of the Café de Paris, perhaps an aperitivo or two--a bitter Campari with soda and lemon, or a Negroni--and a slice of sizzling-hot quiche Lorraine, one of the many superb dishes served there. Appetite aroused, you can now begin contemplating where to dine. At George's, an expensive, outstanding restaurant on the Via Marche, try the pasta sprinkled with truffles, the rigatoni, osso buco or any of the seasonal game dishes that George's is justly famed for. The Borgia Room, on the ground floor of the Hostaria dell'Orso, is Rome's most opulent restaurant; the utensils and plates are gold, and the classic Italian cuisine measures up to the accouterments. Other restaurants where you can't go wrong: Ranieri for traditional Italian dishes, the more informal Mastrostefano trattoria, Sergio and Ada's for regional Roman fare and the Ile de France for Rome's finest French food.

Following dinner, the smaller bars and discos in the side streets off Veneto are getting ready for the night rush--which is initiated by the girls of Rome. Those microskirted lasses standing opposite the American embassy are not lining up for an audience with the ambassador; they're waiting for clients. The charge is upward of $25 a session, usually at their place. The same can be said of the young ladies who choose, perhaps with a measure of irony, to patrol the Via della Purificazione, a few blocks away.

If you're in no mood for professional attentions, drop into the nearby Capriccio, where you'll find a lively crowd, great pasta late at night and swinging sounds. Or try the Club 84, a smart, mirrored discothèque that attracts some of the loveliest unescorted company in town. Avoid the Vecchia Roma (the one on Veneto, not the restaurant of the same name) and the Mini Club; the first is a basement operation (champagne at $20 a bottle and the world's thirstiest hostesses) and the other is a waste of time. Too dark, too small, very dull.

Check out the Piccadilly on Piazza Barberini (it's an English pub with an Italian in the kitchen and a bird at the bar) and save an hour or so later on for the Piper Club, a psychedelic disco operated by the same management, on Via Tagliamento. Don't be put off by the unfortunate sign that reads, You Can Dance with a Good Wisky. The music is live and loud (British and U. S. groups) and the company young and boisterous. Same sort of atmosphere at the Titan Club, across the Tiber near the Vatican, but not so many flashing strobes.

Night life on a big scale--name performers, spectacular floorshows and the like--is not one of Rome's strongest points, and about the closest you'll get to a supper-club atmosphere is the rooftop La Cabala at the Hostaria dell'Orso, where there are two orchestras for dancing, and the Casina delle Rose in Villa Borghese, where there's dancing under the stars. You'll also find a few semi-burlesque and belly-dancing joints, but nothing to get excited about. At the other end of the cultural plane, however, there are concerts, open-air in summer, and superb performances at the Teatro dell'Opera from December to May.

Try to spend at least one night exploring Trastevere (its inhabitants claim to be the only authentic Romans left), a maze of narrow streets, piazzas and old, shuttered houses on the other side of the Tiber. In July, the Trasteverines hold their own festival--Noiantri--an exuberant blend of fireworks, mandolin playing, dancing in the squares and water sports on the river. On Sunday mornings, look for bargains in Trastevere's Porta Portese Flea Market. Some of the city's more colorful (and, frankly, hokey) restaurants are over there, but the waiters and singers who leap all over the place seem to enjoy themselves and act as though the customers are old friends returned from a long and arduous journey.

It might be a good notion to save Trastevere's antic pleasures for your last night in Rome; even though much of the section's gaiety is manufactured, Trastevere is, finally, more Romanesque than the city's skyscrapers can ever aspire to be. An old adage maintains that if you stay in Rome for ten days, you'll never leave; and an early-17th Century visitor wrote that a traveler to Rome needs "the back of an ass, the belly of a hog and a conscience as broad as the king's highway," an earthy summation that is still valid. There are 25 centuries of history there and the remains still poke through the city's surface. But realistic Romans--and there are few who aren't--are unimpressed by this legacy of venerable monuments. Their dedication, they say, is to life, love and laughter; and anyone who has fallen under the spell of this great and lusty metropolis can testify to the efficacy of their zeal.

Playboy's Capsule Guide to a Roman Holiday

Where to Stay

Cavalieri Hilton: commercial and impersonal, but it offers a superabundance of amenities.Excelsior: a zestfully appointed Via Veneto landmark for action-oriented celebrities.Flora: a centrally located, efficient, up-to-date oasis for U. S. business travelers.Forum: opposite the Imperial Forum; small (but pleasant) rooms in a restored palazzo.Grand Hotel: Rome's most distinguished hotel. Spacious suites, urbane ambiance. Memorable.Hassler: roost for royalty and high society. Scenically situated atop the Spanish Steps.Inghilterra: Old World atmosphere lures artists and writers; near the Spanish Steps.Leonardo Da Vinci: newly opened and away from city bustle; luxurious yet reasonable.Parco Dei Principi: an outdoor pool, lots of plastic and swinging guests.Ritz: 15 minutes from centrocitta; richly furnished and pleasingly spacious suites.Victoria: get a room overlooking the Borghese Gardens. Quiet, comfortable, friendly.

Where to Dine

Cesarina: beguiling Bolognese cookery and marvelous service in an amiable atmosphere.Dal Bolognese: the terrace tables overlook the Piazza del Popolo; traditional menu.Da Meo Patacca: costumed folk singers cavort in a medieval setting, touristy--but fun.George's: where knowledgeable gourmets gather for international and exotic cuisine.Hostaria Dell'Orso: old, elegant, exclusive, expensive; the Eternal City's very best.Ile De France: perhaps the best French food in Italy; order the quiche lorraine.Il Giottone: candlelit, intimate atmosphere. Menu usually features veal, tagliatelle.La Fattoria: for a sumptuous Roman smorgasbord in a rustic farmhouse north of the city.Mastrostefano: warm-weather alfresco--and informal--dining; try the pollo alla diavola.Ranieri: 126 years of epicurean excellence--and the food's never been better!Taverna Flavia: film industry's noontime headquarters; estimable comestibles.

Where to Play

Capriccio: the cocktail lounge features a shake-it-up combo--and matching dance crowd.Club 84: an elegant disco frequented by affluent Romans; a late-night imperative.Coq D'Or: romantic dancing (and/or dining) in a 17th Century palace. She'll love it.Hilton Roof: indoor dancing; the view of the city from terrace tables is awesome.Il Pipistrello: a popular piano bar and nightcapper. Warm and intimate atmosphere.La Cabala: atop the Hostaria Dell'Orso; unabashed opulence, two orchestras.Lo Scarabocchio: newest of Rome's chic discothèques. Located in the Trastevere section.Piper Club: two groups supply nonstop pop pandemonium for dancing; a happy mob scene.

Where--And What--To Buy

A. Antinori: Florentine-leather accessories--belts, billfolds, attaché cases, etc.Brioni: especially for bespoke silk suits (at around $200 and up), blazers, formalwear.Bulgari: Rome's answer to Tiffany--a befittingly formal cathedral of diamonds.Gucci: the Continent's best-known designer of leatherwear--including coats--for men.Angelo Litrico: Rome's master tailor suits up a high-fashion celebrity clientele.Carlo Manetti: for busts and statues; be sure to check out the sculpted chess sets.La Mendola: his-and-her boutique items--wildly colored shirts and beach ponchos.Carlo Palazzi: innovative fashion center featuring men's matched shirts and slacks.Gino Paoli: don't pass up Paoli's meticulously made, style-setting men's casual knits.Pucci: you'll make her euphoric with a creation from Italy's leading haute couturière.

Don't Leave Until You

do all the standard--but still highly recommended--sight-seeing: the Forum, Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, the Appian Way and the Etruscan Museum.

take in the Via Veneto girl-watching scene at a sidewalk table at the Café de Paris.

wangle an invitation to one of Rome's posh private gambling clubs; high rollers only.

catch the summer sound-and-light evocations of ancient Rome staged evenings at the Forum.

take her for a romantic ride in a horse-drawn hansom (carrozzella); they are metered.

sample Italy's own invention, ice cream; fine vantage points are Rosati's, Tre Scalini.

cap off a late Saturday date with an early-A.M. visit to the Sunday-morning Flea Market, when sellers unpack their merchandise. You'll have first pick of intriguing wares.

reserve a full day for the out-of-town Helio Cabala Club: two swimming pools, lots of film hopefuls, epicurean edibles and dancing at night; delicious dolce vita.

spend at least a day motoring outside the city. Destinations you'll dig: the village of Castel Gandolfo, located on Lake Albano, where the Pope has his summer palace; the ruins of Hadrian's Villa (a great place for a picnic), built by the Emperor in 125 A.D.; Villa d'Este, a four-century-old site famed for its fantastic fountains.