When it comes to ice cream, there is still only one place in Rome. It has been the best since 1900. I love Giolitti not only for the great gelato, but also because it hasn’t changed since I was a little girl. 39/06-699-1243. By Pepi Marchetti Franchi, as told to Elizabeth Minchilli. Photo by Andrea Wyner. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue. Read about Pepi Marchetti Franchi’s favorite neighborhood in Rome.
As I hiked the trail from Vernazza to Corniglia, I came up to a point where I had this fabulous view of Vernazza where I had spent the previous night. The Cinque Terre (5 lands) was a place I had wanted to visit for a few years. Being here, looking down on this picturesque town, I felt like I was on top of the world. These 5 towns, which also include Monterosso, Riomaggiore and Manarola, are beautiful, seeming to be ready to tumble into the Ligurian Sea. There is a trail connecting the 5 towns (best way to see them) or a train for those who aren't into the walk. Most of the towns don't allow cars, but they can get crowded with tourists during the day. Stay a night...or 2 or 3...and savor one of the towns in the evening when it seems more authentic. This town, along with Monterosso, suffered severe flood damage back in October. From what I have read, they are quickly rebuilding and will be ready for travelers come spring. So don't let the flooding deter you. Go! And if you want to donate to help in the rebuilding efforts, here are some great links: http://savevernazza.com/ http://vernazzafutura.blogspot.com/ http://www.rebuildmonterosso.com/
I tell all my friends to stay here. It’s a great location, right off Piazza del Popolo. The hotel is not part of a chain. It’s family owned, which is charming. 39/06-361-0841. By Pepi Marchetti Franchi, as told to Elizabeth Minchilli. Photo by Andrea Wyner. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue. Read about Pepi Marchetti Franchi’s favorite neighborhood in Rome.
Here is one of Rome’s best restaurants: Al Moro is very traditional and is well known for the quality of its seasonal ingredients, including porcini mushrooms, wild strawberries, artichokes, and asparagus. 39/06-678-3495. By Pepi Marchetti Franchi, as told to Elizabeth Minchilli. Photo by Andrea Wyner. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue. Read about Pepi Marchetti Franchi’s favorite neighborhood in Rome.
Few things provide tranquility for the soul like fresh air, open space and...ancient Roman ruins? Yep. It's definitely not a staple in every big city park, but leave it to Rome to chose a space as beautiful as Villa Borghese as their center for all things outdoors while being just outside the city walls. Villa Borghese is as breathtaking as it is vast and the perfect place for a picnic, a stroll, or a run to burn off some pasta. I came here almost every day after work in the fall for a quick run before the sun started setting at 4:30pm. Though it was a bit more crowded, I would come here on Saturdays too with a good book or a journal for a few hours to find some quiet away from the crowded touristy center. There are gorgeous ponds, fountains, ruins, piazzas, museums, small fields, trails, great photo ops, and benches everywhere. Not to mention its just a short walk up from the Spanish steps.
Roman life takes place out in the open, in the big piazzas. Ciampini is the ideal place to sit down over a cappuccino or a glass of wine and watch the spectacle of tourists and locals intermingling. 39/06-687-6606. By Pepi Marchetti Franchi, as told to Elizabeth Minchilli. Photo by Andrea Wyner. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue. Read about Pepi Marchetti Franchi’s favorite neighborhood in Rome.
A Naples legend well before Julia Roberts (in Eat, Pray, Love) gave it celebrity sheen, Da Michele was opened by the Condurro family in 1930. The only pizzas are marinara and margherita, and they are pure classics. 39/081-553-9204. Read Tom Downey's "Tailor Made in Naples."
This summer Eddy Bourdages, 33, and his mother, Mireille Anderson, 57, made their first trip to Italy. “We wanted to open an authentic Neapolitan wood oven pizzeria, so we went to the source,” says Bourdages. Anderson has owned L’Odyssée Bistro & Steakhouse in Labrador City, in eastern Canada, since 2008. Her son, however, is a computer scientist who quit six years ago to attend culinary school. “I had never made a pizza in my life,” he says. They enrolled in a weeklong pizza boot camp run by the Naples-based Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (Real Neapolitan Pizza Association), a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Neapolitan pizza traditions. The five students, who ranged in age from 18 to 56, attended lectures on ingredients, visited a flour mill and a mozzarella producer, and spent 28 hours making pizza under the supervision of master pizzaiolos. By day, the apprentices learned how to make the Neapolitan pie’s characteristic thick outer crust. At night, they worked at historic pizzerias throughout the city.Bourdages was assigned to Al 22 (Via Pignasecca 22, 39/ (0) 81-552-2726), located on a street that is famous for its food market. “There were always two pizza masters at the front of the restaurant,” he says. “One stretches, dresses, and places the pizza on a traditional wooden peel being held by the second pizzaiolo, who loads it into the oven and plates it. During service I stretched dough alongside the pizzaiolo. Sometimes I’d get a thumbs-up; sometimes my dough would get restretched.” Bourdages and Anderson also signed on for an extra week of unpaid pizzeria work. “The dough making is the hardest part,” Bourdages says. “You have to know when to stop adding flour. That changes each day, depending on the humidity in the air. The pizzaiolos could stick a finger in the dough and tell it was ready.” The program culminates with a written and practical exam that Bourdages says is like an episode of America’s Got Talent. “Three AVPN members watched us make a margherita pizza (crushed, peeled tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, basil, olive oil) and a marinara pizza (garlic, oregano, olive oil, and two spoons of tomato sauce). They tasted them and evaluated every bite. It was quite nerve-racking.”Bourdages and Anderson both passed, and celebrated by spending a day in Capri. Their pizzeria, Punchinello’s, will open in early 2013 in Labrador City. “We sourced an oven from Italy. We want people to feel like they’re in a pizzeria in Naples,” he says. “My experience changed my perception of pizza. But after living in a place where people eat pizza three meals a day, it also made me excited to eat sushi.” From $1,720. 39/(0) 81-420-1205. Photo by James Camp. This appeared in the October 2012 issue.
If you find yourself on the Mediterranean Sea or in Italy then be sure you make your way to Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre, or "The Five Lands" (in Italian), is composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, which makeup the Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is little or no "corporate development" here. The place has changed little over the past few hundred years and it is picturesque to say the least with turquoise blue water, dramatic sea cliffs, and terraced hillsides full of grape vines and olive groves. Hiking is the best way to experience Cinque Terre and to get the feel of the five distinct villages. I enjoyed the first hike so much that I decided to do it again a few days later. The vistas are magnificent and I would suggest stopping to spend time in each village to sample their distinct wine, have a snack in one, lunch in another, and gelato at the end. You are in Italy after all! Plan on the hike consuming your day so that you have time to take in the views along the way, spend time in each village, and swim a few times along the way. I also recommend starting in Riomaggiore and ending in Monterosso (and take the train back to whichever village you are residing in during your stay). Plan on a five-hour hike that can be rather strenuous at times. Wear comfortable shoes (not flip-flops) and wear sunblock. You can buy food and water along the way and bail to the train anytime.
Winemaker Renato Ratti recently opened to the public his family’s 18th-century, 13-room villa in the Piedmont countryside. An old cellar stores decades’ worth of Ratti wines. Guided tastings can be arranged upon request, and bottles can be shipped home for guests. The owners may open a restaurant in the next two years. For now, they direct guests to La Luna nel Pozzo, in the nearby village of Neive. The tiny family-run spot serves excellent homemade pastas paired with local wines. The villa’s old tower has been turned into a three-floor deluxe suite with hardwood floors, frescoed walls, and a Turkish bath. Each floor has 360-degree vineyard views. From $185. 39/0140-962-021. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue. Image courtesy of Villa Pattono.
I love to go to this restaurant and wine bar for a glass of prosecco and to enjoy the unique view out over the Spanish Steps and the rest of Rome as the sun sets. 39/06-699-341000. By Pepi Marchetti Franchi, as told to Elizabeth Minchilli. Photo by Andrea Wyner. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue. Read about Pepi Marchetti Franchi’s favorite neighborhood in Rome.
One of the most delicious towns in Tuscany - and most beautiful - is the charming Pienza. Situated between Montepulciano and Montalcino in the scenic Val d'Orcia, centuries-old Pienza is best known for its rich pecorino cheeses. Many feel that the best of Pienza's pecorinos is its "sotto cenere," or "under ashes," variety, produced between October and July and seasoned for up to two months to develop its distinctive flavor. Pienza is filled with great little shops like this one, offering not only the world-famous pecorino cheeses but also rich meats, mild olive oils and bold red wines. For a perfect picnic lunch, grab some salami, cheese, fresh-baked bread and a bottle of wine and head to one of the town's many scenic vistas overlooking the Val d'Orcia valley below. Not a lunch you'll soon forget!
There are few places that blend dramatic scenery, old-world history, and stellar food culture as beautifully as Sardinia. In early summer, wildflowers color the island, cherries are at their juiciest, and many regions are surprisingly tourist free. Several new small hotels complement the setting. This appeared in the May/June 2012 issue. Photo by Giacomo Altamira.
I often take out-of-town guests here for lunch because it feels—and is—so authentic. Whenever I go in, I have ‘my’ table, as do all the other Roman regulars. One of the restaurant’s specialties is the Francovich soup, which is a delicious Tuscan bean soup. 39/06-679-5676. By Pepi Marchetti Franchi, as told to Elizabeth Minchilli. Photo by Andrea Wyner. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue. Read about Pepi Marchetti Franchi’s favorite neighborhood in Rome.
A friend and I were walking down the road, lugging our suitcases and looking for our hotel when I glanced up and saw this view. It was one of those moments when I realized how insanely beautiful the Amalfi Coast is, especially in peak summer. The feeling of amazement arises every time I look at this picture.
There is an intimate hotel in the hills of Tuscany near Siena called Certosa di Maggiano. It is pure magic. Tranquil and filled with old Italian charm, this is a place to go and chill out. Strada di Certosa 82/86, 39/0577-28-81-80. Rene Redzepi chose this as one of his favorite places. Read more. This appeared in the October 2012 issue.
Popular attractions don't always equate to overrated. Rome's Trevi Fountain is a perfect testament to this. No matter how many filmic versions I had seen of tourists throwing coins over their left shoulder as good measure to ensure their return to the city, I was still overwhelmed by the magic of experience. There's a reason why Hollywood loves this fountain! In spite of the crowds, which are overwhelming in a different sense, the fountain shouldn't be missed. As I await my next voyage to my favorite city, the plethora of photos taken in this spot will have to do.
When going to Italy there are so many beautiful and breathtaking things that have such historical relevance and striking beauty. Venezia, Firenze, and Roma all have very powerful histories from the rule of Venetians to the birth of the Renaissance to the rise of Rome. However, one thing often overlooked within Italy's strong history, heritage, and its vast art collections is its natural and intrinsic beauty. The Amalfi Coast offers solitude and beauty unmatched, and personally I feel it is a great spot to reflect after roaming through Italy much like people did twenty centuries ago. After an amazing lunch in the town center of Capri, including fresh seafood pasta and Limoncello made in town, I wandered down to Marina Piccolo to take in more of the wonderful sights and sounds of the blissful Amalfi Coast. Upon arriving to the shore you could since the rich history in the form of the stairs, yet the birds flying in and out of a single ray of light made me think of (Leonardo) Da Vinci's inspiration to fly. Although it is one lucky second of photography, this photo serves as my canvas for a truly magical trip. When I look at this picture it allows me to see that Italy's timeless history and natural beauty helped give impetus to deeper purposes or adventures for civilization as it did Julius Caesar up through Leonardo Da Vinci and seemingly on to me at this instant. Life is indeed beautiful in Italy, as it allows your mind to wander like a bird chasing the sun!
According to legend, Rome’s first orange trees—St. Dominic’s gifts to the pope—were planted in Giardino degli Aranci (Garden of the Oranges) in the 13th century. The secluded park provides a panoramic view of the city, from the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica to the Vittorio Emanuele monument. Sit below the aromatic trees and watch the sun set over the Tiber River. Piazza Pietro d’Illiria 5. Photo by Kagan McCloud. This appeared in the May/June 2011 issue.
Picture a historic village perched high above the sparkling Mediterranean, surrounded by lush mountains and stony cliffs. A charming, three hundred year old country home is nestled among the trees and warm breezes carry the tantalizing aromas of sprawling citrus orchards, vineyards and flower gardens. Sound like paradise? It was! This stunning picture was the view from a villa I stayed at. The view is where our cooking classes were held. Between the delicious, fresh from the garden food, the wine, the views...my senses were on overload and over the moon! Heaven on earth, that is what it was.
Anglo American Book Co. is my best source for English-language books in Rome. They have an amazing inventory of beautiful books on the city. 39/06-679-5222. By Pepi Marchetti Franchi, as told to Elizabeth Minchilli. Photo by Andrea Wyner. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue. Read about Pepi Marchetti Franchi’s favorite neighborhood in Rome.
La Pignasecca is renowned for its abundance of cheese, pastry, and fresh fish stalls. As you shop, don’t miss snacking on the biscuits (tarrale) from Panificio Vincenzo Coppola. Open daily, Via Pignasecca. Read Tom Downey's "Tailor Made in Naples."
I recently savored a week in Rome. During a lunch break on a partly cloudy day in March, I decided to walk down Via Sistina to the Spanish Steps and then continue walking along Piazza Trinita dei Monti to see what lay beyond this local hub of tourist activity. To my great delight, I came across the quiet and lovely Ciampini Ristorante, and yes, it was open for lunch. At 12:45 p.m. I was arriving ahead of the locals so I had the entire restaurant to myself. At first I thought I would sit in the outdoor seating area so I could enjoy the fresh air. After several minutes of refreshing yet brisk March wind I decided to embrace the warmth of the glass-enclosed dining area. This turned out to be an excellent decision as the enclosed dining room was at a higher elevation. I was seated at a comfortable table next to broad glass windows that afforded a view of Roman rooftops all the way out to St. Peter’s Basilica! The service was gracious and the warm al dente risotto was delicious. The extensive view of cross-adorned domes and bell towers mingling among terra cotta rooftops encouraged a desire to linger. To make the experience last a little longer, I ordered a cappuccino. It was perfect. I sipped and enjoyed it until I had barely enough time to return to the hotel for my next business meeting. Arrivederci, Ciampini Ristorante!
Dominican friars mixed medicines at the original workshop in Florence starting in 1612. The Venice branch is also a traditional apothecary, selling herbal elixirs. Most shoppers, however, come here to buy modern perfumes and gaze at the antique interior. Salizada S. Samuele, San Marco 3149, 39/041-522-0814. Photo courtesy of Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue.
Situated high up in the hills of Montepertuso and overlooking the magical town of Positano, each and every part of the family-owned, Trattoria La Tagliata, is truly local – from the organic vegetables grown in their own gardens, free-range meat from animals raised on the surrounding farmland, handmade pasta right from the kitchen, to the vibrant ceramics, created and hand-painted by artisans from the local ceramic shop, Elisir di Positano (www.elisirdipositano.it). Without any printed menus and accompanied by pitchers of wine, courses are served family-style and seem never-ending, and you’ll be warned to pace yourself. Each dish is fresh, full of flavor, and simply the best I’ve tasted during my travels in Italy. And, at the end, you will be pleased to receive a chilled glass of limoncello to complete your meal. While all of these qualities make La Tagliata unique, including the unbeatable panoramic view, it is the family who owns it that makes it special. Some of the friendliest people I’ve met, they make you feel welcome from as soon as you arrive until after you leave. Their traditions, passion, and hospitality all shine through in the food and atmosphere they create for their guests. Today, La Tagliata has expanded to a larger property with their own Bed & Breakfast, where guests can stay and have access to their organic vegetable gardens. A visit to La Tagliata is truly an unforgettable experience and a highlight on any trip to Positano.
At the ground-floor wine bar, take in the view of the Grand Canal while enjoying such cicchetti as salumi and cheese. In the upstairs dining room, choose from a menu that features intriguing dishes, including cocoa fusilli with boar ragù. Campo San Giacometto, San Polo 122 39/041-523-2061. Photo by Sabine Lubenow/Jai Corbis. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue.
At the end of our European trip, my seven year old son, my mother-in-law, and I spent the last of our days in Venice. We decided to do the most “touristy” of things and rode in a gondola. In the beginning all I wanted to do was hide my face for participating in this oh so typical ritual. After a few moments though, I was lulled by the comfort of the cushions, the hushed swish of the oar, and the beautiful decay that glided past. That was until, the skies opened above and large pellets of rain soon soaked us, thunder boomed, and lightning sizzled as we sat in a boat in a canal…full of water. After hiding under a series of bridges we finally got back to our starting point. Stepping off the boat, I soon discovered that the place had miraculously emptied. Everyone had scattered and disappeared inside dark doorways. After dropping my companions off at our hotel, I continued on, to enthralled by the solitude to let the rain bother me. I spent the rest of the day sloshing through puddles and soaking in the quiet history of the city’s alleyways and saturated colors. I was supremely content to lean on a centuries old crumbling wall, watch the green water edge by in a small canal off the beaten path, soaking wet, alone, in a quiet and deserted Venice.
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