Eat Like the Romans Do

Day 3 (6 May 2025)

 

Originally, we had booked a tour of Vatican City for today. But since the Pope passed away on Easter Monday (21 April), the Sistine Chapel is now closed for the conclave (election of the new Pope). Talk about timing! We're hoping this will be concluded by our return leg to Rome. 

 

In its place, we booked a free walking food tour with GuruWalks. Claudio, a local, brought us to all his favourite spots. First, suppli (fried stuffed rice ball) at Supplizio. They were fantastic and a nice change from all the pastas and bread we've been having. 

 

 

 

Next, pasta at Maccarone. The pastas are all freshly made at their own shop and only €9 each, cheaper than at other restaurants in Rome. I loved the Papalina, a fettucine with ham and cream sauce. It was so named because a pope loved it! Though Andre said it's because that sauce is reminiscent of what we get back home. In Italy, the pasta sauces tend to be heavier and more cloying.

 

 

 

 

Then coffee at Sant'Eustachio il Caffe. In Italy, it's not the done thing to have cappuccinos after 11am as it's considered too heavy with meals. They just have espressos in a mini cup or a macchiato which is with milk. If you order a cappuccino after 11am, the waiter will look at you strangely. So I settled for a macchiato but I was really craving a flat white. Small and potent. Andre had some iced coffee concoction which turned out to not be coffee at all, more like a dessert! 

 

We drank it at the bar standing up, like the locals do. If you do so, the coffee is cheap, around €1.30 or thereabouts. If you sit at a table, it's considered service and you're charged 2 or 3x more. 

 

 

Finally, gelato at Ciampini. It's typical to see gelato shops with bright neon coloured gelatos in huge fluffy mountains. Do know that those are tourist traps. Quality gelato comes in muted colours cos of the natural ingredients, and often come in covered pots, without air whipped into them to make them rise. 

 
We had chestnut and sour cherry, and coffee and Grandma's cream. All were delicious. The locals know where the quality ones are sold 😋. 

 

After that, we strolled around the city for a bit. Came by the famous Spanish Steps but it was mad crowded so we didn't linger too long. 

 

 

 

Andre also insisted on stepping into a McDonald's which claims to be one of the most unique Macs in the world. It has a Roman statue and marble banisters inside! You need to pay to visit the toilet though, something I've not seen at any other McDonald's. There's a guy with a cash register right outside the toilet collecting an entrance fee 😮

 

 

Also saw the Fabriano Boutique (Italian art brand). Pretty displays but eye-watering price tags 🤑). 

 

On Claudio's recommended, we visited Via Margutta which is near the Spanish Steps but like another world - so quiet and pretty. It was home to artists like Picasso and featured in the movie Roman Holiday. Many art shops are here.
 

 

My thoughts so far: Rome is a very enjoyable city to walk around (though you've gotta really watch where you're walking cos many of the roads are uneven cobblestones which will test any ankle). You can walk everywhere but share roads with cars, scooters, bikes. Cars here are teeny so they can zip along the narrow alleyways. I've never seen cars this small - it's common to see a huge man hunched over a tiny two-seater vehicle rolling down a cobblestone alley!

I find Rome super clean (there are bins everywhere!) and though people warned us about theft, I feel safer here than in Madrid or Paris. There's a strong police presence, not sure if it's due to the Jubilee year, but I suspect that contributes to the lack of touts that throng other cities. The crowds are also not too crazy. Claudio said all the warnings not to visit Rome this year during the Jubilee seem to have worked as he hasn't experienced the chaos yet.

Love this free and easy style of holiday. Didn't manage to draw today but I did finish my painting of the Colosseum. Happy that my random blobs looked like people!