Rome: A surprise around every corner, Italian gem always impresses

Beside the Tiber, along from the intricate Ara Pacis monument, on the fifth floor of Bulgari Roma Hotel, which opened in June, is Il Ristorante Niko Romito (bulgarihotels.com). At the end of the uber-cool long bar is an opulent restaurant offering a luxurious menu which the chef describes as “light fare dishes where flavour builds up then explodes”.

Trastevere is one of Rome’s prettiest districts with small, winding, ivy-draped lanes. Here I climbed upto the Tempietto, Bramante’s circular colonnaded tomb marking the traditional spot of St Peter’s martyrdom. Such a sublime harmonious masterpiece.

After tramping over cobbled streets I rested at BIVIUM, the restaurant at Six Senses Hotel, which opened in March. I savoured a sensual experience as the hotel’s name suggests; an eco-conscious, progressive menu (divided into the elements of fire, earth, and water) of natural and local fare with reasonable prices and very generous helpings.

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The staff strutted around in uniforms of caps, brown trousers and blue shirts in keeping with the uber-cool DJ sounds. Thanks to the female Sicilian chef, my minestrone was a veritable garden in a bowl.

I strolled down to the Colosseum – the largest amphitheatre ever built – but I recommend giving it a miss: so crowded, such queues and actually better seen from outside.

When in Rome, however, you must turn your back upon the Trevi Fountain, in which Anita Ekberg splashed in La Dolce Vita, toss a coin over your left shoulder (like the 3000 thrown daily) and make a wish to return. And custom has it that you will.

On to St Peter’s, which has so much to offer with its imposing, impressive colonnade mounted with statues of devout saints seemingly in communion on an altogether higher level. Here are Michelangelo’s La Pieta, now safe from marauders, and the statue of St Peter, whose feet are eroded from pilgrims kissing in devotion.

The lobby at the Rome Marriott Grand Flora (Image: Janos Grapow)

At the top of Via Veneto, opposite the city’s historic walls and entrance to the Villa Borghese gardens, I stayed at Rome Marriott Grand Hotel Flora (marriott.com). This traditional, cream edifice, defined as a “fortress of the past”, has a neoclassical lobby. It feels light and airy with palms, marble monuments and fresh flowers.

The hotel’s Flora restaurant offers a Mediterranean cuisine and there’s also the elegant red dining room of the Salone Dolce Vita with its parquet flooring.

My room had hardwood flooring, silk curtains, Art Deco-inspired furniture and fabulous soundproofed windows.

The rooftop terrace was perfect for breakfast as the sun emerged to grant me an enchanting view of St Peter’s.

The Villa Borghese gardens are gorgeous, seen in the morning sunshine and with a soundscape of birdsong. I walked along avenues of vivid stone pines resembling upturned broccoli stems and past statues of ancient philosophers. It’s an ideal place to take everything in and and relax amongst Italian daily life.

I reached the Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Hotel on Piazza della Repubblica and “for something completely different”, I ate at SEEN by Olivier, which opened in May, on the fifth floor rooftop. It’s uber-cool, very atmospheric and ideal for a classy, sophisticated, funky night out. Savouring the delicious pan-Asian fusion on the menu, I soon understood why it’s so popular.

The sheer splendour of Rome always leaves me feeling spiritually and visually enriched thanks to the feast of architecture, sculpture, paintings and extravagant Baroque churches.

I love Bernini’s statues in the Galleria Borghese and his touching Saint Teresa in Ecstasy in Santa Maria Vittoria, showing the saint in an almost erotic swoon before an angel beneath golden rays of celestial light.

In search of some peace and quiet I headed towards the Quirinal Palace and lunched in the garden at the Villa Spalletti Trivelli (villaspalletti.it/en) It’s so discreet and intimate that I overlooked the old-fashioned doorbell. This beautiful place, so rich in its family history, is also a wonderful oasis of calm.

Baglioni Hotel (Image: unknown)

Next, I stayed next at Baglioni Hotel Regina, which is situated halfway up Via Veneto (rome.baglionihotels.com). This original Roman hotel has an opulent interior. The lobby has black and amber marble, a mammoth Murano chandelier and a bronze statue of Neptune.

My room had marble flooring, thick lacquer doors and a deep, luxrious black marble bathtub. In the theatrical setting of the Brunello Restaurant I browsed the bold, eclectic menu and chose a delicious leaf-wrapped sea bass.

Who doesn’t love to sink into a plush tufted red velvet armchair for breakfast? And in front of a fireplace, under crystal chandeliers in a gorgeous plum-coloured oval salon with a harpist playing? My massage at the Baglioni Spa was impressive in every sense and a pampering complement to the marble, brass and bronze in this Art Deco extravaganza.

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After shopping on the famous Via Corso I had lunch nearby at Le Terrazze, the rooftop restaurant of Singer Palace Hotel (singerpalacehotel.com). I enjoyed looking below as a rainbow coincided beautifully with the array of colours from my menu, plate and Wimbledon-green seats. The chef’s philosophy – “My goal is to maintain tradition without being banal” – was spot on.

Everywhere today’s Romans play out their daily dramas. Exuberant, bold and egoistic as immaculate policemen delivering instructions or garrulous shopkeepers gesticulating exaggeratedly. I loved the juxtaposition of nuns, ice cream shops, children irreverently kicking footballs against church walls and vespas zooming past restaurant tables spilling out onto the streets.

Along the Via Veneto I celebrated my last night at Anima, (editionhotels.com/rome/restaurants-and-bars/anima). The name means “soul” and the restaurant is located within the Rome EDITION, another brand-new hotel.

After passing through the lobby’s colonnade of curtains, fluted and fluttering, I reached the blue dining room where I sat on a long velvet banquette and enjoyed the theatrical delivery of the chef’s signature “tortelli di zucca”.

My final and most sublime moment in Rome was surrendering before the utter majestic beauty of the Trevi fountain. It’s best seen at night when it’s lit and more romantic without the daylight distraction of other buildings. And that’s when I threw another coin into the fountain to expedite my return to this “eternal city” or “caput mundi” (the capital of the world).

I certainly hope to be back soon.

Travel facts: Adam travelled with holidayextras.co.uk (0800 316 5678) who offer airport lounges at all major UK airports and many international destinations). He was covered by online travel insurance specialist, CoverForYou (coverforyou.com, 0207 183 0885).