`BEST OF THE BEST` – ROME

What is it ? – A breathtaking city that`s only taken me most of my life to discover.

What`s Cooking ? Everything you can imagine from cheap bakeries , street eats, to World class fine dining.

Who`s Cooking ? – Anyone and everyone – Food is in the Italian blood , it`s a total passion.

What should I expect ? A feast for the eyes , food EVERYWHERE and mind blowing historical sights around every single corner.

Must Order dishes – Pasta Carbonara , Amatriciana , Tiramisu , Roman style Pizzas , Canoli , the worlds best Gelato , Espresso – every one of these should be on your tick list.

What will it cost me ? Don`t listen to the “Rome is too expensive” crowd , you can eat here really cheaply. Just head to any one of the many bakeries around the city.

My thoughts – 63 trips to Asia over the last 20 years and i`ve missed the delights of Rome…..how did I manage that ?

What`s the Atmosphere like ?. Be prepared for the tourists but don`t panic , you`ll get to see and sample everything.

What`s good ?. The Sistine chapel is pretty amazing but personally the Colosseum takes the title.

What`s even better ? – The Roman Colosseum – it`s everyone`s duty in life to visit this wonder of the world.

Any Negatives Would I return ? – Absolutely, but friends tell me that there`s many more amazing places to visit in Rome before I return.

Top tips – Plan your visit well in advance to guarantee that you`ll get into the food spots and beat the queues. Some of the lines went right down the street – and that was just for a Bakery , an ice cream or a Tiramisu.

BEST CARBONARA IN ROME – LUCIANO , Home of the Carbonara King , Luciano Monosilio

BEST TIRAMISU IN ROME – I researched this one quite in depth both on Youtube and online. Seems that the most popular choice was a place called `Pompi` and when I checked the location on the map I could have literally touched the door from my apartment entrance , wow. The staff were all lovely people and we managed to sample quite a lot of produce from their café / bakery. If i`m being totally honest then the Tiramisu wasn`t the best i`ve experienced. Personally I prefer a good dose of alcohol in my Tiramisu. We had the Classic Pompi and also the Pistachio Tiramisu and both were really good. NOTE – Purist Roman Tiramisu doesn`t contain alcohol.

Pastry was great and the Canoli filled with sweetened Ricotta cream was worth checking out.

BEST DELI IN ROME – ROSCIOLI – Guys , book this place well in advance – as in weeks. I thought I would get straight in but it was fully booked EVERY DAY for the full month of October. I really wasn`t happy and tried quite a few avenues but still no luck. My foodie friend Andy Hayler advised me to turn up before opening and take a chance at a `walk in`. Thankfully this paid off and a huge thank you for the staff for accommodating us. Roscioli is an absolute MUST VIST on your trip to Rome , its bloody amazing for lovers of Deli Meats and Cheeses.Book HERE

BEST GELATO IN ROME – We sampled ice cream every day during our trip and found Pompi to be our personal favourite. The Pistachio and Roasted Hazelnut flavours were outstanding.

BEST FINE DINING RESTAURANT IN ROME – There`s several Michelin starred fine dining restaurants in the city but my advice would be to head over to INEO at the Anantara hotel as `the new kid on the block`. Enjoy an educational and romantic dinner here as part of your holiday as it`s perfectly situated in a quieter part of the city centre. Hopefully you`ll get to meet Chef Heros , he`s definitely the star of the show.

BEST PIZZA IN ROME – We went , we queued (over 30 minutes) and we were both disappointed. Piccolo Buco (Trevi fountain area) is highly rated as a destination Pizza experience and quite a few put this Pizzeria at the top of the list in Rome. I paid 20 Euros for their famous “Yellow” which came with quality toppings of Anchovies , Organic Yellow tomato sauce , Buffalo Mozzarella , Sicilian capers and mount Etna Oregano. I really didn`t enjoy the big puffy crust and soggy middle , it really wasn`t my idea of a Pizza. Since my visit i`ve learned that this is the perfect example of Pizza Neapolitan style and exactly how it should have been cooked and served.

STREET EATS – Go take a look in L`Antico Forno , right beside the Trevi fountain. Grab some early morning pizza , pastries , sandwiches. We also got some delights here to bring back home with us. The shop / deli is stunning.

BEST PASTA ALFREDO IN ROME – Fettuccini Alfredo , famous throughout the World and the birthplace of this legendary recipe was right here in Rome at this little family restaurant. 25 Euros for the Pasta and another additional 25 Euros for the Truffle.

ROME`S BEST PEOPLE WATCHING BAR – WITH A VIEW – Godo dal 1661 at Piazza Di Pietra We has this one down as our favourite bar for 3 things , The drinks , The snacking , and people watching with a stunning backdrop of the Temple of Hadrian built in 145 AD . Sat with an Aperol Spritz (Aperol topped up with Prosecco only) , a selection of Truffled meats and cheeses and a view of the ?? it was the best location ever to spend a lazy late afternoon after 10,000 steps through the city streets. Service came with a smile and drinks were cheap.

MUST VISITS – ROME`S BEST TOURIST SIGHTS – There`s a never ending list of the best places to visit in Rome and we managed to tick off all the main attractions during our 5 day visit. Here`s what we managed to see in the 5 days.

The COLOSSEUM – Book well in advance as once again , this was fully booked. USE THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE to book and not a tourist trap website that looks like it’s the official one – USE THIS LINK. Fortunately we got a slot after three days of trying. The whole month was fully booked. We couldn’t get tickets for the arena floor or under floor area but we still got close enough to the action. The price should be 18 EUROS for your visit here so don’t get scammed and end up paying more.

PALATINE HILL AND THE ROMAN FORUM – The price of your Colisseum entry will also cover you for this visit but must be visited within a 24 hour window before or after your Colosseum entry time.

THE TREVI FOUNTAIN – A must visit attraction for that all important social media shot. Visit during the day or the evening it`s guaranteed to be totally packed with tourists whenever you go. THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR THIS ATTRACTION

THE VATICAN – Sistine chapel and Museums – Fully booked for the full month so pre book as soon as is possible. Once again , every slot was taken when I tried to book a visit but I persevered for a few days and finally got `one` slot in my whole 5 day visit. Don`t be tempted to use travel and tourist websites as it seems that they block book their tickets and sell them off at ridiculous prices. Use the official Vatican website and book HERE. You should be paying 25 EUROS (including 5 euro booking fee) to visit the museums and sistine chapel. Don’t get caught in a tourist scam here guys.

THE SPANISH STEPS – Busy day and night so take a chance when you can.

THE PANTHEON – Perfectly situated bang in the centre of Rome this is a must see sight. Official entry price is only 5 EUROS so don`t pay any more through tourist trap websites and online booking agents. One to impress your guests – The weight of the roof is the equivalent to THIRTEEN A380 Airbuses, (4,999 Tons)