Eating in Rome {Hosteria del Mercato 1870}

It's kind of impossible to find somewhere good to eat near the Spanish Steps/via del Corso/Piazza del Popolo. Last week I discovered a solution in Hosteria Del Mercato 1870. 

Coffee in Rome {5 best Addresses}

Coffee is so intertwined with everyday life in Rome it is impossible for me to imagine the city without it. I love to start my morning squeezed in, standing at the bar, with a quick cappuccino. I love to meet friends for a leisurely late afternoon cafe macchiato and everything in-between. 

There is still no Starbucks here in Italy. Yet. What there is a very ritualized system that is part of of every Roman's day. You have two ways of going about it. The first option is the most economical. You pay first at the cashier, get a receipt and then stand at the bar where you order your coffee from the barista and drink it on the spot. Your second choice is to sit down, where the price will increase (sometime double the bar price) but you are welcome to savor your coffee and linger as long as you like. 

Here are a few of my favorite places for coffee in Rome. 

Siena's 11 Best Addresses to Eat, Drink and Stay

At the height of Italian summer I did something most out of character and headed away from the coast and spent a few days in Siena. It was for a very good reason that I abandoned my lettino for the Tuscan hills. I had been invited to the Palio, the fabled “horse race” (which is such a simplified explanation of what the Palio is I won’t begin to explain it in this post, but you can start with this video, this film, and this article) In between the complicated and ornate rituals that surround this event I ate some excellent meals. Here are my 11 best addresses to eat drink and stay in Siena.

A Perfect Day in Rome; What to see and Where to Eat

I recently was asked to take over the Conde Nast Traveler Instagram stories account and share some of my favorite places in Rome. Unfortunately these stories only stay on the account for 24 hours so I thought I would put the entire day here on the blog in case anyone missed it.
As the famous quote by Silvio Negro wisely advises "Roma, non basta una vita - Rome, a lifetime is not enough,” but let's see how much of Rome we can see in a day. I promise lots of coffee, some must see sights and a Caravaggio or two.

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