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Events include the Good Friday Procession of the Cross at the Colosseum and the Easter Sunday blessing from the balcony of St Peter’s.

Perhaps Rome’s most illustrious defender of the grand tradition, this historic hotel has been the choice of celebrities for years. Not only because every detail speaks of refinement, but also because of the superb restaurant/bar that tops the edifice dominating the entire city (see La Dolce Vita Venues).

When English parliamentarian Gibbon (1737–94) stood in the Forum for the first time in 1764, he was struck by how “...each memorable spot where Romulus stood, or Tully spoke, or Caesar fell, was at once present to my eye.” He resolved to write the history of Rome, and by 1788 had finished his seminal work, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire .

Some of the best food and lowest prices in this high-rent neighbourhood. Mix of seafood and Roman dishes. The candlelit tables out front are a nice touch.

Energie provides all that’s new in the world of Italian youth fashion. Whether it’s jeans, shirts or shoes you’re after, all are on offer for both sexes.

Atmospheric and stylish wine bar frequented by politicos from the nearby Italian parliament buildings.

A clubby old wine bar. Bottles from around the world to choose from, as well as a decent menu of salads, pastas, sandwiches and more.

Cheap, filling Roman fare. Limited daily blackboard menu and communal tables.

In addition to great wines, this bar-restaurant offers local dishes, with an emphasis on fish.

A new and positively thriving wine bar, with pleasingly dark wood interior and plenty of seating out front on the cobblestones. Light snacks and cocktails are served too.