A Quick Check-In From Rome

Plus reminders about upcoming Q&A and Destination Deep Dive

Mosaics from the ancient bath complex at Ostia Antica outside Rome

Hello from Rome, where I’m nearly at the end of my research trip and have almost destroyed a relatively new pair of sneakers from all the walking I’ve been doing. (25,000 steps yesterday alone.) As such, what follows is a random list of discoveries, advice, and musings while I rest my tired feet.

But first, this is a reminder to paid subscribers that our next “Ask Me Anything About Italy” is happening on November 13th at 8 pm ET.

This month’s Destination Deep Dive visits Rome, and I have been testing out the full 5-day itinerary for Rome that I’ll share with you on November 20th at 8 pm. Reminder: This benefit is exclusive to paid subscribers.

If you’d like to experience Rome with me, I’ll be doing this same itinerary with a small group exactly a year from now, as the first week of November is always a great time to be in Rome. It’s still warm, but not scorching, and when the clocks change (earlier in Europe than in the US), the crowds thin out considerably.

Here’s my report:

1. Naples was busier than ever, and the crowds on the train going to Pompeii were intolerable. The experience of shlepping on the Circumvesuviana train, without a tour guide, confirmed the value provided by our drivers and tour guides. Here’s the thing about having someone plan your tour — it’s hard to know all the friction they’re saving you from, but it’s a lot. If you want to have the Pompeii experience on your own, I highly recommend visiting Villa Oplontis instead, which is one stop on the train before Pompeii. It’s a much smaller site, with the same history, zero crowds, and you can see the whole thing without a guide, because it is much more intuitive to explore the ruins of what was a Roman mega mansion than trying to decipher an entire city without a guide to explain what you’re seeing.

2. I stayed at Atelier Ines, a very special boutique hotel in the Rione Sanità, a working-class district that has transformed in recent years. I was surprised by the number of Italian tourists present, especially those from Milan and Turin, who had come to visit the Ipogeo Cristallini. On this visit, I visited the Catacombs of San Severo, which was perfect for a few days before Halloween. The nobles, including a member of the Gesualdo family, who were entombed here, were represented by their skeletons, painted on the wall, and their skull placed in a niche. It is weird, and creepy, and also fascinating. In terms of history and the story of early Christians, the Catacombs of San Gennaro remain my top recommendation. However, if you enjoy the macabre, then you will love San Severo.

   

   Catacombs of San Severo in Rione Sanità

3. Also, the Rione Sanità is becoming very hip. Jason Momoa was dining next to me at the pizzeria Concettina ai Tre Santi. Only one of the waitresses knew who he was, and she informed the rest of the staff, who quickly turned to Instagram to understand, “Chi è Aquaman?”

   

   View from Villa Ruffalo in Ravello

4. I spent two days at Borgo La Pietraia, and from there we drove to Ravello. While on the road, a German couple who had been taking the stairs from Amalfi to Ravello asked us for a ride because after 2.5 hours, they were only halfway there. They (and everyone we spoke to) said Amalfi and Positano were still incredibly crowded, although Ravello was relatively quiet, and many shops and restaurants had already closed for the season. Of course, the Amalfi Coast is beautiful, but it is lacking in a spirit these days that is undeniable. It just feels…trampled. As such, my advice remains the same. If you want to stay there, you really need to stay in a swish hotel, and enjoy the things that swish hotels give you — amazing views, a pool, and a great bar and restaurant. Amalfi Coast on a budget…sucks. It’s just endless stairs and terrible food, and all the shops sell pretty much the same thing. (How many pairs of linen pants does one person really need?) The exceptions are Vietri sul Mare and Cetara, particularly Vietri, which I love fiercely. Yes, the view from Ravello was spectacular, but when I looked at my camera roll, I saw something that was much more beautiful than it felt. Whereas back at Borgo La Pietriaia, I felt once again embraced by Southern Italy’s magical light at dusk and a sense of calm. At dinner, Chef Mario gave me his signature sourdough bread with lardo and freshly shaved truffles foraged in the nearby mountains and, well, evviva Cilento.

   

   A little “snack” at Borgo La Pietraia

5. I have so many new things to share with you from Rome, but I’ll save many of them for the Rome Destination Deep Dive. A couple of years ago, Rome was absolutely filthy, but that has changed dramatically with the election of a new mayor and, of course, the Papal Jubilee. The thing I’m enjoying most about Rome on this go-around is the outer areas: Trastevere, Testaccio, the Aventine Hill, and Ostia. I haven’t gone anywhere near the Trevi Fountain or the Spanish Steps, and I don’t plan to. I do have a ticket for the Vatican Museum on Monday, specifically to see an ancient bathtub made of porphyry, which is my latest obsession and the subject of an upcoming podcast.

Buona Domenica, and thanks for reading. I’ve got lots of good stuff in the works for you.