After leaving Ischia we spent 4 days and nights in Rome and I couldn’t have loved it more. The hotel, food, sights and city streets were everything we wanted + needed.
STAY:
Hotel Locarno was the perfect choice for our vibe: stylish, design forward and chic but not at all pretentious. Luxury boutique travel advisor, Louisa Vann, who helped with our travel arrangements suggested this along with a few other hotels that looked amazing but I’m so glad we landed at Locarno.
EAT/DRINK
Rocco: Very local vibe served the 2 best things I ate in Rome. So happy Louisa Vann found and booked this for us!
Brillo: A casual spot with great pizza + gelato. Also their simple DIY dressed mixed greens salad was perfect and connected me to my Italian roots.
Stravinskij Bar at Hotel De Russie: This hotel garden bar/restaurant came highly commended by Charleston friend and amazing artist Lia Burke Libaire and it did not disappoint- beautiful setting and great people watching.
Il Marchese: We stopped here randomly for lunch and had the most delicious steak tartare! The next day when on a private walking tour with a fantastic local, she happened to suggest this as a spot with great food.
La Matriciana: We didn’t make it here bc we needed a more casual last night but it came highly recommended by multiple trusted sources.
Pierluigi: This is the place to wear your fancy outfit.
JK Roma: For a fancy drink
Terrazza Locarno: The rooftop bar at our hotel was the perfect place to kick off our first night in Roma. So many well-dressed patrons! My favorite looks were the effortlessly chic ones. Their courtyard was also quaint + stylish for food and drinks.
SHOP
Besides all the beautiful luxury Italian stores, these smaller boutiques hit the spot.
Fondaco: I found a great raffia bag here and was tempted by so many other items.
Lesley- Fun luxury vintage spot
di San Giacomo sandals: This was the perfect spot to have my handmade custom sandals made. Claudio was friendly and charming and made exactly what I had in mind in 30 minutes while my husband had a glass of wine in the restaurant across the alley where we later ate a fabulous lunch. He sets up inside of a clothing store where two women design and make their own designs.
Mettimi Giu: Children’s clothing recommended by the woman at Fondaco.
Nanan: Traditional children’s clothing made in Italy. I got the sweetest islet top for my 6yo daughter. They also had the most precious things for babies!
VISIT
We spent our mornings/early afternoons exploring on our own and did the Vatican, private tour of the city and all the sites in the late afternoons. This was the suggestion of the concierge as the city was hot, busy and the cruise ship scene populated the sites in the mornings. This gave us plenty of time for lunch and a slightly later dinner most nights which to me was also a main attraction.
WEAR
I always pack a capsule of pieces I know make me feel good + like myself to mix and match according to the mood evoked by the location. I’m so glad I brought the coming soon black trousers as I was really feeling those for nights in Roma and wore them twice. Black, timeless + chic at night just felt right to me in this city.
During the day it was HOT so airy, white and effortless was a must, but in an elevated Italian way. I carried bags big enough for a water bottle (a must for me) -a Dragon Diffusion bag with a strap long enough to carry cross-body and a Marie LaRosa I got last summer at AP Shop. I threw out the only pair of jeans I had planned to bring last minute after studying the forecast and I’m so glad I did. It was linen and/or skirts and dresses on repeat.
Day 1: Edie dress in black for travel from Ischia to Roma ready to hit the ground running. For night it was the coming soon black trousers with the white organic cotton scoop tank for rooftop cocktails and more eating/strolling. Simple but chic.
Day 2: Edie dress in white for the morning layered with the organic cotton tee in black for the Vatican. The slip dress with black leather flip flops and a casual raffia bag was perfect for long walks to and from dinner at Rocco.
Day 3: The reversible ribbed knit mini for shopping and cocktails at Hotel de Russie. Then a quick change into the button front linen top and long linen shorts for our private city tour including a few cathedrals. For dinner at our “fanciest” of Roma I repeated the black trousers this time with the V Neck Tank. I wasn’t sure what to expect of this restaurant but this look felt right: classic + chic.
Day 4: The open back apron top + Leo linen pants were perfect for a hot day on our feet (still wearing the best walking sandals ever) visiting the Colosseum after having sandals made. Dinner was early + casual after a fancy drink + a little shopping appetizer which matched the vibe of the ribbed knit skirt and repeat of the organic cotton scoop tank.
Thanks for reading. I hope this helps a little if you’re planning a trip to Italy!
Heather