Our Rome Black Book 2.0

It’s been nearly four years since we published our first Rome Black Book! Yes, we always make updates when we have them, but since I’ve been a resident here for three years (albeit part-time!) I wanted to rework it, given how much better I’ve come to know the city. Now that it’s full-on summer in the 90s every day and the streets are crowded with tourists, I’m very aware of how tough it can be out there—and I think I’ve figured out some great tools and secrets and other really helpful info to arm you with. Of course you want to know which restaurants to prioritize, but sometimes you also just need a recommendation near you. You might be across town from that restaurant you’d planned on for lunch, and now you’re desperate for something that is just close and good enough. 

I was telling my friend Stephen that my fantasy for Yolo is that it makes you feel the way you do when you’re somewhere unknown, trying to figure it out with no plan—and you see someone in front of you who has good style and looks clever. You find the courage to go up to them and ask them where you should go that’s nearby, and they kindly tell you their favorite place, making you feel like you’ve just hit the jackpot. That’s my personal goal with this Black Book. Usually, I pester all my friends and their friends who know a city super well to give me their intel, but this time I’m taking it all on, with the exception of our food/drinks category! I’ve done so many hotel walkthroughs, talked to so many people, and gone through my 9,468 photos of Rome from these last couple of years, and am sharing everything I’ve learned with you here. 

If you’re here in high summer, you may want to reference my Summer in Rome List (it includes easy beach-day trips from the city), and if you’re looking for ideas for everywhere else in Italy, don’t forget about our Italy Travel Planners—we have three!—for the North, Central, and South. —Yolanda