The coffee lovers guide to Rome
May 21, 2012 by Travel Guide
Filed under Travel Tips
If you’re a coffee fanatic like me, you’re sure to be salivating merely thinking about the quality of espresso you’ll be able to get your hands on during your holiday to Rome. Packed with gorgeous cafes, fragrant beans and talented barista, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to your favourite drink, but there are some experiences your taste buds shouldn’t miss out on and some Italian customs it’s worth bearing in mind.
Quality Coffee
Honestly, the beans you can buy in Italy are almost enough to convince me to look for some cheap flights to Rome all on their own, but it’s the expensive, traditional espresso machines that really make the difference. You can mainly taste this distinction in the espresso, a short, strong coffee that is thick, creamy and never bitter like it can sometimes be elswhere.
Ordering your drink
When you order a coffee in Rome, unless you specifically ask for something else, you’ll get an espresso. If you need a double shot, ask for a caffé doppio but if you’d like a longer drink without quite as much of a caffeine hit, go for a caffé lungo. If you prefer a milky coffee, a cappuccino is divine. For Italians, this is a morning coffee and shouldn’t be drunk in the afternoon or after a meal, but if you want a cappuccino at any other time, don’t let that stop you.
Another favourite with tourists is the caffé latte, but if you’d like to branch out, try the marocchino, which is an espresso with foamed milk and a sprinkling of cacao. For a sweet, iced treat, try out the granita di caffé, which is often served as a dessert option and easy to find in Rome.
Historical coffee shops
If you’d like a dose of history to go with your coffee, there are a few places you need to add to your itinerary. Caffe Greco was founded all the way back in 1760 and has served great minds such as Stendhal, Wagner, Gogol and Goeth over the years. By Piazza Navona, you’ll find Caffe della Pacce which opened its doors in 1860 and has a beautiful terrace to enjoy while sampling its many blends.
Sant’Eustachio Il Caffe, established in 1938, in the centre of Rome is a must for those who like their coffee fresh and kicking and another stop you have to include in your quest for amazing coffee has to be the Tazza d’Oro, acclaimed for its roasting, and these two cafes are just steps from the Pantheon so you’ll have to sample both.
My biggest piece of advice for coffee lovers booking cheap flights is to leave some space in your baggage allowance, you’re bound to end up with bags of beans and cute espresso cups to take home with you.
ive recently reuntred from a month travelling round italy, it was incredible, venice is my favourite city in the world, its incredible, you absolutely must go to the peggy guggenheim museum, its near the accademia, its something most people dont do but its unmissable, the best thing to do in venice is just wander, you always end up somewhere interesting in rome i wouldnt bother using the metro, its more hassle than its worth, romes not very big and there are statues and fountains on every corner that you miss if you get the metro to and from places.