Rome

Anthony Bourdain Favourite Secret Restaurant in Rome – Lunch with Asia Argento – Settimio al Pelligrino – Roma

 

Anthony Bourdain with Asia Argento

A Meal at Settemio

Rome, Italy

TONY’S SECRET RESTAURANT – Rome

On Sunday December 5, CNN broadcast a stunning Rome episode of Parts Unknown in which Anthony Bourdain and Asia Argento go to a trattoria, which they do not name. It’s Settimio. Sorry for the spoiler but I don’t believe in depriving Mario and Teresa of business through exclusion Watch the episode it is brilliant.

I vividly remember my first visit to Settimio al Pellegrino. It was in 2007 and my friend Jess and I had gotten a hot tip from a regular that a short walk from Campo de’ Fiori sat an uber-authentic trattoria serving simply dressed fresh pastas, meaty mains, and seasonal vegetables. We made a booking but when we showed up for dinner the door was locked. We were already off to a rough start. One of us noticed a button next to the door and after a sustained buzz, chef and owner Teresa opened the door a crack and said something to the effect of “chi siete”, who are you?

If that doesn’t sound like a warm greeting, it wasn’t. But at Settimio, warmth isn’t doled out frivolously. Warmth is earned. If you turn up without a reservation, there’s a real chance you will be sent away, whether they are booked up or not. It’s the kind of place where the possibility of a regular rolling in late leads Teresa and her husband Mario to set aside tables for such an occurrence. And even calling to reserve well in advance doesn’t guarantee a table. On that note, if you don’t speak Italian, have your hotel ring for you. And if all this sounds too fussy, don’t read on. Settimio isn’t for you.




TONY’S SECRET ROMAN TRATTORIA – ROME



ANTHONY has LUNCH with ASIA ARGENTO

“The SECRET TRATTORIA”

TONY says,  “Rome is a place where you find the most extraordinary pleasures, in the most ordinary places. Like this place. Which I’m not ever going to tell you the name of. Asia has been coming here forever. She brings her kids here. So I’m not going to screw it up for her. 

The trattoria is SETTINIO PELLIGRINO. I’m not letting Tony’s secret out of the bag. That happened years ago, Just passing on the information for anyone who wants to go there, and need the name of the restaurant and address (Via del Pelligrino 17 -Roma .. tel 06 6880 1978).





ANTHONY BOURDAIN

PARTS UNKOWN – ROME



PARTS UNKNOWN – ROME

With ABEL FERRARA & ASIA ARGENTO



I have to be honest: arbitrary seating policies give me agita. I grew up in restaurants and treasure hospitality. I want to connect with the people who make and serve my food, not be rejected or dismissed. Yet I was determined to win over Teresa and Mario. That night, Jess and I ordered every course, including my current go-to, polpette, scorched yet delicious meat patties. We cleaned our plates, admired the eclectic decor (framed posters and paintings gifted by Settimio’s clients, which include plenty of artists and film makers) and watched as Mario worked the room, taking orders and doting on regulars. Teresa emerged from the kitchen occasionally to clear plates and pinch cheeks. Man, did it feel bad being an outsider at Settimio that night.

Jess and I apparently didn’t make much of an impression because I went back on my own a few days later for lunch and was given the same suspicious treatment. After a few more visits, however, I was totally in, cheek caresses and all. This is good news if you live in Rome or visit often. You, too, can become a doted-on regular. Otherwise, visit knowing you won’t be pampered by the service but you’ll definitely walk away having witnessed a Roman relic. 






SETTIMIO PELLIGRINO

ROMA



That is to say, a lot of what’s appealing about Settimio is the attitude and atmosphere. Some regulars have been going since the place opened in the 1930s, others a decidedly shorter length, but all are given special attention. In that way, the place is not unique. The attraction to countless other local joints is the experience and the relationship with the owners, even more so than the food.

I don’t think anyone with Roman dining experience would say the food is flawless. Like many places in town, it makes sense to stick to certain things like those meatballs or the onion-rich vitello alla genovese. At Settimio, comfort food reigns: fettucine with meat sauce, gnocchi with tomato sauce (Thursdays only), trippa alla romana, and involtini (meat rolls). The handmade pastas pass muster, but you won’t write home about them. The pillowy, super sweet, candied chestnut-studded Montblanc, which they do not make in house, is another story. I dream about it sometimes. Usually right before I go to the dentist. I am also very into the mela cotta (baked apple). I’m a sucker for overcooked fruit. 

Second only to the struggle of winning the owners’ affection is the wines, which range from undrinkable to painfully undrinkable. While it’s charming that regulars leave unfinished bottles in the fridge for their next visit, I can honestly say that the only wine worse than the wine at Settimio is day-old wine at Settimio. It’s not what you’ve come for anyway.


Settimio al Pellegrino
Via del Pellegrino, 117

+390668801978 









Trattoria  SETTIMIO PELLIGRINO

ROME

SETTIMIO PELLIGRINO
ROME
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Remembering Arthur Frommer – Budget Travel Guides

 

Arthur Frommer, known for the guidebook Europe on 5 Dollars a Day and other titles on budget travel, has died aged 95.


Pauline Frommer, his daughter, confirmed his death in a statement on his website. 

The writer, who began his journalism while on military deployments abroad, passed away at home surrounded by his loved ones. 

“Throughout his remarkable life, Arthur Frommer democratised travel, showing average Americans how anyone can afford to travel widely and better understand the world,” Pauline wrote in her statement. 


“I am honoured to carry on his work of sharing the world with you, which I proudly do with his team of extraordinary and dedicated travel journalists around the world. We will all miss him greatly,” she added.


Frommer was the founder of Frommer’s guidebooks – a series of travel books that included planning and travel tips to destinations around the globe. 


The series was based on Europe on 5 Dollars a Day – one of his first publications, which came out in 1957 and sold millions of copies. 


The book detailed how average Americans could afford to take trips that many thought were only accessible to the wealthy. 





Europe on $5 on DAY

The FIRST ONE

“Wow ! Imagine it? Europe on $5 a Day”

The GOOD OLD DAYS



“This is a book for American tourists who a) own no oil wells in Texas, b) are unrelated to the Aga Khan, c) have never struck it rich in Las Vegas and who still want to enjoy a wonderful European vacation,” he wrote in the original guidebook. 

Frommer was drafted during the Korean War. He was sent to Europe and served in Germany because of his language skills. While deployed, he wrote what would be his first travel guidebook for his fellow service members, The GI’s Guide to Travelling in Europe.


As well as a writer, Frommer was a TV and radio host whose work helped shape others’ approach to travel. 


In one essay, Frommer wrote that travel “broadens our lives”. 


“Travel has taught me that despite all the exotic differences in dress and language, of political and religious beliefs, that all the world’s people are essentially alike,” he wrote. “We all have the same urges and concerns, we all yearn for the same goals.”




EUROPE on $25

by Arthur Frommer

Early 1980s Edition
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My FIRST TRIP to EUROPE

“And Using a Frommer Guide”

My own Frommer travel experience. After dreaming of going to Europe since I was about 16 or 17 years old, I pulled the plug in the Summer of 1985. Yes I yearned for several years, dreaming of hanging out in cafes in Paris, going to Rome, Venice, Amsterdam, maybe Switzerland, I don’t know, I had to figure out an itinerary.

I was influenced by people I knew, and settled on Italy: Rome, Florence, Venice, and Positano and The Amalfi Coast, and over to Barcelona to meet up with some friends from New York.

Well I didn’t end up going to Paris (another trip), but I did make it to Nice, Monaco, and The South of France. Everything would be wonderful, but I would have to plan. I had my Frommer Travel Guide, Europe on $40 a Day. I think it was that one. All these years later (2024) I can’t remember of it was the $25 a Day edition or $40 a day. Anyway, the book was a great help. I had also bought Rick Steves 1st travel guide, Europe through the Back Door which was nice, but not filled with nearly much info, on many more places as the Frommer Guide by Arthur Frommer. 

Europe on $5 ($25, $40) was the standard at the time, which Arthur Frommer started in 1957 with his 1st of many guides, with Europe on $5 a Day. “Wow, imagine that” ? Those were the good old days, when European Travel was “Dirt Cheap” I must say, I was lucky to catch the tail-end of very affordable (cheap) European Travel on my first few trips.

On that first trip, I stayed in a Pensione in Rome for just $14 a night, just $6 a night in Barcelona, I think I payed about $25 – $30 for a room in Nice, $35 a night at the Hotel Firenze in Venice, and $40 for a room at the Pensione Maria Antoinette in Positano. Though it was Europe on $40 a Day at the time, I decided to give myself a budget of $60 a day. I wasn’t backpacking it, I had luggage as opposed to a backpack, and I didn’t want to stay in hostels, but I did want the most affordable accommodations a step or two up from hostels. This was Pensione accommodations, which gave you a clean room, but usually not with a bathroom. There were shared bathrooms on each floor of a typical Pensione. I didn’t have any problem with not having my own private bath in the room. “Hey, at least I wasn’t staying in a hostile with other people in my room?” Not that there is anything wrong with that. 

The Europe on $40 a Day covered the main attraction cities like Rome, Paris, Venice, Florence, Vienna, Athens, Amsterdam, and others. For each city, the main tourist attraction such as The Coliseum in Rome, Eiffel Tower in Paris, The Parthenon in Athens would be covered. Local transportations options were cover, with sections called “How to Get There” and “How to Get Around,” which were very helpful. For each city there was a small listing of inexpensive Hotels to choose from, a few mid-range options, and maybe t deluxe hotel recommendations, which were classified as “Splurge” options, for both hotels and restaurants.

Then of course there were restaurant suggestions, mostly in the affordable category, as well as a few of the most popular dishes that any particular city or region was famous for. 

Most important to me was the hotel section of any particular city. Back then (1985) there was no Internet, which has made travel much easier to naviagate, with limitless information on vacation destinations around the World, and companies that book hotels all over the World, such as Expedia, Booking.com and others, where you have websites that list hotels in every budget, you can sift through the pages, pick a hotel, make room reservations, and book hotel rooms, all on your computer or Smartphone.

I was 22 years old when I made my first trip to Europe. I book a flight on PanAm from JFK New York to Rome. It was $55o. I can’t tell you how excited I was on the flight over, and those first 5 days spent in Rome, and I was in total euphoria as I explored The Eternal City. I just couldn’t believe it. I was like a young child on Christmas Day. That’s the feeling I had, super excited and oh so happy. And again, I was in a state of euphoria. That’s how much I loved it. 


I met a couple on the plane, we shared a taxi from the airport to Rome Central Station. I took a cue from my Rick Steves travel guide, and checked my luggage at the train station while I went looking for a pensione with a list I made from the Frommer Guide listings. I got a room on my first try with in a pensione that was just 2 blocks from the train station. I told the desk clerk I would take the room, and went back to the train station to retrieve my bags. After going back to the station, I laid down for a few minutes, couldn’t fall asleep (to excited) so I took a shower, got dressed, then went out to explore Rome, The Eternal City. 

I walked about 5 blocks and came upon a Kiosk Cafe by small park across from the Piazza della Repubblica. I went inside and saw these little sandwiches on the counter (Tramezzini). They looked good and were cheap (900 Lire – .50 cents) so I got a couple, along with an Apricot Juice and my 1st Italian Espresso in Italy. I took my stuff and went outside to sit at one of the cafe tables. I was in “7th Heaven.” No big deal to most, yet it was blissful to me. I was in the Ancient City of Rome, eating my first ever meal in Italy, and Europe at the same time. the sandwiches were tasty, the juice refreshing, and the Espresso was amazing. “I loved it all,” and this some 39 years later, I can still remember it all, and I savor the memory. The sandwiches were so tasty (but not filling) that I went inside and got two more. This would be my breakfast for the next 5 days while in Rome. I found a cafe I liked the next day, and went there for the following 4 days, for a caffe (espresso_ Apricot Juice, and 2 or 3 Tramezzini Sandwiches. I loved it.

Anyway, back to that first day. I walked and found my way to The Spanish Steps. I marveled at the sight. I walked up to the top. There was a food truck up there, and I got a Coca-Cola. This was around the time that Coca-Cola had the foolish idea of changing the recipe of “Coke.” A big mistake. People stopped drinking Coca-Cola and the company was forced to changed back to “The Original Recipe.” I had my Coke and gazed out upon The Eternal City. Up on top of The Spanish Steps, you get a wonderful view of Rome, spread out before you. I savored it all. 

From here. I walked down the road toward the Borghese Gardens and the Piazza del Popolo beyond. I came across a beautiful little garden caffe an stopped in. I got a little something to eat. Sorry, can’t remember what it was. What I do remember was that it was enchanting sitting in the garden and again, looking out over Rome. Absolutely beautiful. 

After leaving the garden caffe, I continued on my exploration and walked on the road and descended down into the Piazza Popolo with its two beautiful little “Twin Churches,” and a couple famous caffes, including Rosati that my friend Rene Ricard told my that I had to go to, along with visiting the  two Twin Churches. Of course I did. 




Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke

“The TWIN CHURCHES’

PIAZZA del POPOLO – ROME



After visiting the twin churches of Santa Maria Maricoli & Santa Maria Montesanto, I continued on. In a few minutes, I came upon the monument to Victor Emmanuelle, The 1st King of Unified Italy. Adjacent to this monument is the Roman Forum, and The Colosseum beyond. Wow, The Colosseum ? This really blew my mind. Ancient Rome of 2000 years ago/ I couldn’t believe it.




Daniel Bellino Zwicke


….. to be continued … 






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Roman Pasta Recipes – Rome to Positano ITALY

 

The COLOSSEUM

ROME , ITALY

GUIDE



ROME :  FOOD & DRINK – TOURS – HOTELS – EVERYTHING


Roma


Rome, Italy — a city that has captured hearts and minds for years. Like most big cities, you can spend a pretty penny in Rome if you aren’t careful. Luckily though, there are also numerous free things to do in Rome just waiting to be explored.

The Eternal City is a fascinating contrast of history and modern society living together in harmony. It seems that everywhere you turn there is a historical site surrounded by the modern city that has grown up around it.



The ROMAN FORUM
TOUR ANCIENT ROME

Home to incredible churches, fabulous museums, beautiful piazzas, and unmatched historical sites, Rome is an ancient city with loads of things to do.

The COLOSSEUM

Rome’s tenacity is best illustrated in its ancient monuments, remarkably intact nearly 2000 years on. Debuting in 80 AD, the behemoth 50,000 seat Colosseum famously hosted frenzied spectators who would watch gladiators facing off against each other or wild animals. No photograph can prepare you for the thrill of seeing it for the first time. More than any other monument, this iconic amphitheater symbolizes the power and drama of ancient Rome, and still today it’s an electrifying sight. The amphitheater dominates as the top tourist attraction in the city; Book Tickets in Advance to bypass the lines. 




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The PATHEON

ROME


Built by Romans in 126 A.D. in Rome, Italy, the Pantheon is the oldest, continuously used structure in history. The dome was and is a marvel of engineering and the design of the dome plus columns inspired domed landmarks worldwide.


“EAT LIKE a ROMAN”

5 MUST EAT DISHES



# 1  – BUCATINI  AMATRICIANA

Recipe





# 2  – SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

Recipe


It is hard to separate fact from fiction when it comes to the origins of carbonara. The most popular rumour says that the dish came about during World War II when American GIs were craving bacon and eggs, and a clever chef found a way to mix them into pasta. Egg yolk is the key to a good carbonara because the dish is never made with the addition of cream in Italy. Some newer Rome restaurants riff on the dish, offering seafood or vegetarian versions, but there is nothing like the umami explosion of the classic egg, bacon and cheese.





# 3 –  CODA di VACCINARA
Roman Oxtail Stew







# 4  –  PASTA CACIO PEPE
Recipe

There are few dishes simpler or more satisfying than cacio e pepe–pasta with cheese and black pepper. The cheese in question is cacio–the word for Pecorino Romano in the local dialect. The finely grated pecorino is emulsified in starchy pasta cooking water to create a smooth sauce that is essentially pure cheesy goodness. Freshly ground black pepper helps to cut through the fattiness and adds a kick to the dish that Romans love. With so few ingredients, the key to cacio e pepe is a speedy chef who can ensure that the sauce comes out creamy instead of clumpy.

Where to EAT It :  Flavio al Velavevodetto

# 5  – CARCIOFI GUIDEA
ROMAN FRIED ARTICHOKS
From The JEWISH GHETTO of ROME

Perhaps it is true that anything will taste good fried, but there is a special place in Roman hearts for carciofi alla guidea. Looking like bronzed flowers, these deep-fried artichokes are a speciality in the city’s old Jewish quarter. The meaty globe artichokes attain their creamy-on-the-inside and crispy-on-the-outside perfection by being fried not once but twice. No need to separate the leaves or look out for thistles; these artichokes are eaten whole.





# 6  – TRIPPA alla ROMANA
Roman Stewed Tripe

Offal is a cornerstone of Roman cuisine, dating back to when Europe’s largest slaughterhouse operated just outside the historic centre beside the Tiber river. Workers were partly paid in these poorer cuts, and a distinctive cuisine emerged. The most beloved of all is trippa or tripe–the honey-combed upper stomach of a grazing cow. In Rome, the tripe is slowly simmered in tomato sauce and topped with cheese, resulting in a pleasant flavour so long as you can get past the slightly off-putting texture.

Where to get it: Checchino dal 1887



# 7  –  ROMAN PIZZA


Not to be confused with chewy Neapolitan-style pizza, Pizza alla Romana is cracker-thin and should always finish with a good crunch to the crust. The round pizza can be served with plain marinara sauce or piled high with toppings like olives, artichokes, egg and prosciutto alla capricciosa. The budget-friendly meal is most popular with young Romans, who hardly let a week go by without a night out with friends over pizza.



ROMAN PASTA RECIPES

MANGIA ITALIANO
CARBONARA – AMATRICIANA
CACIOE e PEPE
And MORE
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“ROME to The AMALFI COAST”

ROME to POSITANO The AMALFI COAST

GROUND TRANSPORTATION

PRIVATE & SEMI-PRIVATE

DOOR to DOOR

“I LOVE POSITANO”
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“YOU NEED THIS TRAVEL GUIDE”

POSITANO The AMALFI COAST
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MY FIRST DAY In ROME

Image

Sunday June 16, 1985, my First Day in Rome. Ever! I fell in Love that day, with Rome, Italy, Italian Food, and the Italian Lifestyle. What a day. I was like a little kid on Christmas Day, the best day of the year for any true American Blooded Kid … Do you remember the euphoric feeling you’d get as a child, running down to open your presents under the tree on Christmas Day as a young child, a sort of feeling that’s hard to get as an adult, but I had it on that hot Summers day in Roma 1985 … A day I’ll never forget. It was beautiful, a game changer.

I flew from New York, JFK to Rome, Fiummacino Airport. On board the Pan Am 747 Jetliner, aI sat next to a couple, also going to Rome for the first time. As for myself I was on my own. The guy was in his mid 30’s and the girl was a few years younger. We became friends on the plane, hitched a Taxi into the center of Rome (Quite Magical itself that first entrance to the Eternal City of Rome) … I realized on a subsequent trip that the cab driver was a gypsy driver and that we got ripped-off, over-charged, but no big deal, the dollar was strong and we had split the cost. Anyway, we dropped the couple off at there hotel, The Hotel Forum, across from the Roman Forum and Colosseum. We had made plans to meet for lunch the next day. I had the driver drop me off at the train station, as I didn’t have a room yet, but had a plan to get one. This was my first trip to Europe and I was learning the ropes of travel. I had a Frommers Guide Book of Europe, Europe on $25 a Day, and had read it through and through and had learned that I could check my bags cheaply at any train station in Europe, so I did, and for the first time at the train station in Rome, which was right in the center of a number of inexpensive pensiones that I had marked down in my guide-book and would go to try and procure a room. So I went to the baggage room at the station and checked my two bags with the man there, and was off to get my room. If I remember correctly I got a room at the first place I went to. The room was just $14 and only two blocks from the train station. So I told the concierge I wanted the room, I went back to the station, got my bags and then lugged them back to my hotel. It was a simple room with a big queen sized bed. The bathroom was down the hall, and I quickly used to take a shower, before running out to explore La Bella Roma. I walked up to the train station, then made a left, and within a block I was at the Piazza Republic. I remember seeing the little tiered fountains filled with pieces of fresh coconut and water flowing down over them. These coconut vendors were all over the city but I never got any of the coconut as I found Gelato much more to my liking at just .50 cents a pop for a small one, .75 for a medium and $1.00 for a large. Or if not Gelato, I’d get a slice of Watermelon. But I’m getting ahead of myself now. Let me tell you about my first meal in Rome and how I fell in love with the Tremezzini. So I came upon the semi-circular Piazza Repubulica. Across the street I noticed a tiny little park next to the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli. In this little park was a little kiosk with a few tables outside under the trees. It looked quite inviting so I walked inside. Inside on the counter I spotted these tiny triangular little sandwiches with various stuffings. I got a bottle of Apricot Juice (Sutta di Frutta di Albicoca) and a couple of those little sandwiches, one filled with ham & cheese and the other I can’t remember. I took my stuff, got a table sat down and relaxed. The Apricot Juice was refreshing and the little sandwiches quite tasty. I fell in love with them instantly and would have three everyday for breakfast along with an Espresso and Frutta di Albicocca. I walked around after that little breakfast in my first expoloration of Rome, of Italy. I just so happen to walk past the Quirnale, the Place of The President of Italy. I found Trevi Fountain, The Spanish Steps and The Piazza di Popolo, with Gelato stops in-between, before heading back to my hotel, very tired. I was planning on going out that night, but was so darn tired from being up all-night, then a fe w hours walking around Rome with no sleep. Yes, I went back to the hotel to take a nap for a couple hours, but didn’t get up to early the next day.

The next day, I got up, took a shower, then headed out for a nice little breakfast at a caffe on the Via Cavour on my way to the Colosseum. I had three different Tremzzini, an Espresso and a little bottl of Apricot Juice. I was walking around and came upon a beautiful market near the Stazione where I bought some fresh Apricots and Mozzarella Cheese. Yumm. So I walked down to the Collesseum and to the Forum Hotel where my friends were. This hotel had a nice roof-top garden and we went up there for a cocktail and my first Campari ever. Wow, that was quite nice, sipping a Campari and Soda, hanging with my new friends and a tremendous view of the 2,000 year-old Roman COLOSSEUM just a block away. Things couldn’t get much better than this. I had Campari & Soda for the first time, and later on the trip would have my first Negroni in The Piazzo San Marco in Venice.

After our drink on the rooftop, we walked over to the Colesseum, walked around it and inside. Quite remarkable! We left the Colesseum then walked over to the Trevi Fountain and on to The Spanish Steps. We walked up the famed Spanish Steps to the top where there is a church. We marveled at the fabulous views of Rome with all the many churches and bells ringing. Wow! I had discovered a cute garden trattorria near the Spanish Steps on my previous days exploration, and went there for lunch. We sat at a table in the garden. We had a spectacular view combined with tasty antipasti, Pasta and Wine. I was in 7th Heaven.

to Be Continued

REMEMBERING PAN AM and TRAVELING THE WORLD

Just remembering Pan Am. Oh how I loved that airline, the whole notion of traveling and Jet-Setting around the World in a Pan Am Clipper. A TWA Jet would be acceptable as well, but nothing could beat Pan Am, King of The World Airways for many years. Growing up and going to see movies at the Rivoli Theater in Rutherford New Jersey almost every Saturday, we watched movies and dreamed. Many a movie in the 60’s started out with its opening scene of either a TWA or Pan Am jet-liner landing at in airport of one of the most renowned city destinations of the World: Paris, Rome, London, New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo. You would invariably see either a TWA or Pan Am jet landing, it’s tires screeching as the wheels hit the runway, then immediately the next scene would cut to either, traffic around The Coliseum in Rome, The Arch d’ Triumph in Paris, or cars at Piccadilly Circus  London, then they cut to the first scene with characters after the jet landings and main city attractions to identify which ever city the movie was first set in.

I especially loved all James Bond movies as I aspired myself to be like Bond, complete with Beautiful Women, fast sports cars, and Jet-Setting around the world, Champagne, Caviar, the whole nine yards. And I grew to love Pan Am.

I dreamed of traveling the World; Paris, Rome, Venice, Hong Kong, I eventually did three times over. And of course you know my first trip abroad just had to be aboard a Pan Am 747 to Rome, Italy. I was in heaven on that flight, a Boeing 747, Champagne, Stewardesses, flying over the Atlantic, destination Rome. And don’t you know the second day I was in Rome after eating my first Tremenzzini, Spaghetti Carbonara, Cod di Vaccinara (Roman Braised Oxtails), and Bucatini Amatriciana and seeing thousands of Vespa Scooters zip around the Eternal City, I just had to rent one. I went to a shop on the Via Cavour, rented my Vespa and headed straight toward The Coliseum 3 blocks away. I got there and circle this Ancient Roman Arena 5 times before going off to explore Roma, “Just like in the Movies.” I was in 7th Heaven. All this; a Pan Am 747, Rome, a Vespa and my youth.

 

 

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

WORLD'S MOST ICONIC SCOOTER

"I CAN TRAVEL THE WORLD"