Rome

Up and down the steps, nothing to see but sights: The Spanish Steps are surly THE starting point for all the attractions of the city. The locals know that, too, congregating there for wine, women and La Dolce Vita.  Warm summer nights see the young sitting on the steps and celebrating late into the night. So sit down and take in the view! Turn one way and you see the church Trinità dei Monti at the upper end. Turn the other way and the ship shaped Fontana della Barcaccia bubbles along in its pomp. On the right hand side there is the Keats-Shelley museum, where John Keats lived and died. To your left Babington's Tea Room invites you to have a tea at English tea time. When you get up and follow the Via Condotti you'll be surrounded by the most exclusive shops and restaurants in the city. Can you pass this by? Just stay for a little while longer. Enjoy your vino. Enjoy the Dolce Vita with the Romans. Sightseeing can wait!

Who lives in a glass house shouldn't throw food. That's good advice in the Glass Hostaria, since that might be an expensive proposition: The beef filet alone costs 26,- Euro. So don't be childish and keep your cool, enjoying the great view: The stylish eatery with its high ceiling, the industrial look and brick columns is worth the visit.The scaled-up prices might be caused by the upscale clientele. The young and cool come to the Glass Hostaria, not so much to eat but to see and be seen. Nevertheless, the menu deserves a closer look: Michelin awarded it one star in 2010.

It didn't take long until the Aroma, the new restaurant on the roof-top terrace of the hotel in the Palazzo Manfredo in Rome attracted the local gourmets. The unrestricted view on the Colosseum and Domus Aurea was probably yet another reason for that.   In the kitchen, local hero Guiseppe die Iroio wields the sceptre. He plants the herbs for his dishes himself, to be smelled at on the terrace: thyme, rosemary, sage and mint. On the menu it takes the following form: medallions of calf with white truffles, twisted pasta with turbot, tuna tartare wit ginger and date soufflé or figs soufflé. His cuisine has already been rewarded the Five-Star-Diamond-Award from the renowned American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.   Below-stairs, in the wine cellar, 300 vintage wines are storing under sommelier's Martin Pechev ward. These demand an appropriate appearance from the male guests: long trousers and shirt!

Rome is ancient, but the brands of its stylish shops are always the latest. You will find the In stuff in the Nuyorica, which is Latin American for New York. Inside you will find everything that's hot, from Japan to New York. Of course, it's changing by the second, but currently it's Atsuro Tayama, Maria Chen, Balenciaga, Erotokritos, Nina Hohendorf or Girbaud. In the middle there is a surprising collection of classics: Marc Jacobs is the top dog, and Chloe shoes go well with the trendy garments. Some gossip to go: Cameron Diaz is rumoured to have been here! Around the corner there is a separate shop for bags: The Nuyorica Roots in the Via del Pellegrino 15.

Attention: There is nothing to drink at the bar - in the L'Olfattorio Bar you are served neither whiskey nor beer, but scents. This is how it works: Go into the bar and order Eau de Toilette. Then pick the scent that you like most.The perfumes on offer are from small manufacturers, and you can test them for free. When you like a scent, you receive the address in Rome where you can buy that perfume. The innovative business concept works, because it allows small producers to introduce themselves and to compete against the big ones.Aside from perfumes you can also purchase scented candles and all sorts of other olfactory delights. Just don't stay for too long, you might get dizzy from all those scents.

Not all ways lead directly to the goal: the Roman Micaela Calabresi Marconi made a detour and studied law. Only afterwards she was certain: she needs something where she can build and maintain relationships, a job in communication. Armani, Pucci, Zegna and Versace crossed her way, and she eventually opened an own event agency. But that wasn't enough. At the peak of the economic crisis Marconi took over Saddlers Union and together with her brother Paolo she dusted off the forgotten brand that specialises in historic, handmade leather articles.   The new address? Via Margutta 11, the street of craftsmen, similar to Montmartre in Paris. Federico Fellini had his residence here - and for Marconi it was the ideal spot for a Saddlers Union boutique.   Today only those who know where they want to go will find Saddlers Union. A door plate is missing - it's a cosy, private house with a workshop where favourite pieces can be repaired on the spot if need be. Marconi found her calling.

Once the Globe theatre was the centre of the action, today the Teatro Dell'Orologio is rocking the boat: This small theatre has left the mainstream and is as off-Broadway as you can be. Far beyond classical tragedy, the theatre is experimenting to such an extent that critics are left speechless. You might recognize the plays, but you will never have seen them like this: Ionesco, Genet, Becket and Maeterlinck are all rediscovered in strange ways. Shakespeare would be delighted and Brecht overjoyed: The Teatro dell'Orologia lacks the technical sophistication of the great stages, but its dedication to the art that makes this theatre so special. Valentino Orfeo is the artistic director, but other directors also play their parts. To be there or not to be? Poor Yorick would have had no doubt!

It took ten years, various culture secretaries and 150 million euro to complete the eccentric building designed by star architect Zaha Hadid. She especially put emphasis on the interaction between glass, fair-faced concrete and metal. Once again it becomes obvious: it's not only art, but also architecture which is maximal here in the Flaminio quarter.   The 27.000 square metres of the area with its 20 metres high entrance hall forms an open, urban space and guides the visitors along curved walls and interwoven levels on unexpected paths through five galleries. In the well-lit museum (thanks to the glass roof) we find the two museums MAXXI art and MAXXI architecture. The house is devoted to preserve and conserve the cultural heritage by means of exhibitions, workshops, performances and (educational) projects. But more: it offers space for experimenting and exploring modern aesthetic contents.   Tickets for 11 euro (reductions possible).

Who's better, the Swedes or the Italians? Last year most would have said that it depends on your tastes. The Italians have traditionally specialized in baroque knickknacks, lots of brocade and kitsch ribbons, while the Swedes swore by practical, striped and minimalist furniture. Now everything is different, because today everyone agrees: Back to the roots, charming and cosy furniture made of precious wood should help you live the easy life!   Europe is finally united. Each year more than a thousand visitors storm the Moa Casa.  Some are there to evaluate the trends and others to buy the newest in interior design. 200 exhibitors work their customers on 20,000 square meters. If you need a break from all the furniture, you don't need to walk very far: Next to the MOA Casa the MOA Gustibus offers tastes of traditional Italian specialties, and naturally for purchase, too.

The Abitart makes suggestions, yet you have to decide for yourself. The classic and superior rooms feature the usual, small but cuddly boutique style. The suites, however, are amazing, taking you on a roller coaster ride from cubism to pop art, from deconstructionism to the 70s. One room is even dedicated to metaphysics: The sky on the wall brings you closer to it and takes you on a surreal journey. Yet the painters were not the only ones to be honored by architecture, poets and photographers are also present at every step: The poets' room with the canopy bed covered in verse is worth the trip! Tomorrow's stars will enjoy the photographers' suite: Sleeping in the midst of the breathtaking snaps by Newton and Fellini. The location is similarly dynamic: The neighborhood Ostiense is known for its great nightlife, and the MACRO Future, a local branch of the Museum of Modern Art that is located in a former slaughterhouse. Doubles starting at ca. 89,- Euro per night.

The latest fad in the boutique sector is called townhouse, and many cities jump onto it without looking twice. The Lungarno chain, too, was consumed by the heat of the moment. Yet it did decide on the right location for it: Old townhouses are not difficult to find, the only problem being that every square meter is occupied by a fashion boutique of one type or another. What's the big deal, they thought, then we'll put the Lungarno Portrait Suites into the upper floors of the Ferragamo flagship. A feature that will appeal to fashionistas, in particular: Right from the bed into the changing rooms - that's quite an innovation! Thus the design would meet great scrutiny, and Michele Bonan excelled himself. Classy became super classy and luxurious super de luxe, especially in the penthouse with its own Sauna and terrace. For the view alone, however, you don't have to declare personal bankruptcy. You can also enjoy it in the rooftop lounge with a view onto the Spanish Steps. Doubles starting at 400 Euro a night.

The Fortyseven ist almost 50, the furnishings are not: Real classics from the 50s contrast with a facade from the 30s; and all close to the truly ancient Temple of Vesta. To complete the colourful mix of the decades and centuries there is 20th century art by Amadeo Modigliani, Umberto Mastroianni and Emilio Greco as well as modern rooms with wood panelled floors and Art Deco flair. The padded walls of the suite do bring up uneasy associations with certain white rooms, yet comfortable they are. At least you won't get hurt and can enjoy the room service around the clock. The Fortyseven offers even more: Fitness centre and wellness as well as a rooftop restaurant for every one who wants to fill up with tasty calories looking out onto the Circus Maximus. Doubles starting at 240,- Euro per night.