Italy

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.

A concept store should have a clear concept. The weTAD founders knew from the beginning that they wanted to open a flower shop. Still, you have to put them into something and so they also started to sell vases. And once there is such a nice smell, why not sell a few beautifully scented cosmetics along with it? O.k. And a hairdresser would also go well with the cosmetics. Wearing artistic creations on your head, why not put some on the wall, too? Oh, you look tired, how about an espresso in our café? Or just lay down for a bit on our sofas here, which, by the way, are also for sale. This is how it probably happened, because today the weTAD Concept Store sells just about anything: Flowers, modern art, furniture, coffee and night lotions. And, of course, fashion, preferably from Vivienne Westwood and Alexander Wang. Never seen anything like that? Then it's time to take a look into the weTAD Concept Store, which has everything except for a concept.

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.

Feel like something completely different? Then you shouldn't miss the Gusto: With its brick walls, the bright ship planks and the solid wooden tables the restaurant is definitely one of the most modern in Rome.The interior design, the guests, the ambience: Everything seems cool and relaxed like in New York, the old Rome seems miles away. The cuisine is simple but trendy, undoubtedly Mediterranean, but with a modern twist.The downstairs Pizzeria serves specialities from the wood oven, such as Salami Pizza with Ricotta Cheese, mainly to a young crowd. The restaurant upstairs is a bit more classy, but still rather unpretentious for Rome. The wine bar starts at 18.00 with an aperitif for 9 Euro, and every Tuesday and Thursday it's Swing and Jazz night. If you want to try the recipes at home, take a look in the shop next door, where you can buy cookbooks and the right utensils.

The Trattoria pre-empts demanding guests and their complaints, letting them decide what to eat: If you desire you can put together your own menu. The kitchen can be observed through a glass window, so you can verify that the Trattoria is only using the finest ingredients for its creations.Onion and garlic are rather rare, while citrus is more common as a flavour enhancer. The ambiance is classy, too: The Trattoria occupies two floors of a 17th century palace, while the inside is decorated with much glass, chrome and modern furnishing.

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!

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.

For a long time there were only two ways to Rome: Via the golden baroque hotels with their outrageous interior design or via the avant-garde hotels with their hysterical modernism, which seems to cater more to museum rooms than to living creatures. The gap between both philosophies was filled by the Hotel Capo D'Africa: It is service-oriented without being overbearing, modern without seeming sterile, and it has a long history. What else is new in Rome?   The former schoolhouse is not the severe type: Bright colours, bright wood and very spacious rooms easily make you forget the times when exams still took place in those same rooms. Those with some nostalgia for the cane can hire a personal trainer at the fitness center. You can easily catch up with the lost calories in the rooftop restaurant, which offers great food, a beautiful view and lots of calm near the collosseum.   The Capo D'Africa is surely less spectacular than other hotels, and it isn't high art. Yet for those who seek the golden mean it means they have hit home. Doubles starting at 189,- Euro per night.

Style: Minimus. Fun: Maximus! The Ripa Hotel has set is own standards, transcending Roman opulence. The result is beautifully low key: White walls with fluffy carpets and retro-style furniture that adds nice colour accents. Clear lines, indirect lighting and a lot of room for artistic expression, this was the idea of the Ripa Hotel. Another plus: The personal trainer in the fitness centre and the hotel owned restaurant are two house numbers down. It doesn't happen too often in boutique hotels that there is something to eat. The view from suites' terraces is incredible. This alone is worth the trip. The location is impressive: Circus Maximus, Vatican and Colloseum are the complete opposite of the futuristic looking hotel, yet in perfect harmony. Classical meets avant-garde in this distinguished boutique hotel: Simple, functional, and simply beautiful! Doubles starting at 136,- Euro a night.

In Milan, Inter and the AC are at war in the San Siro, in Rome Lazio fights against Roma in the Stadio Olimpico. The four teams have one thing in common: They are all brilliant, at least from an Austrian point of view. Inter brought home the Champions' League with its proven defensive technique, AC Milan got that sought-after title seven times in total, Roma is playing with Francesco Totti, who won the World Cup in 2006, and Lazio counters with the Argentinean master Mauro Matías Zárate.Real fans should not miss the popular derby in the Stadio Olimpico. In contrast to some of the players, the audience is anything but defensive, and quickly boils over when the blood is stirring. Small advice: If you buy a ticket for one of the popular games, make sure you to sit with the Roma fans, not with Lazio - unless you tend towards the extreme political right.

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.

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!