Local Foreigner in Italy, Part II: A Journey Through Rome and Florence with Rocco Forte Hotels

This spring, Local Foreigner’s Alex Kramer and Larkin Massie went on a grand tour of Italy’s biggest hits – Venice, Rome, and Florence. Read the first chapter of their adventure here.

From Venice, we hopped on a morning train down to Rome. “I love Italian train travel,” Alex says. “It’s so easy and such an amazing reminder that these super diverse regions of Italy are all in such close proximity.”

After chugging into Rome Termini, the girls took a quick transfer into the heart of the Eternal City, to meet up with fellow Local Foreigner (and wine aficionado) Meg Nolan at the ever-charming Hotel de la Ville. Situated just feet from the Spanish Steps, this Rocco Forte Hotels property is a blend of classical Roman romance and contemporary cool, providing an ideal base for exploring the city. “Hotel de la Ville couldn’t be more centrally located, but it still manages to feel really homey,” Larkin notes, “And the views are nuts – from every terrace, the views are a wow; their al fresco restaurant, Cielo, is a wow, with all of these terra cotta striped umbrellas cascading down to a central terrace. The pictures I took over the Roman rooftops are so good they look fake.”

Hotel de la Ville is the sister property to the storied Hotel de Russie, which sits half a mile to the northwest on the edges of Piazza del Popolo. While Hotel de Russie is known for its gorgeous courtyard garden and sophisticated interiors, Hotel de la Ville’s décor is a bit more colorful and has a great sense of fun. “The wallpaper game at Hotel de la Ville is extremely strong,” Larkin says. “I’m always bummed when a hotel has no vibe – but Hotel de la Ville has lots of vibe.” The lively atmosphere and the many connecting rooms and suites also make Hotel de la Ville a perfect option for families.

On arrival, the girls wasted no time getting into the fabled Roman food scene, with lunch on property: “Our first order of business was getting a big bowl of cacio e pepe, followed by the best tiramisu I’ve ever tasted,” Alex remembers, wistfully. “It was this beautifully deconstructed, artistic version, and it was just rich in chocolatey goodness.”

After lunch, they were off on a golden hour vintage car ride around the city, cruising past the Colosseum and up to the famous keyhole view on Aventine Hill in style. “The city really came alive, bathed in this gorgeous late afternoon light – it really felt like a scene from a movie (and our very handsome charming driver only added to the experience),” Larkin laughs. Hotel de la Ville has also launched an evening Dolce Vita-inspired excursion called “Hurry up, Marcello!” Guests can ride in a vintage electric Fiat 500, exploring iconic locations from "La Dolce Vita," including Via Veneto, Piazza Barberini, and the Trevi Fountain. Honoring actor Marcello Mastroianni's 100th birthday, the journey immerses guests in 1960s glamour.

For Alex and Larkin, the ride ended with a drop-off at a private pizza-making class on Tiber Island, where they learned to make calzones and finished the evening with dessert pizza with a Nutella base.

They weren’t done eating the next day. “We started in the morning with a food tour through the city, starting near the Pantheon with a heavenly coffee crema from Tazza d’Oro,” Alex says.

“We blazed through the Roman classics, with fried artichokes and so many mini mortadella sandwiches, and my love for risotto balls was reignited. And we might have derailed the tour for a bit of shopping when we spotted an end-of-season cashmere sale,” Larkin laughs.

As night fell, they headed to dinner at the Hotel de Russie. “It was so beautiful – the garden is so magical. The Stravinsky Bar was very vibey,” Alex says. “The outdoor area of the bar has been redesigned by Paolo Moschino and it’s giving full Dolce Vita elegance.” The Roman mosaic garden trellis and pergola add a modern touch, while a new cocktail list by mixology maestro Salvatore Calabrese enhances the experience; for summer, the tipples are inspired by Stravinsky's opera The Rite of Spring, inducing an Artichoke Garibaldi made with Cynar, and the Esmerelda (Espolon Tequila, Acqua Bianca Liqueur, Green Pepper Syrup, and Fresh Lime Juice). “The rooms also recently had a refresh and felt very welcoming. It’s like this little lush enclave overlooking the Villa Borghese.”

The girls start tripping over each other to describe dinner at the de Russie. “They had this whole wall of flowers--” Larkin starts.

“They have this amazing florist and there were like 1200 different types,” Alex continues. “And the food was great – we shared fish with shaved artichokes and amatriciana sauce, and pumpkin soup.”

“We were having a big pumpkin moment,” Larkin confirms. “That was one of my favorite meals of the trip. When we were leaving, I said, ‘I probably just had about 45 artichokes.’”

Larkin and Alex are not the first people to be awed by the garden at the de Russie, either - Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau picked oranges there in the early 20th century. These days, guests in the Garden View Rooms, recently renovated with design by Olga Polizzi, can experience this beauty through large windows that open onto the scene. The Junior Suite Deluxe Garden View can also connect to the new Fairytale Suite by Hamleys, which celebrates the British toymaker’s Rome debut. Playful, red-striped interiors, cheerful murals, teddy bears, and a cozy play area make it a little secret for families tucked into this elegant enclave.

Still full from their feast the night before and with all their new cashmere sweaters in tow, the next morning, the two hopped on another train, circling back northward to the Cradle of the Renaissance, Florence, where they checked into the Hotel Savoy, Rocco Forte Hotels’ outpost overlooking the Piazza della Repubblica and five minutes’ walk from the magnificence of the Duomo. “At the Hotel Savoy, you’re two steps from the buzz of the piazza, and five minutes to the Ponte Vecchio or the leather markets,” Larkin says. “The rooms at the Savoy are so light and bright, with all these beautiful botanical touches and little bird details, and parquet floors. Again, the wallpaper situation had me drooling – the Rocco Forte Hotels team has really nailed the the combination of patterns and textiles.”

“There are also so many connecting options at the Hotel Savoy,” Alex adds, “including full hallways that can be privatized so large families can have their own wing.” The hotel’s lobby, designed in partnership with Emilio Pucci Design, also wowed the two on arrival. “It’s bright, lively, and super chic, and the carousel and local life just outside the door add to sense of whimsy.”

There was lots on the agenda in Firenze, but the first order of business was lunch at Irene, where the Pucci influence continues – the scarf the brand designed for the Hotel Savoy is emblazoned on the al fresco tables. “The lasagnetta at Irene is seriously perfect, with this light tomato sauce,” Alex says, “and Larkin would not stop raving about her veal Milanese.”

“I had it twice in three days,” Larkin confirms.

After exploring the hotel – including the epic penthouse Artist Suite, which has a hidden door connecting a bedroom perfect for kids, in keeping with the hotel’s dashes of charm – the girls headed out with Francesca, a member of the Rocco Forte Hotels team, to do some shopping. “We got matching bags at the leather market, and of course I made us stop at a pharmacia on every block. I am always on the hunt for European skincare when I’m traveling, and I came back with a whole new skincare routine,” Larkin says. “We also picked up new scents at Officina Profumo - Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella.”

They were back in the kitchen, aprons on, for dinner – an immersive cooking demonstration that ended in a seven-course menu, with carrot cacio e pepe the revelation of the evening. “The chef knew the provenance of every piece of fresh produce; he goes to the local fish market every morning to bid against other chefs for the best seafood. I can’t really take credit for cooking anything – we did more wine drinking and chatting than cooking – but it was fabulous,” Alex says. “At the end of the night, the button on my jeans broke, but I was not about to let something like that get in the way of the rest of the meals we had planned.”

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After breakfast the next morning – “The Hotel Savoy has such a good spread, with really good green juices, but also amazing croissants. I always had to take one to go, to have in my purse as a snack (not that I was ever hungry for a single moment on this trip),” Larkin says – the group hit the road into Chianti for a wine tasting. “One of my favorite things about Florence is that it’s a gateway to Tuscany, so you have all the culture, history, and art of the city, but you can quickly be out in the postcard-worthy countryside.” That afternoon, they enjoyed a tour of the atmospheric wine cellar, some wine, vinegar, and olive oil tastings, and a local lunch, all arranged by partners of the Hotel Savoy.

On their last full day in Florence, it was time to say hello to an old friend – Michaelangelo’s David. “There’s visiting the David, and then there’s visiting the David as arranged by the Hotel Savoy,” Alex says, “Which meant no lines, and with this fabulous guide who was so passionate about Michelangelo and the Galleria dell’Accademia. She’d written multiple books on the subject.”

Larkin adds, “I’ve seen the David a few times before, but I don’t know what I was doing – I learned so much more this time, having this guide, with her depth of historical knowledge.” After a few more pharmacia stops, and one last dinner – beet risotto for Alex, round two on the veal Milanese for Larkin – it was time to squish their new sweaters, bags, and scents into suitcases and head back to New York.

“This was Italy out of a movie – everything was so beautiful, smooth, and delicious,” Alex reflects. “Staying in these Rocco Forte Hotels properties, which are so engrained in their respective destinations, with staff that are so connected and partners that can facilitate best-of experiences – we’re spoiled forever, basically.”

Experience Italy’s most photogenic Renaissance cities with a 5-night stay across Rocco Forte Hotels’ prestigious destinations in Rome and Florence, and enjoy exclusive benefits. Indulge in an unforgettable Florentine break at Hotel Savoy, located on the Piazza della Repubblica and open your eyes to the extraordinary beauty of Italy’s capital with a stay at the iconic Hotel de Russie. As part of your stay, enjoy 10% off the best available rate and travel in style with two first-class train tickets between Rome and Florence.

Contact your Local Foreigner advisor to book by December 27, 2024, for stays before the end of the year.