1936 On the Continent

balconied room above the entrance is the Sala del Mappamondo, Mussolini’s study. It is from this balcony that the Duce delivers his great speeches at public meetings. For the present—unless it is a fine moonlight night—we shall ignore art treasures and monuments and turn the corner in the left-hand part of the square, where you will see two similar churches. A few paces from here you will find the Basilica Ulpia, a basement
locale
where you can listen to the singing of Del Pelo, a noted folk-singer. This interesting, artistic establishment is visited by the cream of Italian and foreign society. If it happens to be a moonlight night you will walk, or ride in a horse cab, along the Via del Impero and between the ruins of the Roman Forums to the Colosseum. The court of the ancient circus in moonlight is a strange, unforgettable sight.
The Programme
    First Day.
Start early in the morning and visit the Pantheon district, the Santa Maria sopra Minerva, the Piazza Navona, the Campo de Fiori. If your stay in Rome happens to include a Wednesday, leave the first day’s programme until then, for Wednesday is market day on the Campo de Fiori, when all sorts of second-hand goods are offered for sale by colourful crowds of vendors. Sometimes you may pick up a valuable bargain which may even pay the cost of your holiday. After the Campo de Fiori you can visit the Piazza Farnese, the interesting Via Giulia, the former Ghetto in the vicinity of the Ponte Garibaldi,and if this tour has tired you out you may sit down at the Café Faraglia in the Piazza Venezia, opposite the Palace, for an apéritif. If you have sufficient energy left, you may visit the Campidoglia (the Capitol) with all its museums.
    At midday you can lunch at one of the restaurants in the vicinity, such as the Dreher, which is famous for its beer, or the Fagiano on the Piazza Colonna, or the Roma at the Tritone. None of these places are particularly cheap. If you have already become accustomed to the Italian cuisine you can have an excellent lunch at one of the small
trattoria
on the Santa Maria in Via. After a brief after-lunch rest you may visit the Forums and the Palatine, after which you will probably enjoy a rest at one of the cafés on the Corso or the Via Veneto. A good dinner can be had at the famous Alfredo
trattoria
on the Via Ripetta, where the
maestro
himself mixes his excellent speciality, the
fettuncino
, for each of his patrons. After dinner you may dance at one of the hotels, such as the Circolo Ambasciatore.
Papal Reception
    Second Day.
Before you set out for the city do not forget to ask the head porter at your hotel to secure for you a ticket or tickets for one of the Pope’s receptions. If you are not staying at a hotel you can apply for tickets to the diplomatic representative of your own country at the Holy See. You must make these arrangements a few days ahead, as obtaining tickets for the Papal receptions always takes time. Having attended to this matter, you will spend the morning visiting the S. Maria Maggiore, the S. Pietro in Vincoli (with Michelangelo’s “Moses”), the S. Giovanni in Lateran and the Scala Santa. The ethnographical collection of the missionaries at the Lateran Palace is extremely interesting. From the San Giovanni you will take a CP omnibus for the city and take lunch at the Abruzzi restaurant on the Via Frattina.
    In the afternoon you will visit the Piazza di Spagna, the Piazza del Popolo and its churches, and also the magnificent park and the Giardino del Lago therein. From spring till summer the smartest restaurant and teashop of the Pincio is the terrace of the Casino Valadier, which affords an excellent view of Rome at sunset. In the summer one of the most popular places for dinner isthe Casina delle Rose, where open-air variety performances are given. If you do not wish to dine there, you can order ices, coffee, etc. In the summer you can dance in two places on the Pincio, in establishments conducted by Valadier and at the Casina delle Rose respectively.
    Third Day.
The morning programme includes the Borghese museum, the new University Town, the Museo Nazionale delle Terme. If you are not afraid of a queer-looking district you can lunch at one of the Jewish restaurants of the old Ghetto, such as Samuel’s and Piperno’s. You can have your afternoon tea on the Via Condotti at one of the most interesting cafés in Rome, the two-centuries-old Café Greco. Patrons of the Café Greco used to include Casanova,