Of course you must visit the Colosseum, Vatican city, St Peter’s Basilica, the Pantheon and the dozens of other historical treasures that Rome, one of the world’s greatest cities, has to offer – where else will you find two and a half millennia’s worth of culture, architecture and heritage? And history truly is everywhere in this city, wherever you go along its labyrinthine ‘vias’ – some of the world’s most iconic structures are set so you can just turn a corner from a piazza and have your breath taken away as it looms in front. But the Eternal City’s long, rich, chequered history lies not only in its buildings spread over its undulating hilly suburbs, but a living breathing history is alive in its culinary culture. Here are some ways to experience them:

The food tour

Food tours are aplenty in Italy, but for one that really takes you off the beaten track and under the skin of Rome, the Taste of Rome bespoke tours are perfect. A friendly guide customises the tour according to preference, but typically it can start with a visit to Eustachio, a historic coffee bar dating back to the 1950s, which is frequented by politicans for coffee breaks (it is located near the Pantheon); in Rome, coffee isn’t a leisurely affair, but rather something quick that regularly punctuates the day. Locals claim it is the best coffee in Rome, and I couldn’t disagree, having tried the creamy coffee served in warm cups in the tiny, quick-service space. I was next taken to Nonna Vincenza, a pastry shop, where you can find the best cannolis in all of Rome – again, a tall claim, but not unfounded. Tucked away as most of these places are, with nondescript signage in historic buildings, they would be hard to find without an in-the-know guide on hand.

From here, my next stop was the Campo de’ Fiori market – set in a square in the heart of the Old Town, Rome’s best known food market is open every morning, with fresh, seasonal produce on offer, as well as cured meats, homemade products such as oils and sauces, and lots more.

Having worked up an appetite, we then headed to Il Pastaio di Roma, on Via de Coronari, a tiny specialty pasta bar. A firm favourite with locals, they churn out a small selection of fresh, homemade pastas with classic sauces such as carbonara (a Roman specialty) in plastic plates and forks – who needs fine china when you have such beautiful, silky pasta just waiting to be devoured?! Conveniently, right next door is one of Rome’s best known gelato outlets, Gelateria del Teatro ai Coronari, where you can try creative flavours such as white chocolate with basil and rosemary-sage, to name just two – they come up with innovative new creations all the time. The tour can also incude a visit to Rome’s renowned Jewish ghetto district, where I tried unique delicacies like artichoke pizza, while taking in the history. This tour lasts about three hours, but others can include everything from trips to the Porta Portese market in the trendy Trastevere district, to wine tastings.

Taste of Rome tours from Roma Si are offered on a private booking basis, prices start from €300 (around Dhs1,200) for two. visit www.romasi.it.

The gourmet dining experience

While it isn’t typical to head to a hotel restaurant for a nice meal in Europe, when there is good food available aplenty at casual roadside restaurants, Viva Voce restaurant at the Gran Melia Aggripina is worth making an exception for. Headed up by Michelin star chef Alfonso laccarino, the restaurant serves up a Mediterranean menu inspired by his southern Italian roots (think, plenty of seafood). Home-style family recipes are elevated to haute cuisine in a seasonally changing menu showcasing organic and local produce. In the chic, stylish modern art deco setting, expect dishes like sea red king prawn stuffed with Provolone cheese, chicory sprouts and horseradish with passion fruit sauce; Pontelandolfo potato dumpling stuffed with scamorza from Lucania cheese on lemon scented tomato sauce (the lemons from Alfonso Iaccarino’s own farm) and fillet of red sea bream with spring vegetables, fresh tomato and basil broth, plus an array of homemade pastas. With an enviable wine list to accompany, a meal here is sure to be one of Rome’s finest.

www.ristorantevivavoce.com.

The cooking class

Daniela del Balzo is a friendly, twinkle-eyed modern day version of an Italian nonna who swapped a high-powered corporate career to pursue her passion for food with tailored cooking classes at her home in the posh, leafy suburb of Aventine Hill. Having developed a passion for food from her mother and grandmother, she honed her skills at renowned culinary schools Gambero Rosso and Le Cordon Bleu, so you know you’ll be in good hands. Her classes are intimate, with never more than six to eight people, and are customised to what each group wants. The day can start with a trip to the nearby Testaccio market to source fresh produce, where she also gets to know her class better and decide the menu depending on what everyone wants, and what is available, followed by hands-on cooking in her light, airy kitchen. Typically, a class consists of a five-course menu – my highlight was learning one of Rome’s specialties, the saltimbocca, which I’ve loved for a long time – which is then enjoyed by everyone around her dining table. You also get a certificate at the end of the class! But the paperwork is not what you should be booking into this for, it’s the opportunity to get an inside look into life in Rome, and learn about Roman and indeed Italian regional cuisine from an expert.

Classes are priced from €180 per person, visit danielascookingschool.com.

The pizza place

No trip to Italy is complete without pizza, and for some of the best pizza in Rome, you need look no further than Emma ristorante and pizzeria, tucked away in one of the narrow back lanes of the old town. The canopied outdoor seating area, like most other restaurants in Europe, is inviting, but meant to attract the tourist crowds – the in-the-know locals head straight indoors into the smart, inside bit, where exposed brick walls, white furniture and funky lights come together to create a modern, industrial warehouse-style vibe. The pizzeria menu offers delicious freshly made pizzas made with artisanal dough which come in a variety of styles, ranging from the traditional margharita to the creative buffalo mozzarella, Scottish salmon and wild fennel pizza. If, however, you are in the mood for something different, the kitchen menu offers a selection of innovative, ingredient-led Italian dishes.

www.emmapizzeria.com

The shopping spree

Fortunately, many of Rome’s foodie attractions are located in the old town area, popular with tourists, which means a meander around the atmospheric alleys will lead you to stumble upon gems like De Bellis pasticceria, a pastry shop offering delectable French-inspired creations from celebrity patissier Andrea de Bellis – a box of their eclectic treats make for great gifts. Another must-visit for foodie shopping is Roscioli, a well-known cheese place where you can sample and shop for everything from burrata to Rome specialty Pecorino Romano. They also have a nearby deli where you will find cured meats, dried pastas and more aged cheeses. Cheese fiends should also not miss Beppe E I Suoi Formaggi, a hole-in-the-wall tasting and shopping destination for fabulous artisanal cheeses.

www.andreadebellis.it; www.salumeriaroscioli.com; www.beppeeisuoiformaggi.it.

The sightseeing pit-stop

It’s an accepted fact that restaurants near popular attractions are usually tourist traps offering overpriced, sub-standard food. But, sometimes, after hours of pavement pounding, one has no choice but to settle for whatever is available. Luckily, there is one restaurant that combines a tourist-friendly location with fantastic food – Armando al Pantheon, located, as the name suggests, within spitting distance of the Pantheon, has been serving up classical Roman dishes using seasonal ingredients, in a cosy trattoria ambience, since 1961. Highlights of the menu such as Roman-style grilled bread with butter and anchovies, cold cuts sourced from the region, tripe in Roman style with cheese and tomatoes, spelt soups and dumplings, and traditional Roman cakes, well represent how Roman cuisine has developed.

Chef Claudio Gargali, a smiling, effusive character who speaks little English, but has carved out a name for himself amongst Rome’s foodies, ensures that with reliably good traditional food at good-value prices, the restaurant is always packed with tourists and locals alike.

www.armandoalpantheon.it.

The hotel

Housed in a former monastery and orphanage, the luxurious Gran Melia Villa Agrippina is rightfully described as an urban resort. Although it is located close to all the action, just across the bridge from the old town area over the Tiber river and minutes away from Vatican City, on the Juanculo hilltop, it still manages to feel like a serene retreat boasting views over the city. Set amidst landscaped gardens, the hotel is as much a happy marriage between historic and contemporary – think museum-style clear plastic scaffolds juxtaposed against the 19^th century architecture – as it is between a trendy boutique hotel vibe and classical five star luxury. A soothing minimalist design scheme dominated by white, and accented by pops of colour – including Spanish brand Melia’s signature red – pervades the entire hotel, from the lobby areas to the luxuriously appointed rooms, with art infusing the space in murals and canvases.

Booking in as a Red Level guest (their premium floor) can get you privileges such as private check-in with a prosecco welcome drink, personalised butler service, Clarins amenities in-room, plus breakfast, all-day snacks, and complimentary cocktails and canapés in the Red Level lounge. Home to the aforementioned Viva Voce restaurant, the hotel also offers the option of cocktails at the lovely Liquid Garden lounge located by the poolside, or afternoon tea at the elegant Library, an inviting space that is all plush sofas with coffee table books and great views.

Room rates start from €395, visit melia.com.

Did you know?

A lot of what we know as traditional Roman cuisine today is poor people’s or farmers’ food. In renaissance Rome, with most of the good cuts of meat going to the wealthy aristocracy, the Vatican clergy and the bourgeoisie, the commoner had to make do with the quinto-quarto, or the fifth quarter, which basically means offal. As such, a variety of creative recipes with intestines and off-cuts have come to become part of the cuisine, whether it’s in pajata (intestines) or a typical Roman pasta dish, pasta amitriciana (with cured pork jowl, tomato and cheese). This is also the reason that traditionally, people didn’t eat a lot of meat or fish, but ate a lot of vegetables and legumes.

TRAVEL DIARY

Getting there Emirates offers three direct daily flights to Rome, with some flights on an A380 jet. In business class, enjoy flatbed seats, gourmet meals and exclusive lounge access at both ends, for the six-hour journey to comfortably fly past (no pun untended!). Ticket prices start from Dhs3,475 in economy class, and from Dhs15,675 in business, visit emirates.com.