Experience Rome Like a Local with Athena Calderone’s Curated Guide

What makes a small group trip so special?

Rome in and of itself is this grander-than-life historical playground. Everywhere you turn are museum-like sculptures from Bernini or Caravaggio. There is so much grandeur and beauty all around you in Rome so to experience it with PRIOR—who have access to virtually everything—alongside an intimate group brings an insider’s perspective that is truly unparalleled. Whether it’s shopping at markets with a local chef, dining at classic trattorias that locals frequent, or exploring private residences, this approach to travel is a celebration of food, art, and design at a scale that feels meaningful. By having only 20 people on this trip there is this beautiful intimacy and connection, experiencing Rome as a local would. For me, the beauty of this trip is that it merges everything I love—travel, entertaining, design, and discovery—and presents it in a way that feels deeply personal and highly curated. I can’t wait to eat, explore, and experience all of it together.

For a truly memorable stay, where do you recommend?

I celebrated my birthday weekend in Rome, and organized a beautiful dinner and stay for my guests at the Palazzo Talìa. This hotel has a grand opulence to it. You can feel the three centuries of history within its walls. There’s beauty at every turn—from the ancient frescoes to the historic courtyard and scenic views of Rome’s rooftops and alleyways. They’ve beautifully fused the feeling of an open and welcoming home with the grandeur of a palazzo that dates to the 16th century. The unique intimacy of this property is rare to come by thanks in part to it just having 26 rooms. For our trip, we will basically take over the entire hotel! The level of service and attention to detail is impeccable. There is nothing they can’t accommodate, and their approach to hospitality is some of the finest I have ever experienced while also being invisible. You feel like you’re in a private palazzo but with the luxury of a 5-star hotel. The design by Studio Luca Guadagnino—the film director of Challengers, Call Me by Your Name, and Queer—is spectacular with a tasteful mix of contemporary and historical elements that have been lovingly restored.

The food by Chef Marco Coppola exudes that classic Roman dolce vita flavor profile and is just exquisite, as are cocktails in the Bar Della Musa with grotesque-frescoed ceilings and hand-blown mirrored tiles that offer an elegant shimmer. It feels modern and historic but also intimate and glamorous all at once. This hotel has a beautiful balance of old and new historic and contemporary and it’s right in the middle of Rome, at the center of everything. It really checks every box from service to food to beauty to location, and most importantly, it feels like a private home. You are not in a 100-person hotel so it has that feeling as it once did as a private palazzo, but with luxurious amenities and accommodations.

Part of the itinerary focuses on the food of Testaccio…what is special about this area?

On one recent trip I met with a local woman named Daniela who has a cooking school in Rome, and her son who is a chef. They both took me on a tour of the Testaccio market to meet the vendors. Every chef in Rome acquires their provisions and local ingredients from here. They shared with me the Roman specialties and vendors that highlight seasonal produce, pulling back the curtain of the culinary scene in Rome. To walk the market with two locals in the culinary world was truly such an honor to experience.

I ate at four super classic trattorias: Armando al Pantheon, La Matriciana, Ristorante Nino, and Al Moro. When I was planning my birthday dinner, I reached out to every restaurant that every publication writes about to make a reservation, and not one of them would host us for a party that large (we had a group of 35-40 people). But it wasn’t because they couldn’t fit us, they just didn’t want to turn away their regulars. Eventually, I had help from Roman locals and we were able to book. I have the utmost respect for every one of those trattoria owners for honoring their team and their people. So beautiful!

What are some of the other Roman foodie highlights for you?

When in Rome you should lean into the classics. You don’t want to eat a non-Roman meal. During my recent trip, the restaurants were all serving porcini mushrooms and artichokes because that was what was in season (which is a culinary philosophy I have long upheld), but you simply must order their classic pasta dishes: Amatriciana, Cacio e Pepe, Carbonara, and Pasta alla Gricia. You need to have at least one of these pastas. It is a requirement!

Are there restaurants that have a special ambience?

I fell in love with Rocco, a classic Roman trattoria with a laid-back feel but incredibly delicious meals. The food is exceptional. The Amatriciana is unbelievable, and their meatballs just melt in your mouth. I had a few friends on our recent trip who are gluten-free and they said it was the best gluten-free pasta they’ve ever eaten in their life! Every detail was thoughtfully considered from the décor to the art that was beautifully curated on the walls. But it didn’t feel intimidating or precious, it just felt like everything on the wall had been collected for years and was part of their family heirloom. There is such a beautiful warmth, intimacy, and homeyness. Local and curated at once as if I were walking into somebody’s home. Perfectly Roman.

For lunch, you can’t beat La Matriciana. Dating back to 1870, this typical Roman cookery has beautiful stone walls and arched ceilings, but their specialty is their traditional pasta dishes including their famous Bucatini all’Amatriciana and Carbonara. I went back three times during my last stay because they were so warm and lovely and the food is delicious. Mauro, the owner, would hug me every time I went and even took a photo with me. Now, they feel like family and I have these beautiful roots in Rome.

Any stores, shops, hidden design gems that you love?

Yes! Chez Dede founded by artist, Andrea Ferolla and designer, Daria Reina, is a must-visit. They create luxurious silk scarves, bags, homewares, and limited-edition drawings in addition to selling a curated selection of other brands across fragrance, jewelry, books, fashion, and more. (Fun fact: Daria is the one who helped me secure my reservation at Rocco—got me on the inside!) You also must go to the famous Schostal for their pajamas. And don’t miss L’Archivio di Monserrato—a legendary workshop and boutique featuring the designer, Soledad Twombly (daughter-in-law of famed artist, Cy Twombly) with custom-designed dresses and textiles, alongside a collection of hand- selected antiques.

You will host a grand dinner at Palazzo Colonna…how was the venue selected and what makes the venue so spectacular?

I did a lot of research to find private palazzos that have incredible art collections and historical references. Palazzo Colonna is one of the oldest and largest private palaces in Rome dating back to the 14th century. It is owned by the prestigious Colonna family who still reside there and have done so for eight centuries. Aside from its architectural beauty, the history of this space is awe-inspiring. From 1300 to 1500 it acted as a family fortress. Oddone Colonna, elected Pope on November 11, 1417, under the name of Martin V, appointed the Palace as the Pontifical Seat and lived there from 1420 to 1431, the year of his death. It is also home to one of the most extensive art collections by leading Italian and foreign artists between the 15th and 16th centuries including Pinturicchio, Cosmè Tura, Carracci, Guido Reni, Tintoretto, Salvator Rosa, Bronzino, Guercino, Veronese, Vanvitelli, and many others. I love that it is privately owned and that the family still lives there. To have the opportunity to visit this space as a group and for them to allow me the chance to host a private dinner there feels like we are gaining access to one of the grandest aristocratic palaces in all of Rome. For the dinner, I aim to lean into classic Roman elegance and their romanticism of abundance, seasonality, and local delights for both the menu and the décor on the table—all with a nod to ancient Rome, accentuating the regal aristocratic times within the palace.

In terms of Merlini Storti Restauri, what makes their restoration work so extraordinary?

When you think about all the incredible art in Rome, you also have to marvel at the volume that has had to be restored over centuries so that we can still enjoy it today. There is just as much beauty in the restoration process so to get a glimpse into understanding this granular, macro attention and detail it takes to restore these iconic pieces of art and frescoes is something so rare to see up close and understand. I highly recommend a peek behind the scenes at the important work these artisans do.

Shine a light on the Vatican Museums by night…

Gaining access to the Vatican is such a precious and rare opportunity, and PRIOR helped me arrange after-hours access, which is an extremely rare and bespoke experience. There is an incredible depth of emotion, beauty, history, and devotion within those walls that penetrate you from within. It’s so powerful. From the statues to the artwork and the mosaics on the floor every detail is steeped with artisanal craft and devoutness to God. It just takes your breath away. Then for an art historian to be present explaining how it was built, what it represents, and its significance offers another level of depth and awe. To learn that it took Michelangelo a little more than four years (from July of 1508 to October of 1512) to finish the paintings, but that he had never painted frescoes before and was learning the craft as he worked, is mind-blowing. To have private access to one of the most famous sacred and holy pieces of art in history after hours at night is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!