Circus Garden – Rooftop romance

There’s always a certain trepidation as I walk in to the Hotel Fortyseven and head straight for the elevator. Once up at the top, I’m welcomed in the the hotel’s lushly landscaped penthouse. The first moment I walk out on the verdant roof garden, I always gasp. I’ve been a Roman all my life, but never imagined how perfect the breathtaking view over Piazza Petroselli could be from up here, nor how gorgeous the round Temple of Hercules could be, seen from above.

My eyes scope past the tree-lined Aventine, all the way to the Capitoline, by way of the Romanesque church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, home of the Roman Holiday classic “Mouth of Truth”; and the sensually curved bank of the river Tiber. It’s all there, along with the classic terracotta tiled rooftops and exquisite geranium-dotted balconies.

With ancient Rome at your feet, fluttering heart and the kitchen’s creative local cuisine in your plate, you’ll agree in electing this as one of Rome’s most romantic spots. Nothing beats the sunset glinting off a perfectly frosted glass of chilled Falanghina, in anticipation of the seafood extravaganza you’re about to savour. I for one love the paccheri pasta with lobster, asparagus and estragon sauce, and the European sea bass served on crisp spinach salad, with a delightful rosemary and grape-must dressing.

As swallows draw huge swooping circles in the sky, and the westerly ponentino breeze blows your worries away, go ahead and drop your shoulders, take in the beauty, and prepare to say yes.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Circus Garden | Bars, Restaurants (Mediterranean) | Mains from € 25
Via Luigi Petroselli 47 | +39066787816
12:00 – 15:00 & 19:30 – 23:00 daily