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The Cicalino, meaning “little grasshopper” is a well- known in North Rome, during the afternoons in fact it is often a place for high-school students to meet and chat while eating a pizza al taglio before deciding where to go.

In the evenings it can be a quiet place to sit out on their red tables and enjoy the pizza or arancini. If you are a sports fan, usually you can watch the games inside on their TV, with a beer to accompany your pizza.

These kind of pizza’s are not as thin as the ones that you will find in the restaurants. They serve square pizzas, with a variety of different toppings. One of my personal favorites is their potato topping pizza that I learned to love when I was one of those high-schoolers chatting away with friends.

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Il Cicalino | Bars, Restaurants (Pizza al taglio) | Piece of pizza € 3.50
Via Cassia 917/A | Cassia & Montemario | +390630362549
Tue – Sat 11:00 – 21:00

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Right next to my house there is a cute little restaurant where I go on my lazy days since it is so close! And it is definitely a fusion of Bavarian and Italian culture.

If you happen to stroll by on a Monday you will see it’s a pizzeria/pub. On other days you can try authentic Bavarian foods such as the Knoedel or pork cooked in Bavarian beer but do not shy away from their pizzas such as the Diavola or Margherita…they are delicious and summer nights are perfect to sit outside.

I like the atmosphere inside the place and the decoration with its wooden chairs with a hole carved in it and the tablecloths that give you a sense of being at home. It is also a good cozy place to watch sporting events while drinking one of their many choices of beer…Bavarian of course.

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Hofbrau Munchen Bermand | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants | Diavola Pizza € 7.00
Via di Grottarossa 123 | Cassia & Montemario | +390633253802
Mon – Sat 18:00 – 23:00

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Churches are a popular attraction for tourists and there are so many that it is almost impossible to see all of them in one visit. Of course there are the more popular ones and the Sistine Chapel, but there are also lesser known ones like this on in the piazzale of Ponte Milvio with great architecture from the early 1930′s. This chapel was requested by Pope Pius XI in 1931.

I like visiting Churches mainly for their art and architecture. Each church has a different story inside. Once you go inside this one, you will notice right in front of you a statue of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus and in front of the statue to your left Jesus on the Cross.

This Church is not a popular tourist attraction but it is worth it. Afterwards, you can go to one of the many bars that surround the area for either a cup of coffee or a glass of wine!

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Gran Madre di Dio | Art & culture | Free
Via Cassia 1 | Parioli & Flaminio
Open daily

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Coyote, this is a club located in the Testaccio area, the ambiance is very detailed and informal at the same time and the atmosphere gives an idea of being on an eternal vacation, as the enormous balcony faces the Monte dei Cocci and you can enjoy the view of Rome by night. You will find a wide range of people from their 20′s to their 40′s.

The club has an open space during the summer months and it is closed during the winter months but you can still go in the area as it has something to cover the roof. It has two internal rooms and a patio that goes all around the club. Once you go in, you can enjoy a drink or two in their patio. They have a vast menu of drinks, and during summer your drinks will be served with a bowl of fresh fruit such as pieces of melon, watermelon and chunks of pineapple. Yummy!

I like to go a little early and sit on the patio and sip a Bellini, before they move all the tables to create a dance floor, as this is one of favorite drinks but sometimes especially during those warmer months I switch to a refreshing mojito. Then I like to hit the dance floor inside, and dance till dawn. Coyote plays a mix of music mainly pop, hip-hop and disco music and on Sundays they play only house music.

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Coyote | Bars, Music | Bellini € 8.00
Via di Monte Testaccio 48B | Testaccio & Ostiense | +393394639667
23:00 – 05:00 daily

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Cesaretto wine bar is one of my favorite places in Rome and I am there so much that they know my name, and in fact a lot of the people that frequent the wine bar are regulars and it is in a side street off Via Del Corso. The environment is friendly and laid back but the food is upscale deliciousness.

I like going there year round, it is small but during the warmer months you can sit outside and watch people. Sometimes celebrities (national or international) pass by, and during the cooler months they have an area inside that is very cozy and warm.

My favorites to get there are the Carbonara pasta or the ravioli with a Fragolino wine to go with it, but most days they have a special that is not on the menu and go ahead and ask for it and most likely you will eat something delicious.

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Il Cesaretto | Bars, Restaurants (Carbonara) | Main meal € 12.00
Via Bocca di Leone 44a | City center | +390669380557
12:00 – 23:00 daily

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When I arrived at Pe.pa.to for the first “aperitivo” with a group of friends, I immediately liked the atmosphere; the tables and small white and black sofas outside gave it a sophisticated look. Inside it looked more like an old wine cellar, but it gave the place character.

The aperitivo was during the week and it made a nice break. It was a good deal too: 7 Euros for a drink plus buffet. They have two different bars. In one of them you can order the wines and in the other end of the “cellar” looking place, you can order the mixed drinks.

The good thing about Rome is its weather, in November it can be still nice to sit outside and mingle with people as you are eating and drinking.

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Pe.pa.to wine bar | Bars, Snacks | Buffet & drink € 9.50
Via del politeama 8 | City center | +390658335254
19:00 – 02:00 daily

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In one of the city center’s street there is a little restaurant called Porto di Ripetta. It is located in Via Ripetta which is a parallel street of Via del Corso. This street is not as busy as the more famous Via del Corso or even via del Babuino, and in fact it has fewer shops.

The restaurant has a real nice ambience to it and is particularly great for a dating evening, be it the first or fiftieth.

The restaurant is a little pricey but the food is delicious. One of my favorite dishes is an entrée: spaghetti with mussels and vegetables, definitely a must try. Or they have another great dish that is risotto with shrimp and apples (the apple gives it a a very interesting taste, perfect with the rice!) This plate is a little more expensive, about € 15.00, and since the portion is not too small I usually share the plate with someone.

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Porto di Ripetta | Restaurants (Italian) | Plate of spaghetti € 13.00
Via di Ripetta 250 | City center | +39063612376
Mon 20:00 – 23:00, Tue – Sat 12:00 – 23:00

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Bar Ambassador when looked at from the outside is just another corner bar. But it is always packed because of the office building next to it. One of the baristas is very creative with what he whips up.

And since I work in the office building next to it, I also take advantage of the fact that they deliver. My favorite breakfast item is the decadent NutellCoffee, which is Nutella at the bottom, coffee, and whipped cream on top sprinkled with powdered cocoa, and even though I am not a fan of whipped cream, once all is stirred I can barely taste the whipped cream and I just enjoy the drink, and with a plain croissant next to it, it makes the work day so much more bearable!

The NutellCoffee is a drink to start the work week or to end it in the sweetest way.

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Bar Ambassador | Bars, Snacks | Nutellcoffee € 2.75
Via Fabbroni 1 | Cassia & Montemario | +39063295884
06:00 – 22:00 daily

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This is a historical market that has its origins in the early 1970′s. It is located near a wonderful Church: The Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano. I like coming here because of the variety of things that you can find and great deals on clothes that are made with good quality material. If you are in the market for some leather jackets at a reasonable price here is the place to go and remember to negotiate a little for a better price!

Here you can buy fishing equipment, clothes from all seasons all for really low prices.

To reach the Mercatino you can take the Metro A and get off at S.Giovanni.

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Mercatino di Via Sannio | Shopping | Belt € 5.00
Via Sannio | City center
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 13:00, Sat 08:00 – 18:00

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Ciak Cinema is a small venue in the north part of Rome; it used to be just one room where you can go see the movie. But eventually they expanded and added another tiny room. I do not mind the tiny room, but if you are claustrophobic I do not recommend it; I like it because it is cozy and in an odd way it reminds me of how an airplane is built -the way the seats are positioned.

I like going here because it is close to home and I do not need to fight the traffic in center, plus I can walk or take a bus which has the stop right in front of it. Both rooms do not get overly crowded, which is nice and if you go on Wednesday during their matinee you only pay 4.50 Euros, and it is even less crowded.

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Ciak Cinema | Cinemas | Ticket € 7.00
Via Cassia, 692 | Cassia & Montemario | +390633251607
Tue – Sat 10:30 – 22:15, Sun 12:00 – 16:00

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