The Tamesis
The fact that the hotel’s owners are Roman through and through – Federici’s daughter Angelica and son Fortunato are also closely involved in the day-to-day working of the project – allows the hotel to offer a deeper experience than the typical tourist route, opening doors through the Eternal City that might otherwise remain firmly locked under key. That is, one sunny morning when I was whisked away in a Mercedes station wagon by Simone Amorico, the dapper CEO of Access Italy, a high-end travel agency whose clients include everyone from Oprah to the Obamas. (Like all the best things in Italy, the company is very much a family affair: It was founded nearly two decades ago by Simone’s father, Angelo, and his brother is also closely involved in the project.)
Our first stop was a stroll – or, given Simone’s lively pace and infectious enthusiasm, more of a stroll through the labyrinth of narrow pedestrian streets that snaked west from the Campo de’ Fiori, plunging our heads into an incredibly chaotic artist’s studio before heading up to the Palatine Hill overlooking the Roman Forum along winding streets not usually open to the public. After secretly passing through the entrance of the 17th-century Franciscan monastery of San Bonaventure in the ruins of the Claudian aqueduct, we are welcomed by the artist and Franciscan friar Sidival Fila and quickly reach his light-filled top-floor studio, which offers a panoramic view stretching from the Altar della Patria to the Coliseum. Here, in a tower above the city, Fila spends her days stitching together antique fabrics and then mounting them on canvas to create works of exquisite beauty. (Of course, as a monk, all proceeds from his work go to charity.)
Photo: Courtesy of Access Italy
Finally, we visited St. Peter’s Basilica in Vincoli, an often-overlooked church on Opian Hill that remained locked that day—until Simone rapped her knuckles on the latch and we were directed to Michelangelo’s monumental sculpture of Moses, an eight-foot-tall private viewer that showcased the artist’s anatomical precision and expressive power. When it comes to exploring the city, it doesn’t get much better than this.
After a long day of wandering the city streets, it was time to get some rest. Sadly, I didn’t have time to check out the hotel’s small but perfectly formed wellness area – an underground sanctuary that houses a hydromassage pool surrounded by gleaming silver tiles, as well as a sauna and gym – but of course I did Have time to go to a restaurant for dinner. First, I headed to a bar for an aperitif in front of a striking jewel box, the walls of which are lined with textured blown mirror panels that reflect the intricate Groteski Ceiling frescoes glow with a twisted, sensual glow, and oyster platters and mocktails inspired by (what else?) opera arias are served.
