Via dei Coronari is one of my favourite streets in Rome. It’s hidden just off Piazza Navona, and yet for some reason it has a peaceful ambience and a distinctly local vibe, albeit a very affluent brand of local, as not everyone can afford to live in this gorgeous part of town. I always find a gathering of old Italian gentlemen sitting around the fountain, smoking cigars, crying out ‘buongiorno‘ to well-dressed locals gliding by on vintage bicycles, or admiring a pretty girl who stops for a drink. The quaint little stores sell mostly art and antiques, but you will also find the odd clothing, interior, jewellery or book store. There’s a decent supermarket, some cute restaurants and gelaterie and my favourite place to hide with a lover or read a book alone is Casa e Bottega, which has seating in and outside and serves delicious sweet pastries and lunch dishes. Essentially, this street is made for strolling, peering in windows, stopping for a caffe’ and watching eclectic and oh-so-lucky locals artfully waste time as only the Italians know how.
