Trips to some of Rome’s legendary ancient structures, including the Colosseum and Pantheon, are made sweeter by a subsequent visit to a nearby gelato shop. (JG Photo/Amee R. Enriquez)
My visit to Rome, Italy, this summer was greatly driven by gelato, that frozen Italian ice cream that definitely tastes better when savored in its country of origin.
Though it was not my original intent, gelato shops became important landmarks during my cultural trip. It probably helped that gelato in Rome costs about the same as a can of soda and was available on every street corner.
The first taste I had of the Italian dessert was near the Pantheon — one of the city’s best preserved ancient structures — on my first day in the Eternal City. I was with a guided tour and we had just explored some of Rome’s sights by foot, starting with the curving Spanish Steps.
Our guide promised us that we would be visiting a gelato shop with more than a hundred flavors. And as a prelude to the happy ending, she told us to always look for gelato in tin containers, rather than in plastic tubs, as the former indicated the ice cream was likely made in store. That promise kept me going as we continued to push against the crowds of tourists.
According to its website, the Della Parma Gelato di Roma , along Via della Maddalena, has been around for 30 years and is quite popular among both locals and tourists. The dizzying array of the common chocolate and fruit flavors, as well as the unusual ones, like peanut butter, meant that agonizing indecision was part of the selection process.
I made another quick stop at the Della Parma when I revisited the Pantheon, which turned out to be one of my favorite buildings in Rome, several days later.
The Pantheon’s original structure was commissioned by Roman statesman Marcus Agrippa, then rebuilt by emperor Hadrian after a series of fires in 126 AD.
The unassuming building resembles any other old temple from the outside. Its interior, however, is another story altogether. Its circular dome, topped by an oculus in the center which lets the light in, has served as a source of inspiration for other great structures, like St. Peter’s Basilica near the Vatican Museum, which was located near my second favorite gelato shop.
(JG Photo/Amee R. Enriquez)
The Vatican Museum
The Vatican Museum is legendary for its impressive art collection, which remains unmatched by any other in the world, and the notoriously long queue to get in. A tour through the museum’s treasures ends in the divine Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo.
After a lengthy walk from the Ottaviano metro station, I found myself facing the queue to purchase a ticket for the grand museum. Dismayed by its length, I decided instead to walk past it, only to stumble across a quaint ice cream shop with tables scattered in front of it.
To my embarrassment, I can’t seem to recall the shop’s name as my memory focused only on the handsome Italian man who greeted me from behind the counter and asked me what flavor gelato I wanted. He suggested I try the very dark chocolate, which was not my usual preference, but I ended up ordering a cup — and several more flavors.
Refreshed and reenergized, I managed to tear myself away from the vision manning the counter to check the queue for the museum. It had shortened enough for me to join the line and purchase a ticket. I breezed through the Vatican Museum’s hallways, trying not to develop a stiff neck from marveling at one spectacular painting after another. Finally, I found my way to the Sistine Chapel.
In an effort to escape the hordes of visitors, I managed to squeeze through the crowd to claim one of the benches located at the sides. There, I tried to take everything in and commit to memory what I could of this religious and historic place. Commissioned by Pope Julius II, Michelangelo spent four years working on his ceiling masterpiece that would remain unequaled and a cornerstone for Western art even five centuries on.
The Colosseo
My third memorable gelato stop was at the Colosseo or the Colosseum, the ancient amphitheater that bore witness to bloody battles between gladiators during the first century.
Standing inside the spectacular structure, one can’t help but wonder what it must have been like to be seated among thousands of cheering Romans watching their favored warriors take down their opponents or exotic animals, like lions and bears. After touring the Colosseo, I found a small gelato shop nestled near the Vespa Museum.
I ventured inside the Gelateria La Dolce Vita, along Via Cavor 306, to check its flavors, discovering the usual strawberry and melon, both of which are quite popular in Rome, and even tiramisu.
I settled on scoops of fragola, or strawberry, and cherry in a cup. My first spoonful caught me by surprise; I thought I had already turned into somewhat of an aficionado of the Italian ice cream, having already eaten my weight in gelato, but this particular gelato was the best I had by far. It was creamy with just the right amount of sweetness and flavor.
Rome lived up to all that I had ever imagined it would be. But having the perfect gelato to accompany me during my sightseeing adventure made the experience even sweeter.
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