The Best Gelato Near Rome’s Historic Attractions
In any season, gelato is a hot commodity in Rome. It’s also the perfect pick-me-up during a long day pounding the city’s centuries-old pavement. With hundreds upon hundreds of vendors, it can be difficult to sort through the crowd. So we’ve done the first-hand research to make your Roman holiday even sweeter. Here are our pairings of five historic sites with the best nearby spots for savoring one of Italy’s greatest gifts to the world: gelato.
Piazzale Napoleone I, 00197 Roma RM, Italy
Encompassing early 200 acres of rolling parkland, Villa Borghese is Rome’s verdant heart and everyone’s favorite place for an afternoon walk. The vast gardens are criss-crossed with picturesque paths, where visitors can meander past ancient statues and fountains, sit by a lake or caffè, and take in a film at one of two cinemas. For culture vultures, there is a Shakespearean Globe Theatre with a robust summer schedule, a historic puppet theater, and several world-renowned museums including Galleria Borghese with its enviable collection of Bernini sculptures and Caravaggio paintings. Younger kids enjoy playgrounds, electric train rides, and a kids museum, while children of all ages can get active with skate, bike, and paddleboat rentals.
Via Lago di Lesina, 9/11, 00199 Roma RM, Italy
A few blocks from Villa Ada and the Via Salaria, Gelateria Fatamorgana sells Maria Agnese Spagnuolo’s edible works of art. Each flavor is made from all natural ingredients, without chemical additives or artificial flavors, and many are lactose free. Spagnuolo’s whimsical creations are often seasonal and always draw on quality produce, spices and herbs. In the summer, try panacea (ginseng, almond milk, and mint) with ananas e zenzero (pineapple and ginger). There are a number of chocolate variations ideal for winter, including Kentucky (dark chocolate and tobacco). Fatamorgana also offers gluten free gelato, a rarity in Rome where so many shops use additives containing gluten. There are three other branches.
