Must go to places in Rome, Naples, Athens, and Istanbul

My GF used to live in Rome, I'll get some suggestions from her and get back to you.

Rome:

Pizza ai Marmi: on viale di trastevere (official address is via fratte di trastevere, 53). We ate here together 2-3 times, and it is awesome. No tourists here, just a lot of antipasti, pizza, and Peroni.

Hostaria Giggetto al portico d'otavia: via del portico d'ottavia 21/a- website: www.giggettoalportico.it This is a place in the Jewish Ghetto.

Renato e Luisa: via dei barbieri, 25: call for reservation: 06 6869 660, http://www.renatoeluisa.it/

for gelato:
Heladería San Crispino, Piazza della Maddalena Giolitti, Via degli Uffici del Vicario, 40, giolitti.it‎ DO NOT EAT AT BLUE ICE!

you should only go to Campo di Fiori in the morning for the market, stay away from the restaurants and bars.

Testaccio is interesting for the night scene. They also have a great market.

And for a more low key night they should make sure there is a map in their back pocket for when you're done, but just wander around Trastevere.

Pizza ai Marmi:

Gomestar's Rome suggestions are excellent. I had truly unbelievable veal agnolotti at Da Giggeto.

In Istanbul, this restaurant in Kadiköy is an absolute must:
Çiya Sofrasi
Günesli Bahçesi Sok. 43-44, Phone0216/330-3190

It is all Turkish regional cuisine and just phenomenal. The candied fruits and vegetables for dessert are terrific.

been there, its great.

SF, let me get back to you with some Istanbul and Athens recs

I hate The Hassler. In Naples, I'd check out Da Dora and L'Europeo. I have a list of places in Rome, but am not home right now. Don't know the other two cities.

Ditto. Stayed there my first trip to Rome.

The last time in Rome, we stayed in the penthouse at the Ferragamo place, just down the street from the Hassler...charming, surprisingly inexpensive (well, comparitively...), and great service.

I hate to say it, but we had a great meal at La Pergola. The crowd was disturbing, however...like being in a Gordon Ramsay restaurant.


- B

and don't forget the jewish artichokes!!



For what it's worth, I'm staying at the Hotel Trastevere when I return to Rome. Solid rooms at excellent prices. But, the main draw for me is the Trastevere neighborhood (my GF lived on Via Dandelo). Awesome place to just stroll at night and to pick up a gelato or a beer or a little wine or a cappuccino as the night winds down.

and to piggy back on my gelato recommendation, Heladería San Crispino isn't too far away from the Pantheon. If you're walking right out of the Pantheon, go down the street that is to the far right corner of the plaza where the Pantheon is located. It's a block or two up on the right. In the gelateria, San Crispino keeps their gelato covered with big chrome cones, look for these.

Istanbul: Stay at Mackas Palace Park Hyatt, cross the street and dine at Kosebasi http://www.kosebasi.com (Try a Turkish Shiraz), then walk up the hill, turn left, and visit this cafe for the best pistachio baklava and Turkish delights I have ever tasted. All in Besiktas.

Tourist-wise: Topkapi, Hagia Sofia Blue Mosque and Dolmabahçe.

here's a little bit of stuff -

athens, I like to have one meal in the plaka - I know that it is touristy, but once a year or so I like it. Psaras is a good taverna, its been there for more than 100 years. start there, then meander down hill.

another thing that I love to do is go to the Monastriraki Metro stop. as you come out of the station there are a dozen or more open air meat resteraunts, usually full of greek families enjoying meat and beer and the atmosphere. walk around, pick one that looks good. food is dirt cheap but consistantly good for what it is. there is also a flea market right there.

I would get some oil and honey in Athens, there are stores that sell many types of oil by weight/volume.

by the way, the metro is great, the city has really improved since it had the olympics

I usually stay at the intercontinental, but its not that well located. the hilton is in a very good neighborhood.

istanbul - I usually stay at the old hilton, its a good location with a good view. the intercontinental has a good view, too. there is a new hilton, try to avoid it, as it is about 15 minutes farther out from the center of town.

here is a good link about istanbul food - www.istanbuleats.com

I usually go for a massage/bath in Istanbul. you can ask at your hotel for a non-touristy one, but they are usually men only, and can be pretty spartan. there are a few very nice ones that are tourist friendly in the sultanahmet part of town, and they will have women's facilities, as well.

this is a pretty good one - cagaloglu hamami

the massage can be pretty invasive, but cool non the less. give yourself at least 2 hours. you can also get a reasonable shave in turkish barber shops, for 5-7 bucks or so.

you have to get inside the blue mosque and haga sofia while in istanbul, as well as the the bazaar.

a couple of concepts - eat fish on the Galata bridge. I can't recomend a specific place, but the idea is to walk along the bridge, there are resteraunts underneth, where you walk. pick one that looks good. some have live music.

also, have your hotel arrange for you to take a boat to a resteraunt on the asia side, by the Fatih Sultan Mehmet bridge. there are a handful of very high end resteraunts that you can basically only reach by boat, they will send their own boat to pick you up and return you. very romantic, pretty good food. the whole experience is good.

there is a high end resteraount called "Tekke". I ate there on the asia side, and I can't find the address, but it is one of a few by the same owner. excellent food. you may be able to get your hotel conceirge to help you find the address.

there is a great place called Gelik Et Resteraunt. old famous kabab place, a little out of the center, but on the Europe side. this is a place for various meats and mezza.


you have some great recomendations for Rome. I have eaten several times at a place called giarosta toscana and we really enjoyed it alot.

The pastry joint is Saray. Not to be missed.

While in Athens, have a wander around these 3 more upmarket beachside areas - Glyfada, Voula and Vouliagmeni. They are greener, less hectic and less polluted than the city centre. Glyfada has a street named Biftekoupolis (Hamburger City). In that street look for a taverna named George/Yiorgos. They make the most mouthwateringly delicious grilled meatballs (biftekia).

Before or after your meal you can take a dip or have a look around Lake Vouliagmeni, fed by natural springs.

Athens: 1) Doris for homemade food and the best loukoumathes in the city! Krinos also has fantastic loukoumathes and is very old school athens. 2) The following guide is quite good. I visited one of the places that my dad grew up going to (it was an Athenian institution) that's mentioned in the guide (the bakaliaro place, in a basement) and it's simply living off of it's name now. It was NOTHING special. Hence, take every rec with a grain of salt as some places are living off of former glory: http://www.athensguide.com/restaurants.html 3) I forget the name, but in the neighborhood of nea filadelphia there are FANTASTIC crepes in the platia or city square. 4. H Taverna tou Psiri is a 4 minute walk from the monastiraki metro station. It used to be better but is still quite good. Hope this helps, Upstarter