CREAMY SECRETS

Sightseeing in Rome can be exhausting for young visitors. After touring the museums and archaeological sites why not reward them with a well-earned, sweet-flavoured afternoon? Enjoy a child-friendly gelato-making demonstration at one of the capital’s oldest ice cream parlours and see first-hand how this best-loved Italian dessert is created.

Gelato is an age-old delicacy, dating back thousands of years. Frozen desserts are recorded as long ago as 3,000 BC when Asian cultures began consuming crushed ice and flavourings. Chinese sorbets made with fruit, milk, rice, honey and ice are probably among the earliest known versions of this favourite treat. But we don’t know exactly when the delicacy was invented or whom we should thank for its creation. A famous Roman ice cream fan was Emperor Nero who used to send servants up to the mountains in search of snow and ice which would then be aromatised with sweet fruits and honey. Our modern gelato may well have its origins in a recipe brought back to Italy from China by Marco Polo. However it was during the Renaissance in Florence, under the rule of the Medici family, that the great tradition of Italian gelato began and from there flourished in Europe and the Americas during the 18th century.

The ingredients used in ice cream making down the ages are many and diverse. Today you can be sure that the homemade varieties found in town use the freshest cream, milk and fruit, alongside other tasty natural flavours. An artisanal ice cream is indeed an excellent source of nourishment. It’s hard to beat a cone for its vitamin, protein and energy content. Eaten in moderation, you have the perfect snack.

Your guide will meet you at your hotel and accompany you to Rome’s most renowned gelateria boasting a rich selection of flavours that has delighted even the pickiest of ice cream eaters since 1900. Popular with locals, tourists, popes and politicians, this family-owned ice cream parlour has hosted generations of gelato addicts – Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck included. Relive William Wyler’s 1953 Roman Holiday as you treat the family to this epicurean experience. The art of perfect gelato is about to be revealed. Make your way to the quiet kitchen at the back of the often bustling, crowded shop, don your aprons, hats and gloves and let your long-dreamed traditional Italian gelato education begin. Discover the secrets behind the creation of the most tempting ice cream in town and see professional gelatieri at work as they whisk together the scrumptious, fresh ingredients. Lend the masters a hand to make the perfect mixture and watch as it turns into delicious gelato right in front of your eyes. When the ice cream you helped concoct is ready, sample your joint efforts as well as some of the gelateria’s mouth-watering flavours on display behind the counter… from vanilla to fudgy chocolate, from black cherry to pistachio…

Now you’re ready to stroll the streets and squares of the Eternal City and get a true taste of La Dolce Vita with a soft and creamy gelato in hand. Your guide will lead you on a pleasant walk through the historic centre and point out important landmarks along your trail. In Piazza Navona, while you admire Bernini’s glorious Fountain of the Four Rivers and the facade of Borromini’s Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, you will hear tales of the most celebrated enemies in the history of art that will certainly raise a smile. Rivalry is one human characteristic that never changes! Then proceed towards the Pantheon, one of the capital’s oldest, best-preserved and most spectacular buildings. Built by Emperor Hadrian in around 125 AD, it was originally a temple devoted to many gods. With its grandiose colonnade, vast bronze doors and awe-inspiring dome – with a hole on top! – it still fascinates visitors today, almost two thousand years after its completion. You’ll also get the chance to stop for photos in Piazza di Spagna… anyone up for a race to the top of its 135 steps? And don’t forget to toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain for good luck as well as to ensure your return trip to Rome.