Rome's Best Travel Routes

Rome always ends its meals with something sweet, light, or icy.

• Gelato: Rome has artisanal gelaterie everywhere and it’s like nothing you have tasted before. It comes in cones or cups. Look for muted colors (natural), not neon. Pistachio should be brownish, not bright green. Just eat it fast in summer—it melts in seconds.
• Tiramisù: Though Venetian in origin, this classic Italian dessert made with layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cheese is a must-try. Many cafés compete for the “best tiramisù” title and you can find it in almost every restaurant.
• Maritozzo con la Panna: A traditional sweet bun split open and filled with whipped cream. Once a breakfast treat for laborers, now an indulgence. It’s a soft, slightly sweet bread that pairs perfectly with a coffee, making it a popular choice for breakfast or a mid-day treat
• Cornetto: Soft, fragrant, and less buttery than their French cousins (croissants), cornetti are Rome’s morning ritual. They come plain (vuoti), filled with cream, jam, or Nutella—eaten standing at the bar, one hand on the cup, one on the pastry.
• Grattachecca: This is an ancient Roman treat that predates modern ice cream. It’s essentially shaved ice topped with fruit juice or syrup, and sometimes with chunks of fresh fruit, offering a refreshing and nostalgic taste of Roman summers, sold from kiosks by the Tiber.
• Ciambelle al Vino: Wine-flavored cookies from the Castelli Romani hills, shaped like rings and dusted with sugar. Crunchy, simple, addictive—they’re dunked in wine at the end of meals, not coffee. Romans call them “the dessert of the honest.”
• Ciambella: A traditional Roman donut-shaped cake, often enjoyed with coffee or tea. It can be flavored with ingredients like anise or lemon.
•  Crostata di Visciole: A lattice tart of cherry jam and ricotta, balanced between tart and sweet. It’s not flashy—it’s nostalgia in pastry form, often found in old trattorie or hidden bakeries near Campo de’ Fiori.
• Panna Cotta: A creamy, vanilla-flavored dessert that’s often served with fruit coulis or caramel sauce. Its smooth texture and delicate flavor make it a popular choice.
• Mostaccioli e Pangiallo: Traditional Christmas sweets: mostaccioli are cocoa cookies with nuts and honey; pangiallo is dense with candied fruit. They taste of ancient feasts, made to last as long as memory itself.
• Granita di Caffè con Panna: In summer, order this layered delight: frozen espresso crystals topped with whipped cream. Half drink, half dessert—pure Roman luxury under the sun.

📝 Local Tip: Dessert isn’t always at the end of dinner. A gelato in the afternoon, a maritozzo for breakfast, or a slice of crostata mid-morning are just as Roman.