April is one of the most vibrant months in Rome, as the city celebrates spring, its own birthday (2,779 years old on 21st April) and several major holidays.

The first Ciao Italy tour of the season always coincides with the famous azalea display on the Spanish Steps, typically from mid April until mid May. If the weather stays cool, they may last until the third week of May, but if the weather is hot they are often removed earlier to preserve the plants. The tradition, known as the Infiorata di Azalee, features around 250-300 large pots of azaleas: the white “Bianca di Piazza di Spagna” and the classic lilac-pink “Rhododendron Indicum”. The rest of the year, the flowers are cared for at the nurseries near the Colosseum.

The Giardino degli Aranci, or Orange Garden, formally known as Parco Savello, is a special place atop Aventine Hill with a stunning panoramic view overlooking the Tiber river and the city. The walled garden, considered one of the most romantic spots in the historic centre, has a fragrant citrus grove that gives the place its name. The garden is built within the ruins of the 10th century Savelli family fortress. History tells us that Saint Dominic planted the first orange tree here in the 13th century; a descendant of that tree is still preserved in the cloister of the adjacent Basilica di Santa Sabina all’Aventino.

The Roseta Comunale, also on Aventine Hill overlooking the Circus Maximus, is the stunning rose garden established in 1950. It sits on land that has ancient roots dating back to over 2,000 years ago. Today, the garden boasts over 1,100 varieties of roses from all over the world, including rare botanical species and ancient roses.

The paths of the garden are shaped like a Jewish menorah, a tribute to the site’s previous history as a Jewish cemetery from 1645 to 1934.

The garden typically follows a seasonal opening scheduled to coincide with the blooming period, generally from mid April to mid June. Apart from stunning roses that smell like roses, the garden looks directly at the ruins of Palatine Hill.

The most notable Jewish Roman dishes originate from the years of the ghetto’s curfew between the 1500s and the 1800s when the three gates of the neighbourhood were locked after sunset by law. They utilised what were then thought of as humble ingredients - artichokes, codfish and zucchini.

Carciofi alla giudia, or Jewish style artichokes, are a spring delicacy that are deep fried and served golden brown and crispy. Simple, yet delicious, they are are perhaps the best known dish to come from the ghetto and one of the most characteristic foods to eat in Rome.

April is the peak of artichoke season which runs from February through to May. One of my favourite places for lunch is Nonna Betta. Umberto, Nonna Betta’s grandson and owner of the restaurant, continues the tradition as the third generation and now has his daughter working alongside him. Umberto’s grandmother lived in the Jewish Quarter and his mother lives across from the restaurant.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Rome in spring, don’t leave the city without trying artichokes.

Ci vediamo la prossima settimana.

Deb