With summer quickly approaching, the Roman streets are filling up with tourists, the days are getting longer and warmer, and the gelato shops are getting crowded. Luckily for John Cabot University students, some of Rome's best gelato spots are located in Trastevere, just a short walk in any direction from campus.
Here are my top 4 gelato spots near the JCU campus:
1. Gelateria Barberini
(Via della Cisterna, 15/A)
Located behind Piazza di San Calisto, Gelateria Barberini is a great place to grab a tasty treat in Trastevere. It was originally opened in 1925 in Testaccio, and then they opened a shop in Trastevere. Gelateria Barbereini not only uses fresh and natural ingredients in their gelato, but they also have an entire pastry shop full of delicious sweets, and some of Rome's most traditional desserts.
2. Fior di Luna
(Via della Lungaretta, 96)
Fior di Luna--a two-minute walk from Tiber Campus--is a deliciously unique gelato shop. They only use the old methods of producing the delicious treat, and claim that their fruity sorbets only consist of two ingredients: fresh fruit and sugar. Fior di Luna started out as a small gelato parlor in 1952, it was purchased in 1974, and then in 1993 the owners introduced their family style of production and started using only fine raw materials to produce their gelato. At that time they also started making their own chocolate!
3. Fonte della Salute
(Via Cardinale Marmaggi, 2)
Cross over to the other side of Viale di Trastevere, and you will be happy to find Fonte della Salute. This gelateria boasts that they do not produce just any gelato, but rather they produce gelato biologico (organic gelato). This means that the gelato produced every day in their workshop is made only with certified organic and raw materials (fresh milk, organic seasonal fruit, brown sugar, etc). Fonte della Salute is proud to let its customers know that in order to guarantee genuine products without preservatives, they correspond regularly with those who cultivate and produce the ingredients that will go into the gelato. They also have many gluten-free, lactose-free, nut-free, and vegan options!
4. FataMorgana
(Via Roma Libera, 11)
FataMorgana is a chain with many locations throughout Rome. The Trastevere shop is located right outside of Piazza di San Cosimato, a close walk from both the Guarini and Tiber campuses. This innovative gelateria has a passion for creating new and interesting flavors; the owner works in a lab throughout the week trying out recipes for some of Rome's most unusual gelato flavors (think pear and gorgonzola, black rice and rose petals, or basil with walnuts and honey!). FataMorgana not only has flavors no one has tried before, but this gelateria has dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free options.
Alexa Vujaklija (Shearer)
Class of 2015
Communications Major
Grew up in the United States, Germany, the Republic of Georgia, Russia, and Bulgaria
