For all its imperial and papal pomp and circumstance, Rome at heart is a beautiful child – raucous, dreamy, secretive, a touch spoiled, by turns exasperating and enchanting.  The child is on its best behaviour during “le feste” or the winter holidays. High season crowds thin, and dazzling light displays and slanting sunbeams compensate for the short days. 

Today’s Rome is a paradoxical place: Even as many historic neighbourhoods fall to mass-touristic homogeneity, outlying districts are becoming more vibrant and varied. For an authentic Roman holiday, get out of the centro storico and sample the pizza stalls of the Testaccio market and the funky wares at the nearby Porta Portese Sunday flea market, the nightclubs of San Lorenzo and Tiburtina, and nei