Casina Valadier has always been a special place, particularly loved by romans for its mix of good food, elegance, nature and spectacular views over the centre of Rome. It is a restaurant nestled among the trees of Villa Borghese, inside an architecture considered the jewel of the Pincio, the ancient Collis Hortulorum where the ancient Roman nobles had their villas and gardens.
The amazing view of Casina Valadier at the sunset.
The Casina was built by the well-known roman architect and town planner Giuseppe Valadier between 1816 and 1837 – also the author of the Pincio and Piazza del Popolo – in a manner reminiscent of the Neoclassical style, which immediately catches the eye with its cubic body and Ionic colonnade. Inside, there is still a series of rooms lavishly decorated in Pompeian style and precious frescoes, recently restored to their former glory and used as locations for refined events and elegant dinners.If you are looking fot a happy hour, you have to go to the outdoor space. Casina Valadier has recently opened its lush gardens and created Hortus, a project that is the ultimate expression of the venue’s eco-friendly repositioning. Both the Bistrot and the Bar have espoused a philosophy of human and environmental sustainability, an ethical proposal and an offer that makes ‘made in Italy’ its flagship.
A view on the internal décor of Casina Valadier. It is the perfect example of Rome luxury restaurant.
The result is dishes and cocktails inspired by the green world. Every day at 7 p.m., the Hortus Bar opens the gates of its dedicated entrance, almost hidden in the greenery, and welcomes its guests into a romantic space, made even more magical by the tables, lights and carefully designed decorations. A real secret garden with a view over the historic centre of Rome. You can choose a glass of wine or a classic drink, or opt for one of the signature cocktails: Elettra, for example, made with Skyy Vodka, Fernet Branca, citric acid, lavender syrup, soda, bitter orange, edible flower, or Teseo, with Wild Turkey Bourbon, Chartreuse, lime juice, vanilla syrup, and chocolate fragrance.
The perfect drink at Hortus Bar
All drinks are accompanied by a selection of healty and tempting appetisers: vegetable crudités in yoghurt, cucumber and mint sauce, cherry tomato cup, chickpea snacks with paprika and rosemary, taralli cacio e pepe, olives and lupini del Lazio. But you can also add Italian-style tapas, or the pinse romane, filled with Italian specialities such as melted mozzarella and prosciutto amatriciano, at your choice.
And if you are undecided, for 25€ you can have Hortus Combo, a drink and a selection of tapas that includes bruschetta with courgettes in concia, ginger and mint, the fagottino di parmigiana “zero fritto” (not fried), the mini bread with avocado and smoked salmon, and the maritozzo and porchetta laziale.
