By Catherine Sabino

If you’re looking for the Rome of the Romans, you don’t have to travel to an obscure part of the Eternal City to find it; just head to the Via Margutta, a few steps from such tourist magnets as the Piazza di Spagna and Piazza del Popolo. Long a haven for artists, composers and painters—Federico Fellini lived here; Pablo Picasso painted in one of its studios—the street, very much in the center of things, but conveniently removed from the city’s engrossing exuberance, retains a 19th-century bohemian charm and an eclectic assortment of boutiques, workshops and galleries, where owners are often behind the counter, or if not, nearby in a backroom working on or ordering up some beautiful piece. Margutta enjoyed worldwide fame in the 1950s thanks to Roman Holiday, although it remains a lesser-known address for many visitors today … continue reading