The artists’ street – it’s like nowhere else in Rome. Effortlessly elegant and serene, this cobbled, ivy-draped lane feels like a village despite its glamorous artistic and cinematic history. It’s a friendly, local haunt, with families who have have lived here for generations, yet just around the corner are the Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo, and all the designer brands you could desire, like Prada, Gucci, Bulgari, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Chanel, and many others.
Via Margutta is truly a hidden gem in the center of Rome. It’s a small side street that parallels Via Babuino and offers a respite from the chaotic and busy streets of the Tridente District (the triangular shaped area that connects Piazza di Venezia, Piazza del Popolo, and Piazza di Spagna). The steet is characterized by the plethora of independent art galleries, small cafes and shops, and very characteristic, vine-covered buildings. Just walking the quaint little street, you can feel the history and lives lived there. Now you can experience the magic of Via Margutta in a whole different way, staying in converted artist studios turned vacation apartments.
In 1858, Francesco Patrizi Montoro built a beautiful Palazzo housing artists’ studios on Via Margutta. It’s still owned and lived in by his descendants, so there’s a sense of family history here. The owner of Margutta Glamour Studios, his great-grand daughter, is an interior designer, who has created four stunning apartments occupying the former studios and part of the palazzo.
Picasso and Stravinsky once worked in Via Margutta’s studios, and film director Federico Fellini lived here. In the movie, Roman Holiday with the iconic Audrey Hepburn, the character played by Gregory Peck also lived on Via Margutta. The street was a centre for film stars in the 1950s and 60s at the height of the Dolce Vita era and there’s still an important dubbing studio here today, as well as art galleries, antique shops, art restorers, and a marble engraver.
Margutta Glamour Studios are a collection of 4 apartments: the Luxury Loft, Visconti Bright Apartment, Margutta Roman Apartment, and the Charming Apartment. They vary in size, but are all located in the lovely and historic Patrizi palazzo where Pablo Picasso worked and passed some of his time while in Rome. The largest of the four, the airy and bright Luxury Loft, was once the studio of famed Italian sculptor Fausto Melotti.
The large, 3m high windows that perforate the facade are historic indication of late 19th century invention, and highlight the building’s use as a place for artists and makers. Many of the spaces are still used for this purpose – a fabulous art historian has his studio just beside the Luxury Loft. You can often see him working on the restoration of some classical masterpiece. Where else in the world can you experience something like that!?
Organize your vacation at Margutta Glamour Studios, and book a package with Countess Concierge by Barbara Lessona. I can organize NCC transportation, vespa or golf cart rental, walking and personal shopping tours, and of course, in-home chef experiences or cooking classes. You’re limited only by your imagination with Countess Concierge!
