Travel | When In Rome

The International Wine Academy of Roma. Sounds like a training camp for wine nerds. Instead, it's a new private club in a spectacular 19th-century palace near the Spanish Steps. Though you do have to be a member to get in, the annual fee is just 20 euros—a bargain even if you're spending only a weekend in Rome. In warm weather, sit on the rooftop terrace and order a plate of salumi and a bottle from the 450-wine cellar; in winter, find an armchair by the fireplace and read a book from the wine library (stocked with volumes in Italian and English). On Fridays, the club offers half-day classes, in English, ranging from a general introduction to wine tasting to an overview of Italian wines; more advanced seminars can be arranged ahead. Members can also stay overnight in one of the four luxurious bedrooms—for a kingly 500 euros a night (8 Vicolo del Bottino; 011-39-06-699-08-78 or www.wineacademyroma.com).

Published April 2003