RomaPolacchi

Budget Travel' s Kate Appleton has a quick instructional video on how to order coffee like a real Roman . Short, sweet, and filmed at Tazza d'Oro near the Pantheon, this video will definitely show you how to drink as the Romans drink.

To see and be seen is always the top priority in Italy, and Taormina is no different. The best place in Taormina for evening people-watching is the Mocambo Bar in the 9th of April Piazza (Piazza IX Aprile). There's live music every night and the iced tea with lemon granita is a must-have. There's even excellent coffee and wine to be had for 3 Euros a glass. The gelato isn't half bad either. Try it on a brioche, the Sicilian way.

At the beginning of 2008 the Italian magazine Altrocosumo held a contest between the coffee shops of Rome and Milan. The coffee testers of the Istituto internazionale assaggiatori caffè tried coffees in both cities. Rome won and nine of its coffee shops were designated winners . Who will win in 2009? Below is a list of the best coffee shops in Rome. Caffe Colonna nella Galleria Sordi was given the top rating. Receiving honorable mentions were Caffe Maneschi (via del Corso), and Tazza d'oro (via degli Orfani), l'Antico Caffe Greco (Via Condotti), Giolitti (Via offici Vicariate) Sant'Eustachio (Piazza Sant ' Eustachio), Rosati (Piazza del Popolo), Baby Bar (via del Corso), Castroni Caffè (Via Flaminia) and Bar Centralissimo (Via S. Maria). Buon Gusto!

Dying for a real cup of coffee? Just can't seem to get the sauce for pasta con le sarde right? Looking for that perfect holiday gift for your favorite Italophile? Check out gustiamo.com , a website devoted to bringing the absolute best products from small Italian producers to the world at large. Be sure to order coffee from Caffe Sant' Eustachio in Rome-which is actually worth flying to Italy for!

Giada de Laurentiis has her own website and social network: giadadelaurentiis.com . Among the event calendar, blogs and occasional recipes are Giada's worldwide favorite restaurants and hotels. Naturally, the Modern Traveler is most interested in her Roman favorites . Three hotels that Giada recommends are the Hotel de Russie , Grand Hotel de la Minerve (near the Pantheon ) and the Boscolo Hotel Exedra (Piazza della Reppublica). Her restaurant choices are even more interesting. For cafe life and excellent pastries, she recommends Caffe Greco on the Via Condotti. Ciampini is her choice for gelato and chocolate croissants, and Gusto makes her list for pizza and antipasti. Giada is never wrong when it comes to food, so Buon Appetito!

The streets of Rome smell distinctly like espresso. No wonder, since the coffee in Rome is among the best in the world. As a matter of course, Rome's coffee shops are an experience of their own. There are two ways to enjoy your coffee. If you are in a hurry and want to pay less, go first to the cashier, tell him what you want, pay, then take your receipt to the bar and hand it to the barista. Drink your coffee standing up at the bar. You will feel very Italian. If you are not in a hurry and don't mind paying more, take a seat. A waiter will take your order. Be prepared to spend some time at your table-rarely are the waiters in Rome in a hurry. They'll bring you the bill when they bring your order and expect you to pay then. You can sit there as long as you like. Be sure to use cash for nothing is more annoying (or so it seems, anyway) to a Roman waiter than dealing with credit cards. One particularly special cafe is Antico Caffe della Pace , located at Via della Pace 3/7 ne...