(map) 
Via Vittorio Veneto, commonly known simply as Via Veneto, used to be the bustling center of Rome’s dolce vita in the 1960’s and 70’s, filled each night with famous personalities, both Italian and international from the world of cinema, politics and business. In subsequent decades Roman nightlife moved to other parts of the city leaving Via Veneto desolate at night.
Lately however, a concerted effort has been made by the city and commercial enterprises to turn this situation around 
and in many ways it’s been successful, although Via Veneto has not quite returned to its glory days of the past.
Via Veneto has been repaved, new traffic patterns created and on-street parking eliminated. Restaurants and cafes have added elegant, street-side areas to their establishments. Four and five star hotels have been added and existing hotels have been refurbished. While you won’t run into Marcello Mastroianni, Federico Fellini, and Anita Ekberg, all this has brought a measure of nightlife back to the renowned area.
– Contributed by Wendy Holloway (see bio), owner of the Flavor of Italy Country Inn, north Rome, and Flavor of Italy, LLC, a food & wine tour company.
I certainly don’t expect to run into Marcello Mastroianni or Federico Fellini.
In the early 1960s when our family was getting settled in Roma, The Daily American newspaper reported regularly on the Via Veneto sightings of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Burt Lancaster, Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, and occasionally of Jackie Kennedy. Via Veneto didn’t have a red carpet, but the celebrities were there. Roma’s Cinecitta` was working overtime.
At least 12-15 years ago, I stayed at a very small, plain, inexpensive hotel about three blocks off Via Veneto, not far from the American Embassy. I don’t remember the street or the name of the hotel, of course, but I do remember that about a block from it, toward Via Veneto, was a not too tall wall which had what appeared to be a brass mailbox embedded in it with “CIA” embossed on it. I’ve always wondered what those initials stood for in Rome or if it really was a drop for the Central Intelligence Agency. I do wish I could find that hotel again – had no restaurant and no air-conditioning, but it was simply charming!
where is the new place to hang?