Roman Nights

How does one capture the magic of the Eternal City at night? Annabelle Fernandez looks to Bulgari’s newest fragrance for the answer

- Annabelle Fernandez

There are some cities that can’t help inspiring countless odes in their honour. Think of Paris, and how the City of Light’s cafés served as a haven and muse for the likes of Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Ernest Hemingway; think of New York, and how the City that Never Sleeps has cultivated timeless tributes from everyone from J.D. Salinger to Jay-Z. Then, there’s the Eternal City.

While the love letters to other cities might revolve around specific landmarks, the enduring power of Rome lies in its nickname (which, fittingly, was coined in the first century B.C. by the Roman poet Tibulus). The Eternal City has lived through many eras; and there are stories to be told in every via, villa and piazza. The artistic homages to the city prove as much: In film, fashion and beyond, when Rome is referenced, it is always a character; never a backdrop.