When Lisa Ann first stepped off the plane at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport, she didn’t head straight to a hotel. She walked straight into the heart of Rome - the kind of place where history doesn’t just live in museums, it breathes on street corners and lingers in café smoke. Over the years, she’s returned again and again, not just for work, but because Rome has a rhythm that matches her own. She’s not one for tourist traps or packed piazzas at noon. She knows where the real magic happens - the quiet courtyards, the hidden wine bars, the alleys that feel like they haven’t changed since the 1950s. Here are the five spots she swears by, the ones she brings friends to when they ask, ‘Where do you really go in Rome?’
Trastevere at Dusk
Most people hit Trastevere for the Instagram shots - colorful buildings, string lights, endless gelato stands. Lisa Ann avoids the main drag, Via Trastevere, after 6 p.m. Instead, she walks uphill toward Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere and slips into the narrow lanes behind it. There’s a tiny bar called La Taverna dei Quattro Canti with no sign, just a flickering lamp and a wooden door. Inside, it’s all aged wood, candlelight, and locals sipping Aperol spritzes with olives on the side. She says the owner remembers her name. She always orders the same thing: a glass of Nero d’Avola, no ice. The wine is cheap, the conversation is slow, and the noise from the square never makes it this far back. That’s the point.
Testaccio Market - But Not at Lunch
Testaccio Market is famous for its food stalls and artisanal cheeses. Lisa Ann goes on a Tuesday morning, right when the vendors are setting up. She doesn’t buy anything to eat. She buys a single bottle of olive oil from a stall run by a family that’s been pressing olives since 1947. She watches how they pour a drop onto a piece of bread, rubs it between her fingers, and smells it. She says the best olive oil doesn’t taste like fruit - it tastes like soil and sun. She’ll sit on a bench nearby, eating a warm cornetto from the bakery next door, watching the market come alive. No photos. No reviews. Just the smell of espresso and fresh basil.
Janiculum Hill - The View No One Talks About
Everyone knows the view from Castel Sant’Angelo or Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence. Lisa Ann doesn’t care. Her favorite spot is the top of Janiculum Hill, near the Fontana dell’Acqua Paola. It’s not on any guidebook. She gets there by taking the #80 bus from Trastevere and walking up the stone path behind the church. At sunset, the entire city glows - the dome of St. Peter’s, the red rooftops, the Tiber winding like a ribbon. She brings a thermos of black coffee and sits on the edge of the fountain’s base. She says it’s the only place in Rome where you can feel both ancient and completely alone.
Appian Way - Walking the Ancient Road
Most tourists ride bikes on the Appian Way. Lisa Ann walks it. She starts at the Porta San Sebastiano and heads south, past crumbling tombs and wild thyme growing between the cobblestones. She doesn’t go far - just two kilometers, enough to feel the weight of the road under her feet. She stops at a little stone bench near the Tomb of Cecilia Metella. There’s no crowd, no vendors, just the wind and the occasional goat grazing nearby. She says the Romans built this road for chariots, but it was meant for quiet. She sits there for twenty minutes, listening to nothing but birds and her own breath.
Casa di Bacco - A Secret Wine Cellar
Hidden under a bakery on Via della Lungara, there’s a door marked only with a small bronze wine glass. Open it, and you descend into a 17th-century wine cellar. Lisa Ann discovered it by accident, following the smell of oak and damp stone. The owner, a retired sommelier named Enzo, pours wines from forgotten regions - Montepulciano from Abruzzo, Cesanese from Lazio. He doesn’t have a menu. He asks what you’re feeling and brings you something that matches. Lisa Ann always asks for something bold, something that lingers. She says wine in Rome isn’t about pairing. It’s about remembering. She’s been back three times since she first found it. Each time, Enzo remembers her name. Each time, he pours a little extra.
Rome doesn’t reveal itself to those rushing from site to site. It gives itself to those who linger - who sit on steps, who ask for the wine the owner doesn’t list, who walk where the maps don’t show. Lisa Ann doesn’t need a tour guide. She doesn’t need a list of must-sees. She just needs time, a quiet corner, and the sense that the city remembers her too.
Is Lisa Ann still active in the adult industry?
Lisa Ann retired from performing in 2018 after more than two decades in the industry. She still makes occasional public appearances, gives interviews, and occasionally collaborates on projects related to performer rights and industry history. She’s not actively filming but remains a respected figure in adult entertainment history.
Can I visit these places even if I’m not a fan of Lisa Ann?
Absolutely. These spots are real, accessible, and open to anyone. Lisa Ann’s personal connection to them doesn’t make them exclusive. In fact, her choices reflect what many locals love about Rome - quiet corners, authentic flavors, and spaces that feel untouched by tourism. You don’t need to know who she is to enjoy a glass of Nero d’Avola at La Taverna dei Quattro Canti or to sit on Janiculum Hill at sunset.
Are these locations safe for solo travelers?
Yes, all five locations are in well-established, residential, or historic neighborhoods with steady foot traffic during the hours Lisa Ann visits. Trastevere and Testaccio are among Rome’s safest areas in the evening. Janiculum Hill and the Appian Way are popular with walkers and joggers. Casa di Bacco is inside a reputable business district. As always, use common sense: avoid flashing valuables, don’t walk alone in poorly lit alleys after midnight, and trust your instincts.
Does Lisa Ann still live in Rome?
No, Lisa Ann lives in California, but she visits Rome several times a year. She owns a small apartment in Trastevere that she uses when she’s in town. She says it’s the only place outside the U.S. where she feels completely at home.
Are there guided tours based on Lisa Ann’s favorite spots?
There are no official tours, and Lisa Ann hasn’t endorsed any. However, some independent local guides offer ‘Hidden Rome’ or ‘Off-the-Beaten-Path’ walks that include many of the same spots - Trastevere’s backstreets, Testaccio Market, the Appian Way, and Janiculum Hill. Ask for guides who specialize in authentic, non-touristy experiences. Avoid any tour that mentions Lisa Ann by name - those are usually unofficial and often misleading.
