Rome was the first stop on writer Elizabeth Gilbert's year-long trip, documented in her book Eat Pray Love. As the Hollywood film starring Julia Roberts is released, CLAIR WOODWARD follows Gilbert to the Eternal City,

AUTHOR Elizabeth Gilbert had been living in Rome for a while when she stepped on the scales and learned that she had gained 23lbs in her first four months in Italy. The American writer moved to the city after her marriage break-up and it's no wonder she put on weight. Rome offers tasty delights at every turn.

It's fair to say that the Italians enjoy their food, not just in the eating but the whole process of purchasing and preparing it, so the colourful Campo de' Fiori food market, at which Julia Roberts is seen in the Hollywood movie, is an absolute must.

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The beautifully presented fresh produce makes our mouth water. I couldn't resist a perfect peach, bigger than my fist, and walked around eating it, with the juice running down my arm. In Britain, you'd feel foolish. In Rome, it just felt part of the sensual enjoyment of city life.
Ice cream was a particular favourite of Elizabeth.

She recalls a bus driver recommending the San Crispino shop for "the best gelato in Rome". I visited the branch near the Trevi Fountain about which Elizabeth rhapsodises. There are tons of flavours.

I let the server choose and he opted for one scoop of grapefruit, the other honey, saying: "I don't know why they go together so well, they just do."

Eating well in Rome is not difficult. Even at the tourist hotspots, you don't feel you're being ripped off.

The beautiful, Baroque Piazza Navona, with incredible fountains is edged with restaurants where you can get a starter of bruschetta, a great pizza and a glass of wine for around £8 (€10). Even the takeaway pizza slice is better than anything you've ever tasted.

In the book, Elizabeth describes her love for low profile restaurants so Pizzeria Panattoni in the district of Trastevere would be right up her street.

"Nobody in Trastevere is going to stop you from lingering over your meal if that's what you would like to do, " she writes.

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When making the movie of the book, Julia Roberts stayed at the Rome Cavalieri hotel (in the Penthouse Suite), and the hotel was also my base. From the outside, it is not especially glamorous but once in the marble foyer, it feels more like an elegant Roman palace. The Cavalieri has its own art collection, including works by Venetian artist Giovanni Tiepolo.

The classic style continues to the rooms. I stayed in a deluxe with a balcony which had an incredible view over Rome and Vatican City. The marble bathroom was as big as a ballroom. Luxuries included a choice of pillows, and Acqua di Parma toiletries.

I ate Roman speciality spaghetti cacio e pepe (spaghetti with cheese and peppers) at L'Uliveto restaurant, by the hotel's beautiful pool area and overlooking the stunning gardens. The food was delicious but what made the Cavalieri for me was the attentive and light-hearted staff.

It was surprising how many locations in the book I could pack into a three-day trip. On Rome's outskirts is the delightful Villa Borghese park, where Elizabeth would stroll after her Italian lessons. The park has museums, a re-creation of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and beautiful lakes and fountains.

I also visited the Pantheon, an ancient Roman temple, the awe-inspiring interior of which contains the tomb of great Renaissance artist Raphael.

Elizabeth was also a visitor and describes it as a must-see. "An old proverb says that anyone who goes to Rome and comes back without seeing it 'goes and comes back an ass'."

Elizabeth certainly didn't, as she found Rome a great place to find comfort (even if her own ass was slightly bigger on her return). She learnt Italian and made many friends, eating and drinking with them to cement their friendships. Food was, for her, like the Italians, a great source of pleasure, and like her friend Luca Spaghetti (yes, really! ), she became una buona forchetta (a good eater). You can see why the phrase is meant as a compliment.

GETTING THERE:
Citalia (0871 664 0253/www.citalia.com) offers three nights at the Rome Cavalieri from £695 (two sharing), B&B. Or five nights from £1,385. Price includes return flights from Gatwick.

Italian State Tourist Board: 0207 408 1254/ www.italiantouristboard.co.uk