Via Condotti

Via Condotti (officially "Via dei Condotti") is a street of Rome, Italy [ [http://www.shoppinginitaly.it/condst.htm Via Condotti Story Page ] ] . In Roman times it was one of the streets that crossed the ancient Via Flaminia and enabled people who crossed the Tiber to reach the the Pincio hill. It begins at the Spanish steps and is named after conduits or channels which carried water to the Baths of Agrippa.

Caffé Greco (or "Antico Caffé Greco"), perhaps the most famous café in Rome was established at Via dei Condotti 84 in 1760, and attracted figures such as Stendhal, Goethe, Byron, Listz and Keats to have coffee there [ [http://www.frommers.com/destinations/rome/N21766.html Antico Caffè Greco | Bar/Club Review | Rome | Frommers.com ] ] . Guglielmo Marconi, inventor of radio, lived at Via dei Condotti 11, until his death in 1937.

Being near the Spanish steps the street is visited by large numbers of tourists. In 1989, the fashion designer Valentino went to court and attempted to stop McDonald's from opening near the Spanish steps, complaining of "noise and disgusting odours" in the vicinity of Via Condotti [ [http://www.mcspotlight.org/company/company_history.html Company - history ] ] . But to the dismay of some Romans, McDonalds did open there [ [http://travel.sympatico.msn.ca/DestinationGuides/Narrative.htm?recordid=0064020034&destid=64 Narrative : Destination Guides : Travel : Sympatico / MSN ] ] .

Via Condotti is a center of fashion shopping in Rome, dating back to the atelier of Bulgari which opened in 1905. Now, in addition to Valentino, other designers such as Armani, Hermès, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana and Salvatore Ferragamo all have stores on Via Condotti [ [http://www.travelplan.it/rome_guide_shopping.htm Rome shopping - Rome handmade - Via Condotti Rome - boutique in Rome - Gucci Rome - Cavalli Rome - Prada Rome ] ] [ [http://www.dolcevita.com/fashion/fastreet/roma/fastroma.htm DolceVita Streets of Fashion: Roma ] ] . Others such as Laura Biagiotti have their offices there. [ [http://www.italtrade.com/spotlight/biagiotti.htm Italtrade ] ] .

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