AJPeabody

Mrs. Peabody and I will be in Rome for a week at the end of May. It will we the second visit for both of us and our first together there, and the first was more than 40 years ago, so we'll still do the standards - Vatican, Forum Palatine Collosseum, Capitoine, Borghese, maybe Ostia Antica.

What I would like is to get recommendations for the second tier of things to see. Are the museums for 20th Century and contemporary art worthwhile? Little museums? Is there an area of concentrated artisanal craft or art galleries to wander through after momentary Antiquity/Renaissance saturation? Are there likely to be cultural activities suitable for non-Italian speakers (music?) and how do we locate them?

Also, personal favorites or ideosyncratic recommendations will also be appreciated. (However, as Rome will only be part of out Italian trip, we will not need suggestions for daytrips out of Rome.)

Thanks!

AJ

RJD

What you need is a good guide book. My favorites, Churches of the Renaissance, like Ivo della Sapienza and Quattro Fontane may not be yours. There's a millon places to go in Rome, like Trajan s Markets or the Altar of Augustus that are off the beaten path but delightful to experience.
They are all in the guide books though.

MissPrism

Pantheon if you have never seen it. I'd certainly book the Scavi tour. I found it fascinating. Also, not far from the station where you get the train to Ostia is the Protestant Cemetery, a beautiful tranquil place with several well-known people buried there including Keats

PalenQ

EUR - the new planned city Mussolini built on the edge of Rome was to me a fascinating place - Fascist-era architecture and a novel idea for the time. A few miles out of town.

Check out the pictures here-

http://www.google.com/search?q=EUR+R...=1600&bih=1075

Michael

You might want to take a look at my trip report; click on my name to find it. For new architecture, there is the Parco de la Musica: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57622915079327

For a Gaudiesque architecture, there is Il Quartiere Coppedè: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57622915079327

A_Brit_In_Ischia

If you like Rome, you'll love this little book...

http://www.amazon.com/City-Secrets-R...ref=pd_sim_b_1

... the only thing that could possibly have displaced its first edition from being a constant companion on our own visits!

Peter

Vttraveler

We enjoyed going up to the Gianicolo (Janiculum) and Pincio gardens (above the Piazza del Popolo)for the great views of the city. If you go to the top of the Gianicolo it is a pleasant walk down into Trastevere. Part way down you will reach Bramante's Tempietto in the cloister of San Pietro in Montorio.

The Appian Way is another interesting area to explore. We took the hop on/hop off archeo bus tour. It goes out of the central city to the catacombs, the Appian Way and major aqueducts on Viale appio Claudio and is a convenient way to see these sites. I have heard it can get very crowded in the summer

As I am sure you know, there are many churches of interest wherever you go. There are some separate threads on this topic.

This thread from a few years ago asks the same question you are posing
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...he-biggies.cfm

denisea

Bookmarking

Patricia1066

I found a fine art postgrad's blog of the less well known museums and churches in Rome. She also gets to Naples and Florence.

I also love Palazzo Altemps and enjoyed her style.

http://onthegrandtour.blogspot.co.uk...cess-with.html

kybourbon

I think the Tourist Board websites are good for searching events.
http://www.turismoroma.it/?lang=en

Their other site has a bit of a learning curve, but has more details. Use the advanced search tab on the right to search areas of the city for museums, events, etc.
http://www.060608.it/en/cultura-e-svago

Museums
http://www.turismoroma.it/cosa-fare-.../musei?lang=en

Apres_Londee

A walk through the Ghetto/Jewish Quarter (there are some artisan shops in this area, but you might have to poke around a bit to find them)

Santa Prassede (9th century church with Byzantine mosaics)
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/i...santa-prassede

Santa Pudenziana (4th century church build from a Roman bathhouse)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Pudenziana

Palazzo Massimo alle Terme (if you're interested in Greco Roman sculpture, mosaics, or coins)
http://archeoroma.beniculturali.it/e...imo-alle-terme

daveesl

Depending on the day and if you wish to go a bit out of town, the aqueducts are in an amazingly beautiful park. Bring along a picnic lunch. They are actually pretty easy to get to from the "A" metro.

Keats-Shelley museum, right next to Spanish Steps, but almost nobody goes there. Keat's home and where he died. Possibly greatest selection of romantic literature in the world.

Palazzo Altemps, about 2 blocks north of Navona. Ticket to it also gets you into Crypti Balbi, Palazzo Massimo and Terme Diocletian.

dave

Jean

More recommendations for Palazzo Massimo alle Terme and Keats House.

Ara Pacis

Castello Sant'Angelo

Villa Medici (now Academie Francaise) -- tour is limited in scope and hours, but we enjoyed the tranquility and wonderful views

Stroll in Parco Pincio near Villa Medici, or rent Segways if you feel adventurous

Basilica and Cloisters of St. Paul Outside the Walls

There is a new museum (MAXXI) dedicated to 21st C. art. I haven't been to it. Here's one review:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...odern-art.html

annhig

Peabody - most of what I was going to suggest has been mentioned above. the most notable omission is the galleria doria-pamphilji. Part stately home, part art gallery, it has a huge collection of art which anywhere else would have people queuing round the block. when we went, admittedly in February, it was almost deserted.

2 more possible day trips - Orvieto by train, [Cathedral, cool city] and Tivoli by bus for the Villa D'este.

and i second [third?] the idea of just dropping into any church you come across. At worst, you can sit down in the cool, and peace and quiet for a few minutes and catch your breath. at best, you will find a superb picture or sculpture. doing this we have discovered statues of saints being venerated by weeping motorcyclists, unexpectedly beautiful nativity scenes ["presepe"] fabulous underground mosaics...it's all there.

if you are interested in such things, a blue guide to Rome would be a useful addition to the luggage.

bxl4373

Bookmarking

outwest

I would definitely second the galleria doria-pamphilji. We spent a week in Rome and it was my favorite museum. Beautiful paintings, an entertaining audio commentary and we too had the place to ourselves. Plus there were two excitable jack russell terriers running around the inner courtyard in a little frenzy every time someone walked past—pretty funny.

mama_mia

Context Rome has tours with topics like Fascist Rome, Contemporary Art and Architecture, and Risorgimento. Cinecitta will be offering tours beginning April 29, although these may be Italian only. http://www.cinecittastudios.it/visite

Since you only specified Antique and Renaissance, I will note the following churches that have Caravaggio and Bernini (Baroque):
Sant'Agostino
San Luigi dei Francesi
Santa Maria Del Popolo
Santa Maria della Vittoria

Also, Santa Maria in Cosmedin (more than just the Bocca del Verita--check out Cosmati work in the Medieval church)
Santa Maria in Trastevere (medieval mosaics)

AJPeabody

Wonderful! I've added the Galleria Doria-Pamphilji to the must-do's, and we are reviewing other suggestions. I hope the Galleria Doria-Pamphilji will still be running Saturday music and art tours. (Their website seems to have last updated in 2010.)

Our tastes in art and culture are quite wide ranging, so I look forward to more suggestions. It's the personal recommendations that I most appreciate, rather than just reading my guidebooks again. Maybe find a crafts fair. And we certainly will hope for a good picnic in a park, the weather and the law providing.

tuscanlifeedit

I love Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. Here is a link with some great pictures:

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/i...-santa-cecilia

Another favorite of mine is to be atop the Aventino:

http://www.comfortitalia.com/aventino.html

I see Michael mentioned the Quartieri Coppede, which, if you are interested in unusual architecture, sort of romantic, is recommended. We spent a very pleasant afternoon going there by bus, roaming about, and returning by tram/trolley.

You have a lot of great suggestions here. You will love them all.

Apres_Londee

I guess I'll put in another plug for the Blue Guides...The Blue Guide Rome has excellent maps and walks, and has info on pretty much every ruin, church, museum, and place of interest, big or small (I'm not sure if it's possible for one book to include every possible thing to see in Rome, but if it is, then the Blue Guide has done it). It includes 20th century sites as well.