After Mass, on a Sunday, in Rome
 

Starting to fill in the itinerary, so I need great ideas! We are attending mass on Sunday in St. Peter's. I need ideas on what to do for the rest of the day? Wife and I already have tours arranged for the Vatican and Sistine Chapel later in the week, even under the chapel with the Scurati tour. Just looking for other ideas on how to spend that afternoon/evening. Thanks Fodorites! Throw in a great restaurant choice if you have one for the area..

Well there is all of ancient Rome: Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon, a multitude of other small ruins, Capitoline Musuem, San clemente and the ruins underneath

Renaissance Rome - all of the piazzas, fountains, churches with gorgeous art and sculpture

Villa Borghese and Borhese Gardens, any of the many other art museums

Villa Giullia Etruscan Collection

And then there is just sitting at a cafe in a nice piazza watching the Roman world srtoll by

Glad you've booked the scavi tour it really is fascinating. On our last visit to Rome we were there for about a month and I blogged about a lot of different options walks etc. Here's the link in case it might be useful

http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/search/label/Rome

Perfect, I was looking for the less obvious things to do and this website is exactly what I was hoping for! Safe travels!

A walk on the Janiculum Hill, where there are great views of Rome from Palazzo Garibaldi, is always pleasant on a Sunday, when many Roman families stroll there. The Janiculum Hill is not far from the Vatican, and if you don't want to walk uphill, there is a bus (number 115, direction Paola) that stops on the Lungotevere, in front of the Santo Spirito hospital, and will take you up the hill. It's about a 30-minute walk from St. Peter's Square, if you decide to walk. After strolling on the Janiculum Hill, you could go down the other side of the hill to Trastevere. Since it's all downhill, it would be quicker than the trip up.

If you walk to Trastevere, I would try to pass the Acqua Paola, which is one of Rome's most beautiful fountains, and supposedly the inspiration for Trevi Fountain. You could also pass the Church of San Pietro in Montorio, which is supposed to be on the exact spot where St. Peter was crucified. The church has irregular hours, so I don't know if you could go inside, but it's in a spot with a very nice view, so it's worth going just for that, and not much out of the way. You might be lucky and find a marriage ceremony going on, because it's a very popular spot for weddings. In that case, you probably could enter the church, but just stand in the back so as not to disturb the service.

In Trastevere, you could visit the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, which has beautiful golden mosaics, some from the early middle ages. There are also lots of restaurants in Trastevere. I've always just followed my nose there, so can't make specific restaurant reservations.

That should be "Piazza Garibaldi" in the first sentence, not Palazzo Garibaldi. I don't think poor Garibaldi ever owned a palazzo.

Walk from Vatican to Tratevere, along the Tevere, have lunch at Trastevere and visit Santa Maria in Tratevere, and the beautiful Curch of Santa Cecilia, with an underground chappel that is a marvel.

Another option, a visit to the Doria Pamphilj palace, right on Via del Corso....not really a secret, but not crowded and very very good.

Enjoy! You cannot do a bad choice in Italy!

The Borghese/Pincio gardens on a Sunday is an experience. Great views over Rome. Hire a bicycle or a 4x4 bike or if you are game, a Segway and travel around the roads. Discover the water clock and the abandoned lift. Lots of buskers and everyone and their dog is there. A great place to see Romans enjoying themselves.

Agree with the Dioria Pamphilij Palace suggestion too.