Rome Beyond the Obvious: Things to See, Things to Do
 

I will soon be returning to Rome for my 4th visit in the past 43 years -- lucky me! Full disclosure, however: on two of those three previous visits, I was in Rome only for fairly brief periods at the beginning or end of longer trips exploring other parts of Italy. So, in total, I have maybe spent 15 days or so in Rome on previous trips.. On this trip, I have budgeted a full week.

I have a massive stack of guiidebooks I intend to devour over the course of the next month (April 12th departure date). But Fodorites always have such a wealth of experiences, I thought I should also post an inquiry here (which might also be of use to other experienced Rome visitors in the future). I am pretty knowledgeable in Roman history, and my loves in travel are history, archaeology, architecture, art, gardens, and great views/landscapes. One objective for this trip I have already identified is to seek out every Caravaggio painting and Bernini sculpture I can find. I have already visited archaeological sites like the Vatican Necropolis, San Clemente, and the Domus Aurea (although I will probably re-visit all three), and I've done the Ostia and Tivoli/Hadrian's Villa day trips.

I look forward to reading your suggestions!

If you like "themes," you could seek out Etruscan influences in Rome and nearby, sights, relics, etc. We spent most of a day at Villa Giulia and the National Etruscan Museum. Nice gardens. Pre-pandemic, there was a small restaurant, but it appears to be closed for refurbishing.

https://www.museoetru.it/

If you haven't been to Orvieto, it's an easy day trip by train, and there are several Etruscan and Medieval archeological points of interest both in town and within a short walk of the centro. Very nice town, too.

https://www.pozzodellacava.it/?lang=en

Ok, so the Borghese gallery is super obvious. Not so obvious is the genius move by two Philadelphia matrons on our tour. They booked TWO tours on the same day, doubling the artwork they could see in the limited times. I think they may have allowed themselves lunch in between.

Also, check the Palazzo Colonna. Not sure of its specific artists but it's quite the collection.

You may well have done these: climbing to the the top of St. Peter's Basilica and taking the Scavi tour underneath, the Capuchin Crypt, and the Baths of Diocletian.

You can easily combine

belvedere gianicolo

The Spanish temple inside the Spanish academy

and Fontana dell'Acqua Paola

If you want to see the temple you need to check the opening dates. The other two are open air. If you time it right you could even catch the mid day canon firing.

Other options. Go up to the Campidoglio bar for some views over looking the city. You can also go next door to the viewing platforms at the Altare della Patria

The French Cathedral whose name escapes me but it's near the Senate might interest you for the art inside.

I think Nick is thinking of the church of San Luigi dei Francesi, which has three paintings by Caravaggio. It's not a cathedral, though.

Other places that I don't think have been mentioned:

the well-preserved Baths of Caracalla (someone mentioned the Baths of Diocletian, but I think they might have meant Caracalla, because the few remains of the Baths of Diocletian are scattered around a wide area)

The best place to see some of the Baths of Diocletian is in the National Roman Museum of the Baths of Diocletian, where you can see one large hall that was once part of this enormous bath complex. The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli was constructed inside another hall of these Baths, and the conversion to a church was designed by Michelangelo.

Another branch of the National Roman Museum is nearby, at Palazzo Massimo alle Terme. This has a large collection of antique sculpture, a wonderful frescoed room from the suburban villa of Livia, the wife of Augustus. There are many other artifacts of Roman life there. One ticket gives access to all four sites of the National Roman Museum.

The Capitoline Museum, above the Roman Forum, has too many masterpieces for me to list, but since you mentioned Bernini, his Medusa's Head is there, as well as many ancient Roman sculptures and a portion of the ancient Annals of Rome. This is the world's oldest public museum, founded in the 15th century.

the Barberini Gallery has a wonderful collection of Italian paintings from the late Middle Ages to early modern times. The Corsini Gallery in Trastevere is part of the same museum.

Near the Corsini Gallery is the Villa Farnesina, a Renaissance Villa set in a lovely garden. The rooms are restored, and include frescoes by Raphael.

The Palazzo Doria Pamphilj is a Renaissance Palazzo still owned by the descendants of the Doria Pamphilj family. The rooms are furnished in period style, and the family's art collection is on display.

My most memorable experience was renting a bicycle for a day. Sounds like mayhem, but the streets in Rome vary in width so much that there's always room for a bike, and I found the drivers to be over-the-top courteous too. This gives you a feel for the size of the city that you don't get plodding about, and you can zip round the Colosseum, Circus Maximus, skirt by the Forum, head over the bridge into the back streets and plazas of Trastevere, get panoramic views up (puff puff) atop heights west of the river, pass by the Vatican - - it's your oyster, it's a liberating feel, and you assemble a real feel for the spaces and dynamics of the city in one fell swoop. If you head into the ant lanes between Piazza Navonna, Pantheon, Trevi and Spanish Steps you might want to walk it there, but you'll have earned a gentle stroll and the gelato.

If you want to do more than just see the Caravaggios and Berninis, I highly recommend Context Travel's in-person walking tours on them. I've done the Caravaggio, Bernini/Borromini and not art but also the Palatine Hill walking tours and learned so much. It was a much better experience than just walking in on my own and seeing them. One of the tour guides on the Caravaggio tour is considered the current expert on Caravaggio and she is an incredible person to hear lecture on him. https://www.contexttravel.com/cities/rome

For some interesting 20th cent. architecture stroll through Il Quartiere Coppede

https://flic.kr/p/a3C4Zr
and take the tram to visit Parco della Musica

https://flic.kr/p/a3ETfS

I just thought of a few other places you might want to visit, given your interest in archaeology.

The Case Romane al Celio, is a group of ancient houses and shops. Over the centuries, the use of the site changed several times, which was one of the most interesting aspects to me. They have guided tours in English. It's partially located under the Church of Saints Giovanni and Paolo, named after two Christian officials who lived in the complex, and who were placed under house arrest, and eventually executed in their own home, under the reign of Julian, who tried to restore the ancient pagan religion to Rome. The church is from the 14th century, but is built on the foundations of an ancient Roman church, parts of which are visible. The church has a beautiful cosmatesque floor (a type of medieval mosaic). A nearby bell tower is built on the remains of the ancient temple of the deified Emperor Claudius.

Trajan's Market, across from the Roman Forum. This was actually an administrative building more than a market, although there were shops on the lower level. You can visit at least two levels of the building. There is a museum there, and there are often temporary exhibits. Especially interesting is the Via Biberatica, an ancient Roman street, with Roman shopfronts. There is a video guide you can rent, and some sort of guide would be very helpful for this complex site.

The Domus Romana, also near the Roman Forum, is the remains of an upper-class Roman dwelling. There is a very well-done guided multimedia tour, available in English several times a day. Since the last time I was there, they expanded the tour to include material about Trajan's Market. I don't know if this is still included, but, if so, you might want to visit this before Trajan's Market.

The Basilica of Santa Sabina is probably the best-preserved ancient Christian basilica in Rome. It has some added medieval elements, but on the whole it gives an excellent idea of the ancient church. A mosaic above the door, shows two women, one in Greek dress and the other in Jewish dress, representing the unity of the two main strongholds of ancient Christianity. There is also a beautiful and unique carved wooden door showing scenes from the Bible. It's the best preserved example of ancient Roman woodcarving, most of which has not survived the centuries.

I would also recommend visiting some of the catacombs. The Catacomb of Priscilla has some excellent Roman Christian art. The catacomb of St. Agnes developed around the tomb of a young girl who was murdered because she refused to marry the son of a Roman official. Her foster sister was also killed, because she refused to stop praying at Agnes' tomb.They were around 12 years old, and their murder horrified even non-Christian Romans. Costanza, the daughter of the Emperor Constantine, had a mausoleum for herself constructed on the grounds of the cemetery. She ended up dying elsewhere, so wasn't buried in her mausoleum, which is now the Church of Santa Costanza. It has a marvellous mosaic frieze, part of which depicts an ancient Roman grape harvest. These two catacombs are relatively uncrowded. You have to take guided tours, but the groups are usually small enough that you can hear the guide and see what she's pointing at.

I may think of more additions to this post!

Add another vote for a visit to Palazzo Doria Pamphilj.

For Bernini, visit Santa Maria della Vittoria:
​https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places...della-vittoria

There was something about this church (not mention the faux dome) that beckoned us back:
https://santignazio.gesuiti.it/en/





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I just posted to someone else about our last Rome adventure--a food tour.

Background: Decades ago, we spent a solid week in Rome with our daughters who were "museum rats". Yes, we plied them with gelato, but for the most part, they willingly indulged our need to do endless walking tours, explore endless catacombs, spend hours in art museums, the Vatican, etc. Other than a daytrip to Pompeii, our entire time was spent in Rome.

We would return to Rome with them either at the beginning or end of other trips over the years, revisiting favorite sites and finding something we may have missed. All of these visits involved staying near the Pantheon.

For our last trip to Rome sans kids a few years ago, my husband and I decided we'd stay in the Aventino. We actually would have been happy returning to the Pantheon area (indeed we would walk down to it), but I'm so happy we did not. Our stay in Aventino and our tour of Testaccio become one of my favorite memories.
Trip Report Rome: A Short, but Calorically Gigantic, Stay in Aventino and Testaccio - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (fodors.com)

We also have been to Rome many times. One trip of 5 days was strictly Rome underground. Not the catacombs but fascinting buildings that lead to underground layers going back centuries. Google and youtube it.Wonderful.

Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este (near each other) are both highlights and overlooked.

"“Go over to Via del Corso and take the 85 to Porta San Giovanni”. So we do. We go into St. John Laterno church and it is stupendous inside."

The above is from my notes from our 2008 trip to Rome. Hub and I were studying a bus map and a street worker gave us directions.

Please let everyone know where you visit.

Here are some ideas:

1. Appian Way: Take a bike ride or a walk along the ancient Appian Way, which is lined with tombs and ruins from ancient times.
   
2. Palazzo Valentini: Visit the Palazzo Valentini for an interactive, multimedia tour of ancient Roman ruins that lie beneath the building.
   
3. Borghese Gallery: This art museum houses an impressive collection of masterpieces by Bernini, Caravaggio, and other famous artists.
   
4. Capuchin Crypt: A macabre yet fascinating attraction, the Capuchin Crypt is decorated with the bones of over 4,000 Capuchin friars.
   
5. Aventine Keyhole: Look through the Aventine Keyhole for a view of St. Peter's Basilica perfectly framed by a garden.
   
6. Coppedè neighborhood: Explore the whimsical and fantastical architecture of the Coppedè neighborhood, a hidden gem in Rome.
   
7. Gianicolo Hill: Take a stroll up Gianicolo Hill for stunning panoramic views of the city.
   
8. Villa Doria Pamphili: This park is one of Rome's largest green spaces and offers a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
   
9. Trastevere neighborhood: Wander the charming streets of Trastevere, a neighborhood known for its narrow alleys, colorful buildings, and excellent restaurants.
   
10. San Giovanni in Laterano: Visit the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, the oldest and largest of Rome's four major basilicas.
    

I'm not a huge fan of Bernini, although I recognise his virtuosity.

Apart from that, there's something about this church that I find oppressive, partly because of its gloomy Baroque interior. The praying skeleton in the chapel floor doesn't elevate the mood. But especially the fresco on the ceiling disturbs me, showing the Catholic army of the Hapsburg emperor slaughtering a Czech Protestant army and throwing their corpses into Hell. That's the victory the church is named for, in the Battle of White Mountain. Not very eucumenical.

You could visit E.U.R. -- Mussolini's intended World's Fair site, which eventually morphed into an Olympic venue and planned community. Amid the brutal. fascist architecture you will find a museum with an enormous scale model of ancient Rome. https://mymodernmet.com/scale-model-ancient-rome/. I went once.

I have never succeeded in getting into the Tomb of the Scipios. You need to call and arrange a visit on certain dates. You can see the gate though, and you're near the Appian Way and its attractions.

Thanks, FTOttawa. But is the Borghese Gallery really as big/time consuming as all that? I have been thinking that I might do one tour of it during regular hours, then go back for the late evening Friday tour.

I see on looking back at the ticketone web site that you can book just an entry ticket to the Borghese, which would let you concentrate more freely on just what interests you. The thing with a guided tour is that in two hours, with a fiercely well-informed didact in charge, one will see only a fraction of the works in the gallery. You may not be as much in need of being educated to LOOK as we were.

Your plan looks good.

I don't think there was ever an obligation to take a guided tour at the Borghese Gallery. I've been there at least twice, not recently, and never had a guide.

The Borghese Gallery has set hours when groups can arrive, and they have to leave two hours after their assigned arrival time. There is no flexibility with this. If you arrive late for your 9 AM reservation you have to leave at 11, even if you've only been there for half an hour.

What's new is that there are admissions every hour. It used to be every two hours, and the gallery was cleared out before a new group could enter. I don't know how they organize the exits now. Maybe they give badges of different colours to avoid people trying to overstay their visit.

These rules are necessary for fire safety reasons. It's a historic building, and there are no fire exits on the first floor (2nd floor to Americans). Therefore, there is a strict limit to the number of people who can be inside at any one time.

I suggest you consult the official ticket site instead of TicketOne.

https://www.tosc.it/artist/galleria-...ghese-2253937/

The last entry of the day is shorter than the others , and costs less.

The official site seems to indicate that tour groups have a defined itinerary, with a defined amount of time in each room.

You might enjoy looking at my planning thread for Rome from a number of years ago. It has a lot of great ideas and you might find it helpful.

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...hread-1182523/

On our recent, also 4th, trip to Rome we booked a late afternoon English tour through the Borghese gallery website, and it was OUTSTANDING. we had visited the gallery on our own during a prior trip, and used the audioguide, which was nowhere near as interesting and engaging. I'm also a Caravaggio lover, and find myself going back to the several churches where there are works in private chapel areas. Remember to bring some 1 euro coins for the lighting box, to illuminate the paintings.

The church of St. Peter in Chains (san pietro in vincolo) has the amazing Michelangelo sculpture of Moses, which is definitely worth a detour. We also did a private guided tour of Villa Farnesina, with Serena Cantagalli, and it was a delightful tour, followed by walking around Trastevere off the beaten path.

​​​​​​​Definitely recommended! I think it's perhaps his best sculpture.

Let jeffergray decide if this is oppressive:

​https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...​​

Well, the above link wouldn't come up on this Kindle; just Google 'bernini sculptures at santa maria della vittoria'

It's not the statue of Santa Teresa that I find oppressive. It's the heavy overdone Baroque style of the church.

https://images.app.goo.gl/BpxFEBadnt3MNFvx5
Here you can see the ceiling fresco, with the avenging angel throwing the Protestants into Hell.

I'm Catholic myself, but I find this oppressive.

https://images.app.goo.gl/4N3h94dyQQcNsSSm9

I'm not a fan of the Baroque style, myself, which is probably also why Bernini is not my favourite sculptor. In the 17th century, many beautiful Romanesque churches were redone in this style. It's a great loss to Italian architecture.

Here's a completely different suggestion: Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary.

For a cat lover and photographer it was heaven. The cats perch and pose on ancient columns!

Is it still there? I thought it had moved.

In any case, it's also an important archaeological site. It was the ancient Campus Martius, and it has the remains of four Roman temples. There was an ancient theatre here too, among others in the area. (Interesting that this has always been the theatre district of Rome, and there is still a theatre there.)

Julius Caesar was assassinated in this area. You can't enter the site, but you can see it well from the streets above, where there are also signs explaining the site.
​​​

Here is their Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary website.

https://www.gattidiroma.net/web/en/

It doesn't say that they moved, but I don't know ...
I do know that it was very special and a highlight of my visit. But then again, I am a crazy cat man!

<There was an ancient theatre here too, among others in the area. (Interesting that this has always been the theatre district of Rome, and there is still a theatre there.)>

WOW!

PS. This thread is SOOOOO making me want to return to Italy!

Speaking of the ancient theatre district, one of the four sites of the Roman National Museum is in Palazzo Cripta Balbi, just a few steps from the archaeological site at Largo Torre Argentina. This building once housed one of the ancient Roman theatresi the area. The building was used for many different purposes over the centuries as the neighbourhood changed. This museum is the only one I know that has exhibits about medieval Rome.

Unfortunately, it's now closed for restructuring. There are plans to restore parts of the building to display more clearly the transformation of the area in ancient, medieval, and modern times.

Caravaggio expert:

https://www.tiffany-parks.com

She is a fantastic tour guide.

One of my favorite walks starts at the Church of Saint Cecilia in Trastevere. Cecilia was an early martyr who just would not die. They tried boiling her without success but in the end chopped off her head. In the late 16th century, her "incorrupt" body was unearthed during work on the church and a statue was made (by Stefano Maderno), supposedly depicting her body as it was found. It is one of my favorite works of art in Rome. There is also a beautiful fresco in the nun's choir by Cavallini that was ahead of its time (medieval) in depicting depth through the use of color gradations. There is a crypt and chapel with an altar from around 1000 AD and also evidence of a Roman home underground.

From there you can walk towards the Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere, with its mosaics ranging from the 1000-1300 period. The Piazza in front of the church is an especially nice place to get a drink or have lunch. Then continue on to the Villa Farnesina which has some lovely frescoes attributed to Raphael or his assistants. If you have any energy left, head up to the Janiculum Hill, where there are some gardens, fountains and a beautiful view (Belvedere) of Rome.

​​​​​This is indeed a very interesting and pleasurable walk. On the way up the Janiculum Hill, I suggest you pass by the Acqua Paola, a beautiful large fountain which is supposed to have inspired Trevi Fountain.

Thank you, Jean. I have long had an interest in the Etruscans, so I will try and visit the Villa Julia. For some reason, I have failed to investigate the Borghese Gardens and their museums on any of my previous trips to Rome. We will be staying near the top of the Spanish Steps on this visit, so it should be easy to finally address that!

Thank you, FTOttawa. That is an interesting idea about the Villa Borghese. It is definitely on my list. I have learned that is apparently open until 10 p.m. on Wednesday nights, so I may visit it then in an attempt to beat the crowds, although perhaps the galleries are less attractive after dark, when there is nothing but artificial light?

Thanks, KTravel. I have done all but the Cappuchin Crypt before. I had my fill of Cappuchin crypts many years ago in Palermo. However, I am planning to revisit the underground Necropolis at St. Peter's; the Baths of Diocletian; and I do want to climb to the top of St. Peter's Basilica again -- but I know there are something like 550 steps, and I'm not as young as I was when I first made that climb a little over 40 years ago.

These are almost all new to me, Traveler Nick -- so thank you for your ideas. The Church of San Luigi Franchesi is definitely on my "must see" list for the Caravaggios.

Thanks, blvenci!
 

I already had the Palazzo Massimo on my list because I want to see the frescoes from Livia's Villa. I'm also hoping (after a failed attempt in 2018) to see the ruins of the Villa itself this time, but the closed-several-days-a-week-and-only open-a-half-day-when-it-is-with-last-admission-an-hour-before-closing makes it a challenge. (I think being the on-site custodian for the Villa of Livia has got to be a pretty cushy gig!)

But I am making notes about the Barberini Gallery, the Corsini Gallery, and the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj.

Thanks, dfourh! I definitely want to make it to the heights on the west side of the Tiber this time, and also to spend some time in Trastevere. That's another one of the gaps in my previous experiences.