Myth Although modern visitors know Rome as the headquarters of Catholicism, the city also developed one of the world's most influential bodies of mythology. During the days when Rome was little more than a cluster of sheepherder's villages, a body of gods were worshiped whose…
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Rome Attractions
Rome’s ancient monuments are a constant reminder that this was one of the greatest centers of Western civilization. In the heyday of the Empire, all roads led to Rome, with good reason. It was one of the first cosmopolitan cities, importing food, textiles, slaves, gladiators, great art, and even citizens from t ...
Rome’s ancient monuments are a constant reminder that this was one of the greatest centers of Western civilization. In the heyday of the Empire, all roads led to Rome, with good reason. It was one of the first cosmopolitan cities, importing food, textiles, slaves, gladiators, great art, and even citizens from the far corners of the world. Despite its brutality and corruption, Rome left a legacy of law, a heritage of art, architecture, and engineering, and a canny lesson in how to conquer enemies by absorbing their cultures.
But ancient Rome is only part of the spectacle. The Vatican has had a tremendous influence on making the city a tourism center. Although Vatican architects stripped down much of the city’s ancient glory during the Renaissance, looting ruins (the Forum especially) for their precious marble, they created more treasures and occasionally incorporated the old into the new—as Michelangelo did when turning Diocletian’s Baths complex into a church. And in the years that followed, Bernini adorned the city with baroque wonders, especially his glorious fountains.
Bypassing the Lines
If you don’t plan ahead, you’ll be dealing with interminable lines at three big attractions: the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica. Reservation services can help you avoid the wait, at least for two out of the three.
At press time, Coopculture has initiated a time entry system for the Colosseum. Ostensibly, this should all but eliminate the long lines to buy tickets, though everyone still has to go through a long, slow security line. Tickets should be purchased at least weeks in advance at the Coopculture site. Roma Pass holders also need to book a timed entry in advance and pay a 2€ booking fee.
For the Vatican Museums, buy an advance ticket; you’ll pay an extra 4€ but you’ll skip the line at the entrance (which can be very, very long). From late April to late October, the museum offers special access every Friday night from 7pm to 11pm, with the last entry at 9:30pm. Tickets cost the same as regular daytime admission, but given the greatly reduced crowds, you’ll feel like you have the galleries to yourself.
St. Peter’s is not included in any skip the line perk: There is no way to jump the line there, unless you book a private or group tour.
Three FREE VIEWS to Savor for a Lifetime
The Forum from the Campidoglio—Standing on Piazza del Campidoglio, outside the Musei Capitolini, walk around the right or left side of the Palazzo Senatorio to terraces overlooking the best panoramas of the Roman Forum, with the Palatine Hill and Colosseum as a backdrop. At night, the ruins look even more haunting when the Forum is dramatically floodlit.
The Whole City from the Janiculum Hill—From many vantage points in the Eternal City, the views are panoramic. But one of the best spots for a memorable vista is the Janiculum Hill (Gianicolo), above Trastevere. Laid out before you are Rome’s rooftops, peppered with domes ancient and modern. From up here, you will understand why Romans complain about the materials used to build the 19th-century Vittoriano—it’s a white shock in a sea of rose- and honey-colored stone. Walk 50 yards north of the famous balcony (favored by tour buses) for a slightly better angle, from the Belvedere 9 Febbraio 1849. Views from the 1612 Fontana dell’Acqua Paola are also splendid, especially at night.
The Aventine Hill & the Priori dei Cavalieri di Malta—The mythical site of Remus’s original settlement, the Aventine (Aventino) is now a leafy, upscale residential neighborhood—but also blessed with some magical views. From Via del Circo Massimo walk through the gardens along Via di Valle Murcia, and keep walking in a straight line. Along your right side, gardens offer views over the dome of St. Peter’s. When you reach Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta, look through the keyhole of the Priory gate (on the right) for a “secret” view of the Vatican.
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Monument
Arco di Costantino (Arch of Constantine)
The photogenic triumphal arch next to the Colosseum was erected by the Senate in a.d. 315 to honor Constantine’s defeat of the pagan Maxentius at the Battle of the Ponte Milvio (Milvian Bridge) Battle (a.d. 312). Many of the reliefs have nothing whatsoever to do with Constantine or… -
Historic Site
Augustus's Mausoleum
This seemingly indestructible pile of bricks has been here for 2,000 years and will probably remain for another 2,000. Like the larger tomb of Hadrian across the river, this was once a circular marble-covered affair with tall cypresses, symmetrical groupings of Egyptian obelisks, and… -
Religious Site
Basilica di San Clemente
A perfect example of how layers of history overlap in Rome, this 12-century Norman church, full of beautiful Byzantine mosaics, hides much more. Down in its eerie grottos (which you explore on your own) you’ll find frescoes and mosaic floors from its previous incarnations as a… -
Church
Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano
This church, not St. Peter’s, is officially the cathedral of the diocese of Rome; the Pope celebrates Mass here on certain holidays. Though it was built in A.D.. 314 by Constantine, only parts of the original baptistery remain; what you see today is an 18th-century facade by… -
Religious Site
Basilica di San Pietro
In ancient times, the Circus of Nero, where St. Peter is said to have been crucified, was slightly to the left of where the basilica is now located. Peter was buried here in A.D. 64 near the site of his execution, and in 324 Constantine commissioned a basilica to be built over… -
Historic Site
Baths of Caracalla
Named for Emperor Caracalla, the baths were completed in the early 3rd century. The richness of decoration has faded, and the lushness can be judged only from the shell of brick ruins that remain. In their heyday, they sprawled across 11 hectares (27 acres) and could handle 1,600… -
Ruins
Baths of Caracalla (Terme di Caracalla)
Named for Emperor Caracalla, a particularly unpleasant individual, the baths were completed in A.D. 217 after his death. The richness of decoration has faded, but the massive brick ruins and the mosaic fragments that remain give modern visitors an idea of the complex’s scale and… -
Museum
Capitoline Museums (Musei Capitolini)
The masterpieces here are considered Rome’s most valuable (recall that the Vatican Museums are not technically in Rome). They certainly were collected early: This is the oldest public museum in the world. So try and schedule adequate time, as there’s much to see. First stop is the… -
Ruins
Case Romane del Celio
Beneath the 5th-century Basilica of SS. Giovanni e Paolo lies a fascinating archaeological site: A complex of Roman houses of different periods—a wealthy family’s townhouse from the 2nd century A.D. and a 3rd-century-A.D. apartment building for artisans. According to tradition, the… -
Castle/Palace
Castel Sant'Angelo
Over the years, this bulky cylindrical fortress on the Vatican side of the Tiber has had many lives: As the mausoleum tomb of Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 138; as a papal residence in the 14th century; as a castle, where in 1527 Pope Clement VII hid from the looting troops of Charles V;… -
Religious Site/Tour
Catacombe di Domitilla
The oldest of the catacombs is hands-down the overall winner for most enjoyable experience underground. Groups are relatively small, and guides are entertaining and personable. The catacombs—Rome’s longest at 18km (11 miles)—were built below land donated by Domitilla, a noblewoman of… -
Religious Site/Tour
Catacombe di San Callisto (Catacombs of St. Callixtus)
These catacombs are often packed with tour-bus groups, and they run perhaps the most standard tour, but the funerary tunnels are phenomenal. They’re the first cemetery of the Christian community of Rome, and burial place of 16 popes in the 3rd century. They bear the name of St.… -
Religious Site/Tour
Catacombe di San Sebastiano (Catacombs of St. Sebastian)
Today the tomb and relics of St. Sebastian are housed in the ground-level basilica, but his original resting place was in the catacombs beneath it. Sebastian was a senior Milanese soldier in the Roman army who converted to Christianity and was martyred in the first decade of the 4th… -
Museum
Centrale Montemartini
In Rome’s first thermo-electric plant named after Giovanni Montemartini, the renovated boiler rooms have been home since 1997 to a grand collection of Roman and Greek statues originally housed in the Museo del Palazzo dei Conservatori, Museo Nuovo, and Braccio Nuovo. This creates a… -
Historic Site
Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo)
Today mostly an oval-shaped field, the once-grand circus was pilfered by medieval and Renaissance builders in search of marble and stone—it’s a far cry from its Ben-Hur–esque heyday. What the Romans called a “circus” was a large arena ringed by tiers of seats and used for sports or… -
Icon
Colosseum (Colosseo)
No matter how many pictures you’ve seen, the first impression you’ll have of the Colosseum is amazement at its sheer enormity. It is massive and looks as if it has been plopped down among the surrounding buildings, and not the other way around. Your first view of the Flavian… -
Ruins
Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini
All too often in Italy, archaeological sites are presented with little context, and it’s difficult for untrained eyes to really understand what they’re seeing. Not so at Palazzo Valentini, possibly Rome’s best-presented ancient site. Visitors descend underneath a Renaissance palazzo… -
Art museum
Galleria Borghese
Occupying the former Villa Borghese Pinciana, the Galleria Borghese was built between 1609 and 1613 for Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who was an early patron of Bernini and an astute collector of work by Caravaggio. Today the gallery is one of Rome’s great art treasures. It’s also one… -
Galleria Colonna
For those who saw the classic Audrey Hepburn film, Roman Holiday, this spectacular private palazzo, with its 17th-century Sala Grande, is already familiar to you. In it, Hepburn, playing a princess, held a press conference where she bid an elegant adieu to the handsome reporter she'd… -
Museum
Galleria Doria Pamphilj
One of the city’s finest rococo palaces, the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj is still privately owned by the aristocratic Doria Pamphilj family, but their stupendous art collection is open to the public. The galleria winds through the old apartments, their paintings displayed… -
Art museum
Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica (National Gallery of Ancient Art)
On the southern side of Piazza Barberini, the grand Palazzo Barberini houses the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica, a trove of Italian art covening primarily from the early Renaissance to late baroque periods. Some of the works on display are wonderful, but the building itself is the… -
Palace/Art Museum
Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica in Palazzo Corsini
Palazzo Corsini first found notoriety as the home of Queen Christina of Sweden, who moved to Rome when she abdicated the Swedish throne after converting to Catholicism. Her most famous epithet is “Queen without a realm, Christian without a faith, and a woman without shame.” This… -
Art museum
Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna (National Gallery of Modern Art)
Housed in the monumental Palazzo Bazzani, and constructed for the exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of “United Italy” in 1911, this “modern” art collection ranges from neoclassical and Romantic paintings and sculpture to better 20th-century works. Quality varies, but… -
Ruins
Imperial Forums (Fori Imperiali)
Begun by Julius Caesar to relieve overcrowding in Rome’s older forums, the Imperial Forums were, at the time of their construction, flashier, bolder, and more impressive than anything that had come before them in Rome. They conveyed the unquestioned authority of the emperors at the… -
Museum
Keats-Shelley House
At the foot of the Spanish Steps is the 18th-century house where the Romantic English poet John Keats died of consumption on February 23, 1821, at age 25. Since 1909, when it was bought by well-intentioned English and American literary types, it has been a working library established… -
Museum
MACRO Testaccio
The Testaccio outpost of Rome’s contemporary art museum is housed—appropriately for this former meatpacking neighborhood—in a converted slaughterhouse. The edgy programs and exhibits hosted here are a mix of installations, visuals, events, and special viewings. Opening times are made… -
Museum
MACRO Via Nizza
This is the main branch of Rome’s contemporary art museum (the other branch of the museum is housed in a converted slaughterhouse in Testaccio). A recent renovation expanded the museum to occupy an entire block of industrial buildings belonging to the turn-of-the-century Peroni beer… -
Museum
MAXXI (National Museum of the XXI Century Arts)
Ten minutes north of Piazza del Popolo by tram, leave the Renaissance far behind at MAXXI, a masterpiece of contemporary architecture with bending and overlapping oblong tubes designed by the late Zaha Hadid. The museum is divided into two sections, MAXXI art and MAXXI architecture,… -
Cemetery
Monumental Cemetery of the Capuchin Brothers
One of the most horrifying sights in all Christendom, this is a series of chapels with hundreds of skulls and crossbones woven into mosaic "works of art." To make this allegorical dance of death, the bones of more than 4,000 Capuchin brothers were used. Some of the skeletons are… -
Art museum
Museo Carlo Bilotti
Enthusiasts of Greek-born Italian artist Giorgio de Chirico should consider a pilgrimage to this small modern art gallery, created thanks to the generosity of Carlo Bilotti, an Italian-American collector who donated 23 artworks to Rome in 2006. Though long overshadowed by the more… -
Museum/Synagogue
Museo Ebraico di Roma (Jewish Museum of Rome) and Great Synagogue
On the premises of the Great Synagogue of Rome, this museum chronicles the history of not only Roman Jews but Jews from all over Italy. There are displays of works of 17th- and 18th-century Roman silversmiths, precious textiles from all over Europe, and a number of parchments and…06-6840061
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Museum
Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia (National Etruscan Museum)
The great Etruscan civilization (which gave its name to Tuscany) was one of Italy’s most advanced, although it remains relatively mysterious, in part because of its centuries-long rivalry with Rome. Once Rome had absorbed the Etruscans in the 3rd century b.c., it set about… -
Museum
Museo Nazionale del Palazzo di Venezia
Best remembered today as Mussolini’s Fascist headquarters in Rome, the palace was built in the 1450s as the Rome outpost of the Republic of Venice—hence the name. Today, several of its rooms house an eclectic mix of European paintings and decorative and religious objects spanning the… -
Museum
Museo dell'Ara Pacis
Set inside a stunning ultra-modern building designed by American architect Richard Meier, the temple-like marble “Altar of Peace” was erected in 9 B.C. to honor soon-to-be-Emperor Augustus’s success in subduing tribes north of the Alps. For centuries the monument was lost to memory;… -
Religious Site/Museum
Museo e Cripta dei Frati Cappuccini (Museum and Crypt of the Capuchin Friars)
One of the most mesmerizingly macabre (and therefore hugely popular) sights in all Christendom, this otherwise modest museum dedicated to the Capuchin order ends with an eerie series of six chapels in the crypt, adorned with thousands of skulls and bones woven into mosaic “works of… -
Ruins/Museum
Museum of the Imperial Forums & Trajan’s Markets (Museo dei Fori Imperiali & Mercati di Traiano)
Built on three levels, Emperor Trajan’s Market housed 150 shops and commercial offices—think of it as the world’s first shopping mall. Grooves still evident in the thresholds allowed merchants to slide doors shut and lock up for the night. You’re likely to have the covered,… -
Park/Garden
Orto Botanico
Originally belonging to the aristocratic Corsini family, this 30-acre botanical garden today is run by the University of Rome. In her exile, Queen Christina of Sweden once strolled past its magnificent grottoes and gushing fountains. Regrettably, many of the ancient trees were sold… -
Historic Site
Ostia Antica's Ruins
Ostia was the port of ancient Rome and a city in its own right. The currents and uneven bottom of the Tiber prevented Mediterranean shipping from going farther upstream, so merchandise was transferred to barges for the remainder of the trip. Ostia's fate was tied closely to that of… -
Museum
Palazzo Altemps
Inside this 15th-century palazzo, today a branch of the National Museum of Rome, is one of Rome’s most charming museums. It’s rarely crowded yet houses some of Rome’s most famous private and public art collections. Much of it was once part of the famed Boncompagni Ludovisi… -
Museum
Palazzo Massimo alle Terme
One third of Rome’s ancient art collection is conserved at this branch of the Museo Nazionale Romano. Among its treasures are a major coin collection, extensive maps of trade routes (with audio and visual exhibits on the network of traders over the centuries), and a vast sculpture… -
Museum
Palazzo Spada/Galleria Spada
Built around 1540 for Cardinal Gerolamo Capo di Ferro, Palazzo Spada was purchased by the eponymous Cardinal Spada in 1632, who then hired Borromini to restore it—most of what you see today dates from that period. Its richly ornate facade, covered in high-relief stucco decorations in… -
Historic Site
Palazzo del Quirinale
Until the end of World War II, this palace was the home of the king of Italy; before the crown resided here, it was the summer residence of the pope. Since 1946 the palace has been the official residence of the President of Italy, but parts of it are open to the public on Sunday… -
Park/Garden
Park of the Monsters
About 13km (8 miles) east of Bagnaia at Bomarzo lies the Park of the Monsters. Prince Vicino Orsini had it built in a deep valley that's overlooked by the Orsini Palace and the houses of the village. Prince Orsini's park, Bosco Sacro (Sacred Wood), is filled with grotesque figures… -
Cemetery
Protestant Cemetery
Near Porta San Paola, in the midst of cypress trees, lies the old cemetery where John Keats is buried. In a grave nearby, Joseph Severn, his "deathbed" companion, was interred beside him 6 decades later. Dejected and feeling that his reputation as a poet was being diminished by the… -
Landmark
Pyramid of Caius Cestius
From the 1st century B.C., the Pyramid of Caius Cestius, about 36m (120 ft.) high, looks as if it belongs to the Egyptian landscape. It was constructed during the "Cleopatra craze" in architecture that swept across Rome. You can't enter the pyramid, but it's a great photo op. And who… -
Ruins
Roman Forum (Foro Romano) & Palatine Hill (Palatino)
Traversed by the Via Sacra (Sacred Way) ★, the main thoroughfare of ancient Rome, the Roman Forum flourished as the center of religious, social, and commercial life in the days of the Republic, before it gradually lost prestige (but never spiritual draw) to the Imperial Forums (see… -
Church
San Francesco d’Assisi a Ripa
Built on the site of a convent where St. Francis stayed when he came to Rome to see the pope in 1219, his simple cell is preserved inside. It is also yet another small Roman church with a Bernini treasure: The “Tomb of Beata Ludovica Albertoni” (1675) unmistakably bears the hand of… -
Church
San Luigi dei Francesi
For a painter of such stratospheric standards as Caravaggio, it is impossible to be definitive in naming his “masterpiece.” However, the “Calling of St. Matthew” ★★, in the far-left chapel of Rome’s French church, must be a candidate. The panel dramatizes the moment Jesus and Peter… -
Church
San Paolo Fuori le Mura (St. Paul Outside the Walls)
The giant Basilica of St. Paul is Rome’s fourth great patriarchal church, whose origins date from the time of Constantine. It was erected over the tomb of St. Paul and is the second-largest church in Rome after St. Peter’s. The basilica fell victim to fire in 1823 and was… -
Church
San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains)
Founded in the 5th century to house the chains that supposedly bound St. Peter in Jerusalem (preserved under glass below the main altar), this lovely church is mainly worth visiting to see one of the world’s most famous sculptures: Michelangelo’s “Moses” ★★, carved for the tomb of… -
Church
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
A still-functioning convent built around a peaceful courtyard garden, Santa Cecilia contains the partial remains of a masterpiece of Roman medieval painting, the “Last Judgment,” by Pietro Cavallini (ca. 1293). Enter to the left of the main doors; a suora (nun) will accompany you… -
Church
Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major)
As one of Rome’s four papal basilicas, this majestc church was founded by Pope Liberius in a.d. 358 and rebuilt on the orders of Pope Sixtus III from 432 to 440. Its 14th-century campanile (bell tower) is the city’s tallest. Much doctored in the 18th century, the church’s facade… -
Religious Site
Santa Maria della Pace
According to legend, blood flowed from a statue of the Virgin above the altar here after someone threw a pebble at it. This legend motivated Pope Sixtus to rebuild the church in the 1500s on the foundations of an even older sanctuary. For generations after that, its curved porticos,… -
Church
Santa Maria della Vittoria
This pretty little baroque church showcases a classic Roman travertine facade as well as an ornate interior. But a visit here is all about one unique piece of art: Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s “Ecstasy of St. Teresa” ★★★. Crafted from marble between 1644 and 1647, it shows the Spanish… -
Church
Santa Maria in Aracoeli
According to legend, Augustus once ordered a temple erected on this spot, on the Capitoline Hill, where a sibyl foretold the coming of Christ. The current church, built for the Franciscans in the 13th century, boasts a coffered Renaissance ceiling and the tomb of Giovanni Crivelli… -
Church
Santa Maria in Cosmedin
People line up outside this ancient church with a Romanesque bell tower not for great art treasures, but to see the “Mouth of Truth,” a large disk on the wall of the portico. As Gregory Peck demonstrated to Audrey Hepburn in the film Roman Holiday, the mouth is supposed to chomp down… -
Church
Santa Maria in Trastevere
This ornate Romanesque church at the colorful heart of Trastevere was founded around a.d. 350 and is one of the oldest in Rome. But parts of it were added around 1100, and more in the early 1700s. The restored mosaics on the apse date from around 1140, and below them are the 1293… -
Church
Santa Maria sopra Minerva
Just one block behind the Pantheon, Santa Maria sopra Minerva is Rome’s most significant Dominican church and the only major Gothic church downtown. The facade is in Renaissance style (the church was begun in 1280 but worked on until 1725), but inside, the arched vaulting is pure… -
Religious Site
Santa Sabina
A rarity, Santa Sabina is Rome's best remaining example of a paleochristian church. It dates from A.D. 422, and its original wooden doors from that time are still intact. The doors alone are worth the trek here. They are handsomely carved with Bible scenes, including one that depicts… -
Church
St. Peter’s Basilica
The Basilica di San Pietro, or simply St. Peter’s, is the holiest shrine of the Catholic Church, built on the site of St. Peter’s tomb by the greatest Italian artists of the 16th and 17th centuries. One of the lines on the right side of the piazza funnels you into the basilica, while… -
The Performing Arts
Teatro Olimpico
Large and well publicized, this echoing stage hosts a widely divergent collection of singers, both classical and pop. Occasionally, the space is devoted to chamber orchestras or visits by foreign orchestras. -
The Performing Arts
Teatro dell'Opera
If you're in the capital for the opera season -- usually October to June -- you might want to attend a performance at the historic Rome Opera House, located off Via Nazionale. From July 9 to August 5, performances are held at the Teatro delle Terme di Caracalla (Metro: Circo… -
Museum/Ruins
Terme di Diocleziano (Baths of Diocletian)
Ancient Roman recycling at its finest. Originally, this spot held the largest of Rome’s hedonistic baths (dating back to a.d. 298 at the time of the reign of Emperor Diocletian). During the Renaissance, a church, a vast cloister, and a convent were built around and into the… -
Icon
The Pantheon
Stumbling onto Piazza della Rotunda from the dark warren of streets surrounding it will likely leave you agape, marveling at one of ancient Rome’s great buildings—the only one that remains intact. The Pantheon (“Temple to All the Gods”) was originally built in 27 B.C. by Marcus… -
Monument
Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi)
As you elbow your way through the summertime crowds around the Trevi Fountain, you’ll find it hard to believe that this little piazza was nearly always deserted before the 1950s, when it started starring in films. The first was “Three Coins in the Fountain.” It was also the setting… -
Park/Garden
Vatican Gardens
Separating the Vatican from the secular world on the north and west are 23 hectares (58 acres) of lush gardens filled with winding paths, brilliantly colored flowers, groves of massive oaks, and ancient fountains and pools. In the midst of this pastoral setting is a small… -
Museum
Vatican Museums & the Sistine Chapel
Nothing else in Rome quite lives up to the awe-inspiring collections of the Vatican Museums, a 15-minute walk from St. Peter’s out of the north side of Piazza San Pietro. It’s a vast treasure store of art from antiquity and the Renaissance gathered by the Roman Catholic Church… -
Historic Site/Ruins
Villa Adriana (Hadrian’s Villa)
The globe-trotting Emperor Hadrian spent the last 3 years of his life in the grandest style. Less than 6km (3 3/4 miles) from Tivoli, between 118 and a.d. 138 he built one of the greatest estates ever conceived, and he filled acre after acre with some of the architectural wonders… -
Historic home
Villa Farnesina
Once called Villa Chigi, this was originally built for Sienese banker Agostino Chigi in 1511, but was acquired (and renamed) by the Farnese family in 1579. With two such wealthy Renaissance patrons, it’s hardly surprising that the internal decor is stunning. The villa’s architect… -
Park/Garden
Villa Gregoriana
Villa d’Este dazzles with artificial glamour, but the Villa Gregoriana relies more on nature. The gardens were built by Pope Gregory XVI in the 1830s and reopened in 2005 after a $5.5-million restoration. The main highlight is the panoramic waterfall of Aniene, with the trek to the… -
Historic Site
Villa Lante
The English author Sacheverell Sitwell called Villa Lante, located in Bagnaia, a suburb of Viterbo, "the most beautiful garden in Italy." Water from Monte Cimino flows down to the fountains of the villa, running from terrace to terrace until it reaches the central pool of the regal… -
Historic Site
Villa dei Medici Gardens
Villa dei Medici Gardens were called "the most enchanting place" in Rome by Henry James, who went on to write that the gardens were possessed with an "incredible, impossible charm." Covering 17 sprawling acres on Pincio Hill above the Piazza di Spagna, they offer our favorite… -
Park/Garden
Villa d’Este
Like Hadrian centuries before, Cardinal Ippolito d’Este of Ferrara ordered this villa built on a Tivoli hillside in the mid–16th century. The Renaissance structure, with its second-rate paintings, is not that interesting; the big draw for visitors is the spectacular gardens below… -
Monument
Vittoriano (Altare della Patria)
It’s impossible to miss the white marble Vittorio Emanuele monument dominating Piazza Venezia. Built in the late 1800s to honor the first king of a united Italy, this flamboyant (and widely disliked) landmark has been compared to everything from a wedding cake to a Victorian…
Rome Shopping
Rome offers temptations of every kind. In our limited space below we’ve summarized streets and areas known for their shops. The monthly rent on the famous streets is very high, and those costs are passed on to you. Nonetheless, a stroll down some of these streets presents a cross section of the most desirable w ...
Rome offers temptations of every kind. In our limited space below we’ve summarized streets and areas known for their shops. The monthly rent on the famous streets is very high, and those costs are passed on to you. Nonetheless, a stroll down some of these streets presents a cross section of the most desirable wares in Rome.
Note that sales usually run twice a year, in January and July.
The Top Shopping Streets & Areas
Around Piazza di Spagna — Most of Rome’s haute couture and seriously upscale shopping fans out from the bottom of the Spanish Steps. Via Condotti is probably Rome’s poshest shopping street, where you’ll find Prada, Gucci, Bulgari, and the like. A few more down-to-earth stores have opened, but it’s still largely a playground for the superrich. Via Borgognona is another street where both the rents and the merchandise are chic and ultraexpensive. Like its neighbor, Via Condotti, Via Borgognona is a mecca for wealthy, well-dressed women and men from around the world. It offers a nicer window-browsing experience, however, because it has pedestrian-only access, and storefronts have retained their baroque or neoclassical facades. Via Frattina is the third member of this trio of upscale streets. Here the concentration of shops is denser; chic boutiques for adults and kids rub shoulders with ready-to-wear fashions, high-class chains, and occasional tourist tat vendors. It’s usually thronged with shoppers who appreciate the lack of motor traffic.
Via Cola di Rienzo — The commercial heart of the Prati neighborhood bordering the Vatican, this long, straight street runs from the Tiber to Piazza Risorgimento. Via Cola di Rienzo is known for stores selling a wide variety of merchandise at reasonable prices—from jewelry to fashionable clothes, bags, and shoes. Among the most prestigious is Bertozzini Profumeria dal 1913, at no. 192 (tel. 06-6874662), the historic Roman perfume store. You will also find the department store Coin at no. 173 (with large supermarket in the basement); the largest branch of venerable gourmet food store Castroni at no. 196; and the smaller, more selective gourmet grocery Franchi at no. 204, good for Parmigiano cheese.
Via del Corso — Not attempting the stratospheric image or prices of Via Condotti or Via Borgognona, Via del Corso boasts affordable styles aimed at younger consumers. Occasional gems are scattered amid the international shops selling jeans and sporting equipment. In general, the most interesting stores are toward the Piazza del Popolo end of the street (Via del Babuino here has a similar profile). Via del Corso also has a branch of department store La Rinascente, Piazzale Colonna 357 ((tel) 06-6784209). Pavements are narrow, so it’s not a convenient street to window-browse with a stroller or young children.
Via dei Coronari — An antique-lover’s souk. If you’re shopping (or even window-browsing) for antiques or antique-style souvenir prints, then spend an hour walking the full length of this pretty, pedestrian-only street.
Via Margutta — This beautiful, tranquil street is home to numerous art stalls and artists’ studios—Federico Fellini used to live here—though the stores tend to offer the same sort of antiques and mediocre paintings these days. You have to shop hard to find real quality. Highlights include Bottega del Marmoraro at no. 53b, the studio of master stonecarver Sandro Fiorentini; and Valentina Moncada’s hugely popular contemporary art gallery at no. 54 (tel. 06-3207956).
Monti — Rome’s most fashion-conscious central neighborhood has a pleasing mix of indie artisan retailers, hip boutiques, and honest, everyday stores frequented by locals. There’s not a brand name in sight. Roam the length of Via del Boschetto for one-off fashions, designer ateliers, and unique, gift-sized homewares. In fact, you can roam in every direction from the spot where it meets Via Panisperna. Via Urbana is another to add to the list; boutiques jostle for shopfront space with cafes that are ideal for a break or light lunch. Via Leonina likewise. Via Urbana also hosts the weekly Mercatomonti.
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Shopping
Campo de’ Fiori
Central Rome’s food market has been running since at least the 1800s. It’s no longer the place to find a produce bargain, but it is still a genuine slice of Roman life in one of its most attractive squares. The market runs Monday through Saturday from 7am to around 1 or 2pm. -
Shopping
Eataly
Not strictly a market, but a four-floor homage to Italian ingredients and cooking. Thirty different breads, 25 shelving bays of pasta, two aisles of olive oil... and you’re only just scratching the surface of what’s here under one roof. Browse the cookbooks, chocolate, local wines,… -
Shopping
Mercatomonti
Everything from contemporary glass jewelry to vintage cameras, handmade clothes for kids and adults, and one-off designs to wear or admire is on sale here. It takes place in the heart of trendy Monti, in a commandeered parking garage (where else?). The market runs Sundays from 10am… -
Shopping
Nuovo Mercato Trionfale (New Trionfale Market)
Replacing the old and rickety Via Andrea Doria market, this modern, working class (and rather unattractive) structure houses over 250 stalls, which more than make up for its exterior looks. Vendors sell top choice, local (and value) produce, meat, fish, cheese, eggs, baked goods, and… -
Shopping
Nuovo Mercato di Testaccio (New Testaccio Market)
In 2012, the old Testaccio market building was replaced by this modern, daringly modernist, sustainably powered market building. It’s the best place to go produce shopping with the Romans. There’s everything you could want to pack a picnic—cheese, cured meats, seasonal fruit—as well… -
Shopping
Porta Portese
Trastevere’s vast weekly flea market stretches all the way from the Porta Portese gate along Via di Porta Portese to Viale di Trastevere. Expect to find everything. It runs Sundays from dawn until mid-afternoon.
Rome Nightlife
Even if you don’t speak Italian, you can generally follow the listings of special events and evening entertainment featured in “La Repubblica,” a leading national newspaper published in Rome. See also the “TrovaRoma” section of its city website, www.roma.repubblica.it. “Wanted in Rome” has listings of opera, ro ...
Even if you don’t speak Italian, you can generally follow the listings of special events and evening entertainment featured in “La Repubblica,” a leading national newspaper published in Rome. See also the “TrovaRoma” section of its city website, www.roma.repubblica.it. “Wanted in Rome” has listings of opera, rock, English-language cinema showings, and such and gives an insider look at expat Rome. “Un Ospite a Roma” is available for free from concierge desks and tourist information centers, is full of details on what’s happening around the city. Free magazine and website “Romeing” is worth consulting for events and lifestyle updates on the contemporary scene. Also check InRomeNow.com for monthly updates of cultural events.
Unless you’re dead set on making the Roman nightclub circuit, try what might be a far livelier and less expensive scene—sitting late at night on Via Veneto, Piazza della Rotonda, Piazza del Popolo, or one of Rome’s other piazzas, all for the (admittedly inflated) cost of an espresso, a cappuccino, or a Campari and soda. For clubbers, it is almost impossible to predict where the next hot venue will appear, but if you like it loud and late—and have an adventurous streak—jump in a cab to Monte Testaccio or Via del Pigneto and bar-hop wherever takes your fancy. In Trastevere, there’s always a bit of life along Via Politeana around the spot where it meets Piazza Trilussa. Try your luck there.
Performing Arts & Live Music
While the music scene doesn’t have the same vibrancy as Florence—nor the high-quality opera of Milan’s La Scala or La Fenice in Venice —classical music fans are still well catered for in Rome. As well as the major venues, you should also look out for concerts and one-off events in churches and salons around the city. Check www.operainroma.com for a calendar of opera and ballet staged by the Opera in Roma association at the Chiesa Evangelica Valdese, Via IV Novembre 107. Other venues that regularly run classical music and operatic evenings include the Pontificio Instituto di Musica Sacra, Piazza Sant’Agostino 20A; (tel) 06-6638792, and All Saints’ Anglican Church, Via del Babuino 153; (tel) 06-7842702.
Cafes
Remember: In Rome and everywhere else in Italy, if you just want to drink a quick coffee and bolt, walk up to il banco (the bar), order “un caffè, per favore” or “un cappuccino,” and don’t move. They will make it for you to drink on the spot. It will cost more (at least double) to sit down to drink it, and outdoor table service is the most expensive way to go. Even in the heart of the center, a short coffee al banco should cost no more than 1€; add around.20€ for a cappuccino. Expect to pay up to five times that price if you sit outdoors on a marquee piazza. Most cafes in the city serve a decent cup of coffee, but we have chosen a small selection of places worth hunting down, below.
Wine Bars, Cocktail Bars & Craft Beer Bars
For Rome’s most creative modern cocktails, in a casual environment, visit Caffè Propaganda.
Rome, Illuminated
When the sun goes down, Rome’s palaces, ruins, fountains, and monuments are bathed in a theatrical white light. Few evening occupations are quite as pleasurable as a stroll past the solemn pillars of old temples or the cascading torrents of Renaissance fountains glowing under the blue-black sky.
The Fountain of the Naiads (Fontana delle Naiadi) on Piazza della Repubblica, the Fountain of the Tortoises (Fontana della Tartarughe) on Piazza Mattei, the Fountain of Acqua Paola (Fontanone) at the top of Janiculum Hill, and the Trevi Fountain are particularly beautiful at night. The Capitoline Hill (or Campidoglio) is magnificently lit after dark, with its measured Renaissance facades glowing like jewel boxes. The view of the Roman Forum seen from the rear of Piazza del Campidoglio is perhaps the grandest in Rome. If you’re across the Tiber, Piazza San Pietro (in front of St. Peter’s) is impressive at night without the crowds. And a combination of illuminated architecture, baroque fountains, and sidewalk shows enlivens Piazza Navona.
Aperitivo Culture
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Wine bar
Ai Tre Scalini
This little bottiglieria (wine bar) is the soul of Monti. There’s a traditional menu, as well as a long wine list with bottles sourced from across Italy. Arrive early or call to reserve a table: This place is usually jammed. -
The Performing Arts
Alexanderplatz
An established stalwart of Rome’s the jazz scene since the early 1980s. If there’s a good act visiting the city, you will find them here. -
The Performing Arts
Auditorium–Parco della Musica
Multiple stages showcase a broad range of music—from Cat Power to world music to the classical music of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. The massive, purpose-built complex itself is a postmodern work of art, designed by architect Renzo Piano. -
Coffee Houses
Bar del Fico
With its shabby-chic interior and namesake fig tree backdrop, and charming outdoor seating where locals play chess at tables with mismatched chairs, this is one of Rome’s most beloved aperitivo spots and coveted see-and-be-seen nightlife destinations. -
Bar
Barnum Roma
An honest-to-goodness cocktail bar (with wine and crafts beers to boot), Barnum attracts a grown-up crowd getting mellowly buzzed—making it a nice alternative to the nighttime antics at Campo de’Fiori. It’s also a good morning stop for caffe and cornetti. -
Bars & Pubs
Bir and Fud
Around 15 beers on tap (most of them Italian craft brews) as well as carb-heavy snacks like pizza and supplì (fried rice balls). It’s 5€ for a small beer. Some are brewed as strong as 9%, so drink with care—check the chalkboard for the lowdown on each. -
Coffee Houses
Di Rienzo
This is the top cafe at the Pantheon. In fair weather, try to snag one of the sidewalk tables. In cooler weather, you can retreat inside, where the walls are inlaid with the type of marble found on the Pantheon's floor. It's open daily from 7am to 1 or 2am.$Near the Pantheon
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Wine bar
La Bottega del Caffè
Beers, wine, cocktails, aperitivo—there’s a little of everything at one of Monti’s busiest neighborhood bars. Find a seat in the shrub-screened terrace area or follow the action out on to the piazza and fountain steps. -
Bars & Pubs
Open Baladin
If anyone ever tells you that “Italians don’t do good beer,” send them to this bar near the Ghetto. A 40-long row of taps lines the bar, with beers from their own Piedmont brewery and across Italy (including many local to the Lazio region). When you are done with those—allow at least… -
Bars & Pubs
Salotto42
It’s all fancy cocktails and well-chosen wines at this über-hip “bookbar” set opposite the columned facade of 2nd-century Hadrian’s Temple (near the Pantheon). This makes for a classy after-dinner stop. It also does shared plates, fresh juices, smoothies, and infused teas. -
Coffee Houses
Sant’Eustachio il Caffè
This little place roasts its own fairtrade Arabica beans over wood. The unique taste and bitter kick to its brews ensures there’s usually a friendly crowd a few deep at the bar. Unless you ask, the coffee comes with sugar. -
Coffee Houses
Spinelli
Jacketed baristas work at 100mph at Spinelli, a no-nonsense locals' cafe. Join the throng at the bar for a morning cappuccino and un cornetto (a croissant) filled with jam, crema (pastry cream), Nutella, or white chocolate. A cold-food buffet is served at lunch. -
Wine bar
Stravinskij Bar
An evening at this award-winning cocktail bar inside one of Rome’s most famous grand hotels is always a regal, exclusive affair. Mixology, ingredients, and canapés are all top-notch. Sit inside for a “designer lounge” feel, or choose terrace seating during the warm months. Expect a… -
Coffee Houses
Tazza d’Oro
Debate still rages among Romans as to whether this place—or Sant’Eustachio—serves the best cup of coffee in the city. Close to the Pantheon, it’s been a popular spot since it opened in 1946. -
The Performing Arts
Teatro dell’Opera di Roma
This is where you will find the marquee operas by big names: Think “La Traviata,” “Carmen,” Puccini’s “Tosca,” and the like. There’s also a full program of classical concerts with top-rank orchestras and ballet. In summer the action moves outdoors for a short season of unforgettable…
More To Do in Rome
Architecture in Rome
Very few buildings (especially churches) were actually built in only one style. Massive, expensive structures often took centuries to complete, during which time tastes changed and plans were altered. Classical (6th Century B.C. to 4th Century A.D.) The Romans made use of certain…
Around Stazione Termini in Rome
Museo Nazionale Romano -- Originally, this museum occupied only the Diocletian Baths. Today it is divided into four different sections: Palazzo Massimo alle Terme; the Terme di Diocleziano (Diocletian Baths), with the annex Octagonal Hall; and Palazzo Altemps (which is near Piazza…
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