Hidden Gems in Rome?

[princessebird]

I familiar with the big things to do in Rome--the Forum, the Vatican, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, the Capitoline Museums, etc.--but I was wondering if anyone had a hidden gem that they think should not be missed (and just might have fewer crowds than the biggies on a Saturday).

[mountainmare]

On tripadvisor on the Rome forum there is a thread about hidden gems.

We leave in a month and plan to go out to the Appian Way and picnic by the aquiducts. Also find the secret keyhole and look in the little church on the way, we may explore Palentine Hill but otherwise we're going to wander, eat a little, drink a little and just get to know Rome.

[bellagirl]

We recently returned from Rome and were lucky enough to see the Malta keyhole(so named because it is located at the Malta Embassy). It's not in any guidebook,but if you have a guide like we did(Duman from Romeinlimo),he'll take you there no problem. I don't even remember which section of the city it was in. It's an amazing view-tried to capture it on camera,but didn't work.

We,too, wanted to see the Appian Way and the catacombs, but there just wasn't enough time. So, we HAVE to return! Good luck with your hunting!! Shelly

[Fblack]

I stumbled upon this by accident a few years ago. The Church of St Peter in Chains. It has a very famous and wonderful sculpture by Michaelangelo. It's free and close to the Colosseum. Some call it Moses with Horns.

 

<http://www.cptryon.org/hoagland/travels/stpeterchains/moses.html>

 

<http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Choir/4792/michel.html>

[cruisemom42]

The Ara Pacis, or Altar of Peace, is my favorite "hidden gem". A beautiful and huge piece of Roman sculptural art, dug up by Mussolini and now displayed in a beautiful new museum. It's open on Saturday but may close relatively early in the afternoon. Also nearby is Augustus' tomb -- worth walking by, but unfortunately you cannot go in without making prior arrangements.

 

Rome is actually full of hidden gems. Any corner you turn, you are likely to find some Roman ruin that has been incorporated into a current building (like the facade of Hadrian's temple, which was incorporated into one of the walls of the Borsa, or Stock exchange building, near the Pantheon). That's why I love Rome -- they don't get rid of their history, they live with it!

[cruisemom42]

Another favorite is San Clemente (near the Colosseum). San Clemente is a 12th-century church built on top of a 4th-century church, which in turn was built over a 2nd-century pagan temple to the god Mithras. Little of the temple remains, but the 4th-century church is mostly intact, perhaps because it wasn't unearthed until the 19th century. The upper church has some beautiful mosaics and frescoes, as does the lower church. Keep heading down and you'll reach the mithraeum, which was originally part of the "basement" of a wealthy Roman's house.

I love the layering of history.

[olga77]

I familiar with the big things to do in Rome--the Forum, the Vatican, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, the Capitoline Museums, etc.--but I was wondering if anyone had a hidden gem that they think should not be missed (and just might have fewer crowds than the biggies on a Saturday).

 

 

The Baths of Caracalla are interesting...

http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/bathsofcaracalla.htm

http://www.inforoma.it/feature.php?lookup=terme

[princessebird]

These all sound great! Thank you so much, and keep 'em coming.

[carlmm]

Some excellent advice has been given so far. Indeed read any serious guidebook and you will find hundreds of sights, or walk around and discover them around every corner

 

We recently returned from Rome and were lucky enough to see the Malta keyhole(so named because it is located at the Malta Embassy).

 

Actually it is not the Embassy of todays state Malta but the residence of the Great Master of the Souvereign Knight's Order of Malta, which is a territoryless, internationally recognized subject of international law.

 

Next to this there a number of real gems, most notable Santa Sabina, about the onliest church that gives you an idea about early churches is Rome as its structure remaind unaltered since about 1600 years.

The carved door from 400 something are the oldest wooden doors of Christianity.

 

All this is on the Aventin.

[24butterfly]

Santa Maria Maggiore. On par with the Vatican. Hu-friggin-mongous church. By Termini. Nothing to look at on the outside, but boy-oh-boy on the inside! Also not too far from there, on the other side of the Republica Fountain, Santa Susanna (I think it's called). Anyway, it has the Bernini sculpture Agony (Ecstacy?) of St. Theresa. A very high Baroque church, small--it looks like a plain stucco white box on the oustide--but wait 'til you get in! The highlight is the Bernini sculpture, trying to figure out if St. Theresa is in Agony or Ecstasy (I know my spelling is off) from the angel pointing his spear at her. This church has a "sister" church directly across the street from it. Check for times that it is open--it's not like the Vatican. Church is down the street from the Grand Hotel--kinda on the corner is a replica of the Moses with the "horns". Actually, they are/were s'posed to be rays of light--not horns....The church with the Moses is called Santo Pietro en Vincoli. (Been there, done that...)

[24butterfly]

Re: the above--it's called Santa Maria della Vittoria. Google it.... Not Santa Susanna..

[mpb43]

We thoroughly enjoyed our Scavi tour in the summer of 2006. In late June, Rome is teeming with tourists. We arrived at the Vatican and were directed to the Scavi office past a gate guarded by Swiss guards. All became quiet. Scavi tours are limited to groups of 10-12. We descended the stairways to enter the excavations themselves and it was as if we were stepping into the past. The passageways are actually the streets and alleys in the Vatican Hill necropolis, upon which St. Peter’s was built. At one point we passed under grates that allowed us to peer at the crowds in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Booking the Scavi tour can be a tedious process…you have to make the reservation directly with the Vatican Scavi office. However it was one of the highlights of our trip.

[Chick's pal]

The Capuchin Monastery near Via Veneto and Piazza Barberini.

It's a church filled with the bones of the Capuchin Monks, some of which have been fashioned into decorations. It includes plaques with some interesting messages for the living. This is a serious place. Admission cost is minimal (I think maybe just a donation). It will take you maybe 15 minutes to see the entire crypt.

 

If you need to lighten things up after your visit, there's a Hard Rock Cafe up the hill, less than a block away.

[worldsbestcandles]

I was just going to post about the Bone Church too. It is (or was in 2001) by donation only and they do not allow pictures but you can buy postcards that also help to support their living costs. The reason they dig up the bodies buried there is because everyone from their order is buried in there in the dirt that was brought back from the Holy Land. When they run out of spce, they dig up the bodies and use the bones to decorste the crypt. It is small, but a very interesting opportunity and isn't gorry (sp?) at all.

[whale-watcher]

This is a great thread! we have a few days in Rome pre-cruise this summer, and some of these hidden gems sound more interesting than the major attractions.

[susietb]

The Borghese Gardens and the museum. You can make a "timed" reservation for the museum about three months in advance. This is a real jewel

[lansingisland]

We went to the Catacombs and Nero's Golden Palace. Both were facinating. Driver in Rome arranged tickets for both.

[TimCruiser68]

St John's basilica and St Paul outside the wall.Please do not miss St Peter in Chains where you have Michelangelo's Moses.

[DavidandPaula]

We recently returned from Rome and were lucky enough to see the Malta keyhole(so named because it is located at the Malta Embassy). It's not in any guidebook,but if you have a guide like we did(Duman from Romeinlimo),he'll take you there no problem. I don't even remember which section of the city it was in. It's an amazing view-tried to capture it on camera,but didn't work.

We,too, wanted to see the Appian Way and the catacombs, but there just wasn't enough time. So, we HAVE to return! Good luck with your hunting!! Shelly

The keyhole is in fact at the Knights of Malta. It is the only area recognised by the vatican as being a separtae country in Rome but is not recognised as such by the Italian government.

 

It is on the Piazza Del Cavalieri di Malta, which is at the end of via di Santa Sabina. Moving along this from North to South you can visit Parco Savello (great view of St Peters and great water fountain for filling the bottles), then Santa Sabina (great carved cedar doors ) then to the keyhole (once again unique view of St Peters but on a day when the pollution is low and view is the best you might have to line up with the locals). We moved on from there to the Protestant Cemetery, then jumped on the Metro at Pyramide to go around to the Colisseum.

 

Big regret that day was to start of with a boat ride down the Tiber, yuk yuk yuk.

 

David

[photographia]

Inside St. Peter's Basilica, there is an in-joke that was played by the sculptor who carved the white marble bases that hold up Bernini's twisted bronze columns over the papal altar. The sculptor's niece/daughter/some female relation was giving birth while he was carving, and he deftly worked this fact into the patterns on each exterior side of the marble bases.

 

As you stand in front of the altar, start on your left and walk around clockwise, and examine each side of the marble bases. Each panel at first sight looks identical, with the then-papal coat-of-arms and so on, BUT you'll see a woman's face inserted there. Her expression changes as you walk from panel to panel--you can see she's experiencing waves of pain with a pause in between. It's very realistic!

 

The very last panel is a surprise, and I'm not going to give it away. You have to go see it for yourselves! :)

[Moondawgie]

Re: the above--it's called Santa Maria della Vittoria.

 

 

This is correct and the Ecstacy of St. Theresa is a gem worth finding. In fact there is a walking tour of Bernini's masterpieces available, however, I forgot the website. Perhaps if you google Rome walking tours.

[egit]

If you are going to the "bone church" they do close for about 2 hours at lunch time,so check first.

[PaddleAddict]

The Borghese Gardens and the museum. You can make a "timed" reservation for the museum about three months in advance. This is a real jewel

 

I second this. It was wonderful.

[DavidandPaula]

Back at work and found the link I was looking for. We read this article about a month before our trip to Rome. I am glad to say we managed to see about half the list and most of the 'normal' sites. We had a day pre cruise and three and a half days post cruise for our visit however.

 

www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,23483,21380110-27984,00.html

 

David

[pvmkmyer]

I second the vote for the Borghese gallery. It is an absolute gem. It was designed to hold the art collection of a Borghese cardinal who was the brother of Paulina Borghese. This cardinal really knew his art! The sculpture collection alone is worth the trip. Also, it's air-conditioned! This is a big plus if you're touring Rome in the summer.