Explore the City: Our Guide to the Best Piazzas in Rome

UPDATED JULY 2024
By Megan Hills

Take things easy with our guide to the top piazzas in Rome

There's a sculpture, church and pasta place on every corner in Rome - and the same rings true for its many piazzas. Lined with restaurants and filled with fountains, there's a number scattered around the capital nearby some of the biggest tourist attractions or in quieter areas perfect for city break. Here's our guide to the top piazzas in Rome.

This town 💜#balconyview #sunset #rome #travel

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Piazza Campo de'Fiori

This atmospheric piazza thrives with energy and culture. This rectangular square is home to one of the best street markets in Rome, where you'll be able to grab everything from fresh produce to street food. In the evenings, it becomes a massive hang out area for people from all walks of life and there's a number of fantastic restaurants for ideal date nights.

City of many fountains. #rome #vsco #latergram

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Piazza Navona

An ancient Roman stadium once stood where this piazza does now. This large area retains the general shape of the arena and is filled with interesting statues and architectural marvels, including the Fountain of the Four Rivers and the Obelisk of Domition. With restaurants and benches scattered around the piazza, it's a fantastic place to chill out with a cold glass of white wine.

Пьяцца дель Пополо или «Народная площадь" В центре площади стоит обелиск Фламиния – 24-х метровая каменная колонна возрастом 3400 лет, которая была вывезена из Египта как военный трофей. Вначале колонну поставили в Большом цирке. Там он простоял долгие годы, разрушился и рухнул. Архитектор Доменико Фонтана по распоряжению Папы соединил обломки, и установил восстановленный обелиск посреди Пьяцца дель Пополо. Каждый шаг в Риме - это возможность увидеть своими глазами историю, прикоснуться к прекрасному. Единственное, что меня под конец стало раздражать - это торговцы цветами, подходят предлагают цветы и говорят, что это бесплатно. Начинаешь отказываться, пытаются всунуть их тебе в руки, в платье, вообщем лишь бы цветы оказались у тебя 😤 Настырные такие, слов не понимают, так и хотелось им уже 👊🏼 А так Рим прекрасен💓 Ставьте 💗, вам несложно, мне приятно😊 #travelnotes_Mfamily

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Piazza del Popolo

As one of the larger squares in Rome, this piazza is named after the nearby church Santa Maria del Popolo. Located within throwing distance of the Borghese Gardens which houses the Borghese Gallery, it draws on neoclassical elements while incorporating fun sculptures such as an Egyptian obelisk and a tall arched gateway into the central area. A number of fountains add natural elements to the square and it's worth dipping into the three churches ringing the piazza.

#wedding #boda 1 año y 7 meses después #instagood #instapic #roma #rome #roma🇮🇹

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Piazza del Campidoglio

This breathtaking square was designed by the Italian master himself - Michelangelo. Trace the charcoal and cream oval pattern on the ground and pose alongside the intimidating bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius, a former Roman Emperor. Once you've finished basking in the sun, head into the Capitoline Museums nearby to get your fill of ancient Roman art and architecture.

Mijn buitenverblijfje. #vaticaan #vatican #vaticano #vaticancity #basilica #italy #rome #zweten

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Piazza San Pietro

If you're keen on seeing the pope, this large Vatican City piazza is the place to be. On select dates, the pope appears in a window of St Peter's Basilica - the gigantic cathedral that dominates the square - and addresses those below with blessings. It functions as the spiritual heart of the deeply religious state and it's worth passing through on your way to the rest of the Vatican's attractions.

Spanish Steps 👣 #Rome #italy #NasaEuropeSia #europalma #europetraveldiaries #beautifuldestinations

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Piazza di Spagna

Channel your inner Audrey Hepburn and head to the Spanish Steps on your Roman holiday. Piazza di Spagna, the large square at the base of the famous staircase, is a charming place to cool off and grab an espresso after running round the sights. Grab a picture of Bernini's ivory fountain before heading into the English poet John Keats' former home, where he and his fellow literary celebrity Percy Shelley are celebrated.
Megan Hills
Rome Travel Expert

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Happy Halloween horror tour of Ancient Rome

You don’t normally associate the pagan festival of Halloween to the holy Catholic city of Rome, however, if you are looking for something spooky while you’re in Rome then look no further. We’ve compiled a list of our top five scariest spots across the city for you to get your fix. Just don’t blame us if it’s too frightening... Capuchin Crypt of Bones Just off Piazza Barberini, this eerie church is not one to be missed if you’re into bone-chilling experiences – pardon the pun. Located underneath the church is a crypt decorated with the bones of 4,000 monks from the Capuchin order, dating back to 1631. The bones were used decoratively to line the walls of the church and later the friars were to bury their own dead to continue the tradition. This impressive ossury is divided into five chapels and visitors are guided by natural light and low lit candles, adding to the eerie experience. Some might say it’s a macabre work of art, as the bones have been laid out in various designs and orders. You’ll notice some of the skeletons have been draped in the old Capuchin robes and look down at you from their place on the wall. Catacombs of St Callixtus These catacombs contain some of Rome’s most important martyrs and popes of Ancient Rome. It wasn’t until the first half of the second century that bodies were even buried underground, so these catacombs hold significant importance as being the first place to bury Christians all in one, joint place, together in tombs. The Catacombs of St Callixtus cover 90 acres and there are over 12 miles of pathways to explore, down four levels, over 20meters underground... Look out for the “little Vatican” the area where all the popes are buried; the crypt and statue of St Cecilia, patron of music, and also the ancient frescoes which decorate the walls. The Vatican Necropolis Found in the Vatican City, the Vatican Necropolis is the burial ground of the majority of, and the more recent, popes and is a hugely important place for Romans and Catholics to this day. Underneath St Peter’s Basilica, the catacombs are open to the public for you to walk through the tombs. Don’t miss the ‘graffiti wall’ which contains a number of ancient Latin scribbles, either. Some of the oldest tombs date back to the 3rd century and you’ll even be able to see the tombs of Apostle Peter, Circus Nero and Gaius of Rome. Museum of Purgatory Take the spook-scale up a notch to the Museum of Purgatory, a tiny room inside Sacra Cuore Suffragio (the Church of the Scared Heart). It’s believed that Father Jouet, a French missionary priest, saw a man’s face in the flames when a painting of the Virgin Mary caught fire, and he believed it was a soul whose body was buried on that spot, stuck in purgatory. So Jouet decided to build a church to pay tribute to all those souls. Many people haven’t heard of the Museum of Purgatory so you'll probably be the only visitors there at one time. Whether you believe in purgatory or not, it’s worth a visit just to see the artefacts on display that claim to be evidence of souls trapped, trying to get out.... Monster House If you need something slightly less scary and a bit more lighthearted, head up to the Spanish Steps where you can see the open mouthed door of the nicknamed Monster House. Although visitors aren’t allowed to enter the house, once owned by two baroque painters, the Zuccari brothers, you can stand outside and admire the bizarre entrance. In 1592 the Zuccaris decided it would be comical (one would assume?) to decorate their house with gaping mouthed windows and doors. Here you can see the giant features set in stone which, on a dark night, are somewhat less comfortable to look at...
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Our Guide to the Borghese Gallery: Don't Miss Out

Feeling artsy? Check out our guide to the Borghese Gallery See some of the world's most significant pieces of art at Villa Borghese, where the family that the villa is named for cultivated one of the world's most impressive art collections. From early Caravaggios to Bernini's most breathtaking sculptures, there's lots to see here - make sure you see the highlights with our guide to the Borghese Gallery below. David with the Head of Goliath It should come as no surprise that this dark piece of work comes from the mind of Caravaggio, one of the greatest Baroque artists of all time. As with all of his works, the play of light and shadows is one of the most striking things about it. Beyond its biblical references to the story of David slaying the giant Goliath, it's also an allegory for Caravaggio himself who gifted this to Pope Borghese to ask for a murder pardon. Apollo and Daphne These gorgeous sculptures were crafted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, a Baroque artist that grew to prominence in the 1600s. These mythological and romantic statues were actually crafted for Scipione Borghese, the founder of the Borghese Gallery - and Bernini was just 24 when he made them. Young Sick Bacchus While this portrait of the Greek god Bacchus has strong mythological ties, Caravaggio actually based it off of his own likeness and is one of his earliest self-portraits. Painted in the dark Baroque style the artist was renowned for, its said that it reflects Caravaggio's own illness for which he was hospitalised for several months. The Rape of Persephone The virtuoso sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini's work fills the halls of Galleria Borghese and The Rape of Persephone is perhaps one of his most visited. Crafted by the artist at just 23 years old, the work depicts the goddess Persephone fighting off the god Hades who eventually steals her away to the underworld to be his wife. It was commissioned by Cardinal Scipione Borghese and while it moved around a bit in its lifetime, it eventually found its way back to the Borghese family in the early 1900s. Venus Victrix It's hard to believe this sculpture is hewn out of marble, as the artist Antonio Canova's work seems as though it is set to take a deep breath and come to life any second. This is one of the most famous sculptures in the Borghese Gallery and has strong historical precedence as well, as the semi-nude was actually based on Pauline Bonaparte - yes, that Bonaparte. (She was Napoleon's sister.) Sacred and Profane Love When discussing the masters of the Borghese Gallery, it's impossible for Titian's name and this particular painting to come up. As one of his earliest outstanding pieces, the contrast between the two women - one clothed and one bare naked - has been highly debated and meaning read and reread into everything from their composition, to their posture, to even what they're holding in their hands. The Deposition Also known famously as The Entombment, this biblical work by a young Raphael exemplifies the best of his early training, including his skills gained from Florentine masters. While the subject matter - the entombment of Christ following his crucifixion - isn't particularly original or groundbreaking, the choice of scene was very left field at the time and proof of his originality.
Megan Hills
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Top 5 art galleries in Rome with the Roma Pass

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