Sometimes, I feel like I'm slaggingoffon Rome's restaurants more than anything else.
However. There is fantastic food in this city, and honest people serving it. You just have to know where to go.
When I need a no-fail, top-notch, not-too-expensive Italian meal (like when guests are in town), these are the three restaurants I now turn to. The food is fantastic, the service good, the atmosphere untouristy, the prices moderate. And I haven't found something surprising added to my bill. (Yet).
My top picks to eat in Rome…:
With a group of friends or family: Flavio al Velavevodetto
I was a little late to the Flavio al Velavevodetto lovefest, having been preceded by, among others, Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini. But I'm so glad I arrived.
Tucked into Monte Testaccio (if you don't believe that the hill comes from an enormous pile of Roman amphorae, thanks to being a dump in ancient times, just check out the restaurant's glass wall, above), Flavio al Velavevodetto serves up all the traditional Roman dishes, but in a way that makes even your 100th amatriciana taste almost, well, new. Don't miss their fritti, vegetables so lightly fried they remind me of tempura.
The other bonus of Flavio is the ambience. It's elegant and understated, and the interior is much roomier than at crammed little trattorie in the center. In the summer, you can dine out at the lovely terrace upstairs, a particularly good bet if your crowd is on the loud side. Plus, the serving staff is unfailingly polite and pretty fast—rare things for Rome.
Flavio al Velavevodetto is located at Via Monte Testaccio 97, a short walk from the Piramide metro stop. Or you can, of course, take the ever-present number 3 "foodie" bus to get there. Call +39 06 5744194 for reservations.
On a date: Da Danilo
I first stumbled into Da Danilo because it was just around the corner from my first apartment. Until the newspaper articles on the walls tipped me off, I had no idea that the place was a local legend. Even now, two years later, it remains legendarily good. And surprisingly local. If a bit on the expensive (and, at night, crammed-together-tables) side.
The small, so-intimate-you're-bound-to-knock-knees trattoria serves up Roman dishes, but with such fresh ingredients, they hardly compare. Don't miss the carbonara (top of post), with one of the most delicious, smoky-crispy-perfect pieces of guanciale I've ever encountered. Not to mention this carpaccio, dressed with puntarelle or truffle shavings.
Da Danilo is located at Via Petrarca 3, a stone's throw from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele and its metro stop. Call +39 06 77200111 for reservations.
Here's where to go when the idea of more cucina romana, or of checkered tablecloths, makes you want to get on the next plane to anywhere. Yes, the food is Italian—but it's Umbrian. With a twist. No amatriciana on the menu here; instead, look for deliciousness like stewed wild boar in a sweet wine sauce.The atmosphere is sleek and modern, the staff professional, and the prices good. If you're pinching your pennies, you also can't beat the 3-course €12 tasting menu at lunch.
L'Asino d'Oro is located at Via del Boschetto 73 in the heart of Monti, a short walk from the Forum or Colosseum. Call +39 06 48913832 for reservations.
Taking the train in Italy anytime soon? Trenitalia has some great deals on right now. Find out what they are, and how to get ’em, at my first post for the New York Times’ In Transit blog. (Photo courtesy of Trenitalia).
If you want to eat at the best restaurants in Rome, you need to get out of the touristy center. And that's when most travelers to Rome balk.
But they don't have to. As overwhelming and confusing as Rome's public transport system can seem, there's only one bus you really need to know in order to hit nearly all of Rome's best food neighborhoods. Ladies and gentlemen… let me present:
The number 3.
Now, there are many things I don't like about the #3 bus. It makes lots of stops. It gets super-crowded around rush hour (avoid it from about 7am-9am and 5pm-7pm). And like any bus in Rome, it can be erratic, sometimes coming every 5 minutes, sometimes every 20.
But I find myself hopping on it again and again, just because, for the price of one euro, it takes me to nearly all of my favorite restaurants.
Update, 9/2012: The #3 bus is now a… #3 tram! (It actually started out that way, so I guess it's going back to its roots). The good news: There is now much more room, making the ride much more comfortable. And trams are fun. The bad news: The tram now stops in Testaccio, at Piazza Ostiense. From there, you have to switch to the bus to carry on to Trastevere. But if any neighborhood is worth stopping in, food-wise, it's Testaccio!
The #3 starts (or ends, depending on your point of view) at Thorvaldsen, a stop in the Villa Borghese right near the Galleria Arte Moderna. It then hits:
Parioli, a well-heeled neighborhood that's starting to come alive with equally-upmarket restaurants
San Lorenzo, a student quarter that has excellent, cheap trattorie and hip, grungy bars alike
the Porta San Giovanni down to the Colosseum
the Celian and Aventine hills
Testaccio, one of Rome's best food neighborhoods for cheap, traditional cucina romana
Trastevere, another great food neighborhood with both higher- and lower-end dining
But it's not just food that you can explore by hopping on and off the #3. There are sites, too—and (bonus) a lot of them are the slightly more off-the-beaten-path and, in my opinion, rewarding kind.
So… let's get on the #3 and see where, exactly, it takes us. (The neighborhood names are rough generalizations; I've just used them to make everything easier to visualize).
Parioli: Thorvaldsen to Viale Regina Margherita
Eat: End with dinner in this 'hood if you're looking for something a little more upscale and creative. The top restaurant is probably All'Oro, a pricey but excellent Michelin-starred restaurant serving up creative dishes like risotto with artichokes, vanilla and roasted calamari (they offer a tasting menu for 55 or 70 euros); it's a 10-minute walk from the Rossini stop. For something more moderately-priced, check outAnatra Grassa, which serves up Venetian-influenced food (get off at the first stop on V.le Regina Margherita after Buenos Aires). And if you just want a break from Italian, Duke's California Bar & Restaurant offers Angus steaks, sushi, foie gras, and other not-so-easy-to-find foods in Rome.
Do: From the first three stops on the line (Thorvaldsen, Galleria Arte Moderna and Aldrovandi), it's easy to stroll around the beautiful Villa Borghese, taking in museums like the Galleria Arte Moderna, Villa Giulia, and, of course, theGalleria Borghese. From Liegi, the 5th stop, you can explore the Villa Ada, one of Rome's largest parks, and walk to the Catacombs of Santa Priscilla, one of Rome's least-visited but most-rewarding catacombs.
San Lorenzo: Policlinico to Piazza di Porta Maggiore
Eat:Gritty and graffiti-filled, San Lorenzo couldn't be more different than Parioli. And since the diners around here tend to be a little on the more money-saving side (read: lots of students), the restaurants are much cheaper, too. One of my favorite traditional Roman spots is Trattoria Pommidoro, which has particularly good game meats, along with pastas (I love their pasta alla gricia); I've also heard good things about Tram Tram, a traditional and well-priced favorite decorated with pieces of, you've got it, a vintage tram. On the trendier and much more expensive side, there's Pastificio San Lorenzo, a restaurant located in an old factory that's an art gallery by day, serving up gourmet Italian dishes. Top it off with some chocolate at Said, a chocolate factory that's been around since 1923. And all of these eateries are a stone's throw from the Reti stop.
Do: Get off at the Verano stop to visit the Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura (below), a gem of an ancient church, and its atmospheric cemetery. At the Piazza di Porta Maggiore stop, check out Porta Maggiore, a monumental 1st-century Roman gate, and the huge 3rd-century Aurelian Walls. Don't miss the Baker's Tomb, an extremely unusual—and unusual-looking—tomb of an ancient Roman baker, honeycombed with holes that it's thought symbolize units of grain.
Esquiline: Santa Croce in Gerusalemme to Colosseo
Eat: On the higher end, Agata e Romeo is a Michelin-starred (and very expensive) Roman restaurant just a 10-minute walk from the Manzoni stop. For something more moderate, check out Tempio di Iside, one of the best seafood restaurants in Rome (get off at the first Labicana stop). But my favorite pick has to be Da Danilo, a fantastic, moderately-priced Roman trattoria just a 5-minute walk from the Manzoni stop. Whatever you do, don't miss their carbonara (above). Finally, after visiting the Basilica of San Clemente (see below), make a stop at Ciuri Ciurifor some of Rome's best cannoli and other Sicilian goodies (right at the 2nd stop on Labicana).
Do: Aside from, obviously, seeing the Colosseum, visit the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, a church dating back to the 4th century that has a number of bizarre relics, including thorns from Christ's crown of thorns, wooden pieces of the cross, and (they say) the bone of the finger of St. Thomas that he put in Christ's wounds after he rose from the dead. Get off at Porta San Giovanni to stop at the Basilica of San Giovanni and the Holy Stairs. Or (my favorites) get off at the 2nd stop on Labicana to pay a visit to the Basilica of San Clemente, a 12th-century church built on top of the 4th-century basilica built on top of ancient Roman ruins (incredibly, you can descend down to see all of the layers), and to the nearby Church of Santi Quattro Coronati.
From the Celian hill to the Aventine
Eat: If it's the weekend, get off at the 1st Aventino stop and walk along the Circus Maximus to the Campagna Amica food market, a great place to sample local foods and even enjoy a cheap, delicious lunch. Just around the corner, pop into Cristalli di Zucchero, home to some of Rome's best gourmet (and not just Italian) sweets, pastries and macaroons.
Do: Get off at the Parco Celio site to (you guessed it) stroll through the lovely Celian park (in summer, you can catch jazz concerts here), as well as to check out the Case Romane; if you cross the street, you can access the Palatine and its ruins of the Roman emperors' palaces. At the 1st Aventino stop, take in the Circus Maximus or stroll around the Aventine hill, one of Rome's oldest and prettiest residential neighborhoods. Don't miss the incredible ancient basilica of Santa Sabina, the lovely Garden of Oranges with its view over the city, or everyone's favorite keyhole: the one at the Piazza of the Knights of Malta, where you can see the Knights' property, Rome, and St. Peter's—three countries in one glance.
Testaccio: Porta S. Paolo to Emporio
Eat: Testaccio is one of Rome's best, most authentic neighborhoods for food. Make the most of it. Check out the market at Piazza Testaccio, where locals go to buy their produce (along with shoes and sundry items). Right on Via Marmorata, where the #3 stops (twice), grab a Sicilian pastry or cannolo at Sicilia e Duci (above) or some (pricey, but delicious) cured meats or specialty cheeses at foodie favorite Volpetti. If you're in the mood for a full meal, beeline to Da Bucatino (one block from Via Marmorata) for classic Roman fare,Nuovo Mondo orDa Remo for pizza, or my latest favorite, Flavio al Velavevodetto, which serves up excellent food for moderate prices.
Do: Get off at Porta San Paolo to check out the pyramid of Caius Cestius, a tomb built to a magistrate in the 1st century B.C. that looks like a bizarre little piece of Egypt among Roman traffic. From here, you also can explore the Protestant Cemetery, resting place of expats like John Keats. Take one of the stops on Marmorata to head to the MACRO, a contemporary art museum in a reconstituted slaughterhouse.
Trastevere: Porta Portese to Staz.ne Trastevere
Eat: Like San Lorenzo and Testaccio, Trastevere is full of well-priced, good-quality Roman restaurants—but it's also got its share of tourist joints, so go prepared. Get off at the Porta Portese stop and walk north to enjoy delicious pasta, served fresh in the pan, at Taverna Trilussa, or grab cheap, traditional pizza at Ai Marmi(above). Le Mani in Pasta, a surprisingly elegant hole-in-the-wall, is another local favorite, while L'Asino Cotto serves up creative Mediterranean fare. On the highest end, Glass Hostaria is a super-modern (and expensive) Michelin-starred restaurant in the heart of Trastevere.
Do: If it's a Sunday morning, check out the goods (and junk) at Porta Portese, Rome's biggest flea market. Otherwise, get off at the same stop and walk over to the Basilica of Santa Cecilia, which boasts 13th-century frescoes by Pietro Cavallini, a sculpture by Maderno of Cecilia's incorrupt body as it was found in 1599, and excavations of two ancient Roman houses below that you can visit. Further in the heart of Trastevere, check out the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere along with the Villa Farnesina, home to some of Raphael's loveliest frescoes.
With Sicilian bakery Ciuri Ciuri, I thought I'd found the best stop for cannoli in Rome. And then I discovered Sicilia e Duci.
The pasticceria opened less than two weeks ago in Testaccio, making the foodie-friendly neighborhood that much more of a must on any committed eater's itinerary. It's run by a Sicilian owner who, if his discussion with me about the finer points of cannoli shows anything, definitely knows his stuff.
But even if you're not in the mood for pastries (something I and my sweet tooth couldn't possibly understand, but I hear that it happens), pop your head in just to gawk. Because these pastries, from marzipan in stunningly-realistic fruit shapes to elegant cakes and pastel cassate siciliane, are simply beautiful.
Luckily, though, the taste lived up to the looks.
Sicilia e Duci is located on Via Marmorata 87/89, a stone's throw from that other (if overpriced) foodie haven, Volpetti.
But do check the piece out. These kinds of short-term rentals are hot right now, and for good reason: You can enjoy all of the comforts of home, and a killer location, for way cheaper than a hotel. And if you go through a site like AirBnB, it’s pretty safe. Just stay away from Craigslist—that’s where the scams abound!
I had lunch today at a Rome restaurant I'd never eaten at before: Divinare, a chic (and cleverly-named) wine bar in Testaccio. The food was delicious, from a pasta with fiori di zucca and guanciale (above) to a super-fresh and gourmet salad.
But I can't recommend Divinare to hungry travelers. And boy, is that frustrating.
It's not that they did anything that I haven't seen a hundred times before. But I'm just too sick of it by now to put up with it any more, even the smallest instances of it.
Familiar with Rome's food scene? Then you know where I'm going with this.
Like one of my favorite restaurants in Rome, L'Asino d'Oro, Divinare has a lunch special: 13 euros for a primo, glass of wine, water, and coffee. Not a bad deal. And there's no mistake that that was supposed to be the total; the menu clearly says "servizio e coperto incluso" (service and cover included). My companion and I even commented to each other how much we liked the rare sight of a restaurant that didn't charge coperto.
He ordered the special; I had a 10 euro salad. We also ordered the (included) water for him, plus one for me, asking for due acque piccole. Our very polite and friendly server, who also may have been the owner, brought one large water instead. That made sense. He also brought bread. This made sense, too.
What didn't make sense? Our bill. Thirteen euros for the menu (correct). Ten euros for the salad (yep). A charge for my coffee (fine). Plus… a charge for the whole bottle of water, plus a 2 euro "pane" charge (wait, what?).
It was a difference of three or four euros. Still, I didn't understand where it came from. We should have been charged for half of the one large bottle of water, and for no "bread and cover" at all. When we said something, the server/(owner?) tried to "explain" to us how Rome restaurants charge for bread separately. Yes, we said, but if you bring the bread without us ordering it, which you did, it seems that would be part of the "coperto" charge. Which should be included.
And what about the water? Oh, he said, it's always tough to figure out these things when one person gets the full menu and one person doesn't. (Really? It seems pretty simple: Just charge for half the two-person bottle).
To be fair, he was nice about it. He knocked the charges off for us. And, for all I know, he always charges for "bread," the lack of clarity on the menu is an honest mistake, and nobody else has ever said anything. It's definitely possible.
But, needless to say, we still left a delicious meal with a bad taste in our mouths. And what a shame that is.
I don't mean to lay all the blame on Divinare. Because here's the thing. This "tacking on" of extra, not-quite-corretto charges happens all the time. Food blogger Katie Parla has written about the selective service charge at Grano that's applied to tourists only, and she just wrote about how Roma Sparita has started sneaking a 15% servizio onto tourists' bills, although their menu clearly says service is included. Similarly, Roma Sparita didn't charge me for service or coperto in June, proving their sometimes-charge is an unfair sleight-of-hand for unsuspecting tourists that's led me to update my own blog post about Roma Sparita accordingly. At other restaurants, waiters lean over when tourists are paying to "remind" them that service wasn't already included on their bill (hint hint hint!).
As for most others I've spoken with, it's not the automatic inclusion of a charge, whether servizio or pane e coperto, that bothers me. It's the shady way that it's never clear if it's going to be added or not—even when the menu seems to make it so clear. And it's the way that it seems to be targeted primarily at English speakers, although Italians can feel free to correct me on this point.
So look, Rome restaurants: I have a request. For the love of your own business, cut the bullshit. Please. You know what's fair and what's not. Charging for bread, when it was brought to a table without being ordered and the menu says coperto incluso, is shady. Charging for a large bottle of water for two people, when one person was supposed to get their water included, is not right. Charging some people service, when the menu says servizio incluso, is not okay. But what's crazy is that you already know that. And guess what? So do many of your clients!
Sure, all of this is small-change stuff. Three or four extra euros is hardly the end of the world. But, when it comes to restaurants with great reputations like Roma Sparita and Divinare, that's part of what blows my mind the most. You'd really rather go to the trouble of making a client an amazing meal and still risk them leaving less than 100% thrilled with their experience… just for the sake of some pocket change?
And, dear restaurants, here's something else you need to keep in mind. You might think that, if your client is a tourist who's in Rome for a day, it doesn't really matter if they love your food or think the bill is fair. But guess what? Tourists, too, have brains, friends… and access to TripAdvisor and Chowhound. Plus, with smartphones and iPads becoming more and more prevalent, future would-be clients now can access lousy reviews online more and more easily while they travel.
Not to mention that, every once in a while, that "tourist" happens to be a Rome-based blogger, travel journalist, or guidebook writer. Or even all three.
So please. You're smart people. You've figured out how to start a business in one of the world's most challenging countries for entrepreunership, not to mention a food establishment in one of the most restaurant-saturated cities on earth. So you tell me. Is it really worth the small change?
The Colosseum has just announced—already!—that it’s keeping the underground and third tier open through December.
That’s particularly surprising news (in a good way), since some of us, myself included, thought they’d close the underground over the winter, as they did last year. Or close the areas temporarily while they started restoration work. But no… which is good news for all of those excited to see the hypogeum and third level!
From Oct. 30-Dec. 31, English tours will run at 9:40am, 12:40pm, 1pm, and 2:20pm. If you go with a tour with an official Colosseum guide (a 2-hour tour that includes only the Colosseum, with the underground and third level), the price is €21.50, including the €1.50 booking fee. The maximum group size for each tour is 25 people. Call +39 06 39967700 to book; here’s a Q&A on how to book with the Colosseum and what the underground tour includes.
While I usually try to keep this blog a bit more upbeat and travel-focused, I'm too, well, indignant over the (hoodlum subsection of the) indignati here in Rome not to share.
Yesterday, October 15, Rome joined in the worldwide "Indignati" protests. In itself, a demonstration in Rome is hardly unusual. There's one every few weeks. (Never mind the strikes!).
This protest, though, seemed a little different. First of all, there was the sheer number: Between 200,000 and 300,000 people marched through the streets, many of them bused in from other cities, even countries. (A journalist friend of mine in the States said estimates there said there were 10,000 protestors in Rome. Hell no. It was way more).
And secondly, the violence. Shops were looted, cars were burned out, and even a government building was set alight; the city's saying it's 2 million euros in damages, although I'm guessing the actual number is higher.
No, riots aren't new to Rome. But if the horrified looks on the faces of Romans walking around, surveying the damage, today say anything, it's that it's not usually this bad.
Update, Oct. 16: My column on the violence has just been published in The American magazine; check it out if you just can't get enough of, you know, destruction and horror.
Shortly after the demonstration began, a car was set on fire on Via Cavour while several stores had their windows smashed in. At about 4pm, I walked down to the Colosseum to see what was going on. I could see a column of smoke on the other side of the Colle Oppio park; I later learned it was from Via Cavour.
Where I was, though, everything seemed fine. Thousands of people were walking up Via Labicana, a mix of youths, families and adults. There were very few signs of any kind, or really much organization at all—there wasn't even that much chanting. Typical Italian protest.
So I stood at the Colosseum and watched. A man next to me leaned against the fence, smoking a pipe and holding a newspaper. An Italian woman was on my other side, also just watching. Not much was going on, and there was an intense line of police at the Colosseum, keeping the protesters on their assigned path up Via Labicana.
At that point, though, the crowd changed. Suddenly, it wasn't youths and families walking by chatting. It was people—mostly men—with motorbike helmets and masks on. Maybe two, three hundred. The atmosphere changed. And then they passed on by and up Labicana.
That's when the sound of a bomb went off.
People shrieked and ran. "Che e' successo?" the woman next to me asked, frightened. I had no idea, but decided it was time to move. By the time I got back to my apartment, smoke was pouring up the other side of my building. People walking up my street towards Piazza San Giovanni, where the demonstrations were supposed to end, had scarves over their faces to keep out the smoke.
I arrived at San Giovanni just in time to see the dozen police trucks that had been sitting there turn on their sirens and take off down Via Merulana; police themselves started running down the street. At the corner of Via Merulana and Labicana, I saw it: Just down the road, four cars were completely on fire. Explosion sounds kept going off. Farther down, more cars and a building—the annex building of the Ministry of Defense—were on fire, too. Smoke was everywhere.
Needless to say, I hightailed it back home. For the next hour, our apartment thudded with the sounds of bombs and cars' engines exploding. It felt like a war zone. Here's a short video of what greeted me at my building.
By that night, everything had quieted down. I retraced part of the protest route this morning; car skeletons, burned-out dumpsters, destroyed banks, an ATM that looked like it was bleeding thanks to the red paint that had been splashed on it. And everywhere, graffiti.
Many are saying today that it's pretty fishy that the hoodlums were allowed to do this much damage. And videos show police just standing by as they lit cars on fire and destroyed banks. I'm not convinced it's a conspiracy myself; after all, even Italy's most numskulled officials would have to know that this does more to make the government look weak than it delegitimizes the protestors. Then again, who knows. Crazier things have happened.
But the really crazy thing might just be even worse: that with all of the horrendous problems Italy has right now, with all of the anger there should be against the government (although not, obviously, expressed in this particular way), this is the first time, at least in recent memory, the riots have gotten this violent.
And the fact that that's surprising… might just be the saddest part of all. Click here for more photos of the riots and the aftermath. But at the risk of sounding overdramatic, brace yourself. I'm guessing this is not the Rome that you—or I—know and love.
Churches in Rome aren’t just holy sites. They’re treasure troves of painting and sculpture, mosaic and relics, even ancient ruins. Oh, and they’re free.
Which means you must visit at least some of them during your time in Rome.
The problem, of course, is that there are also hundreds of Rome churches…. literally. Which can make it a little tough to figure out which churches in Rome to visit.
Here is my list of 12 Rome churches that, whether because of their ancient ruins or 12th-century mosaics, happen to fascinate me the most. I’ve chosen ones that are beyond the obvious — so no, you won’t find the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica here.
If you make it, just make sure to double-check the opening times. There’s nothing more disappointing than arriving at a Rome church midday, only to find it (or a key part of it) closed — and many of these smaller churches tend to shut from about noon to about four. Also, keep some change with you, as some of them have frescoes and mosaics that you can light up if you pop a coin in the machine.
The church in Rome I love because… it takes you back in time
The Basilica of Santa Sabina: my favorite church in Rome when I want to feel transported to another era.
There aren’t many churches in Rome that still look like they originally did — especially if they were first built in the 4th or 5th centuries. Most were significantly rebuilt later, especially in the Baroque period. (If you think every Rome church looks over-the-top, that’s why. In that period they really went for… baroque. <sorrynotsorry>).
But not the Basilica of Santa Sabina, on Aventine hill. This 5th-century church has been left largely untouched — meaning you can experience an ancient church largely as it would have looked like at the very start of organized Christianity. It still has its original, elaborately-carved wooden door and mosaic dedication, a cell belonging to St. Dominic later turned into a chapel by Bernini, and even underground 4th- to 2nd-century B.C. ruins (accessible by tour only).
This might just look like a wooden door, if one with elaborate carvings. But what if I told you it was 1,500 years old?!
You don’t have to be an organized-religion lover to love this church. You just have to enjoy time travel.
Pro tip: After visiting the church, head next door to the Garden of Oranges for beautiful views of Rome — and then to the keyhole at the Order of the Knights of Malta for a very special photo op.
The church in Rome I love because… it’s different from the rest
This church looks nothing like any of the others in this list — or around Rome. And that’s why I love it.
This stunning church is one of Rome’s very few Gothic churches, meaning it has a completely different style (one much more at home in, say, Paris) than the rest. I also absolutely adore its night-sky ceiling — that blue is such a vivid splash of color.
The frescoes by Filippino Lippi in Santa Maria Sopra Minerva are vibrant and stunning.
But that isn’t all that Santa Maria Sopra Minerva has to offer. It’s also got a sculpture by Michelangelo (…okay, more likely by his students), the body of St. Catherine of Siena (her head is in Siena…), and my favorite: lovely 15th-century frescoes by Filippino Lippi. They’re as beautiful as any Botticelli, and much more overlooked.
If that weren’t enough, I guarantee you’ll be passing right near this church anyway — it’s next to the Pantheon.
Pro tip: Don’t miss the bizarre sculpture of an elephant holding up an obelisk outside. The elephant is by famed Baroque sculptor Bernini — and the Egyptian obelisk dates back 2,500 years.
The church in Rome I love because… it has the most gruesome artwork you’ve ever seen
Look closely… if you dare.
For strong stomachs only, the Basilica of Santo Stefano Rotondo, on the Celian hill, is decorated with 34 16th-century graphic frescoes depicting martyrs in all stages of torture. Even for the martyrdom-loving Catholic Church, it’s a pretty unusual sight.
As much as the paintings are gruesome, the church itself is pretty.
For those less gruesomely inclined, there’s another great reason to go: one of of few round churches in Italy, it was modeled after the Holy Sepulchre. Dating back to the 5th century, it still has a 6th-century mosaic too.
Pro tip: It’s easy to take an off-the-beaten-path stroll that hits up Santo Stefano Rotondo, San Clemente and Santi Quattro Coronati (see below).
The church in Rome I love because… it’s more like a castle (complete with medieval frescoes)
The entrance to a castle… or a church?
Looming over the neighborhood of the Celio, in the shadow of the Colosseum, the Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati looks like nothing so much as a medieval castle. There’s reason for that: After it was sacked by the Normans (along with the rest of Rome) in the 11th century, it was rebuilt with fortifications.
It’s rare to see medieval frescoes in Rome — especially ones in this good of shape.
Still a cloistered convent today, it has a lovely Romanesque courtyard. But the real seller is the Chapel of St. Sylvester, which has a gorgeous 13th-century cycle of frescoes that are in a remarkably vivid and well-preserved state.
The church in Rome I love because… it’s a layer cake of historical eras
Just up the street from the Colosseum, the Basilica of San Clemente is a 12th-century basilica… built on top of a 4th-century basilica… built on top of first-century Roman buildings, including a Mithraic temple. Admire the gorgeous mosaic on the top floor, then descend below. It’s one of the coolest underground sites in Rome.
The Basilica of San Clemente looks like a sunken old church from the outside — but inside it’s an extraordinary layer cake of eras.
The downside? The cost. A couple of years ago, they upped the entrance to a hefty €10. That shouldn’t keep you from going in — even in a city as rich with history as Rome, this church really is unique. It does, though, mean I’d strongly recommend that you either take a guided tour or pick up a guide in the gift shop before you go down. It can be confusing to figure out what’s what otherwise.
The church in Rome I love because… you can walk on ancient Roman street — underground
Church of San Nicola in Carcere, one of my favorite churches in Rome
What makes the Basilica of San Nicola in Carcere unusual is that it was built incorporating three ancient, Republican-era temples — and you can still see their columns in the exterior.
The underground of San Nicola in Carcere: It’ll take you all of three minutes to see, but you’ll probably be the only one down there.
Plus, for just a couple of euros, you can descend into the underground to see the temples’ podiums and even ancient money-changers’ stalls. (Compare that to San Clemente’s new, steep €10 price…).
Pro tip: You’re around the corner from the Jewish Ghetto here, a lovely place for a stroll — and a strong choice for food. Give the tourist traps on Via Portico d’Ottavia a skip and head to Al Pompiere instead.
The church in Rome I love because… it’s completely off the tourist path
To be fair, most of my favorite churches in Rome are. But because it’s just out of the center — in an area frequented by students, not tourists — this is one that feels even more like a local secret.
San Lorenzo fuori le Mura is one of my favorite spots for peace and tranquility.
San Lorenzo fuori le Mura is a 5th-century church with vibrant Byzantine mosaics. And the remains of St. Lawrence, St. Stephen and St. Justin. And 13th-century frescoes on the exterior (below). And the slab on which Lawrence was ostensibly grilled to death in the 3rd century.
If that weren’t chilling enough, there’s always the cemetery next door to take a stroll in, too.
Those frescoes are looking pretty good for being outside. And 700 years old.
The church in Rome I love because… it’s as pretty inside as its courtyard is outside
The Church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere is beautiful outside — and even more beautiful inside.
Built in the 9th century, on the spot where St. Cecilia was martyred in the 3rd century, the Church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere has a laundry list of extraordinary objects. That includes a beautiful 9th-century mosaic, 13th-century frescoes by Pietro Cavallini, and excavations of two ancient Roman houses below that you can visit. It also has a famous sculpture by Maderno of Cecilia’s body as it was found — incorrupt — when exhumed in 1599. Not to mention one of the prettiest courtyards I’ve ever seen (above).
If you only make a couple of stops in Trastevere, this should be one of them. Truly.
The church in Rome I love because… those mosaics though
It’s true that several churches in Rome have extraordinary Byzantine mosaics (see: Basilica of San Clemente, Basilica of Santa Prassede, Basilica of Santa Costanza…). But. It’s hard to beat the number, or quality, of glittering mosaics here at the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere. The outside is decorated with 12th-century mosaics; the inside, 13th-century mosaics by the famed artist Cavallini.
How beautiful are these mosaics?
If that weren’t enough, this 4th-century church could be the first church in Rome in which Mass was openly celebrated. And it overlooks one of the loveliest, liveliest piazzas in not just Trastevere, but all of Rome, with the streets surrounding filled with restaurants and bars — meaning it’s the perfect place to duck in for a look-see before aperitivo or dinner.
It’s the perfect pre-dinner hangout spot.
The church in Rome I love because… it’s survived the Mafia
The Church of St George in Velabro has survived 1,500 years… and a car bomb.
Don’t let its seeming simplicity fool you: San Giorgio in Velabro is a gem. Built in the 5th-century, today it’s a thoroughly Romanesque church, albeit one that boasts the bones of St. George and lovely frescoes from 1300. And, having survived a Mafia car bomb in 1993, it gets major points for endurance.
Don’t just walk past this ancient arch — stop and take a close look for a hidden family drama…
Pro tip: Take a close look at the ancient arch seemingly built into the left side of the church’s exterior. In particular, look for the spots where it seems like people were carved in, then scratched out. That’s because they were. After he became emperor, Caracalla had all memory of his brother — who he had killed — erased from monuments like this one.
The church in Rome I love because… it’s like a little jewel box
Often overshadowed by its larger, more famous neighbor, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the Basilica of Santa Prassede on the Esquiline (at the edge of Monti) is absolutely worth adding to your list. (Think of it as the Sainte-Chapelle to Notre Dame: Yes, you have to visit both, but who doesn’t love the Sainte-Chapelle even more?)
It’s pretty nondescript from the outside, but don’t let that fool you.
It’s easy to walk right by…
A 9th-century church that still retains its original frescoes and mosaics, this Rome church is a gem that, literally, sparkles. (This is one where you definitely want to bring some change to light up the mosaics).
Built on the spot where tradition holds Prassede hosted St. Peter in her house, it also has the tombs of the saints Prassede and Pudenziana. But, really, it’s all that glittering gold that gets me every time.
…but don’t.
The church in Rome I love because… it’s an homage to an ancient ‘princess’
While it’s a little off the beaten path — albeit near the catacombs of Sant’Agnese, for anyone making a catacombs stop — it’s well worth the visit.
Rome’s only other round church, the Basilica of Santa Costanza was originally built as a mausoleum for Emperor Constantine’s daughter in the 4th century. Today, it’s one of Rome’s oldest churches. It’s also the only other round church in Rome, along with Santo Stefano in Rotondo (see above).
A round church with 4th-century mosaics? Pretty special.
Better yet, it still has its original mosaics from the period, meaning it’s a fascinating stop for anyone interested in how Rome turned from paganism to Christianity.
Liked this post? You’ll love The Revealed Rome Handbook: Updated, Expanded and New for 2017/2018, which includes many more tips and tricks like these in more than 200 information-packed — but never overwhelming! — pages. It’s available for purchase on Amazon or through my site here.I’m also free for one-on-one consulting sessions to help plan your Italy trip.
Sometimes, I feel like I'm slagging off on Rome's restaurants more than anything else.
