If it’s your first time in Rome, you know there are some places you can’t absolutely miss. I’m talking about the Colosseum majesty, the Fori Imperiali charm, the Altare della Patria magnificence, the Vatican Museums art, the fearsome Piazza di Spagna staircase. And the list could go on.
But if you have already visited the main attractions in Rome and you want to go further, living the true soul of the city, then you really need to know some non-tourist places to visit in Rome.
I want to share with you my 5 favorite places, those that hide their charm and that represent the poetic and mysterious soul of the city.
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1. The Jewish Ghetto
If you want to fully enjoy the hidden charm of Rome, you should spend a couple of hours at the Jewish Ghetto. It is an interlacement of little cobbled roads in the heart of the city, just behind the Tiber Island, where the Jews were banished. In this district the Jewish community has built, over time, a very important part of the Roman tradition and today, walking through the alleys of the neighbourhood, you will breathe history, pain and redemption, but also traditional dishes aroma, coming out from the typical restaurants.
2. The Orange Garden
The Orange Garden, officially Parco Savello, is an incredibly fascinating place, with grass, citrus and poetry smell. It’s a delightful terrace on the Aventine Hill, overlooking the Tiber and offering one of the most beautiful views of the city. Picturesque and fragrant during the autumn, bright and colorful in spring, the Orange Garden is also the ideal place for a relaxing afternoon, to be spent lying on the grass reading a book. Unlike the other viewpoints in Rome it’s very close to the underground, and this is definitely an advantage. You have no excuses to miss it! 🙂
3. The keyhole
Since you are on the Aventine Hill, a few meters from the Orange Garden there is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta Palace.
You’ll probably meet few tourists here, but it still preserves its mystery aura. The palace can’t be visited, but spying through the gate keyhole you can enjoy an amazing view, almost fairy-tale: a frame of flowers and plants, a driveway and, in the end, the St. Peter Basilica Dome.
4. Rione Monti
A very suggestive moment can be a walk to Rione Monti, one of the oldest neighbourhoods of the city, which preserves the peculiarities of nineteenth-century Rome in its narrow streets, in the modest houses, in the craft shops. If you love to get lost in picturesque places and then find yourself again richer and thrilled, the Rione Monti will surely inspire you.
5. The Non-Catholic Cemetery
No, you did not misunderstand. I’m recommending a visit to a cemetery, it’s true! That’s because the Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome is not a simple cemetery: it’s a collection of art, poetry and beauty on a background full of pastel colours, a place that can literally leave you speechless. It’s almost 300 years old, it is located in the Testaccio district, and it houses the tombs of few famous people, such as John Keats and Percy Shelley, well-known English poets, Antonio Gramsci, Italian politician, August von Goethe, the son of the famous German writer and poet, and many others. It absolutely worth a visit!
These are the 5 non-tourist sites that I suggest you to visit in Rome. As you can imagine, however, the Eternal City is full of hidden gems, and you can find the biggest surprise just around the corner. My advice is to throw away the city map and to get lost, enjoying the wonders of this city.
And if you discover something new or fascinating, don’t be selfish and write it in the comments down below: I want to enjoy it too! 🙂
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