kelsey22

This will be my second trip to Rome. I have seen the major sites. One of my favorite galleries was the Villa Borghese, so I plan to return. Other than that, I am looking for some unique places to visit or activities to do. I love art, music and history. I know - I will be in the right place.

shelemm

A lot of folks miss Hadrian's Villa and Villa d' Este, which I think is unfortunate.

kelsey22

thank you for reminding me.

mama_mia

I shared the following on a thread titled Rome Beyond the Obvjous. My posting and the link follow."One of my favorite walks starts at the Church of Saint Cecilia in Trastevere. Cecilia was an early martyr who just would not die. They tried boiling her without success but in the end chopped off her head. In the late 16th century, her "incorrupt" body was unearthed during work on the church and a statue was made (by Stefano Maderno), supposedly depicting her body as it was found. It is one of my favorite works of art in Rome. There is also a beautiful fresco in the nun's choir by Cavallini that was ahead of its time (medieval) in depicting depth through the use of color gradations. There is a crypt and chapel with an altar from around 1000 AD and also evidence of a Roman home underground.

From there you can walk towards the Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere, with its mosaics ranging from the 1000-1300 period. The Piazza in front of the church is an especially nice place to get a drink or have lunch. Then continue on to the Villa Farnesina which has some lovely frescoes attributed to Raphael or his assistants. If you have any energy left, head up to the Janiculum Hill, where there are some gardens, fountains and a beautiful view (Belvedere) of Rome."

Rome Beyond the Obvious: Things to See, Things to Do

bvlenci

I have been to Rome more times than I can count, but I still haven't seen everything I want to see. Maybe you could tell us what your interests are, and also what "major sites" you've already seen.

I assume you're interested in art. Rome has many great art museums apart from the few that most tourists see. The Villa Borghese is especially known for sculpture, so you might enjoy the Capitoline Museums and the National Roman Museum at Palazzo Massimo alle Terme. Both have fantastic collections of ancient sculpture. If you're especially interested in Bernini, there are other places where you can see works of his.

So if you could give me some general hints as to what interests you, I'll try to make some suggestions.

Jean

I agree with bvlenci... it would help to know what you've already seen. Which "major sights"?

If you haven't taken the Scavi tour under St. Peter's, that would be my first recommendation. Second, Domus Aurea, Nero's Palace near the Coloseo (only open Fri., Sat., Sun.).

How many days will you be in Rome? Are you interested in other day trips besides Tivoli/Villa Adriana?

SusanP

Good suggestions above. If you do S. Cecilia, don't miss that crypt. It's amazing!

Just a few...if you like mosaics, in addition to S. Maria in Trastavere:
​​​​​​
Santa Prassede, just south of Santa Maria Maggiore (which of course is also worth seeing)
Santa Pudenziana, not far away on Via Urbana, oldest Christian mosaics in Rome, 4th C
Cosmos & Damiano, Via dei Fiori Imperiali

As a day trip, Ostia Antica is a short train ride away and is a good alternative if you're not going to Pompeii.

And so many more!

kelsey22

Thanks for the links and ideas.
I am still open for days. I am headed to Sicily after Rome. I just needed a bit of Rome again.
I love Bernini, classical music including opera, architecture. I like the idea of doing a themed day.
Now on the list: Capitoline Museums and the National Roman Museum at Palazzo Massimo alle Terme.

Definitely will book a tour: Has anyone used this tour company? https://www.walksofitaly.com/vatican-tours/?

I
I am still struggling with a place to stay. Quite costly! Having said that, I did expect it to be.

SusanP

If you like Bernini, Santa Maria della Vittoria is a must, if you haven't seen it, for the Ecstasy of St. Teresa.

kelsey22

Thank you! On the list now!

SusanP

I'm another Bernini lover, so a few more:

Sant'Andrea al Quirinale, Via delle Quirinale - the whole small church is a gem (and almost next door is S. Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, by Borromini, who was Bernini's big rival - very different style, good to compare the two for your interest in architecture)

Church of San Francesco a Ripa, in Trastavere, for the Blessed Ludovica Albertoni sculpture

Santa Maria del Popolo for the sculptures in the Chigi Chapel

The angels on Ponte San Angelo, the bridge leading to Castle San Angelo, although only two are original, the rest are duplicates

I assume you've seen the Four Rivers Fountain in the Piazza Navona.
Of course, there are more...😁

kelsey22

I will never forget the first Bernini I saw in person!

mama_mia

Here are some music resources:

Academy of Santa Cecilia
https://santacecilia.it/en/concerts-calendar/

Opera e Lirica (Performances at St Paul Within the Walls, not to be confused with St Paul Outside the Walls)
https://www.opera-lirica.com/en/22-o...eekly-schedule

Classic Music across Europe
https://www.classictic.com/en/

https://www.turismoroma.it/it/romalive

kelsey22

this is fantastic! Thank you!

Vttraveler

I really enjoyed a book called The Genius in the Design by Jake Morrissey. It describes the rivalry between Bernini and Borromini.

Some places we have enjoyed in Rome that may not be on the list of "major sites" you have visited:

-The walk from the Janiculum down to Trastevere --this is the route suggested in post #4 in reverse. It is worth seeing the view of Rome from the top of the hill. You will also pass Tempietto at Pietro in Montorio on the way downhill
-The baths of Caracala
-The Palatine Hill
-The Appian Way and catacombs
-the Park of the aqueducts
-the Pinacoteca gallery at the Vatican Museums
-Santa Maria sopra Minerva (Gothic architecture)
-Church of S. Luigi dei Francesi, with its three Caravaggio masterpieces

Michael

For more modern sights:

bvlenci

Two other museums, less well-known but spectacular:
the Barberi Gallery has a world-class collection of paintings, from medieval to early modern, with an emphasis on the Italian Renaissance. Someone mentioned above the rivalry between Bernini and Borromeo. At the Barberini you can see two grand staircases, one designed by Bernini and the other by Borromeo.

The ticket gives you access to the Corsini Gallery in Trastevere, which is a smaller gallery, but with a great density of masterpieces.

https://barberinicorsini.org/

Adjacent to the Corsini Gallery, you should visit the Villa Farnesina, a Renaissance villa set in a beautiful garden. Inside there are some period furnishings and frescoes, including some by Raphael.

Villa Farnesina | Gli affreschi di Raffaello a Roma

Another splendid Renaissance dwelling is the Palazzo Doria Pamphili, which is still owned by descendants of the powerful Renaissance family. The rooms are furnished in lavish period style and the family's art collection is displayed.

https://www.doriapamphilj.it/roma/

bvlenci

In my previous post, the name is Barberini Gallery, not Barberi.

Someone else mentioned the Ostia Antica archeological site, larger than Pompeii and mostly very well preserved. The two sites are different in several ways. Pompeii is a sort of snapshot of Roman life. The city had been greatly damaged in a previous earthquake. In fact, some reconstruction was still ongoing at the time of the volcanic eruption. Therefore nearly everything you see is from the 1st century. Ostia, on the other hand was a flourishing port and later a residential town for 1000 years. It gradually declined and was abandoned in the early middle ages, and was mostly buried by drifting sand. The port had silted up, and the residents were subject to attacks from pirates. At some point, the aqueduct that supplied fresh water was destroyed. A castle was built near the town so the residents would have a safe refuge in the event of raids, and gradually the town relocated to the vicinity of the castle. The castle can be visited.

The other big difference is that Pompeii was a middle class, mainly residential, town, almost a bedroom community of Naples. Of course there were artisans and shops and other support services, so not all the residents were middle class. Ostia, on the other hand, was a working port town. (After the port silted up, it became more of a residential town.) You can see an ancient Roman "osteria" bar/restaurant, with intact counters, a wine cooler, and a mosaic which served as a menu. There is a multi story apartment building; an ancient Roman public toilet; an amphitheatre; the remains of a Christian basilica, a synagogue, and a Mithraic temple. There is a piazza lined with the shops or offices of merchants. There are many mosaic floors and statues of deities of various religions; it was a multi-cultural place. There's a small museum where various things found on the site are preserved.

Ostia Antica Is a place where a good guide can make your visit more interesting, because it's not easy to find your way around. Even with a map, and having been there multiple times, I tend to get lost.

The last time we were there, we rented an audio guide. We punched in the numbers of the first few sites, and listened to the explanation of the site. However, after a while we saw no more numbers, until we finally saw one lying in the middle of the road. Maybe this has been remedied.

https://www.ostia-antica.org/index.html

You now have more than enough suggestions to fill your time in Rome. Maybe you understand why there are still things I still haven't been able to see after multiple visits.

italychronicles1530

If you haven't been to Ostia Antica you need to check it out, ideally with a guide who can bring the ancient city to life. Think Pompeii 25 minutes from Piramide station. Palazzo Massimo is another great under the radar museum near Termini. The ticket includes access to the ancient thermal bathes opposite. You might also try your hand at a cooking class or wine tasting, rent a vespa for the day and head to the Castelli Romani to explore the volcanic lakes and Renaissance villas. Rome is infinite.
Journey On!