Offbeat Rome?

[sattva]

Have been in Rome many times and seen the major sites.  A couple of those is all one can do on a port stop.  But if you have several days in Rome, what's worth looking for off the beaten track?  I recommend three; please add some more:

 

1) Basilica of San Clemente: 12th century church (stunning mosaics) with a 4th century church underneath and ancient buildings (including Mithra temple) below that.

2) Centrale Monte Martini Museum: ancient Roman sculpture on display in a now disused 1920's power station.  Just amazing.

3) MAXXI Museum of 21st century art in an award-winning, post-modernist building with lots of contemporary art inside.

 

What else can traveler's suggest?

 

[Host Bonjour]

Only a few weeks ago there were some posts in a thread that veered off in the wonderful direction of sites to see like this; a number of incredible ancient roman structures and sites of interest were suggested by a few of our members. But...I can't recall which thread it was and those specific posts occurred further down into the thread anyway because of course everyone was awesome in helping the OP with their inquiry before the discussion went happily off-track to visiting these incredible places.

 

I think it might have been a hotel thread...Hotel Cesare? I'll see if I can find it, in the meantime, hopefully some of our resident alternative Italy travelers will consider posting some of their favorite outside "centro storico" places that they think are worth visiting. In that thread I refer to the information the members posted was comparable to the syllabus of a history course on ancient Rome. 🙂

 

Thanks for posting a great thread topic and thanks in advance for the replies. I'm going to pin the topic since it isn't an every day question but it is one worth keeping handy as maybe an idea of other options and ideas for things to do in Rome. You never know, someone might be tempted 😉

[dogs4fun]

If one is looking for offbeat attractions in Rome, there is an interesting website describing a host of attractions here:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/rome-italy/places

The Capuchin Crypt (Santa Maria della Concezione of the Capuchins) is quite interesting. If you are a Bernini fan, I recommend a visit to Santa Maria della Vittoria (Bernini's Ecstasy of St. Theresa - a masterpiece).  There are hidden sculptural masterpieces hidden away in churches - for example, San Pietro in Vincoli houses Michelangelo's Moses that was created for the tomb of pope Julius II and his Cristo Della Minerva can be found at the Basilica Santa maria sopra Minerva (near the Pantheon). Another easy to reach site - the Baths of Diocletian (Piazza della Repubblica) - you can visit the Basilica (Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri) built around the ruins of the ancient frigidarium.

Oh, so very much to see in Rome ... so little time!

Edited April 2, 2019 by dogs4fun

[iancal]

We have been to Rome a number of times.  It is one of our favourite cities.

 

Last time we were there we had nothing planned.  One of the most enjoyable days was spent walking aimlessly around.  We saw and experience places that we had not been before.   No rushing about, no line-ups. Just an easy day.   It was so enjoyable that we did it again on the fourth day of our five day trip.  One aspect that made it especially enjoyabe was that it was November.  The weather was perfect for walking about and there were not nearly as many tourists as we had encountered on previous Sept/Oct. visits.

[cruisemom42]

Most of my off-the-beaten track suggestions are for those who love ancient Rome. A few favorites:

 

-- The Ara Pacis: a masterpiece of ancient sculpture created to commemorate the peace that Augustus brought to Rome during his long rule. It's housed in a modern building (created by architect Richard Meier). Well worth a visit, takes less than an hour and usually not crowded.

 

-- The Museum of the Imperial Forums (Museo dei Fori Imperiali):  great museum that shows the layout and constructions of the various forums in ancient Rome (there was more than just one...). But more thrilling by far, you also get to walk around portions of the Market of Trajan, where you can almost imagine you've gone back in time.

 

-- The Baths of Caracalla:  Best preserved imperial Roman baths I've ever seen (and I've seen a lot of them).  It's very easy to imagine how it looked "back in the day".  Now with a Virtual Reality experience that makes it even easier.

 

-- Capitoline Museum:  Wonderful sculpture and mosaics from ancient Rome, plus the magnificent bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius on horseback, plus a fantastic overlook over the Roman forum (and much more!)

 

-- One "not ancient Roman" pick: The Church of Santa Prassede -- an ancient jewelbox of a church near the much visited (and larger) Santa Maria Maggiore. Built in 780, it contains some of the oldest Christian mosaics in Rome.

[kochleffel]

On 3/18/2019 at 2:32 AM, sattva said:

1) Basilica of San Clemente: 12th century church (stunning mosaics) with a 4th century church underneath and ancient buildings (including Mithra temple) below that.

 

By far this was the best place I visited in Rome.

[roothy123]

These may not be really offbeat, or even all that much unknown.  However, they ARE places that aren't high on most people's lists of things to see in Rome:

 

Gianicola Hill - great view of Rome, and fun (and difficult) to pick out and name church spires. There's also a kind of fake lighthouse up there (was a gift, non-working, but interesting).  Just be careful of using public transportation to get up there.  I used an app, waited for a very long time for a bus, and had to ask for help from another person who was trying to get up there as well.  You might want to just take a cab.  I went mid afternoon and the view was great.

 

The cat sanctuary, while mostly just a store which raises money to spay/neuter/take care of stray cats, is interesting.  It's in a building downstairs at the ruins at Largo di Torre Argentina, but only open certain times a day. You can fill out an adoption for a cat, admire the ones that are in the building, and watch the ones scampering around the ruins outside. 

 

I loved Trastevere at night.  The big church there had a Mass going on, and there was a way to get translations in several different languages.  I just found it a different church experience.  

 

Edited June 23, 2019 by roothy123

[roothy123]

https://pbase.com/roothy123/image/168747465

https://pbase.com/roothy123/image/168747469

Photos are cat sanctuary and Gianicolo Hill

[epixx]

I recommend the following:

 

1.  bike riding on the via Appia Antica on Sunday

2.  Villa Farnesina.  This is a beautiful villa that is decorated with Raphael's (and others) frescoes, including numerous trompe l'oiel.

3.  Palazzo Doria Pamphilj.  This beautiful palazzo houses a private gallery of works by such artists as Carvaggio and Raphael.

4.  Domus Aurea.  This was Emperor Nero's palace and is now an archaeological restoration site with virtual reality.  It's a great place to visit in the heat of the summer, because it's underground and therefore self- air conditioned!

[Hlitner]

One of our favorite days in Rome turned out to be strange.  We were staying in the city for a few days and one beautiful morning walked over the Piazza Navona (our favorite spot in Rome) planning to have some coffee and relax for an hour.  We did not leave our café seat until late in the afternoon.  Just sitting in that stunning piazza and people watching proved to be irresistible.  So, we enjoyed our cappuccino, later had lunch, vino, snack, etc.  Watching the various tour groups and tourists against the backdrop of the fountains was mesmerizing.  Certainly not something we would recommend to most folks, but when we think back to our many days in Rome where we have done all the usual (and some not so usual) tourist things...that was our fondest day.

 

Hank

[Host Bonjour]

These lists are fun to read, thank you everyone. The pinned thread is growing little by little. 😉

 

Indeed, many visitors to Rome will want to see the most well known attractions and understandably so as the history and fame of so many of these landmarks and structures in this ancient city, as well as its importance in the church, will keep enough travelers busy while in port. 

Many travelers though do arrive in Italy planning to spend an extra few pre/post cruise days in Rome and so some might be seeking something different to add into the mix along with the usual sites recommended in most guides or websites. Perhaps it's history, gastronomy, music, archaeology, or something else entirely different not previously thought of. Or maybe as with Hank's post, the fascination of people watching which I have done in more than a few foreign cities, intentionally or sometimes just got lost in the moment, possibly getting caught on conversation with someone at a neighboring table or reading a local magazine or paper–this I've done in Paris. I probably wouldn't do it if I only had one day but who knows....never say never.

 

Are you a repeat visitor to a port city or country? Italy, Rome is a place to keep going back to if ever a place was. Maybe you're not like me and need to actually see the Eiffel Tower every single time I am in Paris (and sadly, it's been awhile but I know it's still there twinkling 😉 ) and you feel like you're good not returning to the Colosseum. Need options? (Yes, I am otherwise often blasé about Paris and not running to see all the rest of the places I've seen! ) 

 

Getting to see and do new, different, unexpected things can bring experiences that feel like no other, like things that aren't described in guides or websites and therefore make it feel like something so unique or customized....like maybe no other visitors have had–because they haven't. No one can, they're not you, don't have your perspective in that moment doing something completely different in this incredible city. And the best part? This is how I've found myself most completely and utterly surprised with fabulous experiences, big and small that I'd never have had if I didn't do something different. No way to have predicted I'd go to Modena and end up attending a rehearsal of Pavarotti's UNHCR concert. Zero, none. The origin of that is from dinner in an OK bistro in the 6th of Paris just chatting with two people, work colleagues, at the table next to mine. I had trouble deciding where to eat that night. Let's just say I chose well. And I had fun in Rome, Florence, Venice.....

 

This thread is looking great, thank you everyone. Now, I just need to get myself back to Italy, Rome....the places on this list are captivating. And I have gotten obsessed with Ostia from a crime drama. I'm weird. I did the chilling out in the Piazza Navona already (1st visit) because the piazza stopped me cold and I couldn't just leave, so as is often the case, take Hank's words to heart. And all the other suggestions. And...Paris, toujours, Paris. 

[cruisemom42]

I've probably spent more time than most wandering around Rome. I'm a seeker after the ancient sites and my biggest satisfactions have come from accessing places that are difficult of access. Some of the "wins" that have remained a thrill include getting to see the interior of the pyramid of Cestius and the interiors of the Roman temples of Hercules (the round one, near the Bocca della Verita (mouth of truth) and Portunus (the rectangular one nearby). Most recently, my friend and I had a private tour of the catacombs of San Sebastian, to see places not accessible via the regular tours, with the archaeologist who excavated and published them -- pre-Christian, Roman tombs. Fantastic!  Of course, what has opened the door for these kinds of experiences has been the work I've put in to learn Italian.  I am still trying to figure out how to get access to certain areas of the Pantheon, and to Augustus' tomb, which may be finally getting a much-deserved restoration.

 

It's hard to pick out favorites, but a few places that really live in my memory are those closely connected to Rome's ancient history, including:

 

-- The loggia in the Capitoline museum that served as the repository for the actual stone tablets with the laws of the Roman republic, with its awesome views onto the Forum.

 

-- The inside of the Senate building in the Roman Forum, with its original floor, where those laws were made (for the trivia lovers, the Senate doors are replacements, but the originals can be seen at the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano where they are still in use).

 

-- The Market and Forum of Trajan, including Trajan's column -- built with the spoils of Emperor Trajan's wars with the Dacians (modern Romania). Similarly, the Arch of Titus, with its panels showing the Romans taking the treasures from the Temple in Jerusalem.

 

-- The Ara Pacis (altar of Augustan peace) -- a wonderful piece of art and propaganda, selling the Romans on why having an emperor is better than having a Republic... 

 

-- The Houses of Augustus and Livia on Palatine hill -- one of the few places in Rome itself where you can see surviving frescoes. Relatively easy to imagine Augustus' presence there, struggling to work out how to govern the vast empire of Rome.

 

-- Outside Rome, the Villa of Hadrian is a fantastic day trip, in nearby Tivoli, and another spot where you can feel the past very strongly.

 

 

 

 

[cruisemom42]

I forgot to add: regarding the items in my bulleted list above, none require knowledge of Italian or special skills to book, although a few do require advance reservations.

 

[JRG]

On 7/2/2019 at 11:45 AM, epixx said:

I recommend the following:

 

4.  Domus Aurea.  This was Emperor Nero's palace and is now an archaeological restoration site with virtual reality.  It's a great place to visit in the heat of the summer, because it's underground and therefore self- air conditioned!

 

This recommendation caught my eye so we booked it and took the tour last Sunday.   It's off the beaten path in the sense that its difficult but not impossible to find as it is relatively new as a visitor site and the signage is lacking.   

 

The tour is only open to visitors on the weekends due to the ongoing excavation,  so access is limited which is a good thing as you are not fighting crowds.   You're given hardhats and the guide leads a small group of 16 or so through the catacomb like 

chambers and you're given a narrative of the various rooms which is described to us as a city within a city.    

 

The highlight of the tour is the use of virtual reality headgear which is a sit-down 10 minute rendering of how the structure should have looked.   You find yourself sitting in the ruins and then suddenly the marble floors, walls and ceilings come to life in 3D and you find yourself standing in the palace.   You then find yourself walking out thru the palace, into the garden, and then to the edge of the site overlooking Ancient Rome.    Its' a great way to solidify your impression of how Ancient Rome might have looked to Nero as he strolled across the grounds.

 

There are also some partially visible frescoes still visible but they are difficult to see.     The tour itself last 75 minutes and as mentioned above it's quite chilly so its serves as a refreshing change of pace if the heat of Rome is a problem.

 

All in all we enjoyed the tour and at 12 euros pp it was well worth it.

 

 

[Spree75]

Here are some areas that we enjoyed in Rome where we didn't see any other tourists (except for #4)...

 

1) Coppode - Art Noveau-Baroque-Gothic-Ancient Greek all smashed into one.  This area which was built in the early 1900's had fascinating architecture.  It's a small area that could be a quick stop or you could end up spending an hour or two wandering around and staring at all of interesting building styles.

 

2) EUR (especially Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana) - Built by the fascists but still a fascinating area.  Kind of like a modern day forum in that everything is planned out and the placement around the area has meaning.

 

3) Stadio Dei Marni - This is the stadium next to the Olympic Stadium and has 59 massive marble statues lining the outer rim.  If you love staurary then you should stop here for a look.

 

4) The Aventine Keyhole - Not really a long stop but one of the most unique picture framing that I've seen.  This can be found at Villa del Priorato di Malta.  There's usually a line of people waiting to take a look.

 

All of the above are free but you do have to get them.