So, this isn’t your first time in Rome. Nor your second.
Yet, somehow, this city keeps calling you back. With its architectural charm, layers of history, and immense culture, it’s no wonder why. So, here you are, heading to Rome again.I get it. I spent a long summer living here three years ago, and even now, living in a different country, I still feel that same pull—as if my soul craves the warmth of Roman summers, the taste of fresh pizza al taglio and the ethereal beauty of churches.
I had the opportunity to see what everyone sees and what tourists don’t notice. Here are three things to see in Rome for those who have seen the essentials but still want to venture off the beaten path.
ROME OVERVIEW
WHERE | Roma, Italy
GETTING THERE | Train, bus, international & domestic airport
GETTING AROUND | Walk, Bus, Tramway, Metro, Tours & Bike rental
TOP THINGS TO SEE | Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill, Pantheon, Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Trastevere, Piazza Venezia & Vittoriano Monument
WHAT TO EAT | Pasta Cacio e Pepe, Pasta Amatriciana, Saltimbocca alla Romana, Carciofi alla Romana o alla Giudia, Supplì, Pizza al Taglio, Maritozzo
BEST TIME TO VISIT | All year around
CURRENCY | Euros €
VIA APPIA ANTICA, ROME
Few Romans and visitors know about the existence of the world’s oldest and best-preserved Roman road. Built over 2,400 years ago and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2024, this ancient route once served as a vital artery for military movements and trade, linking Rome to Brindisi in the Puglia region.
It was nicknamed ‘Regina Vivarium’ (Queen of roads) and celebrated for both its strategic importance and its beauty. Lined with pine trees, cypresses, palaces, and other ancient buildings, this road offered a picturesque and verdant stroll. Today, it still offers this peaceful atmosphere, away from the busy Eternal City. There are many ancient ruins that recall the prestige of the Roman Empire: circuses, churches, mausoleums, and catacombs, which can be explored on foot or by bike.
The Appian Way is especially beautiful in the late afternoon, when the fading sun paints the sky, the earth & the ruins in golden light.
CENTRALE MONTEMARTINI MUSEUM, ROME
Five minutes from the Garbatella metro station, stands one of Rome’s most surprising and monumental scenographies: an old power plant turned museum. Inside, the massive industrial machines stand side by side with delicate ancient sculptures, creating a strange harmony, a contrast between materials and sizes which highlight each element.
If you are in Rome during Museum Night (usually in May), this is the place to go to enjoy live music in the midst of this setting.
Entry price : 14,5€ (full). Combined ticket with the Capitoline Museums: 19€.
Opening times : Tuesday to Sunday, 9am–7pm.
VILLA GIUSTINIANI MASSIMO, ROME
Few people know that just a few steps from the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano hide three of the most beautiful painted rooms in Rome. Head to Villa Giustiniani Massimo, a palace built at the beginning of the 17th century, now home to the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land.
If you find the villa’s door locked, simply ring the bell at the entrance and explain the reason for your visit. One of the Franciscan brothers will welcome you and guide you through a beautiful inner courtyard to the three “Nazarean Rooms,” decorated in the early 1800s with frescoes by painters of the Nazarene movement. Each room is dedicated to masterpieces by great Italian writer : Dante and The Divine Comedy, Il Tasso and Jerusalem Delivered & Ariosto and his epic poem Orlando Furioso.
It’s the kind of hidden gem that leaves a lasting impression of serene & intimate place.
Practical informations :
- Free entry – Just ring the bell to enter.
- Opening times : Tuesday & Thursday from 9am to 12pm and 4pm to 6pm, and Sunday from 10am to 12pm.
