The Alternative Guide to Rome
Rome. La città eterna! One of the most romantic, stylish, historic cities in the world. Filled with light and the smell of fresh pasta. As the legend goes, if you toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain you will return to Rome, as luck would have it I’ve had the great fortune to return a few times! I find when returning to a city multiple times, you need to alternate how you spend your time and what to see, not to just repeat the same patterns. Live a little and see what secrets the city is hiding!
There is no question that you should see the Spanish Steps, The Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Colosseum and the other rich historical gems the city is the custodian of, however, as I had seen these wonders previously, on my most recent trip to Rome I decided to shake things up a bit and try and discover a new side to the city I hadn’t experienced yet!
1. Capuchin Crypt
Just a few weeks prior to landing up in Italy, I found myself in the small town of Kutna Hora just east of Prague. Its probably best known for being the site of the Sedlec ossuary. An ossuary, for those who might not know, can be a box, chest, site or full on building that houses skeletal remains. The one in Kutna Hora is pretty startling because of the chandeliers and baroque designs. But the experience left an impression on me and I was curious. I heard there was a crypt in Rome, sometimes known as ‘The Bone Church,’ that houses the history and remains of the city’s Capuchin monks. It’s under the Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini. You have to go through the museum first before you reach the ossuary which gives a detailed history of the order of Capuchin. I have to say, I found this experience a lot more jarring than the one I had in Kutna Hora. The crypts were so silent I could hear my own heartbeat and the six small rooms are only lit by candles and the odd small window. Not going to lie, I had moments where it felt a little too spooky for me. It was one of those weird almost out of body experiences where I felt like I was in a movie, or that I was looking at props, forgetting it was all real. The monks created this ossuary as a reminder of human mortality and the passage of life on earth. It was certainly unique and interesting…although perhaps not for the feint of hart.
What you need to know:
Tickets are €8.50, and as it is still owned by the order and as such a religious site, you will have to dress appropriately, which means covered shoulders, knees and midriffs. You also can’t take any photos.
2. Bocca della Verità
One of my all time favourite movies is Roman Holiday. Who doesn’t want to be Audrey Hepburn riding around on the back of a Vespa!? I was definitely having a moment walking around Rome in my black dress, hair in a bow, dark cat eye shades. My favourite scene in the movie is when Gregory Peck takes Audrey to the Bocca della Vertià (the mouth of truth) and pranks her into thinking his hand is gone! Apparently if you stick your hand into the mouth and are a lier, it’ll bite it right off! I couldn’t believe I had never been here before! Honestly its kind of off the beaten path and not a super obvious attraction. Its not too far a walk from the Coliseum. Historians aren’t quite sure what the mask was originally for, most suggest it was probably a fancy drain cover from the near by temple of Hercules Victor. It was honestly one of my favourite moments of my trip where I could live out Roman Holiday dream.
What you need to know:
There’s no fee so you can just walk right in! Its a one way type room so you’ll wait in a wee line and then get a chance to go up and pop your hand in, but the experience will be relatively quick. If you’re alone, like I was, make friends with the people in line behind you because you’ll need someone to snap that shot!
3. Aventine Keyhole
This was my treasure hunt like adventure! The keyhole is definitely one of the hidden gems of Rome, and if you are looking for something alternative to do I highly recommend. I also recommend wearing good walking shoes as you’ll be going up quite the hill to get there! And take your time, its such a lovely, quiet residential area. There are lots of churches and embassies so its very tranquil. Aventine Hill is one of the seven hills of Rome and the current home of the Priory of the Knights of Malta. The gardens at the top of the hill are stunning enough filled with orange trees, flowers, fountains and some of the best sweeping, wideshot views of the city. If you keep walking though you will find a dark green door with the tiniest keyhole! Through it, the vista lines up perfectly with the garden and at the end, directly centre is St. Peters Basilica. Nobody knows if the design was on purpose or a happy accident, either way it was worth it! Its As the priory is technically Maltese soil, you will be looking across three countries; Malta, Italy and Vatican City, which is think is pretty cool.
What you need to know:
Good walking shoes would be good but I managed in some very solid flip flops! Its still for sure a less known site, in fact there was only one other person when I was there. But I would go early. This is really a site for your eyes and memories. A photo really won’t be able to capture the beauty of what you see through the keyhole, but for sure give it a go!
4. Keats-Shelley Museum
In high school my friend Steph got me into the poetry of John Keats. Its all very romantic, filled with longing, lust, separation, and whenever I need a little romantic pick me up I just dust off my well loved, falling apart at the seams book of his poetry. When he was separated from his love Fanny Bryce, he went to Rome where he lived until he died, and where he wrote some of his most famous works! He lived in the house with Percy Shelley, another romantic poet, although you may know his wife better - Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein. The museum is in their old house, which is literally right next to the Spanish Steps, you cant miss it. The rooms are so decadent and oozing with that hedonistic charm of the early 1800’s. If you aren’t into poetry, this stop might not be for you. But I personally love being in the presence of where great art was created, especially when so much of the musings on love and life were inspired by Rome. When I left the museum I was literally in the dreamiest, most romantic mood. Sigh.
What you need to know.
As I said its literally right next to the Spanish Steps, so it’ll be very easy to find. Tickets are €6.00 and the gift shop is filled with beautiful romantic poetry about Rome!
5. Cooking in Trastavere
In all of the times I’d been to Italy, I’d never taken a cooking class! Mamma Mia! One of the best ways to explore any place is through its local food scene! So I spent an afternoon learning from chef Andrea Consoli about traditional Roman food and the history of cooking in the city. We made pasta alla chitarra, zucchini blossoms, sauce and tiramisu! Who knew it was so hard to break a zucchini flower off its stalk! After eating all my hand made food I decided to wander around the Trastevere neighborhood. Its the bohemian heart of Rome. It has romantic ivy lined alleys, buildings with faded paintings on the side, tons of cool craft bars that spill out on to the streets with musicians playing, and stunning views of the Tiber. You feel far away from the madness of the high tourist zones, its easily my favourite area in the city!
What you need to know:
Although there is still lots to see, it is more of a residential area, lots of locals!
6. Villa Borghese Gardens
So this one is less alternative. Tons of tourists pop up to the top of the Spanish Steps to see the Villa Borghese and the world class gallery it houses. But what I have found is not a ton of people stay around to check out the vast gardens that surround it, which happens to be one of the largest public parks in Europe. I spent almost an entire day just wandering around the different areas. Stopping to look at flowers, ruins, the trees, it is the perfect place to journal and just nature bathe for a while. I think I spent a solid hour just sitting by one of the lakes and taking in the statues. I feel like royalty walking down the manicured gardens lined with Cyprus trees, its really something else. Its so big though that if you need to narrow down what you should see I suggest the temple of Asclepius, the water clock, the villa Medici, and watch a sunset from Pincio Hill.
What you need to know:
The park is completely free, but most of, if not all the buildings will have a ticket price. So do some research beforehand and decide how many place you wish to visit.
7. Get Straight Up Lost!
Rome is not build on a grid, all of the streets are winding and confusing, so its the perfect city to get lost in! Some of the best coffee shops, gelato stands and restaurants I found from just walking aimlessly and taking in everything I found. I walked through the most stunning piazzas and neighbourhoods. On my way to the Borghese gardens I walked through the most magically bizarre neighbourhood in North Rome called Quartiere Coppedè. It had Greek inspired architecture, outdoor chandeliers, buildings with gardens on the roofs and decorative elements like faces, animals, and cherubs etched in and even a frog fountain that the Beatles apparently frolicked in! I think it just lends itself to the ‘good things happen when you least expect it’ ideology that by just having a wander you’ll come upon something amazing. Its worked for me anyways!
These were my choices and discoveries when looking to have a different type of experience, but Rome is an endless treasure trove of things to do and see! From the Campo de Fiori markets, National pasta museum or even Mussolini’s balcony you can come up with any number of alternative things to do once you’ve seen all the iconic landmarks! Ciao!