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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Off the beaten track in Rome

14 replies

Twix42 · 09/07/2023 10:15

Any tips? Will be doing all the touristy spots too, but like quirky, quieter things to nosy at too. Gardens, hidden stuff etc.
Going next week so shady and out of the sun is also a must!
Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 09/07/2023 10:33

Off the top of my head:

Catacomb of Sant'Agnese - easy to get to although a bit out of the way, not many people go and the church is great

The four main churches in Trastevere - some amazing art and again some have a lot less visitors. Santa Maria, Santa Cecilia, San Francesco a Ripa Grande, San Crisogono

San Crisogono is a personal favourite as it has a crypt with Roman ruins and frescoes in. OK it isn't as good a crypt as San Clemente but everyone goes to San Clemente while you have a good chance of San Crisogono being deserted.

If you like classical music and/or opera then Roma Opera Omnia is brilliant.

Original poster
Twix42 · 09/07/2023 10:51

This is great thank you! 😀
Love anything underground 😆

Also food market / shop recommendations would be useful as we'll be picnicking a lot.

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 09/07/2023 11:13

Have you thought of doing a food tour?

Sadly I haven't a recommendation for Rome, but we now try to plan one early in the holiday as they make a lot of difference to the quality of what we end up eating.

LIZS · 09/07/2023 11:32

Appian Way , catacombs if that is your thing, Baths of Caracalla, Borghese gardens, all accessible by bus. You may be able to book specific guided tours to Nero's Golden House (park nearby tends to be quieter with great views of Colosseum and has ruined walls) and the fenced off palace rooms on the Palatine hill. There is an underground roman house excavation near the Trajan forum, Further out you could explore Portus or Ostia Antica,

Helenloveslee4eva · 09/07/2023 11:36

Twix42 · 09/07/2023 10:15

Any tips? Will be doing all the touristy spots too, but like quirky, quieter things to nosy at too. Gardens, hidden stuff etc.
Going next week so shady and out of the sun is also a must!
Thanks in advance!

Get the local train to Ostia antica.
amazing site almost like Pompeii but as it’s a bit out if the main city very quiet.
use the audio guide and don’t loose track of time and have to rush to return it as I did 😂

also bath of carcarella ( I think that’s the name ) bloody enormous !!

centre monte martini - branch of the capitoline but quiet and the basilica of at Paul out that way. Again bus / local train but easy.

and go in the pyramid at pyramide station if you can get there when it’s open.

MissAmbrosia · 09/07/2023 11:37

Monte Testaccio - a hill made up of broken amphorae. There are restaurants round the edge that have "cut out" bits so you can see into the inside of the hill. The Bocco di Veritas as featured in Roman Holiday. The glass elevator to the roof of the Victor Emmanuel II monument for the views. We did an underground tour which was fascinating and definitely gave access to places you wouldn't normally see.

AnnaMagnani · 09/07/2023 11:37

Actually on a hot day, a day trip to the Villa d'Este is ideal. Lots of fun, lots of shade and you get wet. Not so much the Villa Adriana - no shade at all and a lot less interesting than it looks on TV.

Don't forget all the water from public taps in Rome is clean so don't spend on bottled water, you can fill up practically everywhere.

mondaytosunday · 09/07/2023 12:09

I found just wandering around. My daughter and I decided to amble up a side street and ended up at an interesting church, went in and found an amazing museum underneath full of treasures. Fascinating. Then when we were walking to the Trevi fountains (which we didn't about 30 seconds at as it was rammed), we also meandered off and found a couple lovely little shops.
My husband and I did go to a little restaurant recommended by our guidebook - sorry no idea the name - and it was basically someone's front room with about four/five tables and you ate what they cooked - no menu. It was fab and felt like a hidden secret even though it was from a guidebook!
My tip when you do go to main attractions is to prebook tours. And the underground is cheap and while it looks like the tunnels are about to collapse around you quite efficient- that may take you to places off the beaten track.

AnnaMagnani · 09/07/2023 12:34

I would second the advice to prebook tours and entrances. Even if the queue is short you don't want to be standing out in the sun.

DH tried the 'lets wander and just go into churches' approach - and gave up v quickly as there are so so many churches and he realised a lot are quite dull. So we got the guidebook out to do an edit.

sashagabadon · 09/07/2023 12:43

We did e bikes on Appian way with carpe diam tours I think. It was great and my kid’s favourite thing we did. E bikes are a revelation!

unicornhair · 09/07/2023 13:00

Villa D’Este and the nearby town. We took lunch in to the botanic gardens once and it was quiet and shaded.

Original poster
Twix42 · 09/07/2023 14:43

This is all great thank you 😊
I have teens, 11, 15 and 17, so grateful for any ideas for things you think they might particularly enjoy!,

OP posts:
AnnaMagnani · 09/07/2023 15:07

The classic suggestions for teens would be the Capuchin crypt, tour of the Colisseum (it's dull without a tour - Forum is better but absolutely no shade), cat sanctuary at Largo Argentino

ScrummyDiva2 · 09/07/2023 15:14

We did a fab food tour- Prati by Sunset, by The Roman Food Tour. Great tour of an area off the tourist trail and LOADS of food!! Really recommend.

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