Hidden Rome

22nd April 2022

Once the capital of an ancient empire whose armies and politics defined the Western world, the spiritual and physical seat of the Roman Catholic Church, and the site of major artistic and intellectual achievements, Rome is the Eternal City. It remains today a political capital, a religious centre, and a memorial to the creative imagination of the past. It has many hidden places to explore.

First up is the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, an absolutely stunning palace in the middle of Rome – not far from such sights as the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, or the Victor Emmanuel II monument. The interior of the palazzo is lavishly decorated. Wherever you look, you see amazing art and impressive architectural details. Inside the palazzo is the real treasure – the Doria Pamphilj Gallery. This is one of the best museums in Rome – all the artwork was collected by the princely Doria Pamphilj family and includes works by artists such as Velázquez, Raphael, and Titian. The combination of the beautiful palace and its rich art collection makes a visit to the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj one of the best activities in Rome for those wishing to get off the beaten track.

On to the  Largo di Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary. Largo di Torre Argentina is a town square in the heart of Rome, just a few blocks from the Pantheon. Chances are that you’ll notice the ruins just below street level at Largo di Torre Argentina. What you might not know is that this is the very spot where Julius Caesar was assassinated. Nowadays, it’s a cat sanctuary! The ruins of four temples and the remains of Pompey’s Theatre date back as far as the 4” century B.C. Julius Caesar was killed on the steps of the theatre on the Ides of March 44 B.C. When the site was excavated in 1929, feral cats moved in. The cat lovers of Rome started looking after them and eventually established a shelter in one corner of the site. Now, 130 cats live in the ruins. And that’s what also makes this place more special to visit – not just the history, but also the cats! You can’t access the ruins, but can see the site and the cats, at no cost, from street level.

You should visit the Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta. When you get there you will see a long white wall with a green door, look through the keyhole in the green door and be amazed and what you can see through it – a beautifully framed distant view of the dome of St Peter’s and the Vatican! It is known as The Aventine Keyhole. It is unclear whether the keyhole was aligned with St Peter’s dome on purpose, though the position of the door and the trimmed hedges seem to suggest this beguiling view was planned. According to Roman legend, Aventine Hill was imagined as a sacred ship that would eventually set sail for the heavens, so the architect incorporated many nautical elements and symbols into his designs. The ornamental door symbolized the entrance to the ship deck while the manicured gardens within were the ropes and rig of the ship

Le Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini is very well worth a visit. Below the Palazzo Valenti (in itself a quite splendid medieval building) are the remains of two remarkable Roman dwellings. During some excavation and redevelopment works in 2005 an extraordinary archaeological area came to light. Two patrician residences dating back to the 4th century AD, equipped with a private spa area and belonging to influential families of the time, were found. Over the centuries, the original appearance of the rooms had been modified by medieval and Renaissance walls which, however, allow the reconstruction of an important piece of the ancient topography of this area. Today, it is possible to relive the magnificence of the Domus, which belonged to the noble Roman families who had established their home there, through the accurate multimedia and computer reconstruction curated by Piero Angela, Paco Lanciano and a team of technicians and experts. The installation of transparent flooring also allows visitors to walk as if suspended on this extraordinary site and, through light effects, virtual reconstructions, graphic effects and videos, you can completely immerse yourself in the atmosphere of ancient Rome. It is an amazing experience.

The Vatican Necropolis & St Peter’s Tomb. St Peter’s Basilica is one of the most well-known and visited sites in Rome, but few people visit the ancient Roman necropolis that lies buried under the church. It is partly because you cannot simply turn up and buy a ticket or queue to enter. The process starts with writing to the Vatican Scavi office ahead of time, hoping you get a reply confirming your spot on a guided tour. If successful, you would be one of only 250 visitors who would be permitted to enter that day. As the tour descends the stairs to the underground necropolis (there are no lifts), you will be taken two millennia back in time. Vatican Hill was once outside the city walls of Rome. It covered the 1st and 2nd-century mausoleums that lie under the present-day St Peter’s Basilica. Incredibly, these were discovered only 80 years ago and the paintings on some mausoleums are very well-preserved. Inside, there are also old piers and structures that date to Emperor Constantine’s Old St Peter’s Basilica. That church was torn down and replaced in the 1500s.

Italian Cuisine is, not surprisingly, one of the top choices for visitors to Rome. There are many hundreds of brilliant restaurants. One of our absolute favourites is Mimi e Coco. This hidden gem is situated close to the Piazza Navona, and offers a great selection of recipes representing the central Italian and Roman cuisine in vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options as well. This lovely restaurant has generous food portions with moderate pricing. Their lasagna is out of this world, although we would also recommend trying their cacao e Pepe and tiramisu. Hospitality is a strong point for Mimi e Coco, the staff are friendly and service is quick and efficient. The ambience is very rustic, simple, and inviting.

Enjoy your virtual trip around Rome! And to get you in the mood why not visit our Ten Great books set in Rome blog post.

Tony for the TripFiction team.

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