Hidden Rome page


The following are only a few samples of the many places that tourists usually don't visit because they don't have enough time, or simply because they are unaware of them. To find a quiet, uncrowded place and to discover a hidden treasure, provides a special kind of joy and an intimate connection with the past.
If this sort of journey appeals to you, ask us about our tours of more hidden Roman places.

 
MAUSOLEO DI SANTA COSTANZA
This little church was originally the tomb of Princess Constantia, later dedicated to Elena and Costanza, probably Constantine's daughters. It is in a circular shape and is adorned inside by exquisite mosaics, among the earliest of their kind. These mosaics are considered by many art historians to be the most beautiful in Rome. (If you are interested in mosaics, ask us about our specific tour of mosaics: we will bring you to churches and galleries where you can enjoy the best of this ancient and fascinating technique in Rome.)

 

Loggia of Psyche
VILLA DELLA FARNESINA
This villa was built between 1506 and 1510 for the rich banker Agostino Chigi. This was a world-famous salon, the meeting place for the rich, famous and fashionable of the era. The greatest artists and poets, the most beautiful women and the philosophers of his day would meet here. The villa's most famous room is the Loggia of Psyche, a magnificent space that was originally the main entrance, entirely decorated by Raphael and his pupils, to give an impression of an open and outdoor pergola.

 
ROMAN HOUSES UNDER THE S. GIOVANNI AND PAOLO CHURCH
This underground tour offers an opportunity to see more than 20 rooms, some of them still frescoed, which were part of residential houses of the late-empire andlate-ancient age. These excavations were reopened to the public only last year. Tradition says that this was the place of martyrdom of two soldiers of the Constantinian court, Giovanni and Paolo, killed during the time of the emperor Giuliano l'Apostata in the 4th century AD.

 
PIAZZA DEI CAVALIERI DI MALTA
On the top of one of the most beautiful hills of the city, this is one of the most charming squares in Rome. It is also well known for the famous view through the keyhole of the door leading into the Knight's Priory, the residence of the Grand Master of the Order of Malta. Through the hole you can see the dome of Saint Peter's, perfectly framed among the trees.
Nearby it is possible to visit the beautiful church of Santa Sabina, built in the fifth century, and its adjacent and lovely orange garden.
 
SANTA MARIA DELLA CONCEZIONE
The church of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception
was built for the Cardinal Antonio Barberini in 1626 -1631. It is well known for its crypt, which contains the piled bones of nearly 4,000 Capuchin monks. The bones decorate the walls of the crypt, creating one of the most macabre settings in the city!


Bramante's temple
JANICULUM HILL
The fresh, green hill of Janiculum is dominated by the exquisite little church of San Pietro in Montorio, a small, hidden jewel. In the church courtyard there is a little temple built by Bramante in Renaissance, considered today to be one of the most important architectural creations in the world.
A short walk under the plane trees of the Passeggiata del Gianicolo brings us to a great open space where Garibaldi's statue stands: the view from here is superb. From this magnificent viewpoint you can admire the grandeur of the eternal city.