Rome (and especially Romans) can be very noisy and stressful, so at a certain point you will probably feel the need for quiet and rainbow riding unicorns shooting out of flowered trees, well I do at least. In those cases I nearly always opt for Villa Pamphilj, a huge park of almost 190 hectares (2 million square meters!) and probably my favourite place in the eternal city.
Villa Pamphilj used to be the main estate of an aristocratic family, and you can still see the "Villa" and the chapel built by the Pamphiljs in the park. Nowadays the huge park is divided into three main "areas": The giardini (the palace and surrounding gardens), the pineta (pine forest) and the tenuta agricola (huge meadows covering most of the park). I really can't stress enough how magnificently beautiful all 3 parts are and what an unexpected, green surprise Villa Pamphilj truly is.
So get your picnic basket, sunglasses and frisbee and prepare for some hardcore park...ing, ehm... well you know what I mean!
You'll find Villa Pamphilj on the Vatican's side of the Tiber and there are about a hundred different entrances, but I recommend you take the one on Via Vitellia 102 (you can get there by taking tram number 8), because it's a central access point and you will also find a nice little café there just inside the park.
P.S. please DO NOT stop at the 4-lane boulevard, about a third of the entire park is on the other side of that monstrosity!
Find your way with 152 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
CSOA eXSnia in Rome is in my opinion one of the most culturally vivid and beautiful places in the city, a 'self-managed occupied social center'...
by
"Osteria Dar Bruttone" in Rome makes some of tastiest carbonara (with or without artichokes) you can get your hands on. Also try their Porchetta...
by
"Cecilia Metella's Tomb" is a bit outside Rome's city center, but I love coming here to write among the ancient buildings & the Appia Antica road...
by
"Trajan's Market Walkway" in Rome is a useful shortcut that takes you to Monti, but I use it primarily as a place to stop & soak up the ancient atmosphere.
by
"Via Casilina Vecchia" is, for me, one of the most intriguing neighbourhoods in Rome. It feels invisible to the rest of the city & forgotten by modernity.
by
"Pasticceria Boccione" in Rome is not for you if you're after pretty, Instagrammable desserts! But every pastry is just delicious in this Jewish bakery...
by
"La Fraschetta" is a neighborhood hangout in Rome for the locals -- Sandro doesn't get many customers who aren't Italian men in their fifties or older!
by
Ride a scooter on "Via Piccolomini" in Rome and, as you get closer to St Peter's Basilica, you'll actually see it shrinking instead of growing closer!
by
"Villa dei Quintili" is an archaeological site on Rome's Appia Antica. Important scenes of my novel 'In Exile' take place here; it's just so atmospheric.
by
"Bar Giolitti" is one of my favorite places in Testaccio, Rome, for a gelato or a coffee at the bar. I also like sitting at one of the tables outside...
by
"Villa Farnesina" in Rome isn't exactly unknown, but few tourists visit it. Come here to experience Raphael in peace & tranquility in a Renaissance villa.
by
152 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
Authentic Stories by Real People
Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
✓ 0 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
✓ 152 Insider Tips