Image via Complex Original
It’s unfortunate that so many visitors to Rome only see the most touristy parts of la città eterna (the Eternal City). The Coliseum, the Vatican, maybe the Spanish Steps if you have time, and the sorry excuses for Italian restaurants located just steps from these famous sites—while they are all significant components of this magnificent city that should be seen and appreciated in all their historic glory, there is so much more to Rome.
Rome is, in a word, seductive. Alan Epstein said it best in As the Romans Do, a non-fiction account of his transition into Roman life: “What it offers in the way of beauty, of sensuality, of creativity, no other city can match. Even if New York is more avant-garde, Paris more elegant, San Francisco fresher and more naturally dramatic, Rome still holds first place when it comes to utter devotion to pleasure.”
This ancient city has the power to intoxicate you, make you feel deliriously high on Chianti, bucatini all'amatriciana, and nocciola gelato, but the best high you can experience in Rome is found taking in the numerous city views. The views found from the Pincio hill, in the Stadio Olimpico, atop the Vittorio Emanuele monument, above Piazza San Pietro, and on the Gianicolo hill are enough to render you breathless (after having the Chianti, bucatini and gelato, of course).
Pincio
The Pincio hill is located above Piazza del Popolo, which translates to “the People’s Square” (this is where Tom Hanks tries to rescue the cardinal lit on fire in Angels and Demons). It’s really not much to look at on its own because it lies in the shadow of the Galleria Borghese gardens, home to some of the most picturesque bike paths in Europe, but at night Pincio is a little slice of heaven, a very popular locale for lovers. From a particular spot on the hill just above the fountain behind the obelisk in Piazza del Popolo, you can see the city lit up to perfection—the dome of St. Peter’s to the west, Castel Sant’Angelo just beyond that, Via del Corso to the south, and everything in between. Che romantico.
Stadio Olimpico
So it’s not exactly a view of la città but it is a must-see. The roaring crowd, the massive red and gold flags, the lights—sporting events in the U.S. pale in comparison. You think the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry is intense? You ain’t seen nothing ‘til you’ve seen the rivalry between Roma fans and every other soccer team on the planet. Seriously, they don’t even allow women and children to attend certain games.
Soccer, calcio, is part of the Roman religion; it runs through their veins—you’re not supposed to get up or speak loudly while the game is going on. (If you do, it’s a dead giveaway that you're an American and a tourist, a dangerous combination.) Tickets may be purchased at any official Roma store (like the one in Piazza Colonna, not too far from the Spanish Steps) and you may purchase jerseys at any souvenir shop. You actually need your passport to purchase a ticket, the irony being that they may refuse you a ticket because you’re not Italian. If this occurs simply say as earnestly as possible, “Non sono un’italiano veramente ma devo guardare una partita una volta nella mia vita, per favore. FORZA ROMA!” If that still doesn't work, give up and go to another Roma store.
To get to the Stadio Olimpico, you must take a tram, bus, or taxi. Before entering the stadium, you must take shots of borghetti (4 for 5 euro!). And after entering the stadium, you must scream always, “FORZA ROMA!” You’ll fit right in.
Vittorio Emanuele II
The most interesting thing about this extravagant monument honoring the first king of (unified) Italy is not the view from it, but the view of it. If you ever find yourself lost in Rome, which, let’s be honest, happens frequently, and if you just look up past the bars and apartments in your immediate vicinity you'll glimpse this massive white marble building, “Il Vittoriano,” with two black statues of the goddess Victoria riding quadrighe, resting regally above it. Then you'll figure out where you’re going.
Many Romans actually consider the “wedding cake”—one of its many nicknames—to be a blemish on the Roman landscape because the white marble is just too white. But the view from the top is hardly an eyesore. A short ride in an all-glass elevator, aptly named “Rome from the Sky,” takes you to the Quadrighe Terrace for an unmatched view of the Roman Forum ruins. This elevator is a relatively new feature, so Romans haven’t cooked up a reason to hate it as much as they hate the building itself. Yet.
San Pietro
You could dedicate an entire week to the St. Peter’s area alone. The piazza, the Vatican museums, and the basilica must be seen from top to bottom, literally. The Grottoes, or the pope tombs beneath San Pietro, are super creepy and awesome, and the top of the cupola is almost unbelievable.
You can get to the top the lazy way, an elevator and some steps, for 7 euro, or you can take the extremely old and semi-dangerous 320 steps all the way up for one less euro. Taking this route allows you to see the intricate artwork inside the cupola, but the closer you get to the top the narrower and looser the steps get so there is some, well, dexterity required. Once you get up there, though, it's all worth it.
From the top of the cupola of Basilica San Pietro, the “city of a million moonlit faces,” as Dean Martin puts it so eloquently in “Arrivederci Roma,” stretches out before you for miles and miles, and you could stay up there for hours and hours. Minus the sounds of faint clicking and snapping of photos by visitors from all over the world, it is truly peaceful up there.
Gianicolo
The Gianicolo hill is technically outside the city limits above the Trastevere neighborhood, which is perhaps why it offers the irrefutably best view of the City of the Seven Hills. Gianicolo is a well-kept secret amongst the Roman madri who stroll around here with their bambini, but every now and then an American finds out about it and spreads the word about the nearly implausible view. From a certain point on this otherwise unremarkable hill, you feel like you can see every square inch of Rome, heck, even Italy—every chiesa, every gelateria, every appartamento—the Pantheon and the Vittorio Emanuele II monument amongst the easiest things to spot. Atop this unofficial eighth hill of Rome, you are truly on top of the ancient and modern world.
