Catch a scenic view of Rome’s bell towers and domes on the Janiculum Hill, Rome’s second tallest hill. See the small shrine known as Tempietto, designed by Donato Bramante, supposedly the site of Peter's death.
Enjoy a sunset picnic with a good bottle of wine and a great view of Rome at the Giardino degli Aranci on the Aventine Hill, surrounded by pretty orange trees.
Visit San Giovanni in Laterano, the oldest church of the Western World, founded in the 4th century by Constantine the Great, and one of Rome’s four papal basilicas.
Feel small in front of Michelangelo’s statue of Moses, the centerpiece of Pope Julius II’s funeral monument, at the 5th century Chiesa di San Pietro in Vincoli.
Marvel at the sculptural masterpiece of the Roman Baroque, "The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa", in the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria. The sculptor behind it? Gian Lorenzo Bernini, of course.
Go for a jog (or stroll) at the Circus Maximus, ancient Rome’s first and largest chariot racing stadium.
Make out the spiral bas reliefs depicting the epic wars between the Romans and the Dacians on Trajan’s Column, a 126-foot marble pillar dating to 113 AD, located in the Trajan’s Forum near the Quirinal Hill.
Admire three Caravaggio masterpieces (the St. Matthew cycle) in the baroque Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, not far from Piazza Navona.
Walk the Via Appia Antica, the Regina Longarum Viarum, or “Queen of the Long Roads”, lined with pine trees, Roman ruins and catacombs. It was built in 312 BC to connect Rome to Brindisi in the south of Italy.
Mingle with the locals in the Monti neighborhood, the former “Suburra” of the Roman empire, now full of trendy bars, appetizing trattorias and alternative fashion and accessory shops.
Think you have to spend tons of money on entrance fees to see everything worth seeing in Rome? Not true. There are many sites, famous and not as famous, which you can enjoy for free. There’s certainly no fee to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain to ensure your return to the Eternal City. Likewise, there’s no charge to have your hand bitten off when you tell a lie at the Bocca della Verità. Some of Rome's famous places that don't cost anything to see include the Pantheon, St. Peter’s Basilica, Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, Villa Borghese, Campo de’ Fiori and the neighborhood of Trastevere.
Since for Rome it's difficult to stop at 10 for our Top Ten Free Things series, we have avoided the most popular, perhaps obvious, sites, such as the ones mentioned above, to concentrate on lesser-known, but oh-so-worth-it, "Rome freebies". Check them out below.
