Recently updated on September 4th, 2025 at 02:41 pm
With over 4.2 million people flocking to Rome’s tourist attractions each year, escaping The Eternal City’s crowds is no easy feat. From magic doors to a giant pyramid, we’ve discovered seven hidden gems in Rome that will whisk you off the beaten path. Ssh don’t tell anyone…
1. Michelangelo’s Moses
Forget David, it’s all about Moses. Dating from 1513 – 1515, Moses by Michelangelo is an understated masterpiece. At eight feet high, the sculpture was intended to be part of a grander two-storey tomb for Pope Julius II. However, Michelangelo had to compromise with a scaled-down version due to pausing work to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – no big deal! Look out for the horns, a mistranslation of the Hebrew word describing rays of light shining from Moses’ head.
Where can I find one of these hidden gems in Rome? Located at Tomb of Pope Julius II in San Pietro in Vincoli.
2. The Vatican Necropolis
After you’ve explored Vatican City above ground, take a journey below. Beneath the Vatican Grottoes, you’ll find the Vatican Necropolis. Unearthed less than a century ago, the Vatican Necropolis was designed with twenty-two tombs buildings capable of housing a thousand burials. Visitors can request a guided tour reservation to explore this millennia-old hidden gem in Rome.
3. Piccola Londra
Get ready to fall in love with the Notting Hill-esque homes of Piccola Londra quicker than Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. Piccola Londra or Little London, was built in the early 1900s as part of Rome’s ambitious plan to become a modern European capital. The houses were designed by architect Quadrio Pirani in a very “un-Roman” style: a row of small, independent houses with stairs leading up to the front door and gardens in the back. Exactly like some of the houses you might find in London. The style never stretched further than this one small street, so it’s worth a peek.
Where can I find one of these hidden gems in Rome? Located on Via Bernardo Celentano, directly off of Via Flaminia.
4. The Vatican after-hours
Sure the Vatican is no hidden gem, but imagine being able to stay behind after 6:00 PM when the doors have closed to the public. Picture yourself dining alfresco in the tranquil Cortile del Giardino Quadrato (Courtyard of the Square Garden) under a dusky sky, with spectacular views of the cupola of St Peter’s Basilica and a mouth-watering plate of Italian food in front of you. Now that’s something most tourists in Rome never see.
Explore this for yourself on our Rome & Tuscan Highlights tour.
5. Museo Napoleonico
Napoleon is far from the first historical figure you think of when visiting Rome, that is, until you discover Museo Napoleonico. The French once occupied Rome and the Bonapartes sought asylum here when the empire collapsed. A descendant donated his vast collection of art, family heirlooms, and Napoleonic relics to the city of Rome in 1927.
6. Largo di Torre Argentina
The Largo di Torre Argentina might not mean much to you by title, but wander into this archaeological complex and you’ll stand in the space where Julius Caesar was murdered. Find it behind temples B and C in the area called Curia of Pompey.
7. Undiscovered art at Rome’s Quadraro
The city of Rome is synonymous with awe-inspiring art. Yet, with the works of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo surrounded by hordes of people, gazing uninterrupted at street art makes for a refreshing change. Head off the beaten path and into Rome’s Quadraro neighbourhood, home to the street art project “MURo” or Museum of Urban Art of Rome. Spend the afternoon admiring some of the best murals in the city with a local pastry in hand.
You might also like – 10 ways to travel Italy like a local
8. Trajan’s Market
You’d be surprised at how many people visiting Rome miss out on a trip to Trajan’s Market: potentially the oldest shopping mall in the world. Built around 100 A.D., Mercati di Traiano’s is located adjacent to Trajan’s Forum, this six-level archaeological site once housed 150 shops. It currently hosts the Museum of Imperial Forums.
9. Capuchin Crypt
A small but significant hidden gem is located just a few steps from Piazza Barberini: the Museo e Cripta dei Cappuccini. The Capuchin Crypt has the bones of more than 3,600 people, most of whom were Capuchin friars.
10. Mausoleum of Augustus
This is a Rome hidden gem that you need to put as a conditional stop on to-do list because it’s closed multiple times for on-going renovations. If you’re lucky enough to be in the Eternal City when the Mausoleum of Augustus is open, you’ll be treated to the largest circular tomb in the world that’s been renovated and repurposed for countless reasons since medieval times.
11. Rome’s magic door
Well known to many Romans but often missed by tourists, the Magic Door or Porta Alchemica is a gateway into the secretive world of 1600s alchemy. It’s the only one of five remaining doors to marquis Massimiliano Palombara’s original villa. Legend has it that Massimiliano met an alchemist claiming he could use a certain herb to turn metal to gold. The following day the alchemist had vanished leaving behind gold flakes and the “recipe” for his transformation. Massimiliano was unable to read the recipe so inscribed it on his doors, in the hope that someone who could understand it would come knocking. Think you can crack the code? Try your luck and go home a millionaire or at the very least, with a cool photo.
Where can I find one of these hidden gems in Rome? Near Piazza Vittorio.
12. The Aventine Keyhole
Take a rest near the Tiber River at Giardino degli Aranci. Located atop Aventine Hill, this sprawling park has excellent views of Rome. The Orange Garden, also called Savello Park, is free to enter year-round and brings visitors for a specifically small view of a Vatican landmark.
From the exterior it’s an unsuspecting big green door, on closer inspection one of the most unique views of St. Peter’s dome in the city. Peep through the Aventine keyhole and you’ll see the Vatican perfectly framed by an immaculate row of hedges – it’s too good to be by accident! The door leads to the Piazza Knights of Malta, the piazza is not actually “Italy” as it holds extraterritorial status. So, technically you’re looking at two separate nation-states in one country. Coincidence or not, it’s our favourite view in Rome.
Top tip: Visit at night for a beautiful twinkling vista.
13. Domus Aurea
One of the grandest villas for one of the most notorious emperors, Domus Aurea was Nero’s prized palace. It’s accessible only with a prearranged guided tour but it’s absolutely worth making time to visit. With over 300 rooms, an opulent golden dome, and certainly some juicy tales from parties past, these ruins near the Colosseum are a must for first time and returning visitors.
14. Vicus Caprarius
Nearly everyone visiting Rome stops at the Trevi Fountain, but few know that you can actually go beneath it. Head underground to Vicus Caprarius and see the waters that feed the Trevi Fountain. Water City is located nine meters below Rome’s street level and was the aqueduct that the richest of Romans kept for their own private use.
The Trevi Fountain is one of the highlights of our family-friendly Gladiators, Gondolas & Gold tour.
15. Palazzo Altemps
The Palazzo Altemps isn’t a hidden gem; as one of the four sites making up the National Roman Museum, it’s definitely on the map for many tourists. But one feature of this archaeological museum that we think is overlooked is its Egyptian collection. Momentarily put aside your excitement for The Galatian Suicide and the Grande Ludovisi sarcophagus, honing instead on works like The Bull of Apis, which dates back to the second century BCE.
16. Rome’s ancient pyramid
Ah Rome, home to grand amphitheatres, elaborate churches and… a pyramid? That’s right, a pyramid. The Pyramid of Cestius is definitely one of Rome’s more unusual sights. Built as a tomb for Gaius Cestius, little is known about the man once buried here as the tomb was ransacked long ago. But, according to his will the 120 foot pyramid was complete in an impressive 330 days. Jump off the metro at the aptly named station Piramide and marvel at the only “Egyptian” pyramid in Europe.
Where can I find one of these hidden gems in Rome? Near the Porta San Paolo and the Protestant Cemetery.
17. The Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and of the Martyrs
While the Baths of Diocletian is not as much a hidden gem as something people occasionally overlook, the church within the site is pretty spectacular. A minor basilica, sure, but it was built within the ruins of the baths in the 1500s. Who supervised this feat? None other than a long-in-the-tooth Michelangelo.
See more of Michelangelo’s work throughout our Great Italian Cities tour.
18. Biblioteca Casanatense
Bibliophiles must seek out the largest historic library in all of Rome: Biblioteca Casanatense. It’s free to visit and close to the Pantheon yet many walk right by the unassuming entrance. Approximately 400,000 volumes ranging from Rome’s history to religious texts collected by the Dominicans of the Monastery of Santa Maria sopra Minerva are within this 18th-century library.
19.Baths of Caracalla
Around five kilometers south of the Baths of Diocletian you’ll find the Baths of Caracalla. It was the second-largest of Rome’s public baths. You can walk to these baths, commissioned by Emperor Caracalla, from the Colosseum.
20. The Park of the Aqueducts
See seven of aqueducts ranging from Ancient Rome’s Anio Vetus built in the 270s BCE to the still-functioning Felix Aqueduct built by Pope Sixtus V in the late-1500s at The Park of the Aqueducts. This city park located on the Via Appia sits on 240 hectares, offering a quiet, natural respite in the city where you’re still surrounded by rich Ancient Roman history.
21. Villa Farnesina
Pass through Trastevere’s neighborhood and you’ll likely see Villa Farnesina. Most visitors breeze right by it, partially because they don’t realize this Renaissance-era villa is open to the public. The entrance is in the rear of the building and it’s worth popping in if only for a few minutes to see Raphael’s Galatea fresco.
22. Horti Sallustiani (Gardens of Sallust)
The Gardens of Sallust was no hidden gem in 2nd century BCE. These villas were places of leisure and entertainment for Roman aristocrats. Over two millennia later, the Horti Sallustiani are once again open for conferences and cultural events.
Are there secret tunnels under Rome?
Yes, there’s a hidden world beneath the streets of Rome, though it’s not entirely secret. From tunnels and catacombs to aqueducts and Ancient Roman ruins that were thought lost until excavation, you can explore much of Rome’s hidden history on official underground tours.
Explore Rome’s underground at your leisure during a free day with our Contrasts of Italy tour.
Have you discovered any unusual places in Rome? Comment below with your favourite spots. Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with us…