Rome is full of secrets. Explore the crypt of a church or peer through a keyhole, and you might be surprised by what you find. Go off the beaten path to discover the lesser-known treasures of the Eternal City.
1. The turtle fountain
La Fontana delle Tartarughe, one of Rome’s quirkiest fountains, is tucked away in a tiny piazza in the Jewish Ghetto. According to legend, the fountain was built overnight by a duke who was hoping to impress his future father-in-law. The turtles are believed to be a later addition, a playful touch by Bernini.
2. The Aventine keyhole
Some of the best views of Rome are surprisingly hard to find, hidden in quiet streets, behind closed doors. Peer through a keyhole on the Aventine Hill for an unexpected glimpse of Rome’s most famous dome.
3. The skull of St Valentine
There’s always a line of tourists queueing up in front of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, waiting for their turn to pose in front of La Bocca della Verità (“The mouth of truth”). But to see the church’s most interesting sight, there’s no need to queue. Go inside and you’ll find the skull of St Valentine, wearing a crown of flowers.
4. The underground Roman houses
Beneath the Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo on the Caelian Hill are some spectacular ruins. Go on a tour of underground Rome to see the beautiful frescoes of these Roman houses.
5. A talking statue
Pasquino is Rome’s most famous talking statue. He’s been voicing the protests of the city since 1501, although the actual statue is much older, and looking somewhat the worse for wear. You’ll find Pasquino in a little piazza close to Piazza Navona, covered in complaints, poems and jokes.
6. The Capuchin Crypt
Further proof that the most interesting sights are often to be found underground, the Capuchin Crypt is the most macabre tourist attraction in Rome. The skeletons of more than three thousand friars decorate the rooms of the crypt, and have attracted the morbid curiosity of visitors such as the Marquis de Sade.
7. The Polmone Pulsante
Many people walk along Salita del Grillo in Monti without noticing the window, let alone the button. If you press the button and look through the window, you’ll see the lights come on and the art come to life, in an extraordinary display by the artist Saverio Ungheri.
8. Singing monks
Less of an unusual sight than an unusual sound, just around the corner from the Aventine keyhole. Visit the church of Sant’Anselmo on a Sunday for an evening of Gregorian chanting, sung by the monks from the Benedictine monastery.
9. Cemetery cats
The Protestant Cemetery is the peaceful resting place of the Romantic poets Keats and Shelley, but it’s also home to lots of cats, which are very much alive. Although the main cat sanctuary is technically separated from the cemetery, you’ll see plenty of cats sunning themselves among the tombs.
10. Faces in the tree trunks
They’re easy to miss. If you’re walking through the streets of Testaccio or Trastevere, you’re probably not going to give some old tree trunks a second glance. But the next time you see the remains of a tree trunk, make sure you look down – you might see a human face emerging from the wood. These mysterious sculptures seemed to appear overnight, and were later revealed to be the work of a talented high school student, Andrea Gandini.
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