Some Roman Neighborhoods

On some of our days spent in Rome, we've taken the opportunity to explore some new areas of this wonderful city, and we thought we would share some of our miscellaneous adventures with you.

During one of our two-day weekends in Rome we explored the Aventine Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome, as well as the surrounding neighborhood of Testaccio. Walking up the Aventine, which sits right next to the Circus Maximus, we were transported from the noise and hustle and bustle of the city into a quiet and tranquil sanctuary. We strolled through a few public gardens with some gorgeous views of the city while also visiting Santa Sabina, a rustic and charming Early Christian church donned with beautiful mosaics and simple decorations. Built in the 5th century AD, it has survived to be the mother church for the Dominican order (Shout out to Uncle Chuck!). After leaving Santa Sabina, we walked down the street and noticed a line forming at a large, wooden door which appeared to be the entrance to a courtyard. We immediately recognized that we had stumbled upon the famous keyhole of the Knights of Malta--through which you get the most perfectly framed view of St. Peter's Dome. We heard about it from other students, but it seems so random that we were unsure whether or not we would ever find it! 

A view of Rome

Santa Sabina

We found the keyhole!

The view from the keyhole. (Photo credit to Jennifer Vosters)

We then walked down the hill into Testaccio, a lovely Roman neighborhood. Our first stop was a non-catholic cemetery housing the tombs of John Keats and Percy Shelley, which a professor had recommended for us to visit. This was also a small sanctuary which seemed out of place in the chaos of Rome and would more appropriately fit in the English countryside. 

We then wandered around the neighborhood and found another recommend place, Testaccio's covered market. Various venders were selling clothing and household items, and there were copious amounts of butcher shops and fish vendors as well as bakeries, panino shops, and typical Italian bars. 

Enjoying cannoli at Testaccio's market. 

Another neighborhood we have explored is the Esquiline, which is another hill in the city of Rome. We visited two spectacular churches: first a small but glamorous Early Christian church and then a spectacular papal basilica. Our first church was Santa Prassede, one of Rome's many "hole-in-the-wall, you-never-even-knew-it-was-there" churches. Its mosaics were absolutely unbelievable; there was even a little chapel where you could donate a euro to turn on the light and find it covered with mosaics! Santa Maria Maggiore was also unbelievable; as a papal basilica it resembles St. Peter's with all of its many types of marble and sculptures, but it also is lined with mosaics of bible stories along the nave. 

Santa Prassede

Beautiful mosaics

Santa Maria Maggiore

Another one of our favorite places in the Esquiline neighborhood was Fassi in Palazzo Freddo, the oldest gelateria in Rome. According to many native Italians, it is the best gelateria, so of course we had to test this brave claim. The gelateria is huge, even bigger than the tourist infested Giolitti's, and it is always filled with native Italians getting their gelato fix. For only 2 Euro, we each got three flavors: pistachio, chocolate, and coffee for one, and tiramisu, stracciatella (chocolate chip), and hazelnut for the other. We must say, if we weren't so attached to our beloved Fridgidarium (the gelateria we go to regularly and absolutely adore it's signature flavor called Fridgidarium), it would be at the top of our list!

Yum!