9 Favorite Piazzas In Rome

When I look back on some of my more memorable experiences in Rome, the backdrop is always a piazza. Piazzas are the hubs of social life in Italy. Invitations don’t even need street addresses in ancient Rome, you only need the name of the cafe or bar, and the Roman piazza where it is located.

Cathedrals, fountains, and obelisks distinguish one piazza from the next. For example, you only have to say: Meet me by the Fountain of the Four Rivers, and most people will know you mean Piazza Navona.  Large or small, ornate or not, the Italian piazza is a way of life. 

If you’re traveling to the Eternal City, you will discover your favorite piazzas too. It’s a good idea to get to know the piazza closest to your hotel as that is likely where you’ll have a daily coffee or apertivo.  

Have a read and take some notes because I’m sharing some of my favorite piazzas. You won’t need to worry about getting lost in Rome as long as you know the name of the piazza or church.

Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere

The beautiful piazza and Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere is a premier people-watching spot—a crossroads where eventually, everyone meets. The fountain is lovely but you may not notice unless you are there early in the morning before people are lounging about…the fountain is a popular spot to sit and watch street performers, smoke a cigarette, or meet friends.  There are also many good cafes where you can enjoy the spectacle from afar. 

The Basilica

The first church in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Basilica Santa Maria in Trastevere is spectacular inside and out, with a Romanesque brick bell tower, and gold mosaics gleaming in the sun. It contains the crypts of several popes and is believed to have been founded around 300 -400. It was completely rebuilt in the 12th century by Pope Innocent II and incorporates materials salvaged from the Baths of Caracalla.

A legend says the church is believed to have been founded on the location where oil flowed from the ground on the day Jesus was born. There is a side street that honors the legend, Via delle Fonte dell’ Oglio.

Why go: Trastevere is one of the more popular neighborhoods in Rome, There are many good restaurants and bars in Trastevere. San Calisto, an institution, is at Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere.

Be sure to read my article about why I love Trastevere for more details on bars and life in Trastevere. 

Piazza Navona

Since its beginning in the 1st century A.D., Piazza Navona has been a hot spot for culture and entertainment in the historic center of Rome. It is considered one of the prettiest piazzas in Rome because of the stunning fountains and beautiful baroque architecture.

The most famous fountain is Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or Fountain of the Four Rivers by Bernini, built in front of the church St. Agnes in Agony. 

On a tour with a guide for Ask a Local , I was told that Bernini positioned the figure of a cowering Rio de la Plata in the fountain, as if fearing the facade of the church of Sant’Agnese designed by his rival Borromini. However, the fountain was completed several years before Borromini began work on the church. This is a popular myth told by tour guides.

There are two other fountains, Fontana del Nettuno and Fontana del Moro (Fountain of Neptune and Fountain of the Moors) created by Giacomo della Porta, an apprentice of Michaelangelo. 

Thirty feet below the piazza are the ruins of the Stadium of Domitian. Up until the 15th century, Chariot races and other competitive games were staged here.

Coincidentally, the three fountains in Piazza Navona indicate that water is still an important feature. During the 1600s through the 1800s, the stadium was often filled with water to stage naval battles and aquatic games. 

Above all, Piazza Navona is a great place for people watching, so spend a few euros for a ringside seat at one of the most entertaining shows on earth. 

Why go: Because everyone goes to Piazza Navona…it’s the perfect see-and-be-seen place. You must also see Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s fountains.

Piazza San Pietro

My first time in Rome I stayed at a B&B with a view of the dome of St. Peter’s, which felt very special. I stayed about a week and so had time to explore the basilica, the crypts, and the neighborhood.  The square is a gorgeous design by Bernini and is made up of 284 columns.

St. Peter’s Square is the grandaddy of piazzas in Rome. If you’re Catholic, St. Peter’s Basilica is likely why you came to Rome. It is one of the four major basilicas in Rome and the largest in the world. The basilica is a treasure trove of art, but two pieces stand out, the Pietá by Michaelangelo, and the Balduccino by Bernini. A sad but interesting story about the Pietá and the reason it is behind bulletproof glass is that a mentally deranged geologist attacked the sculpture with a hammer claiming he was Jesus Christ. 

St. Peter’s is in Vatican City as are the Vatican Museums. We spent a couple of hours studying the art and sculpture in the museum before reaching the Sistine Chapel. Check out this cool Sistine Chapel Tour with exclusive access. I want to take this tour! There are also lovely gardens to explore at the museum. You should probably plan to spend at least a half day there. 

Why go: No explanation needed. 

Piazza Venezia

If you go to Rome you will spend time at Piazza Venezia, like it or not. It’s the hub of the historic part of the city and the place to catch many tour buses. Adjacent to the Roman Forum, the Colosseum is a stone’s throw, and the Capitoline Hill and museums are there. It’s a wildly busy part of the city but there’s no avoiding it. 

Overlooking the piazza is the Palazzo Venezia and the Palazzo Assicurazione della Generale di Venice. The former, once occupied by Mussolini, is now a museum and the latter is a bank. 

The white building sometimes referred to as the typewriter or the wedding cake, is the Victor Emanuel II monument. During the reign of Mussolini, it became a stage for Fascist military marches. Today there are no signs of this dark period in history. 

Why Go: There are so many reasons to go to Piazza Venezia. But if I only share one it would be to go during rush hour and watch the cop standing on a pedestal in the middle directing traffic! 

Piazza del Campidoglio

Another creation of Michaelangelo, Piazza del Campidoglio sits on Capitoline Hill, the most important of the seven hills of Rome. The piazza was commissioned by Pope Paul III to spruce up the Capitoline Hill before a scheduled visit by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. The Capitoline Museums are on each side and they are worth a visit. In the center of the square is an imposing statue of Marcus Aurelius. 

The piazza was designed by Michaelangelo who believed the Capitoline Square should face St. Peter’s not the Roman Forum. I think Michaelangelo made a good decision! 

Why go:  The best sunset views of the Roman Forum are from the back of this piazza. It’s also conveniently located by Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum. Allow a couple of hours to tour the museums.

There’s a  nice cafe here too with views over the rooftops and toward the Jewish Ghetto from the museum terrace are excellent. On weekends there are always weddings here…they are usually quite elaborate.

Piazza di Spagna

This may be one of the most famous piazzas in Rome for a few reasons. Leading to the piazza are the beautiful Spanish Steps, a popular place to see and be seen. It used to be a place where people hung out and ate their lunch.  But due to the out-of-control crowds and a recent restoration of the steps, that’s off the table. Things change. I remember standing on the steps watching a group of dancers circling he fountain (designed by Bernini’s father).   

 You may recognize the location from a scene in Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. The church at the top of the steps is also worth visiting if you have time. And, if you haven’t seen Roman Holiday, read my article hyper-linked here.

Why go: There are great views towards St. Peter’s at the top of the steps. See the house where the English poet John Keats lived until his death. Also, some of the most expensive shopping in Rome can be found here. 

 

Piazza Mattei

Piazza Mattei is in the Jewish ghetto. It’s a small square that for some reason always seems busy. The most interesting feature of the piazza is the Fountain of the Turtles aka Fontana delle Tartarughe, designed by Giacomo Della Porta and Taddeo Landini. Later, Bernini added the namesake turtles. There was a great ice cream shop there in 2022. See if it’s still there. 

 Why go: The fountain has a very Alice in Wonderland feel perhaps because of all the people who contributed to it and by the way, all of these men also contributed to Piazza San Pietro.

Piazza di Sant’Ignazio

Piazza Sant’Ignazio was designed to resemble a stage, with exits on either side. Designed by Filippo Raguzzini, a proponent of the Rocco style. Facing the church is a gorgeous terra cotta-colored building that is both residential and a police station. It’s a quiet and pretty piazza between the Pantheon and Via del Corso. There is something about this piazza that is very elegant in an old-world style.

The Church

The exterior of the church is Baroque and designed by architect Orazio Grassi. It holds no clues to the beauty of the interior, nor do these photographs do it justice. The church was built to honor Saint Ignatius of Loyola. It is a beautiful little church built in the 17th century. I passed it about a thousand times before I ever went inside. The interior ceiling frescoes, painted by Jesuit Andrea Pozzo in 1685, are a masterful optical illusion, creating a dome effect but the ceiling is flat!

Notices are often posted here about upcoming classical music concerts; if that’s your thing, keep your eyes open when you are in the area.

Why go:  Go to see the faux vaulted ceiling and have a drink in the piazza.

Piazza Farnese

The piazza is named for an important Roman family during the Renaissance period. Alessandro Farnese, who became Pope Paul III in 1534, commissioned the construction of Palazzo Farnese in 1517 and employed Michaelangelo to help with some of the design.

Why go to Palazzo Farnese? Palazzo Farnese houses one of the finest fresco cycles, described as comparable only to the Sistine Chapel. The frescoes are in the Carracci Gallery and are described as blending the transition from Mannerism to Baroque. This is on my list of things to see the next time I am in Rome. 

Why go: Piazza Farnese is a good place to escape the crowds in Rome. It seems like it’s a place for locals more than tourists. I have great memories of sitting there with an Aperol spritz and giving two Italian women an impromptu makeup lesson. 

This is not an exhaustive list of Rome’s piazzas…just a few I especially like and where I spent a lot of time. Some are incredibly important, like St. Peter’s Square, and others are quietly pretty like Piazza Mattei. Tell me, which is your favorite in the comments. Or send me an email! 

If your travels are taking you to Venice, be sure to read my article about Piazza San Marco and one of the best squares in all of Italy. 

reference: https://www.italymagazine.com/featured-story/italian-institution-piazza