Unusual ideas for Rome

Hi Jen,

Here is a website that I frequent when I am looking for the unusual -- you may find something here:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/rome-italy

Naturally, personal recommendations would be more valuable but this is a good place to start while you're waiting to hear back. Also, another thing I like to do is to look for blogs written by those who are living in Italy. My favorite wouldn't be helpful to you as it is for Florence. Happy planning!

Jen, I lived in Prati for a few years and would always take visiting friends and family on Tuesdays to the Flower Market. We also went to the Mercato Trionfale, the largest indoor market in Rome, which was located across the street from our apartment. We tried to hit Mercato Trinofale early mornings on a Friday (fish day) or Saturday. These were the most "active" days. I'm sure you'll get plenty of suggestions. Have fun!

One of my favorite “off the beaten path” neighborhoods is the Jewish Ghetto. We have been to Rome several times. Every time we visit we return to the Ghetto. We love the history, the vibe and the wonderful cuisine.

In 2006 we took a walking tour with Michaela
Pavoncello. She started her company in 2003 and is still doing her tours. She is knowledgeable and very personable. We were planning to return to Rome in 2020, but of course canceled due to COVID. https://www.jewishroma.com/

Visit the Quartiere Coppede neighborhood. Seek out the Fountain of Frogs. Orange Tree Garden on Aventine Hill. The Vatican Necropolis.

My other suggestion is pick a neighborhood and meander.

Rome has some great motorcycle clubs including one that's women-only:

https://www.documentjournal.com/2018/04/meet-the-litas-italys-all-female-motorcycle-club/

If you haven't made it to the aqueduct park, I think it would probably be a good place to sketch and take pictures...

https://www.parcodegliacquedotti.it/

Montemartini museum —- marble statues in an old factory

The gallery of modern art

Garbatella — interesting architecture

The non- catholic cemetery

The swarming of the starlings in the evening as seen through the open ceilings of the Baths of Diacletian —- seriously, don’t miss that

If they are still there, the funerary inscriptions and their translations in the underground passageway between the two buildings of the Capitoline museum —- read them all but especially the ones for children

Ostia Antica

Somewhere where the broken pots that make up the Testaccio hill are exposed

Villa Torlonia with the "Casina delle Civette" (freshly restored)
Castel Gandolfo and the lake Albano (and the other "Roman castles" (Castelli Romani)
Tivoli and Villa d'Este
Lake Bracciano
Villa Farnese in Caprarola

Thanks! Everybody! these are perfect....

Thanks from me, too, everyone. We're going to have several free days in Rome later this year, so I'm looking for things we haven't seen.

Dave, that link didn't work. A quick Google (well, Duck Duck Go) search turned up a number of sites about the acqueduct park, for example, this one: https://rome.us/ancient-rome/park-of-the-aqueducts.html

hey hey Jen
withlocals.com/ rome
under day trips: a day in Calcutta-picturesque bohemian town
beautiful countryside day trip: castelli Romani
Italymagazine.com/ lake nemi and it’s wild berries
lacucianaitaliana.com/ buxom cookie from frascati
learn about 94 year old nonna, baking cookies and other pastries at ceralli.it in frascati.
family owned bakery/pizza oven. saw tv special about this place that says they make “best porchetta” with bakery bread/rolls
oldfrascatitour.com
30 minute train ride from rome. enjoy the small villages and area known for wine, summer home to the popes, lake Albano, spend the night overlooking lake nemi
theculturetrip.com/ best markets in rome
cookly.me/ rome
beach-on-map.com/ fregene
take the train from termini to fregene
travelconnectexperience.net/ essential guide to fregene beach
eatwith.com/ rome
different lunches/dinners in residents home, cooking classes, food and market tours
hope these are somewhat interesting to you
@jane
here’s some things float your boat!
Aloha

Find an old, small neighborhood catholic church and attend a mass.

When we stay in Rome the Prati district is our usual place to lay our head and shop and cook and eat. . This is a great market - Mercato Unita
https://www.mercatounita.it/
I think that many of the vendors would make wonderful subjects for an artist. They are open, friendly, funny and Roman in spirit.

Thank you, Princess! And the rest of you, as well.

Princess, have you been missing from the Forum? Or have I just not seen your posts until today?