Category Archives: Unexpected Rome

Unexpected Rome: Villa Aldobrandini Park

Villa Aldobrandini park

I vaguely knew about the existence of a park in the center of Rome but since I had never really SEEN Villa Aldobrandini, I did not know exactly where it was. It turns out that you can’t see Villa Aldobrandini because the gardens are elevated above street level. That means that most people walk right […]

Unexpected Rome: Murals of Tor Marancia

Visitors are sometimes surprised by the amount of graffiti in Rome, with illegible squiggles scrolled across most walls. I’m not a fan of the spray paint on every door, but I do appreciate Rome’s growing street art scene, especially when the murals are part of a social project the way they are in Tor Marancia. […]

Discover the Other Side of Rome

In the 1960s, Italian journalist Silvio Negro wrote Roma, non basta una vita. “Rome, a lifetime is not enough.” The longer I live in here, the more this rings true. I have spent more than seven years exploring the Eternal City but I know that I am barely scratching the surface of this ancient metropolis. […]

Unexpected Rome: Secret Passage Near Campo de’ Fiori

Campo de’ Fiori is probably one of the most visited sites in all of Rome. The must-see market still has some traditional stalls, but the outdoor space is slowly being taken over by souvenir sellers and food stands hawking fake truffle spread. In the center of all this hubbub, there is a tiny secret passageway full […]