The Atlas Obscura Guide To

Rome

59 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Rome, Italy

Unusual
Attractions
in Rome

Crypt of the Three Skeletons.

Santa Maria della Concezione Crypts

The crypts of Capuchin friars decorated with the bones of over 4,000 friars, including an entire "crypt of pelvises."

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Cats lounging on ancient architecture

Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered.

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Added by Annetta Black

Porta Alchemica

An alchemist's "magic door" stands in the middle of a Roman park.

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Added by athomio

Quartiere Coppedè

Architectureal fantasy quarter of Rome.

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Added by athomio

The entire ceiling

The Dome Illusion

A master of trompe-l'oeil creates a stunning tourist-fooling dome out of a flat ceiling.

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Added by Annetta Black

The Aventine Keyhole

The Aventine Keyhole

Rome's semi-secret peephole vista is also a once and future Crusader stronghold.

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Added by Annetta Black

Mithras slaying the bull - Context Travel

The Mithraeum at Circus Maximus

The underground sanctuary of a mysterious ancient cult.

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Added by Annetta Black

The Mouth of Truth

The Mouth of Truth

The yawning maw of this pagan visage is said to bite off the hands of liars.

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Added by EricGrundhauser

See All 59 Things to Do in Rome See All 59 Places

Atlas Obscura Trips

Rome Behind Locked Doors: Music, Magic, & Secret Crypts

Sep 30—Oct 6, 2019

Explore beneath Rome's streets and behind its locked doors to see a Rome that tourists rarely experience—magical, strange, and filled with legend.

Unique
Food & Drink
in Rome

Carciofi alla Giudia

Gastro Obscura

Carciofi alla Giudia

Created in Rome's Jewish ghetto, the fried artichokes herald spring.

Gastro Obscura

Added by Susan Van Allen

Eucalittino

Gastro Obscura

Eucalittino

Outside Rome, a tranquil abbey turns eucalyptus into liqueur.

Gastro Obscura

Added by Susan Van Allen

Pizza Ebraica

Gastro Obscura

Pizza Ebraica

This cookie is found only in Rome's Jewish quarter.

Gastro Obscura

Added by rachelrummel

Pajata

Gastro Obscura

Pajata

After being banned for a decade and a half, this Roman classic is back on the table.

Gastro Obscura

Added by Gautham Krishnaraj

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jmendiola has been to Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

davidwomalley has been to Quartiere Coppedè

davidwomalley has been to Via Appia

davidwomalley has been to Ospedale delle Bambole (Doll Hospital)

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Stories
About Rome

The sundial celebrating Marcus Novius Tubula's electoral victory.

Found: A Celebratory Roman Sundial, Two Millennia Old

A tribune of the people is still celebrating his electoral victory.

by Natasha Frost

November 08, 2017

Wolf puppies!

Found: Wolf Puppies Born Outside of Rome for the First Time in Decades

The animals are part of the city's founding mythology.

by Sarah Laskow

September 26, 2017

Ancient Roman lead pipes found in Ostia Antica.

Ancient Romans Were Using Lead Pipes Earlier Than We Thought

Soil samples provide a record of Roman water usage.

by Kelsey Kennedy

August 29, 2017

The Crossness Pumping Station in London was so intricately decorated that it was nicknamed "The Cathedral on the Marsh."

Modern Cities Owe Their Cleanliness to These Innovative Old Sewers

Crucial advances in where we put our poop, throughout history.

by Kavya Ram Mohan

The Colosseum still has secrets.

Found: A Medieval Horse Head Hidden in the Colosseum

The skull dates back to the 12th or 13th century.

by Sarah Laskow

January 19, 2017

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