The Atlas Obscura Guide To

Rome

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

Unusual
Attractions
in Rome

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."

Dylan

Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

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

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

Porta Alchemica

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

Added by athomio

Quartiere Coppedè

Architectureal fantasy quarter of Rome.

Added by athomio

The Dome Illusion

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

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

The Aventine Keyhole

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

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

The Mithraeum at Circus Maximus

The underground sanctuary of a mysterious ancient cult.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

The Mouth of Truth

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

EricGrundhauser

Added by EricGrundhauser

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Atlas Obscura Trips

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

Apr 1—Apr 7, 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.

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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

Susan Van Allen

Added by Susan Van Allen

Eucalittino

Gastro Obscura

Eucalittino

Outside Rome, a tranquil abbey turns eucalyptus into liqueur.

Gastro Obscura

Susan Van Allen

Added by Susan Van Allen

Pizza Ebraica

Gastro Obscura

Pizza Ebraica

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

Gastro Obscura

rachelrummel

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

Gautham Krishnaraj

Added by Gautham Krishnaraj

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Recent Rome Activity

tfinocchiaro wants to go to Arciconfraternita Santa Maria dell'Orazione e Morte

EmilyJoy wants to go to Natural Monument of Galeria Antica

EmilyJoy wants to go to Galleria Sciarra

alousnamer wants to go to Santa Maria della Concezione Crypts

shakaZOLO has been to Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

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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