Let’s face it, it doesn’t take long to find scenic walks in Rome, but sometimes, discovering an alternative route can reveal a piece of history or artwork we were not even aware of. Not to mention the satisfaction given by walking surrounded by beauty instead of cars, motorbikes, and buses.
Rome is so touristy and at times so crowded that it’s easy to get dragged into the most popular and obvious routes. But what if you want to stray further away and discover a more original and offbeat path?
What if you want to explore the city and enjoy its views but without necessarily soaking in the crowds by visiting the busiest landmarks?
This short list of three scenic walks in Rome I’m gifting you includes three routes I love to take myself and that always leave me with a sense of achievement, even though I have visited them more than once. Every time, I discover a new piece and find a different corner, and this is what makes me love Rome more and more and never get tired of it.
These are the types of gems I like to include in my custom Rome itineraries whenever I feel my clients want to dig deep into the culture of the city.
The “Jasmine Walk”
This is a short walk and a super easy one. You can reach its starting point from platform 1 of the San Pietro train station, from where you will also see clear directions marked as “Passeggiata del Gelsomino“. “Gelsomino” stands for jasmine, the highly scented plant that lines up all along this scenic walk.
It’s a short paved walkway that goes from the train station straight towards the Vatican Walls. This is why, along the way, you can enjoy a fantastic view of Saint Peter’s dome and Basilica as well as the rooftops and the residents of the Aurelio neighborhood getting by in the shade of the Vatican City.
Rome being Rome, even though the walk is quite short, you will have the chance to see a piece of modern history. More precisely, the walkway runs along the old railway created after the Lateran Treaty signed on February 11th, 1929 between the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy See to connect the Vatican State to the Italian Kingdom. It’s no longer in operation, but both the platform and the tunnel entrance remain.
If you take the walk in spring, you will also enjoy the scent of jasmine all around, and if taking photos is one of your hobbies, make sure you don’t forget your camera because photo ops here abound.
Finally, you will end up right at the entrance of the Vatican, a pleasant and alternative way to reach your first landmark to visit!
The Lungotevere walk
This is one of my favorites and truly an evergreen, no matter the season and the time of day. I love walking across the bridges of the Tiber River because there is art and history literally at every step.
Start from Castel Sant’Angelo and its wonderful Ponte Sant’Angelo bridge, designed by Bernini but boasting a much longer history, carry on to the scenic Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II bridge, and continue towards Trastevere, enjoying the views along the Tiber.
Here, whether you arrive from the Trastevere or the Jewish Quarter side, you can cross important historical bridges such as Ponte Sisto and Pons Fabricius, Rome’s oldest. In the middle, you will also see Tiber Island, quite touristy but quaint and incredibly steeped in history.
Whichever banks of the Tiber you choose for your stroll, there’s no lack of historical buildings, wonderful architecture, dream-like reflection, and an incredible atmosphere to enjoy.
The Aventine walk
What I freely named the “Aventine walk” is all about Roman grandeur and is a bit of a mix of views.
You can kick off your walk from the Circus Maximus and climb the Aventine Hill from the rose garden (Roseto), which you can even visit if it’s spring. Rome’s rose garden shows thousands of rose species and a fantastic view of the city center, so it adds great beauty to this walk.
From the rose garden, keep climbing the Aventine and immerse yourself in ancient alleys lined up with low-rise buildings, early-Christian churches, and secluded gardens.
The scenery of this Roman walk will whirl you back in time in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Rome. The hill chosen by Remo for spotting the birds during the quarrel with his brother Romulus, for the foundation of Rome, the Aventine was one of the seven historical hills where the city was born.
Dwelling of the ordinary citizens, as opposed to the Palatine, where patricians settled, here, many pagan temples were erected, including the Temple of Iuno Regina, the pillars of which are now decorating the early-Christian Basilica of Santa Sabina on the same Aventine Hill.
End your Roman scenic walk behind Santa Sabina church in the lovely Orange Garden, which will offer you a beautiful view over the winding banks of the Tiber and the majestic ruins of Ancient Rome.
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