The walk across the Capitol Hill and the Aventine to the Testaccio quarter offers churches and culture, magnificent views and culinary specialties.
Rome is a city full of history, art and culture. One of the best ways to discover the city are varied walks off the beaten track.
Our tour suggestion leads over two of the seven hills. You walk from Piazza Venezia over the Capitol and past the Bocca della Verità up to the Aventine and on to the Testaccio district. On this way you will experience churches, culture and some culinary specialties. The recommended route is around 6 kilometers / 3.7 miles long and the difference in altitude is around 65 meters / 213 ft.
Since the Testaccio market closes in the afternoon, the tour is better suited for the morning.
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Capitol hill and Bocca della Verità
Start your tour at Piazza Venezia around 9 am. The Capitol is one of the most famous hills in Rome and has been an important place for political and religious activities since ancient times. The square on the Capitol is surrounded by impressive buildings and statues, including the Capitoline Museums, the Rome City Hall and the famous statue of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Climb up to the Capitol from Via dei Fori Imperiali and admire the view over the Roman Forum to the Colosseum and the Palatine.
At the top, walk past the entrance to the Capitoline Museums and then turn left through an archway to Piazzale Caffarelli, overlooking the ghetto and the center. Even more beautiful is the view from the terrace of the café in Palazzo Conservatorio, but it opens only at 9:30 and it takes too much time.
Then go down the wide staircase and turn left to the Theater of Marcellus and to the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin with the Bocca della Verità. The church opens at 9:30 am and you should be there in time to avoid long queues at the mouth of the truth. There is a small amount to pay for access to Bocca della Verità. The mask was probably used in ancient Rome as a manhole cover and was then walled in here at some point. It’s mentioned for the first time in the 11th century in a guide book for pilgrims. The basilica dates back to the 6th century and was rebuilt in the 12th century. It is a rare example of the sacral architecture of the 12th century in Rome. In the crypt from the 8th century, there are several relics, which were transferred from the catacombs to here.
The Aventine hill
Now you are on your way to the Aventine Hill. It is one of the seven hills in Rome and has a height of 141 ft. There is hardly any traffic in the winding streets and it is very quiet.
The rose garden of the municipality of Rome
After visiting the basilica, turn left to the Circus Maximus. At the center of the Circus, cross the street at Piazza Ugo La Malfa and find a pedestrian walkway that crosses the rose garden of the municipality of Rome. The garden is open in spring and autumn. When the garden is open, you go up through the garden and out on the other side, otherwise you turn left at the end of the pedestrian walkway.
The Orange garden
The street is called Clivo dei Pubblici, then turn right into Via Eufemiano and right again into Via Sant’Alberto Magno. At the end of the street on the left you will see the forecourt of the Basilica of St. Sabine. There is the entrance to the Orange Garden, one of the most beautiful viewpoints on the Aventine.
Basilica of Santa Sabina all’Aventino
Then you can visit the basilica, which is a popular wedding church. The church dates back to the 5th century and the Pope celebrates Mass on Ash Wednesday. The basilica closes at 12:30 noon.
The Basilica of SS. Bonifacio e Alessio
If you continue, you will come to a small park, which also offers a beautiful view. It belongs to the Basilica of Saint Boniface and Alexius. Also this basilica dates from the 5th century and is a popular wedding church. So many weddings on the Aventine, it could be called the wedding hill. Also this basilica closes at noon at 12:30.
Maltese Order and Keyhole
If you follow the road, you will come to the square of the Order of Malta. It was designed in the 18th century and is full of symbolism. Here, in a gate, is the famous keyhole, in the center of which you can see the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. To bring the St. Peter’s dome in a keyhole on a photo is a feat!
By the way, the Order of Malta is a state without territory and issues its own stamps and coins. The only state territory is its government palace in Via dei Condotti near the Piazza di Spagna and the villa on the Aventine.
Sant’Anselmo
Right next to the square of the Maltese is the papal liturgical institute of St. Anselm. The church dates from the 19th century. Again, many like to marry here. The church is open all day.
You now descend from the Aventine on Via di Porta Lavernale and reach Via Marmorata.
Testaccio
The Testaccio borders on one side the Via Marmorata and on the other side the Tiber. On the third side it ends at the city wall. In the center rises a hill of potsherds. The testaccio is known for good food. Here the food from the Roman provinces was delivered on boats and the Roman slaughterhouse was located on the Tiber.
From Monday to Saturday we recommend a small culinary tour, on Sunday you should go directly to the non-catholic Cemetery. For the Cemetery, turn left on the Via Marmorata and then right in Via Caio Cestio. Last admission on Sunday is at 12:30pm, the cemetery closes at 1 pm. During the week the last admission is at 4:30pm.
Culinary tour
At Via Marmorata, the delicacies start right away. Just by the streetcar stop is the traditional Trattoria Perilli with original Roman cuisine. You might want to come back here for dinner. To the right is Pasticceria Barberini with small sweets and next to it is Volpetti, one of Rome’s premier delicatessens. Volpetti offers bread, cheese and cold cuts that are otherwise difficult to find in Rome – genuine and selected specialties. Volpetti also offers ready-to-go preparations. Volpetti closes for lunch at 2 p.m. Around the corner to the left on Via Alessandro Volta, Volpetti also operates a taverna.
If you walk down Via Volta to the end, you’ll come to the Testaccio market. To the right of Via Volta is Piazza Testaccio with a beer bar with a huge selection of beers, including champagne beer.
In the market of the Testaccio fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, clothing and household goods are sold. But interesting is the market because of the many stalls with street food. In the center of the market there is a bar.
A celebrity in the market of the Testaccio is the box Mordi e Vai. Here you will find sandwiches with specialties of traditional Roman cuisine. A lovingly prepared pizza you get at CasaManco.
Monte dei cocci – restaurants and discos
To the left of the market, on the other side of Via Galvani, is the potsherds hill. Unfortunately, it is a little complicated to visit. Archaeologists are digging here.
In ancient Rome, food from the provinces was unloaded in this area at the Tiber river. In particular, the amphorae, which were filled with oil, could not be reused, and were thrown away here. To neutralize the rotting oil residue, lime was thrown over the shards, stabilizing the hill. The hill is 115 ft high.
Very picturesque is the road between the old slaughterhouse and the hill, Via di Monte Testaccio. There are many restaurants and discos here. Halfway up a staircase leads through a park.
The foreigners cemetery
On the other side is Via Caio Cestio and there is the entrance to the foreigners Cemetery. It is the cemetery of non-Catholics and is located at the city wall. Here many non-Catholic foreigners, but also Italians, are buried, including many famous names.
A short walk across the cemetery is worthwhile. The cemetery closes at 5pm during the week and at 1pm on Sunday. Last admission is half an hour before. Admission is free, but a small donation is welcome.
From the cemetery, turn right back to Via Marmorata and on the right you will find Porta San Paolo with the Pyramid, Metro B, Ostiense Station, Tram and numerous bus lines.
Eataly
If you still have some time, you can make a detour to the Eataly delicatessen, located behind Ostiense Station. To do this, enter the station and take the underpass under the tracks that leads to the exit at Eataly.
There you will find the best that Italy has to offer in terms of food in shops and numerous well-kept restaurants.
For the way back you can take bus 715 from Eataly to Piazza Venezia or you go through the underpass under Ostiense station and then to metro B or to the pyramid with various bus connections and the tram line 3.
How to go on from the pyramid
If you are still fit, you can attach one of our suggestions for the afternoon. The pyramid and Ostiense train station are a hub from which you can continue in many directions.
To the Colosseum, take the Metro B or tram line 3. The Basilica St. Paul is two stops on the Metro B in the direction of Laurentina. If you want to go to the Appia Antica and the Catacombs, take the 118 bus from the Colosseum.
Bus 23 takes you along the Tiber to Castel Sant’Angelo and the Vatican. Line 30 will take you to Piazza Venezia and Piazza Navona.
Other suggestions
