A Great Roman View

As you know, Rome is known for it's famed seven hills. Some visitors to Rome make it a point to visit each hill and see the city from above - the views can truly be spectacular. One of the most popular, for example, is the view from the Aventine Hill...

The view from the Aventine

Typically, it's really not that crowded since a majority of tourists tend to stick to the core of the center of town. In fact, the Aventine is a quiet area with several nice churches and a tranquil walkable neighborhood.

Another lesser known view is located smack dab in the middle of the city and is one of my favorites. Let's say it's a view that lets you focus on the details rather than admiring the big picture. It's easy to get to but most people don't know about it. My aunt told me about this view a couple of trips ago and it's was worth checking out.

Looking out over Trajan's Makets

The directions are easy. Head up the cordonata to the Piazza del Campidoglio. If you don't know what I'm referring to, any good guidebook can help - the Campidoglio is also referred to as the Capitoline hill. Once you're in the main piazza, walk towards the back of the piazza and to the left until you see a wide set of brick steps that lead up to a brick building. At the top of the steps, you'll want to enter the building on the far right... they'll be an open door that leads down a hallway. Follow that hallway, up some steps and eventually you'll pop outside.

Wintertime view towards the Colosseo

You can then find your way to a usually calm cafe' - an pricey but great spot for a morning cappuccino and cornetto or an afternoon tramezzino. All along the cafe is a nice open area with marble railings that provide excellent views of Trajan's Markets, Via dei Fori Imperiali and i Monti. Yes, you'll figure out that, for the most part, you're standing on Il Vittoriano but you wouldn't be mobbed by other tourists. We've stopped by there both in the dead of summer and early winter and both times, there were maybe a half-dozen other people. Just perfect.

My wife and aunt at the cafe'