Wow I love the Campo de Fiori. The name means the field of flowers, because it used to be a field…read moreof flowers and vegetable gardens here before it became this square. Unfortunately from the 16th to 19th century this place became a public execution site. Yikes. The most famous execution was Giordano Bruno in 1600, in which there is now a statue in his honor for freedom of thought. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts. Pass forward to present day. This area is lively with the open air markets where you can find vendors selling produce, flowers, spices, cheese, and artisanal goods. My boyfriend and I came here to explore the live market and also to look for souvenirs to bring home. The vendors here are really aggressive and I would have enjoyed it more if they gave me space to look instead of hound me to buy buy buy. Like chill dude can I look at what I'm buying. Sigh. We were here til closing time and even get to see how the vendors efficiently and quickly packed up their stalls and belongings to wrap up for the day. And of course... a great area to enjoy some gelato.

We're at Campo de' Fiori, Rome's oldest market and possibly the most enthusiastic display of…read moretourist traps per square meter. Once a site for public executions (Bruno's brooding statue still watches over), it now specializes in overpriced pasta and garlic braids. It's more performance art than produce. Vendors heckle, truffle oil flows freely, and yes, someone will try to sell you limoncello in a boot. I walked through as part of a food tour, which felt like the right way to enjoy the chaos, briefly, and with snacks elsewhere. Not the best market in Rome, but definitely the most theatrical.

The Trevi Fountain is every bit as breathtaking and majestic in person as it looks in pictures. The…read moresheer scale of the baroque sculpture work carved right out of the building's facade is astonishing, with the clear aqua water rushing beneath Oceanus creating a stunning spectacle. That said, the crowds are intense. By mid-day, the piazza is wall-to-wall people, making it tricky to reach the water's edge, let alone take in the details without being jostled. The secret to enjoying it is all about timing: go early in the morning (around 7:00 AM) to catch it in the quiet morning light, or late at night when the crowds thin out and the fountain is dramatically illuminated. Tossing a coin over your left shoulder to guarantee a return trip to Rome may be a classic tourist tradition, but doing it in front of this masterpiece is an absolute must.

This is one of the most overhyped areas in Rome, in my humble opinion. After being in Las Vegas 7…read moreweeks ago, Husband's first words were, "Looks just like Caesar's Palace." And he was right! Dang him! It was crowded, and a line of people were waiting to pay 2€ for an up close look. We decided not to do that. We got a selfie and a photo of the Fountain and we were good. By the way, I did throw a coin into the Fountain at night in 1967 when there were no crowds and no payment to see it up close. Wishes do come true, as I returned, and this time with the love of my life for the past 46 years.

Rome seems to love a good fountain and I'm here for it. If there was a tour of just all the…read morefountains in the city, even the most mundane ones, I might sign up for it. We happened to see Quattro Fontane on our way to the Trevi Fountain. I had to leave a review for this place because I'd like you to make sure that you pass this area on your way to somewhere in Rome. The sculptures are gorgeous and worth an up-close look. You won't be spending all day here but I do think these are worth the 3-5 min you'll be spending. Hey, you could stay longer if you wanted to too but it shouldn't take that long to check out all four.

I walked by this late one night and I was in awe of these fountains…read more It was a beautiful moment that stopped me in my tracks. I will always remember these fountains. Absolutely beautiful.

The polizia are useless. I was robbed by a female taxi driver (CTP) in Aug 2022. She charged me 148…read moreeuros for 30 min ride without my approval. I didn't want to get in trouble so I paid. I reported my situation to this police station and she told me to get lost! She was on the phone probably talking to her loved ones. DON'T GO HERE!!! I even gave the polizia evidence of the suspect and their tag numbers. The polizia is on the

Worse service from this police station. No professionalism or they don't care about the people…read morethey're supposed to serve and protect. I was there to file a police report because we were pick pocketed at the Termini train terminal at approximately 6:30 pm. We just wanted to alert the police that an English speaking couple (possibly Americans or Canadians) are pick pocketing unsuspecting English speaking tourists who are using the ticketing machine. At any rate, we were told by the police to come back tonight because their internet was down. Returned that night, told to come back tomorrow morning. We did and was told the internet was still down. We returned to this station 4 times. I finally asked them to take a written statement because that does not require the internet. They insisted that everything they do is done online. Out of frustration on my part I just walked away. I got the feeling that they just don't care or are part of the criminal element that prey on the tourists that fall victim to pick pocketers. It's a shame because Rome is such a beautiful city and all the things it has to offer. So in closing, we got victimized twice; by the pick pocketers and the Italian polizia (Termini station).

Caravaggio, Medici and della Porta…read more San Luigi dei Francesi, the Church of Saint Louis of France, is a stunning Roman Catholic church filled with beautiful paintings, chapels and a rich history. The church was designed by Giacomo della Porta, built by Domenico Fontana and completed by the intervention of Catherine de' Medici, who as the wife of King Henry II of France, funded the construction. Originally, Cardinal Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici (who later became Pope Clement VII) commissioned a church for the French community in 1518. When Rome was sacked in 1527, construction was halted. The church was finally completed in 1589 by Domenico Fontana and Giacomo della Porta who changed the design completely. Giacomo della Porta created a façade as an independent piece of decorative work. This method was copied in other architectural projects later on. The facade features historical French figures such as Charlemagne and Saint Louis. The interior also has frescoes recounting French heroes and saints. It was nice to be able to read about the chapels. Information was displayed in French, Italian and English. The Contarelli Chapel is famous for three works by Baroque master Caravaggio. The three paintings depict the life of St. Matthew -"The Calling of Saint Matthew," "The Inspiration of Saint Matthew" and "The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew." This was definitely the most crowded of the chapels. It was also interesting to see the school groups that were touring with their classes during our visit. It was the only church that we visited in Rome where this was noticeable.

Rome is basically bursting with churches and priceless artwork, but if you have half an hour to see…read moresomething special, spend it at Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi, the Church of St. Louis of the French. It's a popular destination in central Rome, near Piazza Navona, free to enter for tourists and worshipers. We first tried to go when the church was closed, between noon and 2:30 on a Saturday (the hours are posted on the website and worth ascertaining before you visit). When we went back around 3:30, there was a robust line to get in, though it did move pretty quickly. I'd account for a bit of a wait, especially during peak season. The church has a lovely exterior, the building grand and baroque, completed in 1589. The good stuff, though, is on the inside. The interior is ornate and beautiful, decked out in gold and marble and a small museum's worth of important Italian paintings on the walls and ceiling. They're all worth looking at, but the main draw is the trio of Caravaggios, a cycle of works about the life of Saint Matthew, painted between 1599 and 1600. You'll know where they are from the crowd gathered in front of the Contarelli Chapel, where the paintings cover the left and right walls and the space above the altar. They are astounding works, easy to appreciate even while standing in a crowd of tourists taking pictures (I obviously took some of my own). The church has a small gift shop, where you can get prints of the Caravaggios and other souvenirs. We didn't end up buying anything, so this excursion cost us nothing but a meager outlay of our time. We left Rome with a new appreciation for Italian art, and a special love for Caravaggio. I'm glad we got to see Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi, and I fully intend to visit again.

If you're looking for quintessential European charm then you must try The Library. This little…read morerestaurant, tucked down an alley, is a wonderful respite from the sometimes jarring hustle and bustle of Rome. Admittedly, it was a few years ago that I dined here with my now husband on our first trip abroad together so I don't quite recall our full meal but I remember my first encounter with a real, authentic Caprese Salad with the best Italian olive oil and perfectly fresh mozzarella. I will also never forget the taste of the complimentary Cynar aperitif that was offered to us. It was a bizarre, bitter yet aromatic flavor that left me confused as to whether I wanted to spit it out or ask for more! :) Above all else, is the Library's ambiance. Dim lighting, centuries old brick walls, iron stair case and the wonderful, friendly staff and owner. I remember feeling a little worried that, as (young) Americans we wouldn't be well received in such a nice little restaurant but my worries soon melted and we were welcomed with open arms by our worldly waitress who happened to be British and just moved to Rome from the States.

On a trip to Italy 4 years ago, myself and Fiona celebrated our engagement with a dinner at this…read morerestaurant. We returned to Italy this year and were due to be in Roma on the same night, so booked a table. We were not disappointed, the service, food and wine were all excellent (again). This is a very small restaurant, not far from Piazza Navona. It is best to book a table. This is not a touristy type place, the menu is not very long and changes regularly. The owner is very friendly and explained all the dishes to us, and knew a good bit about the wine too. Recommended for a special occasion.

The huge Corte Suprema di Cassazione is the highest court of appeal or court of last resort in…read moreItaly. It has its seat in the Palace of Justice, Rome. It was created in 1483, contained six members named directly by the crown & decided many landmark cases & international crimes.

Saw the side of this while walking back to my hotel. Didn't go inside it but you could see a good…read morechunk of it from outside. It's beautiful and worth even walking by to appreciate the architecture.

These baths were not very interesting. We barely saw any people here in the summer, even though it…read moreis a tourist attraction. We paid €8 each for admission, which is a lot considering you can walk around this place in 30 minutes. There isn't much description available, so we just walked around and tried to imagine the scope of these formerly wondrous baths. It is about a 10-minute walk from the Circo Massimo metro stop, which included walking on a busy street without a sidewalk.

Honestly, save your time and your one euro coin. The church…read moreitself is beautiful, but the entire experience has been completely ruined by social media hype. We waited in line for a literal hour just to reach the famous "selfie mirror" to get a photo with the ceiling fresco. When you finally get to the front, you have to pay 1 euro, and you're rushed through it so fast you can barely even check if the photo turned out.

To think, I almost avoided visiting this STUNNING 17th-century church - Chiesa di Sant' Ignazio di…read moreLoyola, when visiting Rome, Italy (09/25/2025 - 10/01/2025) because it is Tik-Tok and IG "famous" for being the "mirrored church" to take an iconic selfie... yes, you read that correctly..iconic selfie. I was for sure it was going to be crowded w/ social media influencers and I was correct..it was crowded but don't let that deter you from seeing this historical beauty! Chiesa di Sant' Ignazio di Loyola is known as the "mirrored church" because it has a mirror strategically placed to see the beautiful painted ceiling fresco. (see pics & videos included in this review from my visit on Tuesday 09/30/2025 - at 10:56am) It also has a painted illusion of having a real soaring dome on a flat ceiling - very cool for sure and does make you look twice just to confirm it's indeed an illusion! Here are a few helpful fyi(s) that I wanted to pass along: --- - long line for the mirror right as you enter the church - if there is a line of people waiting for the mirror, you don't have to wait in that line if you don't want to take a selfie w/ the mirror and are only wanting to see the church...as someone else mentioned in a previous review, you can get creative w/ taking a selfie w/ the beautiful ceiling. My hubby & I took our selfie pic while we were sitting in the pew and used a timer on our phone (see pic included). ---- visit early to avoid the crowds & to fully enjoy your experience at this church Avoid the crowds so you can really take in how detailed and beautiful the architecture and paintings are. Trust me, you'll enjoy your experience so much more w/ less people. ---- it's free to visit but do bring some money w/ you to give as an offering --- just a reminder to be respectful when visiting because it is a holy place Chiesa di Sant' Ignazio di Loyola truly is something special and of the MANY Rome basilica's I've explored during my 2 visits to Rome, it is now my FAVORITE basilica thus far. Hope this info helps. :)) Rebecca visiting Rome, Italy from Austin, Texas (USA) 09/25/2025 - 10/01/2025