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Walk the historic centre from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona, Rome

Cities & Culture

Walk the historic centre from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona

Rome · Lazio

QUICK INFORMATION

CATEGORY
Cities & Culture
COUNTRY
Italy
REGION
Rome · Lazio
DURATION
2 hours
DIFFICULTY
An easy, mostly flat walk through pedestrian streets.
BEST TIME
Year-round; mornings and evenings are most atmospheric.

ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE

The historic centre of Rome is so dense with monuments that the best way to see it is simply to walk it. A route from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona passes through some of the most theatrical public spaces in the city in under a kilometre — the columned portico of the Pantheon, the elephant obelisk in Piazza della Minerva, the Trevi Fountain tucked into its tiny square, and the long Baroque sweep of Piazza Navona with its three fountains and Borromini’s church of Sant’Agnese. Nothing on the walk requires a ticket; the point is to move through the city at the pace it was built to be read.

WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE

What you’ll experience

More here soon — the road is still being mapped.

THE EXPERIENCE IN DETAIL

What it’s really like

More here soon — the road is still being mapped.

HIGHLIGHTS

Moments worth savouring

01

The Pantheon and its dome — the best-preserved building of ancient Rome, free to enter.

02

Piazza della Minerva — Bernini’s marble elephant carrying an Egyptian obelisk, outside the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.

03

The Trevi Fountain — the largest Baroque fountain in Rome, best in the evening light.

04

Piazza Navona — the long oval built over the Stadium of Domitian, with Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers and Borromini’s Sant’Agnese in Agone.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Good to know before you go

More here soon — the road is still being mapped.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Before you go

Route
Roughly a kilometre of level walking through pedestrian streets; allow two hours with stops.
Best Time
Early morning for quiet, or evening for the fountains lit up.
Context
The whole walk sits within the UNESCO-listed historic centre of Rome.

MAP & LOCATION

Walk the historic centre from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona

Walk the historic centre from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona, Rome, Lazio, Italy

41.8967, 12.4767

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ATTRACTIONS NEARBY

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The political and commercial heart of ancient Rome — a valley of temples, basilicas and government buildings between the Capitoline and Palatine hills, where the Senate met, emperors were buried and triumphal processions passed.

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FOOD & DRINK

Where to eat nearby

01

Roscioli — a celebrated salumeria and trattoria near Campo de’ Fiori, Roman pastas and a peerless cheese counter

02

Armando al Pantheon — classic Roman cooking a stone’s throw from the Pantheon, book ahead

03

Da Enzo al 29 — the most loved of Trastevere’s honest trattorias, no-fuss carbonara and saltimbocca

04

Pizzarium — Gabriele Bonci’s by-the-slice pizza al taglio near the Vatican, arguably Rome’s best

05

Two Sizes — thin Roman-style pizza by the slice, eaten standing, near the Spanish Steps

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HOTELS & STAYS

Where to stay nearby

01

Hotel Locarno — a Liberty-style hotel near Piazza del Popolo, with a leafy courtyard and a rooftop

02

Hotel Raphael — a boutique hotel off Piazza Navona with a rooftop terrace over the rooftops

03

The Fifteen Keys Hotel — a small design hotel in Monti, a quiet base within walking distance of the Forum

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Generator Rome — a stylish hostel near Termini, good value for a central stay

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