Stretched out on the slopes of the Aventine Hill, this idyllic garden boasts more than 1100 of the rarest roses, coaxed into life each spring by a team of horticultural experts. The ancient Circo Massimo plays backdrop, and is just as striking as the grounds themselves.
©Alexandra Bruzzese/Lonely Planet
Roseto Comunale
San Giovanni & Testaccio
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
2.07 MILES
Founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century and enlarged by successive pontiffs, the Vatican Museums boast one of the world's greatest art…
1.9 MILES
In the city of outstanding churches, none can hold a candle to St Peter's, Italy’s largest, richest and most spectacular basilica. Built atop a 4th…
0.46 MILES
An impressive – if rather confusing – sprawl of ruins, the Roman Forum was ancient Rome's showpiece center, a grandiose district of temples...
0.3 MILES
Sandwiched between the Roman Forum and the Circo Massimo, the Palatino (Palatine Hill) is one of Rome's most spectacular sights. It's a beautiful,…
0.55 MILES
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0.52 MILES
Dating from 1471, the Capitoline Museums are the world's oldest public museums, with a fine collection of classical sculpture.
0.97 MILES
With its revolutionary design, this awe-inspiring temple has served as an architectural blueprint for millennia.
1.05 MILES
With its showy fountains, baroque palazzi and colorful cast of street artists, hawkers and tourists, Piazza Navona is central Rome’s elegant showcase…
Nearby San Giovanni & Testaccio attractions
0.16 MILES
Officially called the Parco Savello but known to every Roman as the Giardino degli Aranci (Orange Garden), this walled park is a romantic haven. Head down…
0.2 MILES
This solemn basilica, one of Rome's most beautiful early Christian churches, was founded by Peter of Illyria around AD 422. It was enlarged in the 9th…
0.2 MILES
Now a huge basin of dusty grass, Circo Massimo was ancient Rome’s largest chariot racetrack, a 250,000-seater capable of holding up to a quarter of the…
0.21 MILES
A bearded face carved into a giant marble disc, the Bocca della Verità is one of Rome's most popular curiosities. Legend has it that if you put your hand…
0.22 MILES
On the Palatino, the Domus was the emperor's private residence in the imperial palace. It was built on two levels, with rooms leading off a peristilio …
0.22 MILES
At the Domus Augustana, SUPER ticket holders can visit the Aula Isiaca, a frescoed room from a luxurious Republican-era house, and the Loggia Mattei, a…
0.23 MILES
One of the few obviously recognisable buildings on the Palatino, the sunken stadio (stadium) was probably used by the emperors for private games and…
0.23 MILES
A series of towering arches in the southern area of the Palatino built to facilitate the development of the imperial residence.