My hometown, that place that blows you away, then it drives you crazy, and eventually it makes you fall in love again. Deeply, madly.
Rome is pure bliss and chaos, has an old but always classy soul.
More than any other in Italy, the capital city offers tons of activities you can do for free, to lose yourself into the Great Beauty.
Because after all Rome is the anagram of Amor (= love in italian).

Secret Rome, the ultimate guide

The itinerary I suggest goes all around the historic center, crossing different district: Campo Marzio, Sant'Eustachio, Regola, Testaccio, Monti, Pigneto, Trieste. A golden circle, as I like to describe it. And if you don't know some of the places I mentioned, don't be scared...it's an adventure after all!

• 1.  Basilica di Santa Maria del Popolo (Piazza del Popolo n. 12)

Starting point of the itinerary is the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo, located in the homonymous square (9.00 am is a perfect time to enter the church and avoid the mass schedule).

Rome, RM, Italia

Forget about Vatican City, Trevi Fountain and Colosseum (at least these won't be the focus of the itinerary) and immerse yourself into the most authentic secrets of the Eternal City.

Just one tip: put a couple of comfortable shoes on, because yes, you are going to move by public trasportation too but a good part of the route will be covered on foot :)

To get there, you have to take Metro A and stop in Flaminio Station; the basilica is a couple of minutes on foot, after a stone arch on the other side of the large road you see as soon as you exit the underground.

This 15-century Church is a real jewel, full of masterpieces by celebrated Italian artists such as Raphael, Bernini, Pinturicchio and Caravaggio, and is regarded as one of the finest example of Renaissance art.

I also recommend to plan this itinerary in a weekday, so you'll find less people around. Please note all the things I mention here are free of charge, no entrance fee needed!

Caravaggio is the main reason we came here, since you can admire some of his most popular masterpieces for free: on the left of the choir in the north transept, indeed, you can see the Cerasi Chapel. Inside there are two major canvases painted by Caravaggio, depicting the "Crucifixion of St. Peter" and the "Conversion of St. Paul".

Outside Santa Maria del Popolo, keep your left and cross the square, walking along via del Babuino. One minute later you'll see a narrow alley on your left: that is the iconic Via Margutta (also knows as the artists' road), probably one of the most picturesque parts of Rome's city center.

Just enjoy the vibrant atmosphere here, take some pictures, indulge in front of the craft shops' windows, and in a few minutes you'll be again in via del Babuino, right where the Spanish Steps open up in front of you.

After a photo shoot by rite (of course), turn right in Via dei Condotti and then left in Via Bocca di Leone. Here is our second stop, an hidden gem which usually goes unnoticed: Palazzo Nuñez-Torlonia and its gorgeous courtyard. 

The palace, once belonged to the wealthy Torlonia family (which had several estates in Rome), today houses different kind of exhibitions and events.

Have a look at the pretty courtyard, its sculptures, the colonnade, the lovely pergola and for a few minutes you'll feel in an old-fashioned dimension.

Next stop: Trevi Fountain. No, we are not going to throw a coin inside the most famous fountain in the world; at least, that's not our main interest! Probably you don't know that 160 meters from Trevi Fountain there's a place that will leave you speachless.

From Trevi we keep going west, crossing Via del Corso and heading to another church, between the Pantheon and Navona Square. I'm talking about San Luigi dei Francesi.

It goes unnoticed, but is a must see: Galleria Sciarra is a pedestrian covered walkway open from Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 6.30 pm, located between Via Marco Minghetti 10 and Piazza dell'Oratorio. It's one of the few examples of art nouveau architecture of the city (together with Coppedé and a handful of other places), and once you get there you can't help but look up and be enchanted by its beauty.

• Sant'Eustachio & Regola, beyond Piazza Navona

This gorgeous Renaissance Baroque church built in the 16th century houses other masterpieces, located on the sides of Contarelli Chapel: "The Calling of Saint Matthew", 

"The Inspiration of Saint Matthew" and "The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew".

Once outside the church, we walk for about 9 minutes along Navona Square, crossing Via Vittorio Emanuele II to stop by another gem of Rome.

Passetto del Biscione is a tiny secret passageway full of frescoes, not very easy to find. Looking at the following picture, you'll find the small alley on the left (on the right if you consider you are coming from Piazza Navona ).

For years the Passetto del Biscione, which in Roman times connected the cavea of Teatro di Pompeo with the outside, was a victim of decay and vandals. But for just over a year those few covered and passable meters that connect via di Grotta Pinta with piazza del Biscione, a few meters from Campo de 'Fiori, have returned to shine.

• Testaccio, the authentic soul of Rome

Our next stop is Testaccio district, some of the most underrated areas of the capital city.

We walk along river Tiber, passing by the so-called Isola Tiberina.

We keep going, walking along the river right behind the Temple of Ercules Victor (on the left): it is a "tholos", a round temple of Greek 'peripteral' design completely surrounded by a colonnade, and it was built during the II century BC. This temple is the earliest surviving marble building in Rome and also the only surviving sacred temple in ancient Rome that is made of Greek marble.

After about 3 minutes from here we'll see an open passage on our left called Clivo di Rocca Savella, leading to a picturesque alley going up the hill Aventino. A red house will tell you where the road starts.

We proceed this way, and a few minutes later we pass another gate. Let's turn right, and around the corner you can see the access to one of the most beautiful panoramic terraces of Rome: I'm talking about il Giardino degli Aranci (the "Garden of Orange Trees"). The view over the capital is just breath-taking.

A few minutes more on foot, and we arrive at the bus stop Aventino/Circo Massimo.

Let's indulge a little, sitting on a bench and enjoying the street musicians who often like to exhibit for the passengers visiting the garden.

Before leaving Aventino hill, there's another secret which hides here; a unique spot in the square next to the garden on the right, that locals call "Buco della serratura": through a lock's hole of a big door located in Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta you can see the glimpse of a garden (which belongs to the Villa del Priorato di Malta) and in the middle of its lush greenery St. Peter's Chapel. If there's a long queue in front of the gate, you are at the right place!

We are now ready to take a bus to get to our next stop. We need to go down the hill, just following the main road called Via di Santa Sabina, proceeding straight in front of us and passing through another big gate surrounded by pine trees.

At the end of the downhill, we reach Via Del Circo Massimo and we need to turn right, admiring the outstanding ruins of this ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium (which was also a mass entertainment venue in ancient Rome); side note, it was the first and largest stadium of the whole Empire.

We jump on bus n° 81, only 25 minutes (12 stops) and we are at the gate of a new district.

Do you know that in Rome there are more than 300 graffiti? One of my favourite districts from this point of view is Pigneto. Famous for the local market and the charm of its bohemien cafés, in the evening turns into a lively area for aperitifs, ethnic restaurants and nightlife.

The most interesting part is hands down the huge amount of street art scattered all over the area between Pigneto and Torpignattara. A few adresses (but the fun thing will be discover them along the way!): via Ludovico Pavoni 118, via Antonio Tempesta 215, via Galeazzo Alessi 219, via Ciro da Urbino 12-14.

From the bus stop Ponte Casilino, Via del Pigneto (where the pedestrian area starts) is a cuple of minutes away.

Right outside Borgo Pigneto, there's the bus stop Prenestina/Gattamelata where you can catch bus 19L, which in half an hour (18 stops total) will bring you in the heart of our last destination.