71 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Rome - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in Rome

Santa Maria della Concezione Crypts

The crypts of Capuchin friars decorated with the bones of over 4,000 friars, including an entire "crypt of pelvises."

Dylan

Torre Argentina (Roman Cat Sanctuary)

Hundreds of lucky felines haunt the ruins where Caesar was murdered.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

Porta Alchemica

An alchemist's "magic door" stands in the middle of a Roman park.

Added by athomio

Quartiere Coppedè

Architectureal fantasy quarter of Rome.

Added by athomio

The Dome Illusion

A master of trompe-l'oeil creates a stunning, tourist-fooling dome out of a flat ceiling.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

The Aventine Keyhole

Rome's semi-secret peephole vista is also a former Crusader stronghold.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

The Mouth of Truth

The yawning maw of this pagan visage is said to bite off the hands of liars.

EricGrundhauser

Added by EricGrundhauser

The Mithraeum at Circus Maximus

The underground sanctuary of a mysterious ancient cult.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

See All 71 Things to Do in Rome See All 71 Places

Unique
Food & Drink
in Rome

Carciofi alla Giudia

Gastro Obscura

Carciofi alla Giudia

Created in Rome's Jewish ghetto, the fried artichokes herald spring.

Gastro Obscura

Susan Van Allen

Added by Susan Van Allen

Pizza Ebraica

Gastro Obscura

Pizza Ebraica

This cookie is found only in Rome's Jewish quarter.

Gastro Obscura

rachelrummel

Added by rachelrummel

Eucalittino

Gastro Obscura

Eucalittino

Outside Rome, a tranquil abbey turns eucalyptus into liqueur.

Gastro Obscura

Susan Van Allen

Added by Susan Van Allen

Pajata

Gastro Obscura

Pajata

After being banned for a decade and a half, this Roman classic is back on the table.

Gastro Obscura

Gautham Krishnaraj

Added by Gautham Krishnaraj

See all 7 things to eat in Rome See all 7 things to eat in Rome

Atlas Obscura Trips

Rome Behind Locked Doors: Music, Magic, and Secret Crypts

Sep 30–Oct 06, 2019

Explore beneath Rome's streets and behind its locked doors to see a Rome that tourists rarely experience—magical, strange, and filled with legend.

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Atlas Obscura Trips

Rome Behind Locked Doors: Music, Magic, and Secret Crypts

Explore beneath Rome's streets and behind its locked doors to see a Rome that tourists rarely experience—magical, strange, and filled with legend.

Community Forums / Southern Europe / Italy

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Where is your favorite place to eat and see something unusual in Rome?	1 July 23, 2019	295	July 23, 2019
Uffizi Gallery Trip	4 July 30, 2019	231	July 30, 2019
Drive Through Lazio Countryside	6 June 09, 2019	314	June 09, 2019
Stumbling Stones of Rome	3 July 24, 2019	284	July 24, 2019
Recognize authentic Murano Glass	3 June 18, 2019	345	June 18, 2019

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Stories
About Rome

If you look closely, the Baths of Caracalla look a bit like the Golden Arches.

The Roman Baths of Caracalla Will Not Be Getting a McDonald's After All

The relationship between Rome's cultural heritage sites and the burger chain is long and contentious.

by Matthew Taub

August 02, 2019

"Tempio del Dio Ridicolo."

The Latin Typo That Gave Us the Temple of Ridicule

Ancient Rome never had an "Aedicula Ridiculi," but plenty of people thought it did.

by Caroline Wazer

The sundial celebrating Marcus Novius Tubula's electoral victory.

Found: A Celebratory Roman Sundial, Two Millennia Old

A tribune of the people is still celebrating his electoral victory.

by Natasha Frost

November 08, 2017

Wolf puppies!

Found: Wolf Puppies Born Outside of Rome for the First Time in Decades

The animals are part of the city's founding mythology.

by Sarah Laskow

September 26, 2017

Ancient Roman lead pipes found in Ostia Antica.

Ancient Romans Were Using Lead Pipes Earlier Than We Thought

Soil samples provide a record of Roman water usage.

by Kelsey Kennedy

August 29, 2017

The Crossness Pumping Station in London was so intricately decorated that it was nicknamed "The Cathedral on the Marsh."

Modern Cities Owe Their Cleanliness to These Innovative Old Sewers

Crucial advances in where we put our poop, throughout history.

by Kavya Ram Mohan

The Colosseum still has secrets.

Found: A Medieval Horse Head Hidden in the Colosseum

The skull dates back to the 12th or 13th century.

by Sarah Laskow

January 19, 2017

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