The Spanish Steps have always been the address on the agenda for those who come to visit Rome from all over the world; it is in every tourist guide as one of the attractions of the capital, and it is certainly one of the world's most famous squares. From here, just to name a few, begin the most famous streets of Rome like elegant Via Condotti and Via Frattina, picturesque Via Margutta and tasteful Via del Babuino.
Being located right next to the Spanish Steps, we offer you some ideas for beautiful walks starting right from our residence Roman Domus International. With these brief notes we do not presume to take the place of the tour guides but simply to offer useful tips to get the most out of your Roman holiday.
From the Spanish Steps to Piazza Navona
A splendid walk through the capital amidst Baroque fountains, historic sites and some of the most beautiful views of Rome.
We start our walk from our hotel in Rome in Piazza di Spagna going along Via del Babuino to the majestic Piazza del Popolo. Here you can admire the twin churches of Santa Maria Montesano and Santa Maria dei Miracoli and turning your gaze upwards you can see the terrace of the Pincio. Of the three roads leading into the square, we take Via di Ripetta that will lead you to the Ara Pacis and the Mausoleum of Augustus, where a visit is a must. Our walk starts up again along Via Tomacelli and Via Leoncino to arrive in Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina, one of the most beautiful salons in Rome, where we can appreciate the ancient basilica of the same name. From here, walking along Via di Campo Marzio and Via degli Uffici del Vicario we reach the imposing Palazzo Montecitorio, designed by Bernini and Carlo Fontana, today the seat of the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Republic.
We continue our walk towards Piazza Capranica and going along Via degli Orfani we arrive in front of the Pantheon, the best-preserved temple of ancient Rome, famous for its magnificent masonry dome. With the Pantheon behind us we head towards Via della Rosetta and Via del Pozzo to reach Piazza San Luigi dei Francesei with the church of the same name which is famous for its three masterpieces by Caravaggio. From here we take Via Santa Giovanna D'Arco towards Corso del Rinascimento to arrive in front of Palazzo Madama, the seat of the Italian Senate. With our back to the Senate, we can finally arrive at the end of our walk, the pride of Baroque Rome: Piazza Navona with the works of such masters as Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Francesco Borromini, Girolamo Rainaldi and Pietro da Cortona. If you are not tired, you can go for a stroll to the characteristic Piazza Campo de 'Fiori.
From the Spanish Steps to the Baths of Caracalla
A beautiful walk through ancient and modern with a little shopping and discovering the Rome of yesteryear.
We begin to walk from our hotel in Piazza di Spagna taking Via Frattina, one of the most famous streets in Rome and a major shopping destination in the capital, and come on to Via del Corso; here we turn left in the direction of Piazza Colonna where we can see centuries-old Palazzo Chigi, seat of the Italian government since 1961, and the Galleria Alberto Sordi, now a shopping venue with a range of different shops to satisfy the most varied tastes. We continue along Via del Corso up to the foot of the Capitoline Hill in Piazza Venezia, where the Victor Emmanuel II Monument rises in all its grandeur. Heading to the right onto Via del Teatro di Marcello we continue towards the Ancient Roman theater, the Theatre of Marcellus, designed by Julius Caesar and built by Augustus, who dedicated it to his nephew Marcus Claudius Marcellus.
Continuing our walk we arrive in Via Luigi Petroselli which we follow up to Piazza della Bocca della Verita, where we can visit the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin and view the legendary Mouth of Truth at the left of the porch of the church. From here we set off again along Via della Greca to reach the Circus Maximus, the Ancient Roman circus dedicated to horse races and walk the long Via del Circo Massimo before turning left on to Viale Aventino and then on to Viale delle Terme di Caracalla. Our walk ends at the Baths of Caracalla, an extraordinary testimony to the grandeur of the Roman Empire. Inaugurated by Emperor Caracalla, they held up to 1,600 people in hot and cold water baths and they were grandiose, overshadowing our modern spas.