Vatican City Things to Do

In the middle of the congested Piazza Barberini stands the Fountain of Triton, one of Bernini's finest. It shows the sea-god Triton carved into the center of a shell. It was ordered by Pope Urban VIII Barberini, as was the othe... more

The Terrina fountain was designed by Giacomo Della Porta toward the end of the 16th Century and was originally placed in the center of the Campo de' Fiori. But in 1889 it was dismantled to make way for the monument to Giordano... more

The Fountain of Neptune was first known as the Fountain of the Calderari. It dates from 1576 and was designed by Giacomo Della Porta. It stands on the north side of Piazza Navona and symmetrically opposite the Fountain of the M... more

Porta del Popolo was originally known as Porta Flaminia and opened onto the Via Flaminia. It was part of the Aurelian walls and was the most monumental of Rome's gateways. At one time the exterior was restored by Nanni di Bacci... more

The Mure Serviane take their name from the mythical sixth king of Rome, Servio Tullio, to whom legend attributes the building of these walls. In fact, it has been historically proven that these walls, which ran for eleven kilom... more

Via del Portico d'Ottavia was a type of boundary for Jewish people confined to the Ghetto. The Jewish Ghetto was created in 1500 following an order by Paul IV and the Jewish people of Rome have lived here since 1870. The left s... more

This area has been frequented by the Jewish community since the year 1000, thus the name "ghetto." It is full of archeological remains, dating to the medieval period and earlier. The significant monuments that can be seen inclu... more

The entrance to the villa is decorated with the coat of arms of the Carpegna family. Construction of the villa began towards the end of the 17th Century and the building has undergone many alterations since then, becoming a pub... more

The small fountain in Piazza delle Vaschette was originally behind the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Porta Angelica. The church was demolished to make way for the present day Piazza del Risorgimento. It was for this rea... more

Many statues have been used in Rome to represent opinions conflicting opinions, and one of the most famous is that of Pasquino in the wall of the Banco di Roma and dates from the 16th Century. It shows a man holding a barrel fr... more