Rione Monti: 7 things to do in the trendiest neighborhood of Rome

The Monti District is the first district of Rome, it is called Monti (hills) because it extends over 3 of the seven hills of Rome: the Esquiline, the Viminale and the Quirinale. In ancient times it was called the suburra (under the city) because of its basements that extended up to the Colosseum. Today it is one of the trendiest neighborhoods of the capital where the popular character of the past mixes with a young and hipster soul. In this article we suggest the itinerary to discover it best, along picturesque ups and downs of alleys surrounded by houses covered in ivy. Given its central location, getting to this neighborhood is very simple, we recommend using Rome's public transport. From the central Termini station you can take one metro stop to Cavour station (Line B).

You will discover the Piazza della Madonna dei Monti where you can enjoy an ice cream, we will take you through its streets to go vintage or slow fashion shopping, you will be able to admire the splendid Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and learn about its miracle and be thrilled by Michelangelo Buonarroti’s sculpture of Moses inside the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli; We will let you enter the mysterious and pleasant garden of Villa Aldobrandini and you will end the day with the lively nightlife. To make everything easier on your visit to Rome we recommend you consider the Visit Rome Pass, a single card with more than 50 attractions and unlimited access to public transport. Continue reading and discover with us the 7 things to do in the Monti district.

To best discover the Monti district we recommend starting your walk from Piazza della Madonna dei Monti, which represents the heart of the district. Piazza della Madonna dei Monti extends between via dei Serpenti and via degli Zingari and takes its name from the church of Santa Maria dei Monti, which appears on one side of the square with its left flank. The square is dominated by the splendid late Renaissance octagonal fountain by Giacomo della Porta. 

Various venues overlook the square: restaurants, cafes and an excellent ice cream shop. Feel a little part of the neighborhood and sit on the steps of the fountain to enjoy an ice cream and observe the heterogeneous passage of locals, foreigners and students, to begin to understand the soul of the neighborhood.

From Piazza Madonna dei Monti, leaving via dei Serpenti behind you, go straight ahead and immerse yourself in the neighborhood, you will immediately find via del Boschetto. Via del Boschetto is a picturesque uphill street, with ivy climbing and hanging from the facades of ancient buildings, the street is paved in the old way, with the iconic cobblestones of Rome.

On both sides of the street, you will find an abundance of vintage boutiques where you can lose yourself in colorful 70s clothing, used designer clothes in excellent condition, bags, costume jewelry and accessories, making these shops real trendy places. In addition to vintage shops, you can browse the collections of modern artisan workshops based on slow fashion. Between one shop and another you will find wine bars, trendy cafes and very refined restaurants.

At the end of via del Boschetto you will come across via Nazionale and at this point we suggest a gem that you won't be disappointed with, it is a place little known to most people, a true rarity. Enclosed by high walls here you will discover the only hanging garden in Rome: Villa Aldobrandini. The access is located on via Mazzarino, here you will see the entrance gate from which the staircase starts, which climbs to the top of the villa among ancient ruins from the end of the 1st century.

In ancient times the villa included, according to the sixteenth-century scheme, a building, a secret garden and a park. Today this pleasant place offers an oasis of peace made up of avenues, lined with very tall palm trees, hedges, benches and fountains from which you can enjoy a view of the nearby churches, the Militia tower and Trajan's markets.

Coming down from Villa Aldobrandini, before continuing your itinerary we recommend that you look out onto the Grillo slope, where the palace of the same name is located, famous for having been inhabited by the Marquis del Grillo, a character of eighteenth-century Rome famous for his jokes, this is one of the oldest streets in Rome, from where you can also enjoy a beautiful view. From here continue Via Panisperna, a beautiful road that will take you to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Among the most fascinating churches in Rome, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is located on the top of the Esquiline hill. Beyond the beauty of its exteriors, such as the bell tower that stands out from afar, and its interiors, such as the magnificent mosaics from 400 AD. This church preserves an ancient and mysterious history: the miracle of the snow, when in 358 AD. in the middle of summer Rome woke up under a blanket of snow. The miracle of the snow is re-enacted on August 5th every year to celebrate the Madonna of the snow.

In the Monti district there is another church that deserves your visit, let's go and discover it! From the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore go down via Cavour, past the Cavour Metro station, climb the Borgia staircase, a fairy-tale and enchanting arched passage that passes through a building that seems to have belonged to the Borgia family. From here you will emerge right in front of the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli.

The Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli stands on the Esquiline Hill and has a Renaissance and Baroque architectural style, inside there is also a large cloister. Inside the Basilica are works by Guercino and Domenichino, but what made the church famous is the sculpture of Moses made by Michelangelo Buonarroti in 1545, a masterpiece of Renaissance art. The anger that invades the prophet is beautifully rendered by the artist; the veins look like arteries where the blood actually flows.

Leaving the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli, return to Via Cavour and continue to the end, if you are in these parts, you cannot avoid taking advantage of the nearby Colosseum archaeological park and taking a tour of Ancient Rome.

Start from the Colosseum and continue with a visit to the Roman Forum and the Palatine, the scenery is surprising, the archaeological sites starting from the Flavian amphitheater (Colosseum) are the best-preserved remains of ancient Rome, here you can immerse yourself in a dimension outside of time and give yourself moments of peace and pure contemplation on the summit of the Palatine.

To end your day in the Monti district, among the 7 things to do in the trendiest neighborhood of the capital we recommend you return to the maze of alleys where you started our itinerary and choose the place that's best for you. Once again, we recommend that for your visit to Rome you consider the Visit Rome Pass, the only card that includes access to more than 50 attractions and unlimited use of public transport.

From the aperitif to dinner you will be spoiled for choice, from trattorias offering traditional recipes to cooler and more fashionable venues where you can sip a cocktail in the fresh evening air, with the screeching of the swallows flying low and the fresh laughter from groups of young people. The Monti district has a fresh and cosmopolitan mentality and is loved by artists and celebrities for its unique character, which defines it as one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the capital. Good walk!