The famous squares of Rome
There’s a certain romance to the grand piazzas of Rome. Bernini’s symmetry and classicism makes St Peter’s Square justifiably revered worldwide, the grand fountains of Piazza Navona provide a glorious focal point for the café terraces and elsewhere, restaurants spill onto a glut of little squares.
But after hours and hours of walking around the city, I noticed that there were usually two things missing from Rome’s piazzas.
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- Free entry to top attractions: Enjoy complimentary admission to many of Rome’s leading museums and archaeological sites with a Roma Pass.
- Public transport included: Use buses, trams and the metro across the city without needing separate tickets throughout the pass validity.
- Flexible duration options: Choose between 48-hour or 72-hour passes to suit how long you’re exploring Rome’s sights.
- Skip-the-line entry: Access select sites faster with priority or skip-the-line benefits where available.
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What’s missing from Piazza Colonna?
Take a look at the photo below. It’s of Piazza Colonna. It gets its name from the Column of Marcus Aurelius, which has been there since the second century AD. I’ve not picked this square as a particularly notable one, it’s just the one where I got my camera out after spotting a pattern I’d seen elsewhere.
Here’s another view of Piazza Colonna. Can you see what’s missing from it?
Where to sit down?
If you said ‘benches’, well done. Rome is a city you need to sit down in occasionally. The historic centre is almost entirely cobbled, and it is murderous on the ankles.
It’s also a city where you can happily eat takeaway pizza slices and gelato all day. But the problem is that there’s often nowhere to sit down and eat them.
It’s all very well having restaurant terraces all over the place, but sometimes you just want to sit down for a minute or two without having to order food and drinks. Rome probably doesn’t realise it’s doing it, but it is conducting a War on Bums.
Elsewhere, a square like Piazza Colonna would at least have a few rudimentary benches around the edges for gelato-slurpers to perch on. And, elsewhere, that square would be notably more likeable.
5 great Rome experiences to book
- 🏛️ Skip the queues on a small group tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s.
- 🍝 Discover the tastes of Trastevere on an expert-led food tour.
- 💀 See Rome’s darker side on a combo tour of the catacombs and Capuchin Crypt.
- 👩🍳 Learn how to make fettuccine, ravioli and tiramisu at a hands-on Roman cooking class.
- 🖼️ Explore a quieter side of the city on a small group tour of the Villa Borghese Gallery and Gardens.
Green spaces in Rome
But it’s not just seating that Rome’s piazzas lack. It’s greenery, too.
Piazza Colonna has got a few token plants in ugly, circular concrete holders along the edge. But otherwise, it’s a dreary blast of grey stone and concrete. This lack of greenery is another thing that crops up time and time again. Rome really isn’t a very green city, with the major parks pushed to the edges of the historic centre, and minor parks essentially not existing.
Rome’s squares are entirely paved over. They lack the tiny gardens and flower beds that can turn an otherwise mundane square into somewhere with a sprinkling of natural charm.
Improving Rome’s public spaces
Rome is a beautiful city, drenched in history. But it can feel gruelling to get around. A few benches and plants in those fabled piazzas wouldn’t half improve that situation.
More Rome articles
Other Rome stories on Planet Whitley include:
- Why I hated the Sistine Chapel.
- How Julius Caesar’s assassination site became a cat sanctuary.
- Why Rome is a brilliant city for solo travellers.
- In praise of the decent restaurant within a short walk of your hotel.
You can also test your knowledge on a Rome quiz over on sister site, Geograquiz.
