Rome is a city full of history, art, and culture. Millions of tourists flock to the city each year to see famous landmarks such as the Colosseum, Vatican, Trevi Fountain, and, for art and history lovers, the Museo Nazionale Romano. While these are must-see attractions, Rome also has many lesser-known activities worth exploring. After several trips to Rome (two as an art history student), I’ve made this list of some of the best places to visit in Rome for art lovers, unique things to do in Rome that you may not have heard of.
Read more: Italy Travel Tips
Best Places to Visit in Rome for Art Lovers
See the Caravaggios at the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi
This church near Piazza Navona houses one of the most important groups of paintings in the city — three fantastic examples by late Renaissance/Baroque master Caravaggio. This is an excellent opportunity to see art in situ, meaning in the place for which it was intended. Here the work lines the walls of this cardinal’s chapel; instead of displayed on the walls of a museum, this art sits exactly where it was meant to be from the first day of its display.
The Contarelli Chapel contains three Caravaggio masterpieces depicting important moments in Matthew’s journey as a saint: The Calling of Saint Matthew, Saint Matthew and the Angel, and The Martyrdom of Saint Matthew.
When these three works were unveiled in the year 1600, they established Caravaggio’s reputation as a prominent painter in Rome, and it’s easy to see why. Each of them display Caravaggio’s skill in both depicting humans as real individuals and using light and shadow to create a sense of drama and intimacy.
Starting on the left of the chapel, The Calling of St. Matthew shows the moment when Christ chose Matthew to follow him. In the middle is St. Matthew and the Angel, capturing the moment when an angel delivers inspiration to a surprised St. Matthew, who will receive God’s message. The drapery in this painting is breathtaking! Finally on the right, we see the Martyrdom of St. Matthew, depicting the final chapter of Matthew’s time as a saint. The man in the back left, behind the executioner, is said to be a self portrait.
How to visit: Piazza di San Luigi de’ Francesi , 5. Usually open 9:30am to 12:45pm and 2:30pm to 6:30pm daily. Free.
Read more: where to see Caravaggio in Rome
Bernini sculpture at the Galleria Borghese
If you’re an art lover, chances are that the work of Bernini is already on your radar. This Baroque sculptor’s work is truly breathtaking, and even those not “into” art will be amazed at the technique of this master. Just look at the lifelike tension created by the hand pressed into the woman’s thigh above.
The Galleria Borghese houses work by notable artists such as Giovanni Bellini, Caravaggio, Titian, and Raphael, as well as stunning floor mosaics and sculptures from ancient Rome. Three of Bernini’s best known works are here: Apollo and Daphne, the Rape of Proserpina, and David.
How to visit: Open Tuesday-Saturday 9-7 with the last entrance at 5pm. Reservations required, book on the museum’s site. Optional guided tours can be found on the site as well. Tickets start at $26.
The gallery is a lovely 25-30 minute walk through the Villa Borghese Park from Piazza del Popolo or the Spanish Steps.
Early Christianity at Santa Maria Antiqua in the Roman Forum
If you’re interested in ancient Rome or early Christianity, don’t miss Santa Maria Antiqua. This early Christian church located in the Roman Forum was partially destroyed by an earthquake in the year 847 and hidden for centuries. Discovered in 1900, it was later closed for restorations from 1980 to 2016.
Now it stands as the oldest Christian site at the Forum and includes extraordinarily well-preserved frescoes from about 1500 years ago that provide clues to ancient Roman/early Medieval painting techniques and archaeology.
Inside Santa Maria Antique are paintings, many just fragments, from the 6th to 9th centuries. Particularly well preserved are the fresco cycle covering the chapel of Theodotus, which dates from the papacy of Pope Zacharias (741–752), and the row of Greek and Latin saints with Christ in the center on the left aisle of the church. The church also has the earliest Roman depiction of the Virgin Mary as a queen, from the 6th century.
Learn more about this incredibly special space here.
How to visit: Located in the Roman Forum. Tickets can be booked here. The Forum opens at 8:30 am April-September, 9am the rest of the year.
Basilica di Sant’Andrea delle Fratte
If you’re a Bernini fan, make a quick stop at the Basilica di Sant’Andrea delle Fratte to see his two angels. This unassuming church has more than meets the eye.
Basilica di Sant’Andrea delle Fratte was founded in the 11th century and, like many others, was later rebuilt in the Baroque style. The design by the Baroque master architect Francesco Borromini can be seen in the bell tower and dome.
Inside the church are Bernini’s two angels from 1667-1670. One holds the crown of thorns. The other holds the superscription, or the inscription that was placed above Christ’s head during his crucifixion — this was common practice to publicly announce the crime for which the person was executed. These sculptures were originally made for the Sant’Angelo Bridge, but Pope Clement XI considered them too valuable to be displayed outside. They were left in Bernini’s studio, and in 1729, his heirs donated them to this church.
While there, head toward the back of the church and look for the entrance to the cloister. Take a stroll through the lovely courtyard, a peaceful escape from the busy streets of Rome.
How to visit: Via di Sant’Andrea delle Fratte 1, a 5-minute walk from the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. Open 7:30-1:00 and 4:30-7:30pm daily. Free.
Raphael and Caravaggio at the Basilica of St. Augustine
The basilica was completed in 1483 and is known for its Renaissance architecture style and works by Caravaggio and Raphael. As you enter the church, the first chapel on the far side houses Madonna of the Pilgrims by Caravaggio.
This work shows Caravaggio’s skill in using light and shade to direct the viewer’s eye to the focal point of the scene. Here, light focuses our attention of Mary and baby Jesus. You can also see how Caravaggio added humanity to his work by portraying humans as real people. The pilgrims look like a person who you could meet on the street, not an idealized portrayal.
The third pillar on the left side is decorated with a fresco of the Prophet Isaiah flanked by two putti by Raphael from 1511-1512. If you have seen the Sistine Chapel, you can imagine how Raphael may have been influenced by his peer Michelangelo’s style.
How to visit: Piazza di S. Agostino, 00186, near Piazza Navona. Open Monday-Saturday 7:30-12:30 pm and 4:00-7:30 pm. Sundays and holidays 8:00-12:45 and 4:00-7:30 pm. Free.
Read more: Caravaggio in Rome
Relics and Ancient Fragments at the Basilica San Silvestro in Capite
Founded in the 8th century as a church dedicated to the 4th century pope St. Silvester, the church that you see today was built at the end of the 16th century.
This church has two interesting reasons to visit. First, the church has an atrium that I found fascinating. Lining the walls, some of which are painted a vibrant salmon color, are fragments from ancient Roman and early Christian times. Some were apparently found during excavations of the church’s original crypt. You can see columns, sarcophagi, friezes, slabs of gravestones, and more.
The second reason to visit is that the church houses an interesting relic: part of St. John the Baptist’s head. This upper part of his skull has been housed here since the 12th century.
How to visit: Piazza di S.Silvestro, 17A, near Via del Corso and the Trevi Fountain. Open Monday-Friday 7:00-6:30pm, Saturday 7:00-1:00 and 4:00-6:30pm and Sunday 9:00-1:00 and 4:00-6:30pm. Free.
The Mosaics in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere
The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere is the oldest church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Rome and is generally considered the first official place of Christian worship in Rome.
The church dates from the early 3rd century (!) and was finished in the 4th century, but the church you see today is the structre from the 12th century. Parts of the original church are still under the church and may be visible by accessing the crypt, although I am not sure about this and could not find information online.
The three naves are divided by twenty-two ancient granite columns which probably came from the Baths of Caracalla. However, the real attraction here is the Medieval mosaics. Head to the apse to see the beautiful 12-century mosaics, and as you leave, check out the mosaics on the façade of the church as well.
I highly recommend visiting this church as part of an early morning walk through Rome. We did this by starting in the Pantheon area around 7am, which afforded us a rare view of the Pantheon with no one else around, and then made our way across the bridge to Trastevere, where we stopped in a cafe for a morning espresso and pastry with locals. When we visited this church, we were the only ones inside.
How to visit: Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere. Usually open 7:00am-8:00pm. Free.
What are other best places to visit in Rome for art lovers?
Rome truly is an open-air museum, and this list beautifully captures the essence of its timeless artistic heritage.