Itinerary from Piazza San Pietro in Vincoli to Piazza Venezia

The itinerary leads to Piazza Venezia, the city's nerve center and undoubtedly one of the key starting points for exploring Rome.

From the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli, we move to the lively and characteristic Monti district, known for its bars, wine bars, restaurants, and artisan workshops. Piazza della Madonna dei Monti represents the true soul of the district: the delightful fountain in the center of the square is a popular meeting place for locals and tourists.

We walk along Via della Madonna dei Monti to reach Via dei Fori Imperiali, where we can visit the Basilica of Saints Cosmas and Damian, which was the first Christian church built in the monumental area of ancient Rome. The basilica houses a 6th-century mosaic in the apse, considered one of the pinnacles of Byzantine art in Rome.

Via dei Fori Imperiali passes through the archaeological area of the Imperial Fora, an extraordinary complex of monumental squares built between the 1st century BC and the 2nd century AD by the great Roman emperors. The avenue was inaugurated in 1932 during the Fascist regime with the name Via dell'Impero. The street was conceived as a scenic axis for military parades and as a symbol of the greatness of modern Italy, linked to the glory of ancient Rome. For its construction, an entire medieval neighborhood that had developed in the area was demolished.

A stroll along Via dei Fori Imperiali immerses us in Rome's thousand-year history. Continuing along the entire avenue, we reach Piazza Venezia, dominated by the Altare della Patria, the starting point for other itineraries to discover the city.

Near the square stands the Campidoglio, one of Rome's seven hills. The square on the Campidoglio, a Renaissance masterpiece designed by Michelangelo Buonarroti, is bordered by three buildings: Palazzo Senatorio, the seat of Rome's City Council, and, on either side, Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo, which house the Capitoline Museums, considered the oldest public museum in the world, founded in 1471.
At the foot of the Campidoglio, along the slope leading to the Roman Forum, stands the Church of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami. Beneath it lies the Mamertine Prison, the oldest prison in Rome, where Saints Peter and Paul were imprisoned before their martyrdom.

Between the Piazza del Campidoglio and the Altar of the Fatherland stands the Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, the highest point in ancient Rome. Its name, "Ara Coeli," means "Altar of Heaven." To reach the basilica, you climb a monumental staircase of 124 white marble steps, built in 1348 as a votive offering for the end of the Black Death.