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Rome’s hidden gems are more than you would initially think, what with all the secret gardens, mythological statues and instagrammable cafes the city offers.
Life is such that we’re now looking for free activities in every city we visit, which is why I’ll talk about unique things to do in Rome that are completely free for the most part.
Currently living in Rome means I have all the time in the world to visit the most beautiful free museums, parks, gardens, churches and instagrammable places you find everywhere you turn your head.
From the Hendrik Christian Andersen house museum to Pigneto’s street art and some of Rome’s most unique shops, you’re in for a treat.
16 Gloriously Free, Magical and Unique Things to Do in Rome
As you read through the articles about Rome I’ve already published on The Working Line, you’ll see that I’m a huge coffee shop lover.
From study cafes to instagrammable coffee shops, I literally visit cafes every chance I get, and you’ll find one of the prettiest and most unusual you’ve ever seen further down this guide.
Secret gardens, hidden musems and some of the most unique shops in Rome…
You’ve got here all you need to craft an itinerary catered to yourself exclusively, and discover the real Rome off the beaten path.
Free Unique Things to Do in Rome: Hendrik Christian Andersen Museum
The Hendrik Christian Andersen Museum is one of my favorite free museums in Rome, former home of the sculptor, and will leave every art lover very satisfied.
Filled with statues and paintings, and with an upper floor formerly used by the American sculptor whose name it bears, the museum is easily accessible as it’s located close to the Vatican.
I usually start with a moment at Trecaffè, one of the best spots for breakfast in Rome (decadent pistachio cornetti there), and lazily make my way to the Hendrik Christian Andersen Museum.
For anyone who loves the statue and sculpture aesthetic, you’ll find that the Hendrik Christian Andersen Museum is the only free museum in Rome with that many statues.
Angels, lovers, centaurs – you have here one of the most magical places in Rome, very much worth a visit especially if you’re on a budget.
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Unique Things to Do in Rome: Casina delle Civette, Villa Torlonia
The Casina delle Civette is one of the most beautiful houses in Rome, and completely unexpected when you know that its host, Villa Torlonia, is also home to Mussolini’s ex residence.
A visit to Villa Torlonia is already one of the most unique things to do in Rome, as the park is free to enter, and you can already walk close to the Casina delle Civette without having to pay.
You have a couple of really good (understand: must-visit) museums at Villa Torlonia, all of which I’ve taken a half-day to visit a few months ago, and which all offer a very different vibe.
We will be talking, for instance, about the Serra Moresca further down this guide, another utterly magical place to visit when at Villa Torlonia.
The Casina delle Civette (House of the Owls) is not free to enter, but I couldn’t recommend you visit this place more.
Its mix of architectural styles, Gothic Revival, Art Nouveau and Art Deco, make the exterior of the house, complete with a tiny water point decorated with mosaics, an already breathaking place.
Today, it is a stained glass museum with a collection spanning several centures – unexpected, and complete with gorgeous plays on light when the sun is out.
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Magical Places in Rome Off the Beaten Path: Bilbiotèq Tea Shop
Not too far from Campo de Fiori and one of my favorite places for breakfast, TabaCafe, you have one of the tiniest shops in Rome: Bibliotèq.
The Bilbiotèq Tea Shop is probably one of the most unusual places in Rome, a town where it’s notoriously difficult to get tea as good as you would in London, and a shop I discovered a couple years ago when I moved to Rome for the first time.
Lined with dozens of huge tea containers, candy, and mugs bigger than you would think reasonable for tea (750 mL is very reasonable in my opinion, tea is a big deal), the Bilbiotèq tea shop not only offers the craziest teas, but also amazing service.
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Now, if you’re looking for very unique things to do in Rome, I’d say a visit to this small shop should be on your bucket list.
Marshmallow, hazelnut and chocolate tea, peach and rose tea, and your proper Christmas tea recipes – that’s what you’ll find there… and so much more.
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Free Unique Things to Do in Rome: Villa Doria Pamphilj
Close to the mythological Villa Sciarra, Villa Doria Pamphilj offers another bit of insight in Rome’s history.
Located in the Gianicolo district, Villa Doria Pamphilj used to be a hunting estate, and is not only one of the biggest, but also one of the biggest parks in Rome.
There’s nothing you can’t find in this villa: Italian gardens, check. A lake, check. Dozens of statues and fountains, check. And even a secret passageway covered with rocks!
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You can easily get lost when walking around Villa Doria Pamphilj, as it happened to me the first time I visited, but that will allow you to find more sculptures and secret parts of the villa.
It is completely free to enter, and since it’s so close to Villa Sciarra, why not put both beautiful villas on your bucket list to do them in one day?
Plus, you’re in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods of Rome, which will hopefully help you discover more of the city in a way you did not expect.
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Free Unique Things to Do in Rome: Villa Sciarra
I’ve talked lengthily about Villa Sciarra’s mythological sculptures a while back, and it’s still, to this day, one of my favorite villas in Rome.
Located on the Gianicolo Hill, close to Villa Doria Pamphilj, Villa Sciarra used to belong to the noble Sciarra family, and underwent various renovations and changes over the centuries.
The Villa was originally designed in the 17th century, and it’s in my opinion one of the most unusual places to visit in Rome, in a city that most are used to loving because of the Coliseum and pizza shops.
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You will find many hidden gems in Villa Sciarra, with pagodas, statues of Apollo and fauns, half-goat half-human creatures.
It’s one of the best places to see free views of Rome, with one corner of Villa Sciarra having a direct view on the Altare della Patria, and you also have many benches to rest or have a picnic.
One thing’s for sure, if you don’t have a visit to Villa Sciarra in your plans, you’re going to miss out big time.
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Free Unique Things to Do in Rome: Visiting the Pigneto Street Art Neighborhood
As I’m currently living in Torpignattara, I have the opportunity to pop by the Pigneto neighborhood for coffee any time I want, and since Pigneto is filled with street art, it’s a great place to visit.
What I usually do is visit Burro Cream & Coffee, a vintage cafe on Via Casilina with great croissants for breakfast, and then take my time to discover new streets in the area.
There’s so much street art in Pigneto that it would be hard to know even where to start, and one thing I can tell you for sure is that art lovers love this neighborhood.
Street art, by nature, changes all the time, but many pieces stay exactly the same, sometimes controversial, sometimes sweet, sometimes very picture-worthy.
You will find many amazing cafes at Pigneto too; the neighborhood is indeed known for its coffee shops, trattorie, restaurants.
Since many benches line the main streets of Pigneto, what I like doing is finding new street food spots and getting a couple of pizza slices with friends in the evening.
During the day, though, you’ll find Pigneto to be one of the best street art spots in Rome, even more enjoyable as it’s completely free!
Read: The Best Places to Study in Rome
Free Unique Things to Do in Rome: Museo Giovanni Barracco
The Museo Giovanni Barracco, also known as the Barracco Museum, is one I only discovered a couple of months ago, and boy, what a hidden gem!
The Barracco Museum is located in the center of Rome, on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, and is named after 19th century sculptor and art collector Giovanni Barracco.
You’re here in one of the smallest free museums in Rome, and the collections span from Egyptian artifacts to Assyrian, Etruscan and even medieval art pieces.
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Since we’re talking about finding unique things to do in Rome, once you’ve seen the upper floors, don’t leave just yet.
As you’re facing the entrance, before you leave, walk down the stairs on the left.
There, you will find a crypt, one of the only free crypts in Rome, filled with columns and ruins.
Finding ruins in Rome is not the most difficult thing to do, is it, since they’re visible all around town, but knowing that you have a crypt inside a small museum such as the Barracco Museum is super interesting.
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Unique Things to Do in Rome: Canova Tadolini Coffee Shop
My little gift to you, one of the most secret cafes of Rome… I give you, Canova Tadolini, tucked right away from Via del Corso.
As a reminder, Via del Corso is one of the best shopping spots in Rome, with mainstream fashion and shoe shops, jewelry and beauty.
When I want to go out for a bit and buy some new cosmetics in Rome, Via del Corso is usually where I go because of its concentration of makeup shops, with Wycon, Kiko, Sephora and MAC all located there.
You would think that Canova Tadolini would be more famous, more talked about, what with its location really close to Via del Corso.
Well, when I visited to have breakfast, it was almost completely empty.
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And yet, you have here one of Rome’s most instagrammable places, and let’s stop to think about it for a minute: you’re having breakfast in a cafe filled with statues.
Everywhere you look, dreamy faces tower over the tables, with frescoes galore and a huge horse sculpture welcoming you when you pass the Canova Tadolini threshold.
If you feel like you’ve already visited all the unusual cafes Rome offers, this one may be your new favorite.
Read: The Best Things to Do in Rome at Night
Free Unique Things to Do in Rome: Palazzetto Zuccari
Palazzetto Zuccari is located close to Piazza di Spagna, easily accessible from Trastevere and Via del Corso, and named after the artist Federico Zucchari, painter, architect, and former resident of the building.
Like the incredible Casina delle Civette at Villa Torlonia and the entire Quartiere Coppedè, Palazzetto Zuccari offers a very particular aesthetic.
Also called the Casa dei Mostri (House of the Monsters), the building bears a strong resemblance to the vibe of Gaudì’s buildings in Barcelona, doesn’t it?
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Palazzetto Zuccari is not always open to the public, but if you can, book a visit so you can also enjoy the frescoes inside.
In any case, you’re literally five minutes from Piazza di Spagna, so if you’re around, come see this incredible building!
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Unique Things to Do in Rome: Antica Libreria Cascianelli
A few months ago, I became obsessed with one thing: finding the oldest, most unusual, most unique shops in Rome.
That’s actually why I’m sharing some of these old shops with you today, because, ahem, it seems like the obsession has gotten the better of me.
During these window-shopping sprees, I discovered Antica Libreria Cascianelli, one of the oldest bookshops in Rome, and a super instagrammable spot at that.
Read: Solo Travel to Rome – The Best Hidden Gems and Things to Do
While Antica Libreria Cascianelli is a magical place to visit, it does attract influencers from all over the world, and you are asked to, well, ask, before you take any pictures.
Besides, Antica Libreria Cascianelli does not only sell books, but is also adorned with thousands of postcards, frames, dolls and other fascinating decorations.
The bookstore is, by the way, located close to the Barracco Museum, the Museo Napoleonico, and the Bibliotèq Tea Shop, so you can really tick off many items on your list when visiting.
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Magical Places in Rome Off the Beaten Path: Orto Botanico, Trastevere
In the heart of the Trastevere neighborhood, we have yet another one of the most unique things to do in Rome, and this one will only set you back a handful of euros.
The Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico) is indeed tucked away at one end of Trastevere, a secret garden that offers many different landscapes perfect to discover when the sun is shining.
A Japanese garden, a bamboo forest, a butterfly house and a rose garden, amongst other features of the Botanical Garden, all make for sweet stops if you’re planning a romantic date.
Fountains, sculptures, and forest-like paths, the Botanical Garden offers all that and more – careful, during warm months, you’ll want to use anti-mosquito spray before treading the park’s paths.
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Free Unique Things to Do in Rome: Basilica Prassede
Tucked away behind Molino Bakery, near Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, the Basilica di Santa Prassede is another one of the most magical places to visit when in town.
Because it’s so secret, for starters.
But also because Basilica Prassede is a true gem, from the chapel to the ceiling.
The basilica dates back to the 5th century, which means that different art styles can be found there, namely with the medieval mosaics which adorn the Chapel of Saint Zeno.
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It doesn’t seem like it, but the Basilica Prassede is quite huge, and every corner of it deserves at least a look.
The plays on light through the stained glass is particularly beautiful at Basilica Prassede, a gorgeous place to visit especially since it is completely free, and very much off the beaten path.
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Free Unique Things to Do in Rome: Giardini Nicola Calipari, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II
One of the most unusual places to visit in Rome is located at the Giardini Nicola Calipari, in the middle of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, not too far from Esquilino and Termini Station – and poetically called the Identitree.
It’s a cute hidden spot I’ve only discovered a few weeks ago, despite visiting the Giardini Nicola Calipari for years now, where you can read notes of people who have engraved their name.
A colorful passage adorned with thousands of glass pieces, the Identitree might be a wonderful hidden photo spot, and yet, it’s not the only highlight of the Giardini Nicola Calipari.
Indeed, at one end of the park is located another one of the very magical places of Rome, quite literally, since it is an Alchemical Door (Porta Alchemica) which brings many questions, and few answers.
The various statues and ruins scattered around the Giardini Nicola Calipari are all must-visits, and you can rest on one of the many benches to have a bite or just read for a bit.
However, do pop by the Identitree, as all these pieces of street art are a pretty and unusual sight, especially brought together in a park so cleanly!
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Unique Things to Do in Rome: Serra Moresca, Villa Torlonia
Spending a moment at the Serra Moresca, the Moorish Greenhouse you can find at Villa Torlonia is something I love doing when I need to clear my thoughts.
The Serra Moresca was closed for the longest time, and here, you’ll find one of the most peaceful and colorful places in Rome.
It’s not free to enter, and the visit is pretty short, as it’s basically a mosaic-clad greenhouse, but you have a couple of chairs to relax for a while and the small shop in the entrance is very interesting, especially in terms of books.
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For whoever is looking for places to visit off the beaten path, it’s hard to do better as the entrance and the exit to the Serra Moresca literally are off the beaten path.
When you are done visiting the Serra Moresca and the Casina delle Civette, I would recommend making your way to the Musei di Villa Torlonia, an astonishing museum.
You can get a ticket that allows you to enter in those three magical places for just over 10 euros, so if you have a day to spare, Villa Torlonia is a place you’ll absolutely want to visit.
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Indeed, you have inside the Musei di Villa Torlonia dozens of beautiful sculptures, and one of Rome’s most secret photo spots: the main room.
Upstairs, richly decorated living quarters that will make you feel like you’ve jumped back in time, well-preserved, with barely faded colors and unforgettable frescoes.
If you want to do it the way I did it, you could start with a visit to the Musei di Villa Torlonia, then the Casina delle Civette, and finish with a calm moment at the Serra Moresca.
Don’t leave just yet when you’re done; walk around Villa Torlonia, and you will find many more beautiful ruins you wouldn’t ever have expected to see.
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Magical Places in Rome Off the Beaten Path: Pucci Gioeilli d’Arte
If you’re ever looking for the prettiest streets of Rome, you’ll want to check out Via Panispera, about 10/15 minutes on foot from the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore.
(Close to the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore are located the Basilica Prassede, another stunning, and most hidden basilica, as well as Molino Bakery, one of my favorite cafes to have breakfast and work when I’m in the center of the city.)
And right off Via Panisperna, on Via del Boschetto, another beautiful street, you have the Pucci Gioeilli d’Arte shop.
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Now, now – I’ve had several rings custom-made at Pucci Gioeilli d’Arte, and every time I get a new ring from the couple of jewelers who run the shop, I am amazed.
Pucci Gioeilli d’Arte works with various materials, from silver to diamond and from rings to necklaces, and the jewelers’ craftsmanship is otherworldly.
Alice in Wonderland, Medusa, all types of mythological and fictional characters are represented on the gorgeous rings.
I did not only fall in love with Pucci Gioeilli d’Arte from the moment I owned my own ring, but I also fell in love with jewelry all over again – and the price is very affordable for a custom-made piece of jewelry.
In case you didn’t know, by the way, jewelry shops in Rome are very special compared to other cities like London and Paris.
Jewelry and gemstones in particular being one of my passions, I make it a point to buy pieces I feel unique, and Rome is dotted with artisan jewelry shops – Pucci Gioeilli d’Arte being the very best.
Read: The Best Non Touristy Things to Do in London
Free Unique Things to Do in Rome: Villa Borghese’s Hidden Gems
One of the biggest parks in Rome, Villa Borghese is not that much of a hidden gem in itself.
Still, when you come across an old clock surrounded by a pond, dozens of statues and a replica of London’s Globe Theater, these sights might pique your interest.
Villa Borghese is easily accessible from Flaminio and Piazza del Popolo, which an end of the villa overlooks.
Galleria Borghese, inside Villa Borghese, might call for a fee, but a visit to this stunning gallery which houses Caravaggio and Raphael works, among others will truly brow your mind.
Perfectly curated gardens, Assyrian-style sculptures and other properly Roman statues are wonders to the eyes, there’s no other way to put it.
However, I would say that if you’re looking for really unique things to do in Rome, you should walk towards the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art.
At the end of Villa Borghese, you will find huge statues of famous writers, the most beautiful of those being the statue representing Nikolay Gogol.
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16 Gloriously Free, Magical and Unique Things to Do in Rome
Hopefully, if you were looking for new, free and unique things to do in Rome, I’ll have helped you discover some new bits and bobs.
These are some of the most secret and magical places I’ve come to know while living in Rome, and since many are completely free, now’s the time to see all the goodness the Eternal City houses!
For lunch, why not enjoy some incredible pasta or pizza in Trastevere before you keep going to discover even more new spots?
You’ll want to keep some space for incredible gelato, of course, but there are so many more free things to do in Rome after!
Until next time!
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The Working Line
Sam is a certified fashion makeup artist, a freelance writer, a blogger and a digital nomad. Since 2019, she roams around the world, from London to Rome and shares her knowledge about makeup, scented candles, travel, blogging and the digital nomad lifestyle.