Squares, fountains and the City of Water
Not every day in Rome has to be a Jewish itinerary. This is the classic city - with the layer underneath it that most visitors miss.
The walk
Most people who come to Rome for its Jewish history also want a day of the city everyone knows. This is that day, done properly and on foot.
Piazza Navona, built on the shape of the Stadium of Domitian, with Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers at its centre. Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps, with the Barcaccia by Bernini’s father at the bottom. Piazza del Popolo. The Pantheon, still the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever built, nineteen centuries on. And the Trevi Fountain.
The City of Water
The part almost nobody sees. Beneath the streets behind the Trevi Fountain lies the Vicus Caprarius – an excavated block of Roman houses, a cistern, and the channels of the Aqua Virgo, the aqueduct built in 19 BCE that still feeds the fountain above.
Standing in the cistern while the water runs past, a few metres below the crowds throwing coins, explains Rome better than most things at street level.
Practical notes
The walk runs about three hours and is almost entirely outdoors, so early morning or late afternoon is best in summer. The Vicus Caprarius has limited capacity and needs booking. Comfortable shoes matter – the cobbles are unforgiving.
This one also works well with a golf cart for families or anyone who would rather not walk the full route.
Add a day of the classic city
The Vicus Caprarius has limited capacity and needs booking. The walk also works by golf cart for families, or anyone who would rather not do the full route on foot.