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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Rome

154 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Rome, Italy

Updated June 3, 2025

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Roman 36
Architecture 36
History & Culture 25
Sacred Spaces 24
Ancient 22
Churches 20
Ruins 16
Statues 13

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Stories About Rome

Developed by Farrell Monaco, our Black Banquet included dark loaves of bread, beans, dates, and fish—all inspired by an ancient tombstone.

Recreating an Ancient Roman Dinner of Death

To investigate the legend of Emperor Domitian's Black Banquet, we made our own macabre feast.
by Sam O'Brien & Farrell Monaco
This detail from the 12th-century Aberdeen Bestiary shows a dragon wrestling an elephant.

That Time Portugal’s King Gifted an Elephant to the Pope

Hanno the elephant suffered much at the hands of power-hungry Europeans.
by Devon Field

The Badass Female Gladiators of Ancient Rome

Gladiatrices were fierce athletes who drew crowds of thousands.
by Asia London Palomba
Roman emperors threw opulent feasts and parties to demonstrate their wealth and power.

Inside Roman Emperors’ Outrageously Lavish Dinner Parties

From Nero's revolving dining room to Augustus’s rigged lottery.
by Guy de la Bédoyère
This first-century bust shows a stern matriarch carved sometime during Roman Emperor Trajan’s reign.

The Forgotten Women Who Shaped the Roman Empire

From a first-century poet to a Roman consul’s wife.
by Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing
A detail from a third-century mosaic depicting two gladiators in combat from the House of Gladiators on Cyprus.

The Surprising Roots of Ancient Rome's Gladiator Fights

The quintessential Roman spectacle, originally a way to honor the dead, was not Roman in origin.
by Nicky Nielsen
Apicius doesn’t specify decorating this dish with rose petals, but it adds a nice touch.

Make Ancient Roman Brain and Rose Soufflé

Somebody in the fifth century combined these ingredients into one recipe, and probably no one has since.
by Andrew Coletti
Jupiter riding an eagle in a detail of Caravaggio’s painting.

A Hidden Caravaggio Masterpiece, An Inheritance Feud, and a Roman Villa up for Sale

The future of a mysterious painting by the famed 17th-century "rebel artist" hangs in the balance.
by Monika Schmitter

Lists Featuring Rome

Inside the Golden House.
The Colosseum seen from the Ludus Magnus.
St. Francesca Romana

The 11 Most Interesting Places to Visit Near the Colosseum for Curious Travelers

11

Including Domus Aurea, Ludus Magnus, and Santa Francesca Romana

Crypt of the Three Skeletons.
Inside the Golden House.
Mithras slaying the bull - Context Travel
Vatican Necropolis.

10 Places to Explore the Dark Underbelly of Rome

St. Valentine's city isn't all roses and romance.

10

Including Santa Maria della Concezione Crypts, Domus Aurea, and The Mithraeum at Circus Maximus

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