Rome off the tourist map

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If you’ve visited Rome before, you’ve probably seen all the regular tourist attractions.Imagined  rampaging tigers chasing gladiators at the Colosseum? Check. Thrown a few euro into the Trevi Fountain, marvelled at the amount of gold crammed into St Peter­’s Basilica and stared up in awe at the Pantheon’sperfect dome? Check, check and check again.When I decided to  live in Rome it was my fifth time in the glorious Italian capital. I had  more than ticked off the tourist sites and set about unearthing what  The Eternal City had to offer off the tourist map.From a  2000-year-old pyramid and a secret keyhole boasting a perfect view, to a strange neighborhood built as a monument to Mussolini and his Fascist party, Rome boasts a huge array of things to do and see that you  probably haven’t seen or heard of before.

Here are 10 of the best:

1. See a 2000-year-old pyramid

In  a suburb called Piramide (where else), you’ll find The Pyramid of Cestius – a relic of the Egyptomania which gripped Rome in the wake of  the conquest of Egypt in 30 BC. Original Egyptian artefacts and copies  cropped up all over the city, but this structure is the only surviving  example of Roman pyramids. The pyramid was most likely built around 12  BC and is the final resting place of the religious leader Gaius Cestius.  The tomb is only open two days a month via a guided tour.

2. Visit cats at the scene of Julius Caesar’s murder

Largo  di Torre Argentina might be famous for being the spot where dictator  Julius Caesar was betrayed and killed, but the 150 cats which shelter amongst Rome’s oldest temples also make it pretty special. After this  archaeological wonder was excavated as part of Mussolini's rebuilding  efforts in 1929, Rome's feral cats moved in and the “gattare” (or cat  ladies) began caring for them. The site is now home to the Torre  Argentina Cat Sanctuary where you can enter and help by donating your  time, money and cuddles. Most of the cats here have special needs – many  are blind, missing legs and come from abusive homes.

3. Have coffee with kitties at a vegan cat cafe

Keeping  with the theme of cats, not far from the pyramid in Ostiense you’ll  find Romeow Cat Bistro, a cute little café where you can eat, drink and  make some feline friends. If you like your vegan chocolate milkshake  with a kitty cat by your side amid sleek, contemporary surroundings, put  this on your list.

4. Explore Mussolini’s odd EUR district

Quite  possibly Rome’s strangest suburb, EUR is renowned for its bold  Fascist-style architecture. EUR stands for Esposizione Universale Roma, a  world fair that Mussolini and his administration planned for 1942 to  celebrate 20 years of Fascist rule in Italy. The exposition, of course,  never happened due to the outbreak of World War II. This new suburb  doesn’t have the vibe of Rome at all and the atmosphere feels a little  like a failed project, however you can still find plenty of bars, shops  and offices in the area.

5. Discover amazing street art

Rome  has an incredible street art scene and there are several districts  where you can find colorful artworks including Ostiense. One of the best  is the abandoned aeronautical barracks at Porto Fluviale, known as  Fronte del Porto. Painted by famous Italian street artist BLU, the  artwork isn’t just meant to be pretty - it also draws attention to  social and political issues including pollution, war and housing  problems.

6. Hang out with the locals in chilled out Monti

If  you want to live like the locals do, grab a pizza, a big bottle of beer  from any corner shop and hang out at Piazza Madonna dei Monti in the  Monti district. This was one of my favorite places to hang out on a  summer’s night and make new friends. An added bonus is the nearby  Gelateria dell’Angeletto, one of the very best in Rome serving up dairy  free gelato so delicious you could cry.

7. Grab a drink at Pigneto

Once  a working class suburb that many feared to frequent after dark, Pigneto  has shrugged off its bad reputation and is now the city's latest  alternative hot spot, home to some of the hippest bars, restaurants,  music venues and coolest folk in Rome. You can find plenty of great and  cheap eats here including cocktails for 3 euro and aperitivo -  a  glorious couple of hours generally between 7pm and 9pm when you can  relax after work over a glass of Campari (or wine) and some snacks from  around 8 euro upwards.

8. Hit the beach at Ostia

When  you think of Rome you don’t really think of beaches. But Rome’s beach,  Ostia, is only 45 minutes away on the train and a welcome reprieve from  the searing heat of Rome in the summer. The dark sand beaches are split  into private and public areas, and for about 10 euro you can get a  chair, umbrella and towel on the private beaches. If you don’t mind  crowds, you can find yourself a spot in the free public areas. There are  also plenty of clubs on the main sea strip to party at.

9. Peep through a keyhole for an incredible view

Get  an incredible view of Rome through the Knights of Malta Keyhole on  Aventine Hill – one of Rome’s best kept secrets. A vista of the city is  perfectly contained in the keyhole of a non-descript looking door on  Aventine Hill, perched just above Circo Massimo, neatly placing the dome  of St Peter's right in the center. The doorway leads to the Priory of  the Knights of Malta, the legendary crusader knights and religious order.

10. Walk through a bone cemetery

Head  to the Capuchin Crypt (Church of Santa Maria della Concezione) to see  the bones of some 4,000 dead Capuchin monks and decayed skeletons  arranged in beautiful and decorative designs. Located on the Via Veneto  near Piazza Barberini, the bones are arranged throughout six  chapels/crypts in sculptures, lamps and mosaic-like displays of  geometric shapes, flowers and religious symbols. Image via www.romeing.it

Have you been to Rome before or are you planning to visit? Let me know your thoughts or comments in the comments section below. If you enjoyed reading this article, please spread the steemit love!