Where the concierge points people first
- Terrazza del Gianicolo — The long balcony below the Garibaldi monument, looking east across the whole center. Best in the morning, when the light is behind you and the domes are lit from the front; by evening you are squinting into a flat haze. (41.8915, 12.4614)
- Giardino degli Aranci — The orange-tree garden on the Aventine, facing west over the Tiber to St Peter's, and the obvious place for the last hour of daylight. The Knights of Malta keyhole is a two-minute walk further along the same street if you want the famous framed dome as well. (41.8854, 12.4799)
- Cupola di San Pietro — The highest view in the center, and the only one here with a real climb. You can take the lift to the roof terrace and then walk the remaining 320 steps, or do all 551 on foot; the last stretch is narrow and leans with the curve of the dome, so skip it if tight spaces bother you. (41.9022, 12.4535)
- Balconata del Pincio — Straight above Piazza del Popolo, reached by the ramps from the square. It faces west over the rooftops to St Peter's, so it is the sunset spot for anyone staying near the Spanish Steps who does not fancy crossing the river. (41.9111, 12.4779)
- Illusione ottica del Cupolone — On Via Piccolomini, the dome of St Peter's appears to grow as you walk away from it and shrink as you walk towards it. A taxi ride out for a two-minute trick, but it is a trick nobody forgets. (41.8922, 12.4434)
The rest of the viewpoints in Rome — every one we hold
- Belvedere Dei Salvati (41.8966, 12.4616)
- Belvedere Niccolò Scatoli (41.8890, 12.4645)
- Belvedere Romolo E Remo (41.8857, 12.4850)
- Bosco di viale Aurelio Saffi (41.8821, 12.4661)
- Colosseo (41.8910, 12.4944)
- Forum Romanum view (41.8925, 12.4836)
- Isola Tiberina (41.8896, 12.4792)
- Passeggiata del gianicolo (41.8967, 12.4616)
- Piazza del Quirinale (41.8994, 12.4863)
- Punto panoramico di Ponte Umberto I (41.9023, 12.4714)
- Punto panoramico di viale della Galea (41.9063, 12.4554)
- Stadio Palatino (41.8882, 12.4883)
- Terrazza Augustinians (41.9010, 12.4572)
- Terrazza Caffarelli (41.8926, 12.4815)
- Terrazza Caffarelli (41.8923, 12.4822)
- Terrazza Ovest Hotel Paolo VI (41.9010, 12.4567)
- Terrazza Viale del Belvedere (41.9096, 12.4801)
- Torre del Tabularium (41.8907, 12.4865)
Look west in the evening, and be on the Gianicolo at noon
Almost every famous Roman view looks towards St Peter's or away from it, and that decides the timing. The Aventine and the Pincio face west, so they are evening places, lit orange as the sun drops behind the dome. The Gianicolo faces east over the center, so it belongs to the morning. And at mezzogiorno the Gianicolo has its own event: a cannon below the terrace is fired every day at noon, a custom that goes back to 1847, when it gave the city's church bells a single time to ring by. Stand near the railing at twelve and you will feel it before you hear the echo come back off the hills.
Questions people ask
How many viewpoints are there in Rome?
Num's directory maps twenty-three viewpoints in Rome, from hilltop terraces such as the Gianicolo and the Pincio to the dome of St Peter's.
Where is the best place to watch the sunset in Rome?
The Giardino degli Aranci on the Aventine or the Pincio terrace above Piazza del Popolo, since both face west towards St Peter's. The Gianicolo is better in the morning.
How many steps are there to the top of St Peter's dome?
551 if you walk the whole way, or 320 if you take the lift to the roof terrace first. The final section is narrow and sloping either way.
Ask Num where to watch the sunset tonight in Rome
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