Rome Through A Keyhole

Rome is one of the many magical things Italy has to offer. The Eternal City boasts a massive amount of visitors each year, often totaling more than 30 million outsiders annually. As the capital city of Italy, and home to The Vatican, Rome is certainly one of the most sacred and most often visited places on the planet.

But one of my favorite aspects of Rome is unbeknownst to most. Rome through a keyhole is a legend passed on to travelers whom the locals deem worthy. With a crystal-clear view of St. Peter’s Basilica, this view will blow you away.

Where is it? Closely situated to the Circus Maximus and the Bocca della Verita, Rome’s Aventine Hill holds this secret view.

Atop one of Rome’s man piazzas, and engineered by Giovanni Battista Piranesi in 1765, Rome through a keyhole is found through the Villa del Priorato di Malta, a property owned by one of the famous Knights of Malta.

The Knights of Malta are one of the last surviving orders of knights left over from the Crusades. Their sovereignty is actually recognized as a nation and capital within Rome, in addition to the Vatican and Italy itself.

Besides all of Rome’s incredible tourist attractions, Rome through a keyhole encapsulates the sheer beauty of the city with an unrivaled look over the rest of it. With an unprotected 100-plus foot drop on the piazza’s edge, this garden façade becomes another reality.

Rome through a keyhole and the adjacent piazza offer unparalleled sightseeing.