Piazza del Popolo

Piazza del Popolo is one of Rome's great ceremonial squares, sitting at the northern edge of the historic center where the Via Flaminia — the ancient road from the north — enters the city. For centuries, this was the first thing travelers saw when arriving in Rome, and the piazza was deliberately designed to make an impression. At its center stands an Egyptian obelisk dating back to around 1200 BC, brought to Rome by Augustus, and the space is anchored at its southern end by two nearly identical Baroque churches — Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto — that frame the dramatic entrance to the three streets of the Tridente. The whole ensemble was given its current neoclassical form by architect Giuseppe Valadier in the early 19th century.

On the ground, the piazza is a genuinely lovely place to spend time. It's large and airy without feeling sterile — people stroll, locals let their dogs run, and the fountains gurgle in the background. On the northern edge stands the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, which is seriously worth stepping inside: it contains two Caravaggio paintings (the Cerasi Chapel, with the Conversion of Saint Paul and the Crucifixion of Saint Peter) that are among his most powerful works, often with very few people in front of them. The views up to the Pincian Hill terraces above, accessible by a ramp from the piazza, are some of the best in Rome.

The piazza sits at the foot of the Pincio hill, just inside the Porta del Popolo gate, and connects naturally to the Villa Borghese gardens above. It's less frantic than many central Rome landmarks and has a genuine neighborhood feel on weekday mornings. Come early — before the tour coaches arrive around 10am — or in the early evening when the light on the obelisk and the twin churches turns golden. The Rosati café on the western edge of the square has been a Rome institution since 1923 and is a perfectly decent excuse to sit down.