Whether you’ve chosen to stay in a small family-run B&B or a luxurious downtown hotel, Rome offers a wide variety of unusual attractions that are off the usual tourist trail, from underground exploration to vegetarian cooking tours.

underground rome

If you want something a little more quirky than the usual Vatican tour leaving your central hotel, Rome has a little tour treasure. You can descend into the underground world of burial chambers, catacombs, a pagan temple and Christian artifacts of the Eternal City. You will learn about Imperial and early Christian Rome and all its mysteries and secrets hidden under the vibrant city.

vegetarian rome

If you are a vegetarian food lover, or any food lover, you can experience many tasty tours, all on the doorstep of your central hotel. Rome offers the opportunity to experience the vegetarian side of Italian cuisine by cooking in a traditional Roman kitchen and discovering all the delicious secrets hidden in the aromatic dishes.

Italians use a wide variety of beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables in their cooking and this makes the kitchen perfect for vegetarians or vegans. The tour begins in the bustling local markets that populate Rome, where you will buy fresh produce for cooking. You will be taught about the ingredients traditionally used in Italian cooking and about the seasonal food you can expect to find. You will be given lessons on how to shop for the important ingredients such as herbs, wine, honey, and balsamic vinegar. You then return to the kitchen and learn how to prepare, cook and serve the ingredients in the traditional Roman way. This is a great experience, even if you are not a vegetarian!

religious rome

If you like sightseeing with a macabre twist, head to the Church of Santa Maria della Concezione. From the door on the street level, you can descend to the basement of the church where you will be met with an intriguing sight: the bones of 4,000 Capuchin monks. These bones have been arranged around the crypt in a variety of artistic designs reflecting the Baroque and Rococo style. Admission is free, but donations are requested, and if you can get past the Capuchin monk guarding the entrance, well done! This is definitely a show worth leaving in his room at his fancy downtown hotel. Rome has a great tradition and many interesting places, so make sure you add this one to your list.

shopping rome

If you need to shop for gifts and souvenirs, but fancy something a little more ‘real Rome’ than plastic statues, head to Porta Portese in Trastevere. Trastevere is almost a city in its own right, and its inhabitants claim to be the only true Romans left. The flea market consists of more than 4,000 stalls selling a multitude of trinkets, antiques, junk, second-hand items, food, books, and craft items. Due to the growing popularity of this market, it is getting harder and harder to find a bargain, but if you have the nerve to get into a bartering game with an Italian, you will always come away with a good deal.