9 Best Things to Do Near the Spanish Steps in Rome

Throw a Coin in Trevi Fountain

There's a small fountain, dubbed Bottino, located just one block north of the Spanish Steps. But a grander fontana can be found in the Trevi district, about a 10-minute walk away. Trevi Fountain translates literally to “three-street fountain" because it sits at the intersection of three streets. It also sits at the terminus of one of Rome's earliest aquaducts.

The fountain features a stunning statue of Oceanus being pulled by a horse-drawn chariot. It's said that if you throw a coin into the water with your right hand over your left shoulder, you'll return to Rome someday.

Admire the Grand Villa Medici

The Mannerist palace and architectural complex that is Villa Medici is a five-minute walk from the Spanish Steps. It's a French academy and museum with a 17-acre botanical garden of rare plants. You can go inside the grand edifice to see rotating art exhibits or stay outdoors and appreciate the fountains and characteristic umbrella pines, now a symbol of the property. The historical and artistic value of the villa have inspired countless French creatives who have lived in its quarters.

See Where Famous Poets Once Lived

Located at the bottom right of the Spanish Steps is the Keats-Shelley House, now a museum. It's dedicated to the English Romantic poets, several who lived in or frequented Rome in the early 19th century. John Keats died in this house in 1821 when he was just 25 years old. Today, his bedroom is preserved as it was at his death.

Walk Around Villa Borghese Park

Once a playground of the Popes, this vast park contains walking trails, a zoo, a carousel, a small lake with boat rentals, cafes, pony rides, and even a tiny cinema. It's also home to two of Rome's greatest art museums, the Galleria Borghese and the National Etruscan Museum at Villa Giulia. The former is a stellar collection of mostly Renaissance and Baroque art, while the latter contains thousands of artifacts from the pre-Roman Etruscan culture. You need a reservation to visit Galleria Borghese.

Pay Your Respects at the Capuchin Crypt

One of the most unusual sights in Rome, the Museum and Crypt of the Capuchin Friars contains the skulls and bones of nearly 4,000 Capuchin friars. They're artfully displayed—there are even chandeliers made of bones—but above all, this is a place of worship and reflection. If you're squeamish about death, it's not for you, nor is it suitable for young children. It's located about a 10-minute walk from the Spanish Steps.

Pop Up to Piazza del Popolo

The vast open space of Piazza del Popolo, one of the largest squares in Rome, offers a lot of breathing room after the dense crowds at the Spanish Steps. The obelisk in the middle of the piazza was looted from Egypt by Emperor Augustus in 10 C.E. On the north side of the piazza, the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo contains works by Raphael, Caravaggio, Bernini, and other Italian masters.

Do Some Luxury Shopping

Many of Rome's most exclusive temples to high fashion are found on the streets surrounding the Spanish Steps, including Fendi, Bulgari (which paid for a recent renovation of the Spanish Steps), and Valentino, who all have their flagship stores nearby. Other iconic names in Italian fashion, such as Prada, Gucci, and Armani, are within sight of the steps or not far away, on Via dei Condotti, vias Borgongona and Frattini, and Via delle Carrozze.

Walk to the Mausoleum of Augustus

Take a short walk—less than a mile—and visit the Mausoleum of Augustus, a large tomb built by Roman Emperor Augustus in 28 B.C.E. to honor his own reign. You'll find the tomb, where Augustus and his wife Livia are said to have been buried, at the western edge of the Campo Marzio, or Field of Mars. Originally there were obelisks that stood at the entrance and now those were moved to other Roman piazzas.

Visit the Ara Pacis Augustae

Also at the Campo Marzo, you'll find the Ara Pacis Augustae, an altar dedicated to Pax, the Roman goddess of Peace. The monument was built to celebrate the return of Augustus in 13 B.C.E. from his campaigns in Spain and Gaul. It was originally built near the Tiber River but was flooded and had to be moved and reassembled in its present location the Museum of the Ara Pacis.