The Top Public Squares (Piazze) in Rome, Italy

Piazza San Pietro/Saint Peter's Square

St. Peter’s Square, the grand piazza that fronts St. Peter’s Basilica, is a significant gathering place for tourists, especially during Christmas, Easter, and other Catholic faith-based festivals.

Piazza San Pietro can be reached from the long boulevard of Via della Conciliazione and also from the Metropolitana on the Ottaviano “San Pietro” stop on Line A of the Rome Metro.

Piazza Campidoglio

Michelangelo designed this attractive square that unfolds on the Capitoline Hill. Rome’s Capitol building (Campidoglio) is located on this square, as are the buildings that house the Capitoline Museums.

The Piazza Campidoglio is best accessed by bus, and the lines that stop at or near the site include the 44, 46, 64, 70, 81, and 110.

Campo dei Fiori

Formerly a “field of flowers,” the Campo dei Fiori is a lively square and site of one of Rome’s most beloved fruit and vegetable markets. Numerous cafés, restaurants, and bars circle the Campo, making it an ideal stop day or night. To reach Campo dei Fiori, take bus 40, 64, or 70 to Largo Argentina.

Piazza Navona

This large, oblong piazza was the site of an ancient Roman circus. Today, Piazza Navona is a wonderful pedestrian square where many locals take their evening stroll.

Piazza Navona holds two spectacular fountains designed by Bernini. Encircling the square is the church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, as well as several palazzo and ochre-hued buildings. Piazza Navona is reached by taking bus lines 56, 60, 85, 116, 492 from Centro Storico.

Piazza di Spagna

The Piazza di Spagna is the location of the Spanish Steps, one of the most famous landmarks in Rome. This square is dominated by the broad, monumental stairway leading up to the Trinità dei Monti church, but it also features a small fountain by Bernini.

Locals, but mostly tourists, utilize the steps as a meeting and resting place, and they are a perfect perch for watching the throngs of people frequenting the nearby fashion boutiques. Piazza di Spagna is located on the Linea A of the Roma Metro, at the Spagna stop.

Piazza del Popolo

The “People’s Square” is one of the largest piazze in all of Italy. Located on the north end of Via del Corso and within the ancient Porta Flaminia (Flaminian Gate), Piazza del Popolo is one of Rome’s most majestic squares.

Three churches and several fountains are located on the edge of the square and it is punctuated with a tall Egyptian obelisk. The gardens of the Pincio Hill and the Villa Borghese overlook Piazza del Popolo with numerous shops and restaurants a quick stroll away from its center. Piazza del Popolo can be reached via the Flaminia stop on Linea A of the Rome Metro.