'''Aventino''' and '''Testaccio''' are neighborhoods of Rome.

Aventino is named for the hill which rises up near the Tiber river and is one of the legendary seven hills of Rome.

Testaccio is an area to the southwest of Aventino along the bank of the Tiber and is named for the eighth hill of Rome, a man made hill that was built from discarded pot amphoras (testae) in Roman times. In Testaccio you can find great traditional roman restaurants, and at night the zone is filled with discos.

Get in

Easy access to '''Aventino''' from most areas of Rome. From Termini area take a bus to Piazza Venezia and walk from there to reach Piazza Bocca della Verita. '''Testaccio''' is a short walk from Piramide metro station.

See

Aventine

  • Parco Savello. rom the Bocca della Verita church (S.M. in Cosmedin) take the Via della Greca a short distance towards the Circus Maximus. Then take the Clivo dei Publicii, the first road off to the right, which climbs and curves into the Aventine hill. The park is on the right.. Parco Savello is the name of the grounds and orange grove next to the ''Santa Sabina'' church at the top of the Aventino and also where you have one of the best views of the city. The best views are arguably from Janiculum hill, just across the Tevere (Tiber) river. Immediately below you, the Tiber snakes its way through the city, and directly beyond it you can see the lively medieval quarter of Trastevere. Beyond that is the majestic dome of St. Peter's Basilica, with the historic centre of Rome visible to the right.

  • Basilica of Santa Sabina. A 5th Century basilica, simply and attractively decorated. The wooden door, of which 18 carved panels of scenes from the Bible survive, is believed to date from the church's construction.
  • Keyhole View. fter taking in the view at Parco Savello return to the road and turn right past Santa Sabina and walk almost as far as you can go in a straight line. The keyhole gate is one of several on the right side as you come to the end of the road. The most popular thing on the Aventino hill itself is to take a peek through the keyhole that lets you look through three countries (the third is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, which owns the building that the keyhole belongs to) and see St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City perfectly framed between two rows of trees.
  • Santa Maria in Cosmedin. iazza Bocca della Verita. A medieval church dating from the 6th Century and home to the Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth). The Bocca della Verita at the entrance to the church is thought to be a 1st Century manhole cover. It is believed that if you put your hand in the mouth and tell a lie, the hand will be bitten off. Queues for the privilege of risking this can get rather long. Don't ignore the church, which is a gem. Its mosaic floor is more rustic and less intricate than some others (Santa Maria in Trastevere, for example), but its simplicity gives it a solidity not found in the more ornate styles. S.M. in Cosmedin has a fine medieval choir enclosure and the tallest medieval belfry in Rome.

  • Piazza Bocca della Verita. In addition to Santa Maria in Cosmedin there is a lot to be seen around this piazza. Opposite the church is the round Temple of Vesta, and not far from that the rectangular Fortuna Virilis, both constructed in the 1st Century. Opposite, to the back of the piazza is the Arch of Argentari and behind that the church of San Giorgio in Velabro, the front of which is now repaired after being damaged by a terrorist bomb in July 1993.

  • Circus Maximus. estern end begins just behind S.M in Cosmedin. Circo Massimo metro station at east end.. The contours of the ancient stadium are still visible in what is now a park in the shadow of the Palatine. It was in one of the tunnels here that Caligula met his end. Excavations began in April 2009 at the east end of the circus and are likely to go on for some years.

  • Rose Garden. verlooking Circus Maximus just up the hill from S.M. in Cosmedin. pen in May and June. A relaxing place to sit and recover from the exertions of sightseeing. Permanent collection plus annual competition.

  • FAO. The enormous building at the east end of the Circus Maximus is the headquarters of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). From its roof are undoubtedly the best views of Rome, but you will need to know someone who works there to get past the strict security.

  • Terme di Caracalla. iale delle Terme di Caracalla. ontinue southeast from the end of the Circus Maximus. The entrance is 300m. on your right, immediately after you pass the athletics stadium.. 9.00 until one hour before sunset. uros 6.00 for the Appian Way ticket which also permits access to the tomb of Cecilia Metella and the Villa dei Quintili.(see Rome/South). Inaugurated in 217 A.D. and used until the 6th Century. The baths were big enough for 1600 bathers at a time. Impressive and well-preserved. Used for operas in summer months and was the location for the famous "three tenors" concert in July 1990, at the time of the World Cup (soccer).

    Testaccio

  • Pyramid of Gaius Cestius. iramide metro station. A tomb for the wealthy Gaius Cestius, who died in 12 B.C.

  • Porta San Paolo. iramide metro station. Next door to the Pyramid, this fine gate in the Aurelian Wall is named after St. Paul as the Via Ostiense leads to the basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls (see Rome/South).

  • Protestant (or non-Catholic) Cemetery. ttp://www.protestantcemetery.it/english/index.php. Behind the pyramid, entered by the Via Caio Cestio, is the Protestant Cemetry where the poet John Keats was buried in 1821 and Percy Bysshe Shelley's ashes were also buried after his drowning in 1822. A more recent interment is that of the "beat generation" poet Gregory Corso who was buried here in 2001. Can be visited.

    Do

    Eat

    There is usually a temporary food stall near the keyhole (see above) on the Aventino. But the best bet is to buy some food at a shop before you arrive and have a picnic at one of the parks on the Aventino overlooking the Tiber and the city. '''Volpetti''' at Via Marmorata 47 has a wide selection of prosciutto, salami, olives and cheeses. Perfect for a picnic. Alternatively, the three bars along the west side of the Viale Aventino all offer tables outside and serve sandwiches, salads and pastas.

  • Taverna Cestia. ia Piramide Cestia, 65. etro Piramide. 39 065743754. Excellent traditional Roman restaurant. Menu only in Italian, and the waiters do not speak much English. They have a good selection of seafood, and the seafood spaghetti is great.
  • Court Delicati. iale Aventino 43. 6.5746108. In a city not known for its Chinese restaurants, this is one of the best. The owners are Malay Chinese and in addition to the standard Chinese restaurant fare there are many interesting Malay dishes, as well as some Thai dishes.
  • Da Bucatino. ia Luca Della Robbia 84, Testaccio. 6-5746886. unch and Dinner. Closed Mondays. Popular multi-roomed restaurant serving traditional Roman dishes.

    Drink

  • L_fOasi della Birra. iazza Testaccio 41. 6 574 6122 . In a basement underneath a wine shop opposite Testaccio market, L_fOasi della Birra is a bar with a wide selection of beers from Italy and around the world on offer, as well as some interesting food to go with the beer.

    Sleep

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  • Hotels Aventine, San Anselmo and San Pio. n a residential area on the Aventine hill, very close to each other. 600m from Ostiense station if coming from Fiumicino Airport.. 6.570057 . ttp://www.aventinohotels.com/. Three quiet hotels run by the same group and sharing the same phone number. Can fill up during conferences of FAO (see above) so wise to book in advance.

    Contact