Walking Through Rome: From Via Margana to Piazza Navona

The most enjoyable way to explore Rome is to let yourself wander its streets and savor the experience of getting lost.

As we wander, a small square comes into view and leaves a lasting impression on our memory. This is Via Margana. Named after a tower belonging to the Margani family, whose origins date back to the 12th century, the buildings on this street were constructed between the 14th and 16th centuries. It seems like a quieter spot between the bustling Piazza Venezia and Piazza d’Aracoeli.

From here, we reach Piazza del Campidoglio, situated on the Capitoline Hill—one of Rome’s seven hills. Designed in the shape of a star, this square holds the distinction of being the city’s first Renaissance-style square, constructed in the 16th century by Michelangelo. Facing St. Peter’s Basilica, it features a statue of Marcus Aurelius at its center. The square is surrounded by the Senate Palace, the city’s oldest public museum, and another palace, the Palazzo Nuovo. The square is open to the public; if you wish to visit the Capitoline Museums within the square, the entrance fee is 16 euros.

Our steps lead us back to one of Rome’s most famous squares, Piazza Navona. The square was built on the site of a stadium commissioned by Emperor Domitian in the 1st century AD, and as a result, its long, oval shape still bears the traces of this ancient stadium.

The central Fountain of the Four Rivers, the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, dominates the square and is dedicated to four rivers representing the four continents: the Nile, the Danube, the Ganges, and the Rio de la Plata. There are two more fountains in the square: the Moro Fountain and the Neptune Fountain. The Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone, with its 17th-century Baroque architecture, completes the square.