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San Giovanni & SAN GIOVANNI & THE CELIO | AVENTINO & AROUND | TESTACCIO

Neighbourhood Top Five 1 Basilica di San 2 Terme di Caracalla 4 Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano (p169) Being over-awed by Clemente (p170) Going (p168) Facing up to the the colossal remnants of this underground at this beauti- monumental splendour vast baths complex. ful medieval basilica. Before of what was once Rome’s 3 Villa del Priorato you go, check the church’s most important church. di Malta (p171) Looking glittering 12th-century apse You’ll feel very small as you through the unmarked key- mosaic. explore the echoing baroque hole to enjoy a magical view 5 Cimitero Acattolico interior of Rome’s oldest of St Peter’s dome. per gli Stranieri (p172) Christian basilica. Grave-spotting in Rome’s non-Catholic cemetery.

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# l e a 0 0.2 miles ia V For more detail of this area see Map p306 A 167 Lonely Planet’s Explore: San Giovanni & Testaccio Top Tip Extending south of the city centre, this is a large area that If you like opera and ballet, rewards a measured approach. To get the best out of it, check www.operaroma.it take it slow and savour the various neighbourhoods. The for details of summer per- district can easily be divided into two separate patches: formances at the Terme di San Giovanni and the Celio; and Aventino and Testaccio. A Caracalla. If contemporary day in each is more than enough to cover the main sights. art in a gritty urban setting Start off at the landmark Basilica di San Giovanni is more your thing, look out in Laterano (p168), the focal point of the largely resi- for exhibitions and installa- dential San Giovanni neighbourhood. It’s easily acces- tions at MACRO Testaccio sible by metro and quite magnificent, both inside and (p172), a gallery space in & TESTACCIO GIOVANNI SAN out. Once you’ve explored the basilica and surrounding Rome’s former abattoir. piazza, head down Via di San Giovanni in Laterano to- wards the Colosseum. Near the bottom, the Basilica di San Clemente (p170) is a fascinating church with some 5 Best Places exciting underground ruins. From there, you can walk to Eat across to the Celio, the green hill that rises south of the ¨¨Sbanco (p172) Colosseum. There’s not a lot to see, but the graceful Villa ¨¨Trapizzino (p173) Celimontana (p171) park is a great place to escape the ¨¨Aroma (p173) crowds. Further south, the towering ruins of the Terme ¨¨Flavio al Velavevodetto di Caracalla (p169) are a thrilling sight. (p173) To the west, on the banks of the Tiber, the once ¨¨Da Felice (p173)

 working-class area of Testaccio is a foodie hotspot with a number of excellent trattorias and a popular nightlife ¨¨Pizzeria Da Remo (p173) strip. Rising above it, the Aventino hill boasts a number of For reviews, see p172.A serene medieval churches and one of Rome’s great curi- osities – the famous keyhole view of St Peter’s dome. 6 Best Places to Drink Local Life ¨¨Rec 23 (p174) ¨Romance Local Lotharios out to impress their loved ¨¨Coming Out (p175) ones take them to enjoy the sunset views from the ¨¨L’Oasi della Birra (p174) Parco Savello (p171) on the Aventino. ¨¨Bibenda Wine Concept ¨Offal Testaccio is the spiritual home of Roman ‘blood- (p174) and-guts’ cooking. It’s not for everyone, but savvy locals ¨¨Anticafé Roma (p174) head to trattorias such as Da Felice (p173) to indulge. For reviews, see p174.A ¨Market food In recent years, a number of foodie stalls have sprouted at Testaccio’s covered market, including the hugely popular Mordi e Vai (p173), and Cups (p173), 1 Best Off-the- specialising in fresh soups and sauces. Radar Gems ¨¨Villa del Priorato di Malta Getting There & Away (p171) ¨¨Cimitero Acattolico per ¨Bus Useful bus routes include 85 and 87, both of gli Stranieri (p172) which stop near the Basilica di San Giovanni in ¨¨Chiesa di Santo Stefano Laterano, and 714, which serves San Giovanni and the Rotondo (p171) Terme di Caracalla. ¨¨Basilica dei SS Quattro ¨Metro San Giovanni is accessible by metro line A. Coronati (p170) For Testaccio take to Piramide. The Aventino is ¨¨Parco Savello (p171) walkable from Testaccio, and Circo Massimo station (line B). For reviews, see p170.A ¨Tram Number 3 runs from San Giovanni along Viale Aventino, through Testaccio and on to Trastevere.