There is always something to do, to see, to discover in Rome. There are places, hidden gems in Rome, that preserve a rare beauty, which tell stories related to the history of the city and that often remain mostly unknown.
An example is the Passetto del Biscione, a sort of mini gallery just a few steps away from the famous Campo De ‘Fiori, which has a strong religious meaning. Despite its central position, it is little known by tourists, as well as Romans. It is an ancient passage that in the Roman era connected the auditorium of the Theater of Pompeo, that is the steps for the spectators, with the outside, and that over time has also hosted a Vespasian, a hammock and even ghosts!
Passetto del Biscione hidden treasure
Today it connects Piazza del Biscione with Via di Grottapinta and has recently been used as an exhibition space. Beautifully frescoed (and restored in 2016), it keeps a sacred image of the Madonna. Hence the Italian saying “Looking for Mary around Rome“, which means looking for someone, with a very common name, in a city as big as Rome: an almost impossible undertaking. So the image of the Madonna was so hidden that to find it they almost had to organize a treasure hunt!
The Passetto del Biscione is quite a small casket that contains a very special and unique and special corner of the Eternal City. A little gem of Roman history and traditions that is worth seeing, in order to add another little piece to the list of unusual and extraordinary treasures of the Capital. You can reach the Passetto del Biscione both from Corso Vittorio and Via dei Chiavari/Largo del Pallaro, for example before going shopping at the Campo De ‘Fiori market. Or as a nice stop between Largo di Torre Argentina and Piazza Navona. You have lots of opportunities to discover it!
