This article explores one of my favorite topics: the hidden churches of Rome that most tourists never get to see.
And they don’t see them first of all because they don’t know where they are, and also because they don’t know what they’re missing.
I believe art should be lived and experienced, as well as discussed and told. Therefore, if you truly want to experience and enjoy the beauty of Rome the way a local would, I ask you to add at least some of these churches to your itinerary. They are all located in the historic center, sometimes right next to the most famous and visited sites, or just a short walk away.
Some are small, little treasure chests of wonders; others are larger, but not immense like St. Peter’s—and above all… never crowded.
So be ready to step off the beaten path and admire the finest artistic treasures Rome has to offer! A local’s word.
A local’s guide to visiting the lesser known churches in Rome
1. San Pietro in Vincoli
Anyone traveling to Rome for the first time visits the Colosseum—and you probably will too. So take the opportunity to add to this stop the church of San Pietro in Vincoli, located just a 5-minute walk from the world’s most famous amphitheater.
Right there, free of charge, you can admire one of Michelangelo’s incredible sculptures: Moses. This sculpture is the crowning jewel of the decoration of the chapel dedicated to Julius II, the Renaissance pope who commissioned Michelangelo himself to paint the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel.
Near the altar, the church preserves what are believed to be the miraculous chains that divine providence broke, allowing Saint Peter to escape from prison and travel to Rome to spread the Christian faith in ancient times. These miraculous chains are the subject of the beautiful 18th-century painting on the ceiling of the church’s main nave.
General opening hours: daily, 9 AM–12 PM and 3 PM–5:50 PM.
2. Basilica di Sant Agostino
This Renaissance basilica is hidden in a narrow alley in the area between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. I myself discovered it only a few years ago, while planning my tour of the Churches with Caravaggio’s Paintings.
I believe that the painting housed in one of the basilica’s side chapels, The Virgin of the Pilgrims or Madonna of Loreto, is the most interesting work by the Baroque painter Caravaggio in Rome. Did you know that Caravaggio was a nobleman from Milan, and that he came to Rome at a time when church leaders were extremely powerful and eager to spend money to assert the predominance of the Catholic Church over the world, in the 17th century?
Imagine the scandal caused by this artist, who formed friendships among the humblest layers of society and chose rather controversial figures as his models. In this case, it would seem that the model selected to represent the Virgin Mary in this famous painting was a prostitute, a close friend of Caravaggio.
Just a few steps from this church, you’ll find another one, San Luigi dei Francesi, which houses other beautiful paintings by the master.
3. Basilica dei Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti
One of the highlights of the very central Monti district is this basilica, which you can reach with a very short walk from the church described in point one of this post. This very ancient basilica began hosting deceased Christians as early as the beginnings of Christianity, when there was no more space in the catacombs. But the real reason I recommend visiting it is that you can descend through several layers of the “Roman lasagna,” traveling back in time.
From the street-level church, renovated in the Baroque period for the Jubilee of 1650, you descend to the crypt, richly decorated with columns and abundant stucco.
From there, you can go even further down to the oldest section, dating back to the third century AD, when these spaces—originally used as warehouses for the nearby Baths of Trajan—were converted into a Christian place of worship.
4. Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
You’ll have absolutely no excuse to skip the best-preserved medieval Gothic-style church in Rome. It stands right next to the Pantheon, a Roman monument of extraordinary visual impact—an ancient temple that every guide lists among the highlights of the Eternal City.
You access the church by crossing a small square at whose center stands a sculpture by Bernini, the “Little Elephant,” which supports an authentic Egyptian obelisk on its back (one of those brought to Rome by emperors after the conquest of Egypt).
This area of the historic center is full of history, but once you step inside Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, you’ll be overwhelmed by the beauty of its colors and artistic treasures.
The chapel to the right of the altar is famous for its Renaissance frescoes by Filippino Lippi depicting the Annunciation. To the left of the altar, you’ll find a sculpture by Michelangelo, the Risen Christ.
5. Basilica di Santa Sabina
This is one of the churches we conveniently reach during our Rome golf cart tour. If you’re walking, from the Circus Maximus you’ll need about a 10-minute uphill walk to reach the top of the Aventine Hill, from which you can enjoy a beautiful view of Rome’s historic center.
According to tradition, this ancient basilica was built in the 5th century AD on the site where a Roman matron once lived and was killed for defending Christian worship.
In the 13th century AD, it hosted none other than Saint Dominic of Guzmán, founder of the Dominican order, for an extended period. The church preserves an ancient basalt stone which, according to legend, the Devil hurled at Saint Dominic—missing him.
Before or after visiting the church, stop by the delightful Orange Garden (Giardino degli Aranci), located right next door.
6. Sant’Agnese in Agone
Here is another church you may never have heard of before—but one that is almost mandatory. It is accessed from the most beautiful square in Rome: Piazza Navona.
The church’s façade, designed by the most brilliant architect of the Baroque era, Borromini, is one of the most striking elements of the square.
Christian tradition holds that the church appeared in the 8th century AD on the site where the young Christian Agnes was martyred by soldiers of Emperor Diocletian.
In a chapel inside the church, a reliquary is said to preserve the “sacred head” of Saint Agnes. You can admire it for a laugh, since it is clearly a fake—but I won’t say more so as not to spoil the surprise.
7. Santa Maria della Pace
After visiting Piazza Navona, I recommend taking a short walk through the charming Rione Parione to reach the small church of Santa Maria della Pace.
Sometimes size doesn’t matter, as in the case of this sacred building, which is a treasure chest of paintings, sculptures, and even frescoes by Raphael—The Sibyls among Angels and Prophets.
The stucco decorations adorning the dome’s vault, by Pietro da Cortona, are also remarkable.
It’s also worth visiting the church’s cloister, accessed from the left side of the façade, designed by the architect Donato Bramante, a pioneer of the Renaissance. The Cloister of Bramante and the Church of Santa Maria della Pace are among the most important monuments of Renaissance architecture in Rome.
8. Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri
Let’s move off the most heavily traveled tourist paths, while still remaining in the city’s historic center. The ancient Baths of Diocletian, from Roman times and inaugurated in 306 AD, once occupied a vast area that today also includes Piazza della Repubblica. They were the largest baths in ancient Rome (today the most famous are the Baths of Caracalla, which are just one of many bath complexes from ancient Rome). The baths fell into disuse during the Middle Ages.
In the 16th century, during the Renaissance, the pope decided to convert the enclosed spaces of the baths into a great Christian basilica, entrusting the task to Michelangelo, then 86 years old.
Thanks to his design, today we can admire the grandeur of the Roman bath complex, now occupied by a church nave measuring an impressive 90 meters in length.
The church’s concave brick façade is the same preserved Roman structure.
The fascination of this preservation and transformation alone is reason enough to visit this basilica. But of course there is much more—such as the church’s marble floor featuring the “Clementine Line,” a meridian with zodiac signs. Within the structure of the ancient Roman baths, next to the church, stands one of the branches of the National Roman Museum, one of the most important archaeological museums in the world.
9. Sant’Ignazio
Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order, hardly needs an introduction. The missionary work of the priests of his order allowed the Christian religion to spread across four continents. This is precisely the theme of the immense fresco on the ceiling of the Church of Sant’Ignazio, painted by the monk Andrea Pozzo and a masterpiece of Baroque art.
Visit this church to admire it at least once in your life. At the center of the fresco, Jesus Christ radiates divine light toward Ignatius, which in turn reflects onto four continents represented as women riding wild animals.
Tip: sometimes you’ll notice a line to enter the church—in reality, the line is for the mirror in the center of the church, which activates with a one-euro coin. We local guides are still trying to understand why anyone would prefer to admire the ceiling through a mirror!
So skip the line, walk into the church, head to the center to admire the fresco, and then take your time enjoying all the masterpieces this place has to offer.
10. Santa Maria della Vittoria
Speaking of masterpieces, I imagine you’ll be interested in the finest sculptures Rome has to offer. It’s worth visiting Santa Maria della Vittoria, a Baroque church famous for housing The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa by the celebrated Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
In this intense marble representation, the angel—wearing a mischievous expression—holds the arrow of divine illumination with which he is about to pierce the heart of the young Teresa, who lies languidly in anticipation.
While you’re there, just outside the church, admire the monumental Fountain of Moses, the display fountain of the Acqua Felice aqueduct.
11. Santo Stefano Rotondo
The name of this church—one of the oldest Christian churches in Rome, dating back to the 5th century AD—comes from its circular shape. The altar stands at the center of the structure, surrounded by elegant ancient marble spolia columns.
During the Renaissance, the perimeter walls were decorated with frescoes. If you visit the church on a beautiful day, take a look at nearby Villa Celimontana, a lovely public park located on the site of Nero’s Gardens, whose remains it still preserves.
Conclusion
Rome never runs out of surprises, and its hidden churches are among the city’s most extraordinary treasures—places where art, history, and spirituality meet far from the crowds.
Stepping inside them means experiencing the Eternal City in a more authentic, intimate way, just as a local would.
Before visiting, however, always be sure to check the churches’ opening hours, as schedules may vary and some may be closed to tourists during religious functions, ceremonies, or weddings. Plan ahead, stay curious, and allow yourself to wander off the beaten path—you’ll discover a side of Rome that many travelers never get to see.