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The Pincio Park is near Piazza del Popolo. It was designed in the 19th century by Giuseppe Valadier, who also designed the Piazza del Popolo. Formlerly the Casina Valadier was an elegant restaurant. Gandhi, Mussolini, Richard Strauss and the Egyptian King Farouk were customers there. There are many evergreen bushes, palm and pine trees on both sides of the paths. Don't miss the view from Piazzale Napoleone I. to the Vatican and Rome from Monte Mario to Gianicolo. Walking through the park from Villa Borghese or along Viale Trinita del Monti is greatly recommended, especcially at sunset. In the park there is an Egyptian obelisk erected by Emperor Hadrianus over the grave of his favourite slave Antinos, who had saved the emperor's life and from then on was adored like a God.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
This is a treasure-trove of art. There are a couple of paintings by Caravaggio: "The Crucifixion of Saint Peter" and "The Conversion of Saint Paul" (in a dim alcove to the left of the altar, both at right angles to the viewer, with a machine wanting €2 to switch on the lighting) together with a sculpture by Bernini, frescoes by Pinturicchio and mosaics by Raphael. Part of the Dan Brown tour, this church featured in Angels and Demons, although the Vatican did not allow filming inside.
According to an inscription Emperor Augustus dedicated the obelisk to the sun in the 11th year of his consulate (10BC), after he had annexed Egypt to Rome. The obelisk is 24 m high. It was erected in Heliopolis in Egypt and was dedicated to Pharao Sethos I (1313-1292 BC) and Pharoa Ramses II (1292-1275 BC). Augustus brought the obelisk to the Circus Maximus, where it was rediscovered in 1587, broken into three pieces and was relocated to Piazze del Popolo on the orders of Pope Sixtus V in 1589.
This is the largest square in Rome. It sometimes hosts pop concerts and is the focal point for Rome's New Year's Eve celebrations. The twin churches Santa Maria dei Miracoli (1681) and Santa Maria in Montesanto (1679) used to provide a clear welcome to Rome for those coming from the north. Much older, to the north of the piazza is yet another Santa Maria (see below). The Piazza del Popolo is considered as one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. It was enlarged and two streets, the Via di Ripetta and the Via del Babuino were added by order of Pope Sixtus V. In the middle of the square is an obelisk (see below). In 1809-1816, Giuseppe Valadier, Roman architect of French origin, gave the square its characteristic oval shape.
Casa di Goethe
Académie de France à Rome
The villa was erected by order of Cardinal Ricci di Montepulciano in 1544. It was acquired by Cardinal Fernando di Medici in 1576. Since 1803 it is the French Academy in Rome. The academy was created in 1666 by the French King Louis XIV in order to enable painters to study in Rome. Nicolas Poussin was one of the first students, Ingres was director, and Fragonard and Boucher were students of the French Academy, but also musicians like Berlioz and Debussy studied here. Today the villa hosts occasional concerts and exhibitions. Its gardens can be visited.
Ara Pacis is an altar to peace commissioned by the Roman Senate on 4 July 13 BC to honor the triumphal return from Hispania and Gaul of Augustus. It is universally recognised as a masterpiece. Following discovery of this work under a building in Rome, Mussolini built a protective building for it near the Mausoleum of Augustus, where it was reconstructed. A new building on the same site as Mussolini's was opened in 2006 and has been controversial. The mayor at the time said he would tear down the new structure. The basement of the new building features occasional exhibitions. You can see much of it from outside the building. Paying to go inside adds some background info, but not much more.