Rome boasts many wonderful views, but one of the best spots for a memorable vista is the * Janiculum Hill (Gianicolo), across the Tiber. It's not considered one of the "Seven Hills" of Rome, but it's certainly one of the most visited (and a stop on many bus tours). Not even included within the original city walls, the area was built by Urban VII for defensive purposes but today most of Gianicolo has been turned into parkland. We like to come here at dawn and watch the sun rise over Rome. Here you can also look at the Tempietto of Bramante, the most evocative work of the High Renaissance in Rome.

Legend has it that Gianicolo was the site of the city founded by the god Janus. One of his kids, Tiber, lent his name to the river of Rome. For the best view, position yourself at the open space in front of the church, San Pietro in Montorio, which was constructed at the end of the 1400s during the reign of Sixtus IV. There is no grander panorama of Rome than the one you'll see here, extending from Monte Mario. Later you can follow the Passeggiata del Gianicolo or Janiculum Walk, which winds along the crest of the hill.

If you don't want to walk up the hill, you can catch bus 41 from the Ponte Sant' Angelo. But we prefer to walk along the medieval Via Garibaldi reached from Via della Scale in Trastevere. You'll reach the summit of the hill in about 15 minutes of steady climbing.