re: Rome ideas and suggestions

I’m curious: is this your first trip to Rome? Or have you been many times?
Because “off the beaten path” is anathema to Rome. It’s one of the most heavily touristed cities on earth, for plenty of damn good reasons. You don’t go to Rome to see minor things; it is a place overflowing with major treasures of Western civilization.

So, if you have indeed seen all of the Michelangelo, Caravaggio, et al, and you’ve managed to see all of the major classical Roman stuff, and you’ve been to the Vatican museums, St Peter’s basilica & the crypts, been to the Borgese gallery, and the Capitoline Museums, and the catacombs, and the Forum.....I offer the following stuff:
—church of San Clemente, not too far from the Colosseo; it’s a Norman era church full of beautiful gold mosaics, built on top of a first century Roman villa, built on top of an even more ancient mithraeum (secret bull cult), with an underground stream running through the excavation. Very cool. Via Labicana, 95.
—the Knights of Malta keyhole, on the edge of Testaccio. It’s a keyhole in a gate, literally, that perfectly frames a view of St. Peter’s. Google it before you go, some people flip over stuff like this, others find it vastly underwhelming.
—church of Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza; an all white, high baroque geometric masterpiece open only at certain odd times. Worth the effort to see, if your schedule permits. A block or two off of piazza Navona, through a courtyard behind a (usually locked) door. A true masterpiece by Borromini, who also designed the baldacchino over the main altar of St. Peter’s. If you’ve looked at too much art and too many overly decorated churches, it’s like a breath of fresh, white-marble air.
—the Testaccio city market, on via Benjamin Franklin. Where actual Romans do their food shopping, along with the nearby Esquilino market (lots of amazing fresh produce from all over the place). Testaccio attracts a more Roman clientele, while Esquilino has more immigrant shoppers buying all sorts of ingredients.
—Keats’ grave at the Protestant cemetery, if you’re a literary geek.

Just a few suggestions, for things that many people who hurry-hurry-hurry through Rome never get to see.

Rome restaurants: just read Katie Parla’s guide to Rome: LINK. She has a separate guide to good gelato. So much of the gelato sold to tourists in Rome is freaking terrible. It’s worth finding the real thing, even if it’s slightly out of your way. If it has fresh fruit shoved in one end of the display pan & is brightly colored, avoid it.

I’ll be back in Rome in about 80 days, can’t wait.