Giardino degli Aranci

The Garden of Oranges on the Aventine Hill is a compact, walled park that packs one of Rome's finest panoramas into a few hundred square metres. From the Terrazza Belvedere at the far end, St. Peter's dome rises above a carpet of terracotta rooftops and umbrella pines, with the Tiber glinting below. Bitter orange trees line the central path, scenting the air in spring. Romans bring wine and sit on the low walls at sunset — it's one of the few viewpoints that feels intimate rather than touristic. The adjacent Basilica of Santa Sabina, a stark 5th-century church, is worth a quick detour for its carved wooden doors, among the oldest in existence.