Aventine Hill
Legend has it that twins Romulus and Remus were often in disagreement and their founding of Rome was no different; here they squabbled about which of Rome’s seven hills was the best. Remus won and although Palatine Hill still exists, it is Aventine Hill that stands as Rome’s mother hill, a place of laid-back serenity.
It’s a short walk up Aventine Hill from Circo Massimo (Circus Maximus), but it feels like you have gone in one minute from a bustling big city to country quietude. Even though the hill affords a superb view of Rome below, it is sublime in its peaceful nature. A parkland of respite.
Once an upscale residential neighbourhood littered with churches and temples, Aventine Hill still offers ruins and remnants of these ancient buildings. Don’t miss the largely round Temple of Hercules Victor with its fluted Corinthian columns. Enjoy a stroll, or take your lunch and relax in this pastoral setting.