The peak, which is not part of the original Seven Hills of Rome, can be found on the right bank of the Tiber River south of the Vatican, away from the main tourist action.

And that is why it is worth a visit.

The beautiful and unspoilt views will offer a glimpse of the whole of Rome, and the relaxed slow atmosphere of narrow streets, small trattorias and pleasant parks will contrast sharply with the hectic and crowded centre.

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Views on both sides - east and west

This is the reason to come here. I definitely like the Gianicolo viewpoint the most of all in Rome.

The reason is simple: you can see both the sunrise and sunset from here.

Find a hotel in Rome with a view of the city

East side

• The whole centre of Rome, including the Vittorio Emanuele II Monument or the Pantheon
• In the background you can see the Apennines on a clear day
• the best realistic view of the centre of Rome

West side

• The dome of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican
• wooded hills
• Sunset over the basilica is best in May-September, when the sun sets slightly further north than during winter

The best time to visit?

For me, definitely the afternoon and early evening. Definitely.

• You'll see the centre of Rome beautifully lit by the setting sun.
• on the other side of the hill you'll see the sunset with St. Peter's Basilica

The evening sun also beautifully illuminates the avenues of mature plane trees.

An incredibly beautiful place that reminded me a little of the view of Barcelona from the hill of Montjuïc.

Gianicolo Lighthouse

One of the most bizarre sights stands right on the Janiculus hill.

Just a few metres from the main viewpoint you will find the historic lighthouse from 1911.

Yes, a lighthouse about 40 km from the sea.

Obviously, it never served navigational purposes, but was built as a symbol of the battle to defend Rome, which took place in 1849, especially around the Gianicolo hill.

The lighthouse is small and the interior is not accessible, but it is very visible from the sidewalk.

The noon shot from the cannon

Every day at 12:00 sharp, the cannon is fired here.

• a tradition since the 19th century
• originally used to unify time in Rome
• Today, it's more of an interesting curiosity.

If you're around at midday, it's worth a quick stop.

In the main square in the middle of the hill you can admire the equestrian statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi.

How to include Gianicolo in your itinerary

I headed to the viewpoint in the afternoon after visiting the Vatican and the Castel Sant'Angelo, from where it's the closest to Gianiculus.

I spent about 1 hour on the hill.

The views are mesmerizing and I didn't want to leave at all!

After sunset, I headed down the other side to Trastevere, a neighborhood perfect for dinner or a drink.

On your way down, be sure to stop by the beautiful Fontana dell'Acqua Paola.

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How to get there

I walked to Gianicolo, but expect a fairly steep climb.

• From the Vatican about 25 minutes walk
• from Trastevere about 15 minutes walk

There are also two bus routes directly to the viewpoint:

• 115 - about once every 10-12 minutes
  • in the direction of Paola (centre, close to the Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican) or Trastevere
• 870 - about 1x every 20-35 minutes
  • direction Paola (centre, close to the Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican) or the western suburbs of Rome
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A tip for a hotel nearby

Ginaicolo isn't exactly central, so it's more of a good area if you prefer tranquillity to good accessibility.

Near the top, in a quiet part of Trastevere, I'd recommend the well-reviewed Grand Hotel Gianicolo **** with a nice outdoor pool, which is quite a rarity for hotels in Rome.

What to see around

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