Rome is a city rightly famed for its beautiful vistas and viewpoints to gaze in wonder and to take incredible photographs, and witness astonishing sunsets and sunrises. These are the best places to gaze over the roofs and domes of Rome going back two thousand years.

Given that Rome was built on the “Seven Hills”, most of these viewpoints are free and easy to get to by walking from the center of Rome, though do bear in mind that there’s almost always a short, steep hill walk involved.

Free viewpoints in Rome:

1. The Pincio Balcony (Terrazza del Pincio), Villa Borghese park

This is a classic baroque balcony that towers above Piazza del Popolo, and looks across the Tiber river straight onto the Vatican and St Peter’s Basilica. To your left you can also gaze across the Baroque city and glimpse the dome of the Pantheon. Our free self-guided walk around the Baroque city starts here.

To get to it, you can walk from Flaminio station for about ten minutes up the steep side of the Villa Borghese hill, or from Piazza Fiume, turning left at the roundabout in the middle of Villa Borghese. Alternatively you can walk from the top of the Spanish Steps (Trinità dei Monti) along the side of the park, again about ten minutes’ walk.