Discover a Hidden Gem in Rome

Rome is full of surprises, and each time I visit, I usually discover something new.

Three years ago, when on a Vespa tour in Rome with my 18-year-old twin granddaughters, my driver and tour guide Alexander, took us into the neighborhood of Trastevere. While there, he stops and asks if I like Bernini.

What kind of question is that to ask anyone who comes to Rome? “Of course, I like Bernini,” I tell him, laughing.

“I do too,” he says, “and because you like Bernini, I’m going to show you one of his last masterpieces.”

I look at the girls and tell them he wants to show me a sculpture by Bernini, the famous artist who created the Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona.

We arrive at the Church of San Francesco a Ripa, and the façade seems a bit underwhelming. As we walk inside, we learn that this is the first church in Rome dedicated to Saint Francis. Without luxury or excess, the interior is typical Franciscan, yet rich in beautiful works of  art.

Constructed in 1231, this church was built on the site of a former Benedictine chapel and hospice, which  is where Saint Francis of Assisi stayed during his visits in the early thirteenth century with Pope Innocent III. Alexander guides us to the front of the church. In the left transept of the church, in the Cappella Altieri, is the stunning sculpture, Beata Ludovica in Ecstasy, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It was his final masterpiece, completed in 1675. The saint’s body is buried beneath the sculpture.

 

I am deeply moved by the expression on this woman’s face, sculpted in a way that depicts so much emotion.

All of us spend some quiet time here, and then our tour guide shows us a tiny, simple room behind a grate, adjacent to Bernini’s sculpture. “This is where Saint Francis slept,” he explains. “You can even see the rock that he used to rest his head.” This is known as the Sacred Cell, and it was preserved and moved to the church with each renovation. I never would have known that this stunning sculpture of Bernini’s was inside this nondescript place of worship. Grateful for Aleaxander’s advice, I’m so glad to have experienced this hidden gem.

Although Bernini  completed over 100 artworks, many of which reside in churches and museums today, the massive Baldacchino, the canopy that rises over the tomb of Saint Peter in St. Peter’s Basilica, embodies his genius in awe-inspiring ways which I will never forget.

 

Weighing 63 tons and rising 10 stories high, this masterful work of art was crafted from bronze, gold, and other precious materials. In advance of the recent 2025 Jubilee Year, this monumental structure underwent a meticulous 9-month-long restoration.

Every church in Italy is amazing in its own right, whether it is filled with marble, mosaics, frescoes, or even just a simple place to pray. It was so worthwhile to take a step away from an agenda to experience such breathtaking beauty.

 

One thing I have learned throughout my travels in Italy is to take time to appreciate what surrounds you. If you’re flexible and not tied to a tight agenda, then a surprise may be around the next corner. I’m so happy not to have missed this one.

What about you? What have you discovered when traveling in Italy?  I’d love to hear your stories, so please leave a comment.

Grazie and Ciao.

 

For more about this two-week trip in Italy with my granddaughters, check out my latest Italy travel memoir, ITALY AT EIGHTEEN.

“The author tells us about the importance of being adaptable while preparing for a trip abroad. She urges us to be patient when we are rescheduling tours or reservations. Everything is possible for a determined traveler with an open heart. I appreciated Margie’s practical recommendations and vivid descriptions of the places she and her granddaughters visited in beautiful Italy.” ~ 5-star review from Readers’ Favorite

Published March 3, 2024, this travelogue memoir is available in paperback and kindle and audiobook.

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