Monte Mario Nature Reserve: the secret balcony over the Eternal City

Climbing Monte Mario is like having the private keys to Rome's best lookout. At 139 meters high, this hill, forgotten by most tourists, offers the most complete view of the Eternal City: from the majestic dome of Saint Peter's dominating the skyline to the golden serpent of the Tiber River cutting the city into two perfect halves.

The best part is that you get there on foot. While everyone queues to climb the dome of Saint Peter's or crowds the Pincio, you can conquer the peak of Rome with a half-hour walk along paths that smell of umbrella pines and Mediterranean scrub. The contrast is incredible: you leave the chaos of the traffic on Viale Mazzini and find yourself immersed in an urban forest where the only sounds are the songs of the birds and the rustle of leaves underfoot.

Birds are at home here. Monte Mario has become an urban refuge for species that elsewhere struggle to survive in the Roman concrete. Great spotted woodpeckers hammer on the pine trunks, hoopoes flutter among the bushes with their punk crests, while buzzards soar high, exploiting the thermal currents rising from the city below. For birdwatchers, it's a paradise within reach of the metro.

The Astronomical Observatory at the summit is the icing on the cake. By day it offers breathtaking views, by night it opens its domes to allow anyone who wants to look up at the infinite to peek at stars and planets. The public observation evenings are always sold-out: where else can you look at Jupiter while Rome sparkles beneath your feet?

Sunset from up here is pure Roman magic. When the sun sets behind the dome of Saint Peter's, the whole city lights up with golden hues that reflect in the bends of the Tiber. The church bell towers become dark silhouettes against the sky that fades from pink to orange, while the first house lights turn on like terrestrial stars.

You don't need to be a mountaineer: the trails are easy and well-maintained, perfect even for families with children who want to show Rome from above to their little explorers. There are strategic benches along the path and picnic areas where you can stop to rest while admiring the view.

Monte Mario is easily reached with Metro A (Lepanto stop) and then a 15-minute walk. It is always open and access is free. Bring comfortable shoes and a camera: here, every corner offers postcard views that will make all your friends who settled for the usual crowded terraces in the historical center envious. The real Rome is best seen from up here, far from the crowd but close to the sky.

Photo credits: Lillo22 - licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.