Piazza Navona

With its ornate churches and palaces, lively restaurants, and riot of street vendors and performers, Piazza Navona is one of the most popular public spaces in Rome. Private and hop-on-hop-off tours of Rome’s most famous landmarks generally include a stop in Piazza Navona, as do themed tours of classical Roman or Baroque sights. In addition to this important square, skip-the-line Rome highlights tours may include the Colosseum, Vatican (and Sistine Chapel), and Trevi Fountain. You can opt for a walking or electric bike tour, or see the piazza as part of a food tour that also stops at the Campo de’ Fiori market and cafés and gelato shops.

• The pedestrian-only square is crowded with street performers, so it’s a nice break for families with young kids.

• If you’re joining a walking or bike tour of Rome and Piazza Navona, wear comfortable shoes and a sun hat.

• Piazza Navona is easy to navigate with a wheelchair or stroller, though the cobblestones make the terrain a bit bumpy.

• There are plenty of cafés and gelato shops in or near the square, making it the perfect spot for a pick-me-up.

Piazza Navona is located in the historic city center of Rome between the Pantheon and the Tiber River. To reach the square by public transportation, take one of several buses that stop on Largo di Torre Argentina a short walk away.

Lively year-round, Piazza Navona is crowded with buskers and street musicians in summer, and is home to a charming Christmas market that lasts the entire month of December.

The oblong-shaped Piazza Navona was built on the site of the ancient Stadium of Domitian, where citizens of Rome would watch games and races in the 1st century AD. The stadium may be gone, but the unusual shape of the space remains today, marked by three Baroque fountains: Bernini’s central masterpiece flanked by two smaller fountains by Giacomo della Porta at each end.

Located in the historic center of Rome, or its centro storico, Piazza Navona is a bustling public square famous for its baroque architecture and fountains. The most famous—the Fountain of the Four Rivers—was built by the sculptor Bernini in 1651. It’s a popular spot for a sunset aperitivo or people-watching.

The baroque church of Sant'Agnese in Agone faces Piazza Navona. Said to stand on the spot where the martyr Agnes was killed, the church hosts free concerts. There’s also the Museum of Rome, housed in the Palazzo Braschi. Free to enter, it has exhibits related to Rome’s early modern history.

Yes. A stroll through Piazza Navona is included on most Rome walking tours. While the pedestrian-only square is closed to vehicles, the Rome hop-on hop-off bus tour stops at the Spanish Steps and Piazza Venezia, each about a 15-minute walk to Piazza Navona. (By public bus, many lines stop closer.)

In ancient times, this elongated space was home to an athletics stadium. While it's not clear how the name evolved, the theory is that in agonis, referring to agonal games, became “Navone.” Eventually, that evolved into “Navona” because of the square’s unusual boat-like shape (navona means “big ship” in Italian.)

Visit the square in the first hour of sunlight, before tour groups arrive—it's a great time for photographs. Otherwise, grab a drink for aperitivo hour at one of the many buzzy bars. Piazza Navona hosts a seasonal Christmas market and an annual appearance by the Befana—Italy’s Christmas witch—on January 6.

Yes. You’re unlikely to encounter any problems, day or night. That said, the piazza gets crowded, and pickpockets are a major nuisance in Rome’s city center. Keep purses zipped and close to your body, and keep an eye on valuables such as mobile phones and wallets.