Piazza del Popolo Square is a great place to hang out, and is very popular in the evening. In Rome’s Piazza del Popolo, you will find splendid attractions along with many groups of buskers who love to provide tourists with their various styles of music.

The square that stands today was the one redesigned by Giuseppe Valadier in the 19th Century. His main aim was to make it a square with a difference so he added walls around the square to give it an oval shape. The Piazza del Popolo wouldn’t be an authentic Roman square if it didn’t have an obelisk. It obelisk was originally from the Circus Maximus but was moved to the square where it now stands in the centre with four lions surrounding it. This obelisk is said to be the second oldest in Rome.

Just north of the square stands Bernini’s ‘The Porto del Popolo’ and the church of Santa Maria del Popolo. Three diagonal avenues branch south from the square - the Via del Corso in the centre, the Via del Babuino on its left and the Via di Ripeeta on the right – together they are known as the trident.

You will also find the two twin churches, the Santa Maria dei Miracoli and the Santa Maria in Montesanto at the southern end of the square. Carlo Rainaldi designed these in the 17th century. The churches are on either side of the Via del Corso, which takes you directly through the centre of Rome.