The grand oval piazza at Rome's northern gate, entered through the Porta del Popolo from what was once the Via Flaminia — the main road from the north. At the centre stands an Egyptian obelisk that Augustus brought back from Heliopolis, over 3,000 years old. The southern end is framed by two near-identical baroque churches, Santa Maria in Montesanto and Santa Maria dei Miracoli, which create a theatrical symmetry as you enter the city.
The real draw is the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo on the northwest corner. Go inside: it holds two extraordinary Caravaggio paintings — the Conversion of Saint Paul and the Crucifixion of Saint Peter — along with a Raphael-designed chapel and frescoes by Pinturicchio. The climb up to the Pincian Hill terrace gives good views back over the piazza.