The second staircase is known as a ‘cordonata‘ because of the widely spaced steps which allowed horses and donkeys to traverse the slope. It takes you to Piazza del Campidoglio, a square with palazzi on three sides.
The square was designed by Michelangelo in 1536.
The palace facing the stairs, Palazzo Senatorio is now the city hall.
The fountains either side of the staircase feature the river gods of the Tiber and the Nile (the latter on his mobile phone).
The atmospheric Via Campadoglio runs down the side of Palazzo Senatorio.
On the corner where it bends is the Belvedere di Via Monte Tarpeo which probably has the best views across the Roman Forum that it’s possible to get.
There’s another lookout on the other side of the palace where you can get a good view of the Arco di Settimio Severo, a triumphal arch dating from 203 AD.
From here you can walk down Via di San Pietro in Carcereto to Via dei Fori Imperiali for more great views of the Roman ruins.
Particularly prominent is Trajan’s Column.
The spiral bas relief tells the story of the wars between the Romans and Dacians.
And at the end of Via dei Fori Imperiali you have the Colosseum.
You can find Rione Campitelli on this neighbourhood map and all the places mentioned on my city map.
From Campitelli you could your walk to south to Ripa to see the Circus Maximus and the Bocca della Verita (my post here) but this blog is going to the next southerly neighbourhood after that, Testaccio…