Explore Rome

First impressions of Rome

Rome is too much to take in on a single visit — and that's the entire point. Three thousand years of continuous urban life have layered onto these seven hills, and every block hides something extraordinary. Start with the unmissable headline trio: the Colosseum (the largest amphitheatre ever built, holding 50,000–80,000 spectators for gladiator combat from AD 80 onwards), the adjacent Roman Forum (the political and commercial heart of the Roman Republic and Empire), and Palatine Hill (the city's birthplace, where Romulus reputedly founded Rome in 753 BC). The Pantheon — a 2nd-century domed temple still in continuous use as a church, with its 9-metre oculus to the sky — is even more astonishing than photos suggest. Cross the Tiber to Vatican City for St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel; throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain at dawn before the crowds; eat carbonara, cacio e pepe, and amatriciana at trattorie in Testaccio or Trastevere (Rome's three local pasta classics, all under €15). The art is endless: Caravaggios in three Roman churches alone, the Galleria Borghese (book months ahead) and the spectacular new MAXXI by Zaha Hadid for contemporary work. Walk everywhere; the city only really gives itself up on foot.