Rome, Italy: The Eternal City.

Rome is a city that rarely fails to impress; both Italians and "stranieri" are beguiled by its ability to fuse different generations of historic grandeur with its role as a modern, yet remarkably civilised capital city. You can stand within the area of the Roman Forum and imagine senators arguing over taxes and armies, or sit within crowds by Rome's famous Trevi Fountain, next to and yet a million miles away from your neighbour. Then simply marvel at the wealth of the Catholic church not only in the scale of St Peter's Basilica  but also in the sheer breadth of artistic riches that still occupy the Vatican Museum.

To help you to plan your itinerary we have divided this Rome guide into six areas, obviously as a city these overlap but using our interactive maps you can plan your own Rome itinerary. Select any of the following virtual tours by simply clicking on the title, respective thumbnail photo or more & gt;>.

Colosseum & South East

From the highest of the original seven hills of Rome, the Esquilino, where we find amongst other treasures two of the four Major Papal Basilicas; including one more important than St Peters!
Discover 1st century Roman walls, and past a triumphal arch until we reach everyones image of ancient Rome; the Colosseum. more > >

Roman Forum

Discover Imperial Romes centre of government; imagine how the ancient temples and places of debate and government looked 2000 years ago. Pass through Triumphal Arches built to honour great Roman victories, climb the Palatine Hill and explore Romes Capitolini Museum. In Piazza Venezia jump forward nearly two millennia and imagine listening to a speech from Mussolini and then head down towards Rome's lifeblood; the Tiber. more > >

Pantheon

Pass through Romes (dark) middle ages, with its own inquisition and the loss and regaining of Papal influence, into its Renaissance; great piazzas with triumphant fountains replacing derelict ancient Roman sites.
Then step back again to Imperial Roman times as you stare up at the massive dome and oculus of the Pantheon, Imperial Romes best preserved monument. more > >

Trastevere & South West

Fancy an opportunity to stretch your legs or a passeggiata and get some of the best views down onto Rome. South of the Vatican is metropolitan Romes second highest hill the Gianicolo where you will find statues to Italys 19th century independence fighters. Continuing south past churches you can then get more of a feel for medieval Rome in the Trastevere area finally arriving at the Isola Tiberina. more > >

Trevi Fountain & North

Have your three coins ready, but dont expect too much privacy! Proceed north towards the open spaces of the Villa Borghese before heading south and descending the Spanish Steps past Keats house and onto Romes home of high fashion. Save your euros and instead head across to the basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli , constructed within Romes largest public baths, also home to the Museo Nazionale Romano. more > >

St Peters Basilica & West

Climb the ramparts of Hadrians mausoleum; Castel Sant'Angelo which tracks Romes declining and then resurrected fortunes and is symbolically and physically such an important link between Rome and the Vatican. From its roof imagine Tosca diving to her death whilst getting one of the best views of St Peters before strolling down Mussolinis Via della Conciliazione to its massive Piazza, the Saint Peters Basilica and the Vatican City. more > >