Rome Highlights
Although functioning as a vibrant, modern capital akin to any in Europe, the unique appeal of Rome is that the entire city is a vast, 3,000-year-old, indoor-outdoor museum. In every quarter you’ll find ancient monuments, art treasures and timeless architecture in churches, galleries and protected ruins. Home to the world’s smallest city, the Vatican, Rome has religion at its heart and history in its soul – a city that dazzles and inspires visitors time and time again.
Vatican City
This tiny city-state is home to the Pope, the world’s greatest museum, largest church, and the most astounding work of art ever created – Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling (see Vatican City).
The Pantheon
The most perfectly preserved of all ancient temples, this marvel of architectural engineering has a giant oculus forever open to the sky (see The Pantheon).
Roman Forum
At the once-bustling heart of ancient political, judicial and commercial power, there’s now an evocative emptiness, punctuated by grandiose arches, solitary columns and carved rubble (see Roman Forum).
Galleria Borghese
A stunningly beautiful pleasure-palace, this was the vision of an immensely rich, hedonistic papal nephew, who filled it with Graeco-Roman, Renaissance and Baroque works by the greatest masters (see Galleria Borghese).
Colosseum and Imperial Fora
Imperial Rome constructed many impressive monuments, including the spectacular amphitheatre (see The Colosseum and Imperial Fora).
Musei Capitolini
At the ancient centre of religious Rome are found some of the world’s greatest masterpieces, from 4th-century BC Greek sculptures to Caravaggio’s revolutionary – even scandalous – paintings (see Musei Capitolini).
Museo Nazionale Romano
These collections, housed at two sites, feature some of the world’s finest ancient art, including Classical sculpture and stunning mosaics (see Museo Nazionale Romano).
Santa Maria del Popolo
Built over emperors’ tombs, this church offers one of Rome’s richest displays of Renaissance and Baroque art, including masterpieces by Pinturicchio, Raphael, Caravaggio and Bernini (see Santa Maria del Popolo).
San Clemente
With its mysterious passages and legends, this fascinating church provides first-hand experience of the layers that comprise Rome; here you can descend to a depth of 18m (60 ft) and go back over 2,000 years (see San Clemente).
Ostia Antica
Extending over several square kilometres, the remarkable ruins of ancient Rome’s main port city hold many surprises and convey a powerful sense of everyday Imperial life (see Ostia Antica).
