Ancient Rome
With its vast arched vaults, this hulking brick construction is the largest building on the Roman Forum. Started by the Emperor Maxentius and finished by…
Must-see attractions in Lazio
Centro Storico
Nicknamed the pulcino della Minerva ('Minerva's chick'), the Elefantino is a curious and much-loved statue of a puzzled-looking elephant carrying a 6th…
Ancient Rome
Overshadowed by Trajan's towering administrative complex (the Mercati di Traiano), this was the last of the Imperial Forums to be built, dating to the…
Trastevere & Gianicolo
Right where the cute little Ponte Sisto pedestrian bridge crosses the Tiber, this small square is a fine entrance to Trastevere. The star attraction is…
Chiesa di San Giorgio in Velabro
Ancient Rome
The medieval Chiesa di San Giorgio in Velabro is a beautiful, atmospheric church whose original 7th-century portico was completely destroyed by a Mafia…
Lazio
Rising above Ostia's medieval borgo (village), this landmark castle is a fine example of Renaissance military architecture. It's named after Pope Giulio…
Ancient Rome
Hidden beneath Palazzo Senatorio, and accessible via a tunnel linking Palazzo dei Conservatori to Palazzo Nuovo, the Tabularium was ancient Rome's central…
Southern Rome
The Archaeological Park of the Tombs of the Via Latina holds a trove of ancient Roman tombs in a park setting. Following an extensive restoration, the…
Centro Storico
Seat of the Italian Senate since 1871, the regal Palazzo Madama was originally the 16th-century residence of Giovanni de’ Medici, the future Pope Leo X…
Castelli Romani
This museum on the shores of Lago di Nemi was built by Mussolini to house two Roman boats salvaged from the lake in 1932. These dated from Caligula’s time…
Basilica di San Giovanni Battista dei Fiorentini
Centro Storico
The last resting place of Francesco Borromini and Carlo Maderno, this graceful 16th-century church was commissioned by Pope Leo X as a showcase for…
South Coast
A thin strip of pebbly sand fronting pristine waters and framed by pale rock faces, this is Ponza's top beach. It's a beautiful place, but it gets very…
Chiesa di Sant'Agnese in Agone
Centro Storico
With its theatrical facade and rich, domed interior, the Chiesa di Sant’Agnese in Agone is typical of Francesco Borromini’s baroque style. The church,…
San Giovanni & Testaccio
Sticking out like, well, an Egyptian pyramid, this distinctive landmark looms over a busy traffic junction near Piramide metro station. A 36m-high marble…
Centro Storico
Commissioned by Giovanni Battista Pamphilj to celebrate his election as Pope Innocent X in 1644, this elegant baroque palazzo (1650) has been home to the…
San Giovanni & Testaccio
Housed in Rome’s former slaughterhouse, the Mattatoio complex is one of Rome's top contemporary arts venues. Its cavernous halls, themselves fine examples…
Ancient Rome
Entering the Roman Forum from Largo della Salara Vecchia – you can also enter directly from the Palatino or from the Arco di Tito – you’ll see the Tempio…
Southern Rome
Mausoleo di Romolo, located within the grounds of Villa di Massenzio, was built by Maxentius for his 17-year-old son Romulus. The huge mausoleum was…
Centro Storico
This cobbled Renaissance street lined with antique shops, boutiques and costume jewellers is a lovely place for a stroll. It follows the course of the…
Ancient Rome
Accessible through the Chiesa di Santa Maria Antiqua, this ramp is actually a vast passageway that allowed the emperors to enter the Roman Forum from…
Ancient Rome
The cobbled Via Sacra, the main road through the Roman Forum, traverses the site, running from the Capitoline Hill to the Arco di Tito at the forum's…
Trastevere & Gianicolo
Dating to the Middle Ages, this tower was part of the fortified holdings of the powerful Anguillara clan, which ruled this part of Rome until the 15th…
Viterbo
This 11th-century Romanesque church, the oldest in Viterbo, was restored to its original form after sustaining bomb damage in WWII. A series of 13th- to…
Centro Storico
Beneath Piazza Navona lie the remains of the 1st-century-AD Stadio di Domiziano, over which the square was laid out in the 15th century. This 30,000-seat…
Southern Rome
Wouldn't you know it! The pick of the three seldom-visited museums on this weed-strewn rationalist square is closed for 'renovations'. But just in case it…
San Giovanni & Testaccio
Overlooking Palazzo Laterano, this is said to be the world's largest standing Egyptian obelisk. Topping off at almost 46m, it's also the oldest of Rome's…
Museo Nazionale Romano: Crypta Balbi
Centro Storico
The least known of the Museo Nazionale Romano's four museums, the Crypta Balbi sits over the ruins of several medieval buildings, themselves set atop the…
Ancient Rome
This small museum traces the development of the Palatino with video presentations, models and archaeological finds. Highlights include busts of the…
Southern Rome
Done up in faux-Egyptian style, this soaring central EUR obelisk was a favourite of Mussolini's. It features the usual array of buff workers beavering…
Vatican City, Borgo & Prati
Accessed from the left nave of St Peter's Basilica, the Museo Storico Artistico (Tesoro; Treasury) sparkles with sacred relics and priceless artefacts,…
Basilica di San Lorenzo in Damaso
Centro Storico
This echoing 4th-century basilica, incorporated into Palazzo della Cancelleria, is one of Rome’s oldest churches. Much altered over the centuries – both…
South Coast
Encompassing around 85 sq km of billowing sand dunes, scratchy scrubland, forests, wetlands and four coastal lakes, the Circeo National Park offers a…
Southern Rome
Over 5000 sea creatures, 30 tanks with more than one million gallons of water, a 360-degree glass tunnel for viewing sharks and stingrays, the list goes…
Rome
Designed and laid out in the late 18th century, this leafy area is centred on a small, romantic lake where you can hire a rowing boat. The highlight,…
Ancient Rome
In the centre of the Roman Forum, three Corinthian columns are all that survive from the Tempio di Castore e Polluce, also known as the Tempio dei…
Ancient Rome
This circular temple on the Roman Forum was dedicated to Vesta, the popular goddess of home, hearth and family. The Vestal Virgins, who lived next door in…
Spiaggia delle Grotte di Nerone
South Coast
A thin, sandy strip west of the town centre, this popular beach is backed by the ruins of a Roman villa built by the emperor Nero. Further around the…
Ancient Rome
One of two palazzi housing the Capitoline Museums, Palazzo dei Conservatori dates to the mid-15th century when it was the seat of the city's elected…
Centro Storico
Laid out in 1727 to resemble a theatrical set, complete with exits into ‘the wings’, this exquisite rococo piazza is home to the 17th-century Chiesa di…
Viterbo
The Albornaz fortress, built in the 14th century to guard the city and later modified by Renaissance architect Bramante, houses Viterbo's modest Etruscan…
