Facts About the City of Rome, Italy
Famous Italian Landmarks
Places to Visit in Rome, Italy
Rita Kennedy, Leaf Group
St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City draws millions of visitors every year. (Photo: Jupiterimages/Pixland/Getty Images )
Top Tourist Attractions to See in Rome
Tour of Italy
Rome is known as the Eternal City and is home to so many famous places it can be impossible to know where to start. Italy's capital has much to offer, from its religious and historic attractions to lively food, drink and sports culture. Although many of Rome's major sights are world-famous, leaving the beaten track and exploring some of the things popular with the Romans will also give you a rewarding travel experience.
Vatican City, a separate city-state within Rome, is the center of the Catholic Church worldwide. Millions of pilgrims travel to Rome each year just to visit the Basilica of St. Peter, but even nonbelievers get a lot from a visit to the Vatican. Climb the stairs inside the Basilica's huge dome to be rewarded with a panoramic view of the city. Rome itself is full of other religious sites, ranging from the small 4th-century church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, which holds the skull of St Valentine, to the fabulous Caravaggio frescoes of the church of San Luigi dei Francesi.
Rome was the center of the Roman Empire, and many traces of classical times have survived into the present day. Some of the most spectacular are clustered into an area close to the city center, where the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine Hill stand virtually within sight of each other. The iconic Colosseum was the venue for ancient gladiatorial battles and retains much of its impressive outer walls and spectator terracing. The small area of the Forum once stood at the center of the known world, and visitors can view the remains of administrative buildings and arches as they walk in the footsteps of Roman emperors.
Rome isn't just about its churches and history. There's no better way to experience any Italian city than to buy a cup of coffee or glass of wine at a bar and sit outside to drink. Across the river from many of the main sites is the Trastevere district, a former artisan's quarter that still maintains a sense of separateness from the rest of the city. The area is a maze of alleys suddenly opening out into public squares where you're likely to encounter street performers in the evenings. It's also known for its restaurants and trattorias, which offer a much less tourist-oriented menu than restaurants in other areas of the city.
Sport, and particularly soccer, is a national obsession in Italy. Rome has two major teams, and both play in Serie A, the top Italian league. Both teams play their home games at the 70,000-seat Stadio Olimpico, each playing at home one week and away the next. The area around the stadium is also worth visiting to see the enormous Fascist-era mosaics of the Foro Italico alongside the stadium. Rome is also the venue for Italy's home rugby internationals, played at the smaller Stadio Flaminio, where the atmosphere during Six Nations games must be experienced to be believed.
Frommers: Rome Introduction
Sacred Destinations: Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome
Sacred Destinations: San Luigi Dei Francesi, Rome
"Rough Guide to Italy"; Ros Belford, Martin Dunford and Celia Woolfrey; 2005.
Italy Heaven: Football in Rome
RBS Six Nations: Stadio Flaminio
Rita Kennedy is a writer and researcher based in the United Kingdom. She began writing in 2002 and her work has appeared in several academic journals including "Memory Studies," the "Journal of Historical Geography" and the "Local Historian." She holds a Ph.D. in history and an honours degree in geography from the University of Ulster.
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