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3. St. Peter's Basilica. St. Peter's Basilica is at the heart of the Vatican City, and is the most spectacular and richest of Italy's churches. St. Peter's is full of beautiful works of art, including La Pietà, Michelangelo's evocative sculpture of Mary and Jesus.
To understand the origins of the St. Peter's Basilica, we need to go back in time almost 2,000 years. It wasn’t by chance that it was built here; this was the place where the apostle was killed and then buried. Peter, given this name by Jesus because he would be the “ pietra ”, the rock, on which the Church would be built, was the most ...
As you step inside Rome's churches, cathedrals, museums, and galleries, you'll encounter awe-inspiring works that span all the great eras of Western art. From Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling to Raphael’s frescoes, Caravaggio’s dramatic paintings, and Bernini’s glorious fountains, the city is a living museum.
The Roman Forum served as Rome's bustling core, a meeting place for citizens of various social classes, where business was conducted, shopping occurred, and fine food and wine were enjoyed. It was a crowded and cosmopolitan space, attracting people from around the world, including wealthy merchants, slaves, Roman nobles, and vendors.
Arch of Constantine. The Roman Forum was the pulsing heart of Rome, the city’s main piazza where citizens of every social level met to exchange opinions, do business, buy in the markets and renew their strength over a tasty dish and a cup of good wine. An enormous crowd gathered there every day.
1. Planning your travel in Rome. Because Rome is such a huge tourist draw, choose the date for your trip carefully. The best times of the year to visit are April, May, and late September through October. In the depths of summer, the heat and the crowds make the city nearly unbearable.
Barcaccia Fountain. With its characteristic butterfly plan, the Spanish Steps or Piazza di Spagna, in Rome, is one of the most famous images in the world, as well as being one of the most majestic urban monuments of Roman Baroque style. In the Renaissance period, the square was the most popular tourist attraction in the city: it attracted ...
The Aqua Virgo aqueduct, constructed with the intent of creating public baths in honour of the god of the sea, still flows underground today. The Trevi Fountain was the “ sign post ”, or monumental fountain that marked the ending point of the aqueduct. The water comes from the Salone Springs, eight miles away, while the name “ Virgo ...
The Vatican Museums. The Sistine Chapel is without doubt one of the greatest art treasures of all time, one of the most celebrated masterpieces in the world. It's the last stop on the Vatican Museum tour and is the most ardently awaited moment for the millions of tourists from around the world that come here every year to admire it.
Porticus Octaviae (Portico di Ottavia) The Portico of Ottavia is one of the most charming passageways in Rome. It was erected in 146 B.C. at the southernmost point of Campus Martius by Quintus Caecilius Metellus, who also built the Temple of Juno Regina in this area. The temple of Jupiter was later built here (the first temple in Rome to be ...