TOP ATTRACTIONS

The Pantheon Constructed to honor all pagan gods, this best preserved temple of was rebuilt in the 2nd century AD by Emperor , and to him much of the credit is due for the perfect dimensions: 141 feet high by 141 feet wide, with a vast dome that was the largest ever designed until the 20th century.

The Vatican Though its population numbers only in the few hundreds, the Vatican—home base for the Catholic Church and the pope—makes up for them with the millions who visit each year. Embraced by the arms of the colonnades of St. Peter’s Square, they attend Papal Mass, marvel at St. Peter’s , and savor ’s Sistine Ceiling.

The Legend has it that as long as the Colosseum stands, Rome will stand; and when Rome falls, so will the world. One of the seven wonders of the world, the mammoth amphitheater was begun by Emperor Vespasian and inaugurated by in the year 80. For “the grandeur that was Rome,” this obstinate oval can’t be topped.

Piazza Navona You couldn’t concoct a more Roman street scene: caffè and crowded tables at street level, coral- and rust-color houses above, most lined with wrought-iron balconies, street performers and artists and, at the center of this urban “living room,” Bernini’s spectacular of the Four Rivers and Borromini’s super-theatrical Sant’Agnese.

Roman Forum This fabled labyrinth of ruins variously served as a political playground, a commerce mart, and a place where justice was dispensed during the days of the emperors (500 BC to 400 AD). Today, the Forum is a silent ruin—sic transit gloria mundi (so passes away the glory of the world).

The Campidoglio Catch a bird’s-eye view of the from Michelangelo’s piazza, atop one of the highest spots in Rome, the . Here you’ll find the Capitoline and beloved Santa Maria in Aracoeli.

Trevi Fountain One of the few in Rome that’s actually more absorbing than the people crowding around it, the Fontana di Trevi was designed by Nicola Salvi in 1732. Immortalized in Three in the Fountain and La Dolce Vita, this granddaddy of all fountains may be your ticket back to Rome—that is, if you throw a into it.

The Byron, Shelley, and Keats all drew inspiration from this magnificent “Scalinata,” constructed in 1723. Connecting the ritzy shops at the bottom with the ritzy hotels at the top, this is the place for prime people-watching. The steps face west, so sunsets offer great photo-ops.

Castel Sant’Angelo Originally constructed as a mausoleum for Roman emperor Hadrian, this cylindrical fortress, which towers over the city’s skyline, has great views and opulent - era salons.

Trastevere Located just across the Tiber River, this time-stained, charming neighborhood is a maze of jumbled alleyways, traditional Roman trattorie, cobblestone streets, and medieval houses. The area also boasts the oldest church of Rome—Santa Maria in Trastevere.