Colosseum and the Roman Forum. The Forum was the political, administrative and religious center of Rome in the ancient world. Here you will find among the ruins the Arch of Titus, Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, the Temple of the Vestal Virgins, and the Ancient Senate house. The forum used to be a large wasteland, but with the invention of the first sewage system of Rome, it was drained directly into the Tiber river to make way for the great palaces and basilicas of Ancient Rome.

At the Roman Forum, you’ll walk among the ruins of ancient temples, basilicas, and government buildings that once formed the heart of Roman political, religious, and social life, including the Temple of Saturn, the Arch of Titus, and the Curia Julia, where senators once debated the fate of the empire.

As you walk through Piazza Venezia, check out the monument that goes by many names, including The Vittoriano and the “wedding cake” because if it’s layered shape and white color. It was named for Italy’s first king as a symbol of unity for the country, and it holds the tomb of unknown soldiers and an eternal flame out front which burns for those lost in WWI.

Climb the Capitoline Hill to look out over all of Ancient Rome. In ancient times, the Romans built many temples on top of this hill to reinforce that Rome was “caput mundi”, the head of the world. Today, it sits as the heart of the city of Rome, with a view of ancient Rome unmatched by any other.

Originally built as a temple to all gods, with the word pantheon meaning “honor all gods” in Greek, this great monument is the best preserved from Ancient Rome. Architects and scholars alike are still baffled as to how the building shows no damage from time or gravity, and it stands intact with all of its splendor and glory. While it has seen several renovations, the main structure remains the same, including its legendary dome with its oculus (or eye of the Pantheon) at the top. To this day it remains the largest unsupported dome in the world, and every year at Pentecost rose petals are dropped through the oculus to symbolize the tongues of fire descending on the people of Christ.

The Trevi Fountain is possibly one of the most well known fountains in the world. It has been featured in many films, and millions of people come every year to throw in a coin and make a wish. Rome actually donates these coins to charity, an estimated €1.4 million every year! The fountain dates back to Ancient Roman times, to the use of Rome’s first aqueduct, and it is said that gambling is to thank for its construction because the Pope used ⅓ of the lotto money to finance the construction of the Trevi Fountain.

Aside from being the home of the Pope, Vatican city is also home to the Vatican Museums, the world’s largest collection of art with 9 miles of art that could wrap around the Vatican walls 4 ½ times! It contains 54 museums, 1400 rooms, chapels, and galleries. Aside from the renowned Sistine Chapel, the museums also display the only work of Leonardo Da Vinci in Rome, St. Jerome, the Raphael Rooms, and the Pinoteca, which contains collections of the Popes, all dating back to the middle ages and are set in chronological order.

Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel is possibly the most well known masterpiece in modern day, with over 5 million visitors per year. It was a project the artist took on reluctantly because his focus was sculptures, and he would complain about the physical toll it took on his body. It is said that the design of the chapel from Pope Sixtus IV, is modeled after Solomon’s temple from the Old Testament, measuring at just larger than a professional basketball court! There are many more frescoes to admire here from other artists, including: Domenico Ghirlandaio, Pietro Perugino, Cosimo Roselli and Sandro Botticelli.

Lastly, you will get to see the the largest basilica in the world, with markings inside the church to ensure every other basilica would fit inside. The curious visitor is treated to Michelangelo’s Pieta at the front, 150 mosaics, and Bernini’s baldacchino, which stands at 96 feet tall and 100,000 pounds of bronze! Surprisingly, there is only one actual painting in the basilica, and it can be spotted hanging above the Pieta. Many popes are buried in the church or are on display, but most of the popes are buried underneath the basilica including St. Peter, the first pope.