If you have never been to Rome before there are the ‘must visit’ places such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pantheon, Spanish Steps and of course, the Trevi Fountain. Should you be well-acquainted with the city there are lesser known jewels which have been recently discovered or renovated such as Villa Torlonia, a beautiful residence last inhabited by Mussolini , the Domus Aurea, an ancient Roman house unearthed just a few years ago and the excavations under the Vatican revealing the history of the Basilica and the alleged burial location of St Peter himself.

There is a wealth of other places to visit in and around Rome such as Castel Sant’Angelo, the Ara Pacis, the Circus Maximus, the Catacombs, Ostia Antica, endless churches containing art treasures, not to mention the magnificent piazzas, each steeped in history.

The best thing about Rome is that it is an enormous free outdoor museum; wherever you turn you come across statues, fountains and buildings designed by Bernini, Bramante, Borromini to cite just the most famous. On a balmy summer evening there is nothing more delightful than taking a leisurely stroll, ice cream in hand, along the Tiber and around the cobbled backstreets admiring the beauty and absorbing the unique atmosphere of Rome.

But it’s not all about culture. This is also the city of the dolce vita. It has great restaurants to suit all pockets in the centre and in the old quarters of Trastevere and Testaccio where you can find the most authentic Roman cuisine. If you prefer to browse and have an aperitivo in one of the many characteristic locations in Rome you can find a wealth of bars and cafés around the Campo dei Fiori area and in the Monti quarter serving drinks and buffets after 7pm.

If you’re in Rome on Sunday morning nothing is more delightful than heading out early for cappuccino and cornetto, sitting outside a bar watching the people go by or reading the newspaper with the sound of church bells ringing in the background. Like all things Italian the simplest things are the best.

Learn about life in this beautiful city through the links below:

Lonely Planet Rome - worldwide worldwide world guide, the lonely planet page on Rome contains useful information and hot tips on living there.

Timeout Rome - British site on entertainment, accommodation, etc. in Rome

scalareale.org – walking tours in Rome by English speaking architects, art-historians and archaeologists

atac.roma.it – the public transportation authority of Rome [in Italian]

Romecitytours.com - guided sightseeing tours of Rome by bus, 9 departures daily

adr.it - useful information on Rome’s airports, Fiumicino and Ciampino

Sites and Museums:

capitolium.org - official site of the Imperial Forums

vatican.va - official site of the Vatican

museicapitolini.org - Official site of the Capitoline Museums including information on exhibitions and events

catacombe.roma.it - detailed descriptions of the catacombs

galleriaborghese.it - official site of Borghese Gallery, Barberini Gallery, Corsini Gallery and Spada Gallery

museodiroma.comune.roma.it - guide to the museum including opening hours and tickets

gnam.beniculturali.it- guide to the collection and exhibitions [in Italian]

parcoappiaantica.org – guide to the Appia Antica Park