Rome, the capital of Italy and known as the Eternal City, is a breathtaking city that is worth all the time in the world. Also, is one of the most culturally important cities to go, besides being home to numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

There is a wide range of different things for tourists to see in Rome and to make it easier for you, check out this list of tourist attractions to visit in Rome.

Don’t forget to check out Things that you need to do when in Rome and 13 Interesting and funny facts about Rome you probably didn’t know.

The Colosseum

Largest and most famous symbol of the Roman Empire, the Colosseum was a huge amphitheater used for fighting between gladiators or opposing these warriors against wild animals.

Its construction began in 72 AD, by order of the emperor Flávio Vespasiano and it took 8 years to be finished. Vespasiano decided to build the Colosseum where was an old palace of Nero, his predecessor of the empire.

The first games ever hosted in the monument lasted around 100 days. That’s what we call a celebration, right?

The Colosseum is one of the most visited tourist spots in the city. The Colosseum was included by Unesco in the list of World Heritage Sites and in 2007 it was elected as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

If you want to know more about the monument read Things you should know about the Colosseum.

Vatican

The Vatican City is an independent city-state that covers just over 100 acres (44 hectares) making it the smallest country on the earth. The entire population of the city-state is about 1,000.

The Vatican is the official nucleus of the Catholic Church and is governed as a monarchy with the pope at its head. It’s located inside Italy and, although it doesn’t have an official language, they mainly speak Latin and Italian.

The independence of the Holy See from Italy was declared on February 11, 1929.

In the Vatican you’ll find the wonderful St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums.

The Pantheon

The Pantheon is the best-preserved monument of ancient Roman architecture and, even though the exact age of the Pantheon is unknown, most historians believe that the first Pantheon was built in 27 BC and that it was first built as a temple to all gods.

The construction of the current Pantheon dates to 120 AD by Emperor Hadrian and has the largest unsupported dome in the world.

In the Pantheon are buried illustrious characters of history such as Vittorio Emanuele II; the first king of Italy, Umberto II;  the queen Margherita ( thanks to her the Italian pizza was born); famous painters like Annibale Carracci and Baldassarre Peruzzi and the great Raffaello Sanzio.

Source: Flickr/Jacob Surland

Roman Forum

The Roman Forum was the center of power and located right in the center of Ancient Rome.

This small valley, between the hills of the Palatine and the Capitol, keeps the vestiges of a powerful civilization that marked the world. Political, economic, religious, and administrative issues were resolved there.

As we already know, Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither the Roman Forum. It gradually developed over the centuries until it became the most important place in the city.

Between the many structures surviving you need to check Temple of Castor and Pollux, the Temple of Deified Caesar, Arco di Settimio Severo, the Curia, and the Casa delle Vestali.

La Fontana di Trevi

The Trevi Fountain is one of the most beautiful fountains in Rome. The final aspect of the Fontana di Trevi dates back to 1762 when, after several years of work by Nicola Salvi, it was completed by Giuseppe Pannini.

The largest fountain in the city, among all the attractions of the city, Fontana di Trevi is one of the most popular, receiving an average of 450,000 visits per month.

And almost everyone that visits the fountain throws a coin in it. Says the local legend that a coin thrown from the right hand over the left shoulder into the fountain will ensure a return to Rome. Amazing, right?

The money is destined for Caritas – a network of humanitarian organizations of the Catholic Church – which since 2001 has been investing in works of charity.

Source: Flickr/Smo_Q

Centro Storico and the Spanish Steps

The historic center of Rome is full of fascinating monuments and historic churches, palaces, and squares. So grab your comfortable shoes and enjoy this amazing city.

Some of the attractions that you’ll find in the Centro Storico is the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Santa Maria del Popolo Church, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps.

The Scalina Spagna, or Spanish Steps, follows the Roman Baroque style and it was built to connect the Trinità dei Monti church (patronage by the king of France) to the Spanish square.

Source: Flickr/hl_1001

Palatine Hill

The Palatine Hill in Rome it’s considered one of the seven hills of the city of Rome and the name it was due to the god of the shepherds called Pales. There is no exact date of when this archaeological site was built, but historians believe that it started as early as the 10th century BC.

The Palatine Hill is an open-air museum. Here you will find several ruins, such as the Flavian Palace, the Augustus Palace, Stadium of Domitian and Farnese Gardens: considered the first botanical garden in Europe under the command of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese.

Now that you know a little more about the Eternal City come with Veditalia and let us show the best of the Rome.