The Historical City Of Rome - An Open Air Museum For Your Holiday

Rome is not a city you visit once. It is a city that pulls you back, decade after decade, because no matter how many times you walk its streets, there is always another layer to uncover. Two and a half millennia of continuous habitation have produced a cityscape unlike any other, where a Baroque church sits atop a medieval fortress, itself built on Roman foundations, which rest on Etruscan ruins.

The obvious starting point is the Colosseum, and despite the crowds, it remains genuinely awe-inspiring. Standing in the arena where gladiators fought, looking up at the tiered seating that once held 50,000 spectators, you feel the weight of history in a way that photographs cannot convey. Combine your visit with the Roman Forum next door, where the political, religious and commercial heart of the ancient empire can still be traced in the columns and arches that remain.

But Rome's genius lies in its smaller moments. The Pantheon, with its perfect dome and oculus open to the sky, is perhaps the most architecturally perfect building ever constructed, and it is free to enter. Trastevere, across the Tiber, offers narrow cobblestone streets, family-run trattorias and the spectacular Santa Maria in Trastevere, one of the oldest churches in Rome with breathtaking medieval mosaics.

The Vatican Museums deserve a full day. The Sistine Chapel receives most of the attention, but the Raphael Rooms are equally magnificent, and the Pinacoteca houses masterpieces by Caravaggio, Leonardo and Giotto. Book a skip-the-line ticket and arrive at opening time to experience the galleries before the afternoon crowds make contemplation difficult. If you are planning your next trip, you might also enjoy exploring dog-friendly travel destinations in France.

For those who enjoy exploring beyond the tourist trail, the Appian Way offers an extraordinary walk through ancient Roman tombs, catacombs and countryside that has changed little in two thousand years. Rent a bicycle on a Sunday when the road is closed to traffic, and you will understand why the Romans called it the Regina Viarum, the queen of roads.

Rome is also a city of fountains, each one a work of art. The Trevi Fountain is deservedly famous, but seek out the Fontana delle Tartarughe in the Jewish Ghetto, or the Fontanone on the Janiculum Hill with its panoramic view of the city. These quieter spots reveal a Rome that belongs to those willing to wander.