Rome attractions & Sightseeing

The Vatican city

Arriving at St. Peter's Square, the visitor is immediately impressed by the size of the memorable square facing St. Peter's, surrounded by the magnificent four-row colonnade masterpiece of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Only when one gets inside the basilica, slowly climbing up the sweeping three flights of steps designed by Bernini, one will be truly amazed by the size and splendour of the largest church in the world, the symbol of Christianity, extending over a total of about 22,000 sqm. The building is 136 m. high, the diameter of the Cupola, designed by Michelangelo, measures 42 m. It is possible to reach the top of the Cupola climbing 330 steps: once up there the view of the square below and of Rome is unforgettable. The church contains the masterpieces of important artists: the 29 m. high bronze baldachin by Bernini, the Pietà by Michelangelo, the tomb of Clement XIII by Canova and the mosaic of the Navicella by Giotto, located above the middle entrance to the Portico. Numerous and timeless are the works of art, mainly paintings, kept in the Vatican Museums, which preserve the art of the most illustrious artists of all times. A visit to the Sistine Chapel, a milestone in the history of Italian painting, should not be missed.

Castel Sant'Angelo

The unique monument houses the National Museum where, besides the stuccoes, frescoes and furniture of the papal apartments, one can also admire an important collection of ancient arms. Castel Sant'Angelo is well known to Opera lovers, since right from its famous terrace overlooking the heart of Rome, Tosca, the protagonist of Giacomo Puccini's opera, threw herself down. Castel Sant'Angelo is an imposing mausoleum built on the banks of the river Tiber, ordered and probably designed by Emperor Hadrian (2nd century AD), who wished to have a tomb for himself and his successors. Over the centuries Castel Sant'Angelo has undergone several changes: first a fortress against the attacks of the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths, then a prison and finally a magnificent papal residence.

Pantheon

The Pantheon is an impressive example of the exquisite architectural technique of ancient Rome. It consists of a huge cylindrical body of equal height and width, covered by a great hemispherical dome. Important artists such as the painter Raphael are buried there, as well as the Italian Sovereigns of the period when Italy was a monarchy. Opposite to the Pantheon is Piazza della Rotonda with its beautiful fountain designed by Giacomo Della Porta.

The Colosseum and The Roman Forum

The Colosseum could hold more than 70,000 spectators who could watch the fights between gladiators, the hunting of animals and, at the very beginning, the naumachias: naval battles that took place in the arena that was flooded. The architect who designed the Colosseum is said to have been thrown alive to the wild beasts "as a reward for his own work", thus inaugurating the long story of blood and cruelties of the building he himself had conceived.

Fontana di Trevi

Tradition has it that throwing a coin over your left shoulder into the fountain guarantees a swift return to the world’s most beautiful city. Designed by Nicola Salvi for Pope Clemente XII, it was completed in the second half of the 1700s. The statues in the centre represent Neptune supported by Tritons on either side while rococo-style Poli Palace provides the perfect backdrop.

Scalinata Trinità dei Monti

The Spanish Steps were designed by Alessandro Specchi and Francesco de Sanctis. They connect Piazza di Spagna to the French church of Trinità dei Monti. In spring the steps are decorated with hundreds of coloured azaleas. Being a beautiful, central and traffic-prohibited spot, the steps are a permanent meeting place for the young and for tourists.

Fontana del Tritone

In the middle of the congested Piazza Barberini stands the Fountain of Triton, one of Bernini's finest. It shows the sea-god Triton carved into the centre of a shell. It was ordered by Pope Urban VIII Barberini, as was the other fountain in the square, the Fountain of the Bees. It takes its name from the bees of the Barberini coat of arms, sculpted into the fountain.

Piazza Navona

During the Christmas season this square is packed with stalls selling toys, sweets and decorations for the Nativity scene or Christmas tree, making it a favourite spot for children. The Fountain of the Rivers, with the obelisk, and the Fountain of the Moor, with the god of the sea, at the centre of the square, are both by Bernini.