Rome, Italy (Point of interest)

With three concert halls and an open air arena, the huge new Auditorium Parco della Musica is a cultural hub. Situated out in the Flaminio district, performances range from the Tokyo String Quartet, to The Who musical Tommy. Surrounded by a sea of... Continue reading →

Just 300 yards from the Colosseum stands the Basilica San Clemente, famous for its magnificent frescoes and 12th-century mosaic of the Cross as the Tree of Life. In summer, it hosts Rome's popular festival of operas and concerts.... Continue reading →

Rome boasts over 300km of underground burial corridors, of which a small fraction are open to the public. These include the Catacombs of Saint Domitilla, the oldest and most enjoyable of all, covering 15km on three different levels. Dating back (a... Continue reading →

Rome boasts over 300km of underground burial corridors, some of which are open to the public. These include the Catacombs of Saint Sebastian, with mosaics, graffiti and other pagan and Christian objects from centuries before the time of Constantine... Continue reading →

The Catacombs of San Callisto are in south-east Rome on the Via Appia Antica. Six popes are buried in this maze of tunnels, that extends 20km and dates back to 2AD. Both frescoes and ancient graffiti adorn the walls.... Continue reading →

The Colosseum offers an unrivalled insight into life in ancient Rome. This stadium, which seated 50,000 people, dominates the historic centre. Crowds came to watch brutal gladiatorial contests, naval battles and the slaughter of wild animals. Rome... Continue reading →

The Galleria Borghese, housed in an elegant marble villa in the Villa Borghese park, contains masterpieces collected by the powerful nephew of Pope Paul V, Cardinal Scipione. Paintings and sculptures by masters like Botticelli, Caravaggio and Berni... Continue reading →

Hadrian's Villa, in Tivoli, was Emperor Hadrian's favourite residence and epitomised luxury. Today, visitors wander through the romantic ruins with its temples, pools and bath houses. The vistas across to his island retreat provide beautiful respit... Continue reading →

The boat-shaped Isola Tiberina (Tiberina Island) sits in the River Tiber, connected to Trastevere via Cestio bridge. Once home to the Temple of Aesculapius, today visitors have a 10th-century church to visit. In summer the Cinema Festival takes pla... Continue reading →

Keats-Shelley House, beside the Spanish Steps, is where Romantic poet John Keats died, aged 25. Now a literary museum, its Victorian interiors are filled with manuscripts and memorabilia - including a lock of Milton's hair. First editions, rare bo... Continue reading →

The Museo Civico di Zoologia is Rome's zoology museum, featuring an outstanding collection of roughly four million specimens. It also stages regular exhibitions on subjects such as ecology and climate change. From Roman country fauna to Tasmanian ... Continue reading →

Housed in a palazzo in the Villa Borghese park, the National Gallery of Modern Art, contains 19th- and 20th-century works by artists such as Monet, Cezanne and the Macchiaioli - the Italian Impressionists. The gardens contain sculptures, including... Continue reading →

Thousands of plants, including Rome's oldest plane tree, flourish in their own ecosystems at the Orto Botanico in the Gianicolo area. Awaken your senses in the Garden of Fragrances, featuring plants that can be appreciated through touch and smell. ... Continue reading →

Once the flourishing commercial hub of ancient Rome, today Ostia Antica still retains its original seaport feel. Its well preserved buildings, taverns and grocery shops offer visitors a glimpse into the working life of Roman times.... Continue reading →

Hadrian's temple to the gods, the Pantheon in central Rome is extraordinarily well-preserved. Visitors stand inside and gaze up at the skies through the oculus, the nine-metre hole in the dome, then pay homage at Renaissance artist Raphael's tomb. ... Continue reading →

Bustling Piazza Navona in central Rome, is perfect for people-watching. Built in the 15th century, its lavish fountains and open-air bars make this a popular meeting point, where Romans sip lattes and browse for bargains from street traders. Origi... Continue reading →

The ruins of the Roman Forum are the centrepiece of Rome's historic centre. This was the political, economic and religious centre of ancient Rome, filled with magnificent public buildings. Visitors stroll to the Curia, where Julius Caesar met the s... Continue reading →

Fully restored between 1655 and 1660 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Rome's Santa Maria del Popolo Church features masterpieces including Caravaggio's Crucifixion of St Peter. Fans of Dan Brown's best-seller Angels and Demons can look for clues in Raffael... Continue reading →

Santa Maria in Trastevere dates back to 1138. There's been a church on this site since the 4th century. Visitors step inside to admire the 13th-century gold mosaics and sniff the incense-laden air.... Continue reading →

Visitors uncover Rome's hidden treasures on the Through Eternity Secret Rome walking tour, which starts from the Piazza della Repubblica in the city centre. Churches, Byzantine mosaics, frescoes and archaeological finds, overlooked by most, are rev... Continue reading →