Rome is probably the only city in the world that's so steeped in history, that it's more proud of its ruins than of the structures still erect! Truly, a city you could easily lose your heart to!

Victor Emmanuel IInd's monument

Welcome to the Capital of what was one of the greatest empires in the world, and today is the Capital of Christendom. Welcome to Rome. The only city in the world that actually has a city within a city. Rome boasts of a rich and varied heritage. A legacy of power and opulence that oozes from every pore of the city. Where every crumbling brick has its own tale to tell. Tales of treachery, deceit, power-broking, hedonism or love. Rome is the city of faith and love alike. Where God and Cupid, seemingly inhabit every avenue, every Church and every street corner. For only in Rome are history and passion so intricately intertwined that one would be nothing without the other.

Rome is an art lover's idea of Paradise. The city is teeming with historical monuments, paintings, sculptures, temples, basilicas and architecture that's so rich in its diversity, that it would probably take a person a few months, if not longer to appreciate it all. However, Rome's real attraction lies in the remnants of its ancient history and the only way to truly appreciate the grandeur of the city 2,000 years ago, is to walk around it. And as you do, Rome will surely take your breath away, every time you round a corner.

"Rome is a city that has been built many times upon itself, layer upon layer."

Trevi Fountain

Let's begin our stroll around Rome at the Piazza Venezia, which is almost at the centre of the city. The Piazza is the site of a giant marble monument built to honour unified Italy's first king, Victor Emmanuel II. This relatively modern monument, with its towering Greek columns, just gives you an idea of the scale of construction, when the Empire was in its heyday. Walk around the monuments, up a majestically sweeping flight of steps, designed by Michaelangelo, to the ancient seat of power, Capitol Square on Capitoline Hill. The Palazzo Senatario across the Square is an ornate palace that's still the ceremonial seat of Rome's City Hall. But it is not as simple as it seems. Rome is a city that has built been many times upon itself, layer upon layer. Churches replacing ancient Roman temples. Monuments to one conqueror obliterating his predecessors'. And so on Capitoline Hill too, the Palazzo Senatario s actually built on the ancient Tabularium, where Rome's archives were once stored. Ring out the old, ring in the new.

Step into the Capitoline Museum across the Square to see a wonderful statue of Marcus Aurelius, Rome's finest military strategist on horseback. The Museum also has a 2500 year old bronze statue of a wolf which supposedly reared Romulus after whom Rome was named along with various busts of Ceasers over the centuries and some impressive mosaic work retrieved from Hadrian's Villa among its other art treasures. In the courtyard of the Palazzo de Conservatori, opposite the Museum, lie the remnants of what was once a giant statue of Emperor Constantine, looking onto the Roman Forum. The head of the statue alone is eight and a half feet tall! The various parts of the statue are arranged around the courtyard and make a perfect photo opportunity.

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