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LOCATION AND TERRITORY

Rome is the capital city of Italy and of the Lazio region, and is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River.
The original settlement developed on 7 hills: the Aventine Hill, the Caelian Hill, the Capitoline Hill, the Esquiline Hill, the Palatine Hill, the Quirinal Hill and the Viminal Hill. Ancient Rome was a major centre of Western Civilization, and is it still the seat of the Roman Catholic Church. It is the third most-visited tourist destination in the Europe and a city of cultural and political importance.

ACTIVITIES

Music
Rome’s new Auditorium Parco della Musica, features three halls of varying sizes and a large outdoor amphitheater used for concerts and events.
Other concerts playing in churches and in the summer parks and archaeological sites, many of which are part of the Estate Romana series of events.
Some of the most atmospheric summer venues for music (classical and contemporary) are the Baths of Caracalla, the Teatro di Marcello, the Fori Imperiali and the Terrazza del Pincio.
The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma  dominates the opera scene. In summer the theater hosts operas, ballets and concerts in the Baths of Caracalla.

Sport
Romans diligently follow their football clubs’ efforts. Rome has two main football clubs, both in the Serie A (Roma and Lazio), wich perform at the Stadio Olimpico.
The Tennis Masters Roma now attracts some of the biggest names on the circuit and is held in the first two weeks of May.

Swimming. You can swim in Rome, but only if you're quite determined. Try the beaches on the Lazio coast, or if you can't be bothered going that far, at a hotel pool; the best other alternative is the large outdoor Piscina delle Rose, in EUR, open from May to September.

Cycling. You can rent bicycles and cycle near the Porta Pinciana in Villa Borghese. Jogging. Villa Doria Pamphili, 2km (1mi) south of the Vatican, is the largest park in Rome and a lovely spot for a jog or gentle stroll.

Horse Riding. Horse riding is available at the exclusive Il Galoppatoio equestrian club in Villa Borghese, but exclusivity costs money, lots of it.

Bath House. If you're sore from foot-slogging from one monument to the next, reward yourself by escaping to the relaxing thermal springs mentioned in Dante's Divine Comedy. They're near Viterbo, 90km (55mi) north of Rome.

It can be funny to do the Segway tour to discover the Ancient Rome. This experience is enriched with the most important historical information, introducing you to the hidden treasures, legends and stories that seem to resonate throughout the city.

WHAT TO VISIT

Colosseum
This is the most ancient monument from ancient Rome. Its building began in 75. A.D. and was opened in 80 A.D., an opening celebrated with a full day of bloody games during which, according to legend, five thousand animals were killed.
This was a gruesome leisure activity for the ancient Romans: prisoners condemned to death were torn to pieces by ferocious beasts, animals were killed by archers and there were fights to the death between “professional” gladiators.
The surface area of the Coliseum was arranged into four sections, each of which could hold up to 70,000 spectators.
The Emperor’s box was placed in the center from where he could decide the gladiators’ fate with a simple hand gesture.
The underground area of the Coliseum was used to organize and create the settings for the games, such as how to make the ferocious beasts appear unexpectedly in the arena, bringing them up to the main area with an elevator hoist that was hidden in the sand.
In 438, the games were prohibited and the Coliseum was gradually abandoned.

Galleria Borghese
This is one of the largest collections in the world, begun in 1600 by the Borghese family. There are many works of art by painters and sculptors to see: Amor sacro e Amor Profano by Tiziano, la Pietà by Rubens, Davide con la testa di Golia by Caravaggio, Apollo e Dafne, David and Pluto e Prosperina by Bernini.

Capitoline Hill (Campidoglio)
The main attraction at Capitoline Hill is the Piazza del Campidoglio, which was designed by Michelangelo in 1538. At one stage it featured a prominent bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius.
The Palazzo dei Senatori and the two museums, the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the Palazzo Nuovo, which are full of famous statues, border three sides of this well-proportioned square. The Capitoline Hill overlooks the Forum.

Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi)
This is one of the most imposing and stunning attractions in the whole of Rome and every day it is visited by crowds of people, many tossing coins into the water. As a result, the fountain actually grosses a large amount of money each year and most of this is donated to charity.

Spanish Steps (Scalinata di Spagna)
This is possibly one of the most delightful and stunning settings of the baroque period.
The spectacular staircase, built in 1723, gets its name from the nearby Spanish Embassy building, which is still the headquarters of Spain's embassy to the Holy See.

Piazza Navona
North of Corso Vittorio Emanuele and west of Corso Rinascimento is the Piazza Navona, containing four majestic fountains. The most famous fountain is the 'Fountain of the Four Rivers' which was designed and built by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1651.

Castel Sant' Angelo
In the 6th century, the Castel Sant' Angelo was converted into a papal fortress and linked to the Vatican palaces by a series of underground passages, and these have been used by several popes when they felt under threat.
The circular Castel Sant' Angelo was originally constructed as the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian and is now an interesting museum.

The Vatican
It is actually the world's smallest independent sovereign state.
Close to the right bank of the River Tiber, the Vatican City has its own civil and judicial systems, post office, bank, newspaper, radio station, supermarket and railway station. Often referred to as the Holy See, the most popular places to visit include St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.
The Pope usually gives a public audience at 11:00 every Wednesday, and if you wish to attend you should apply at the nearby Prefetura della Casa Pontifica on the day before.

The Vatican St. Peter's Basilica
First opened in 326 AD, this great temple stands over the tomb of St. Peter, the founder of the Church of Rome.
The dome, which dominates the church, was designed by Michelangelo.
The church contains a number of well-known works, including the canopy over the high altar, a majestic creation by Bernini, the gilt bronze Chair of St. Peter, the monument to Clement XIII by Canova, and Michelangelo's famous 'Pietà', a wonderful marble sculpture.

The Vatican Museums (Musei Vaticani)
The Vatican Museums are a group of palaces, which house some of the most important collections in the world.
There are several exhibitions, including the Etruscan Museum, Raphael Rooms and Loggias, the Egyptian Museum and the world-famous Sistine Chapel, which is probably the most important part of this vast museum complex.
Also worth a visit are Raphael's Rooms (Stanze di Raffaello), several rooms of the Vatican apartment that were painted by Raphael at the request of Pope Julius II.

The Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina)
Built for Pope Sixtus IV in 1475, the Sistine Chapel is probably the Vatican's ultimate building and crowning glory.
It was Michelangelo whose painting of the vast ceiling and his masterpiece 'The Last Judgment', that have made this chapel famous throughout the world. Michelangelo's painting 'The Last Judgment' was painted on the wall over the altar in 1541.

FOOD SPECIALTIES

Saltimbocca alla romana: Veal cutlet with prosciutto, sage, and marsala wine.

Pasta alla carbonara: A rich sauce made with eggs, bacon, and pecorino (a grated cheese, stronger than parmigiano).


Bucatini all’Amatriciana: a kind of spaghetti which resembles small straws, are dressed with tomato sauces with a lightly fried bacon, oil and hot pepper, served with a good sprinkle of grated roman pecorino cheese.

Rigatoni with Pajata, dressed with tomato sauce, oil, garlic, and young calf's intestines.
Pasta alla gricia: Pecorino, prosciutto and black pepper.
Lamb aside, usually cooked in the oven or fried at the 'Scotta Dito Style' (Scorched Finger Style).

CLIMATE AND TRAVEL SEASON

The best month to visit Rome is October (autumn) as the sunny days of the autumn are waiting here to welcome you to the culture capital of Italy. Though November can be rainy, Rome is completely occupied with tourists.
The spring season is the best to have a view of the sunshine in Rome. The Seven Hills of Rome add beauty to the natural scenarios in this season.
July and August are not considered very good months from the travel point of view because they are the hottest months of the year.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Roma Europa Festival, September- October. 
This has been an annual appointment since 1986 for modern art and theatre, music and dance, with artists from all over Europe appearing.

Festival Romics, October. 
The Comics and Cartoon Festival: exhibitions, cartoon film showings and meeting with the most famous designers and publishing companies.

Roma Jazz Festival, October. 
This annual festival totally dedicated to jazz music was organized for the first time in 1876. Italian and international artists all appear in concert.

Sana a Roma, April. 
This Mediterranean Trade Fair for Natural Products has been organized for a few years now at the Rome Trade Fair District. Exhibitions of bio-products, conferences and tasting.

Estate Romana, from June to September. 
This includes all kinds of events, from music to theater, literary meetings and cinema.
Events that take place in the most characteristic places in Rome that attract the participation of thousands of artists from all over the world.

Donna Sotto le Stelle, July. 
The annual Roman appointment with high fashion. Creations by the most famous fashion designers are modeled on a catwalk in a truly magnificent setting: on the Spanish Steps in Piazza di Spagna.

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