Sights of Rome

The eternal city of Rome, constructed of ruins and in whose name the Caesars sought to claim the world, opens for the visitor as a living museum. The centuries peel back with each new vista in this great city of gladiators, lunatic drivers and well-rounded pasta posteriors. Vespas, nippy little Fiats and red sports cars speed past trendy sidewalk bistros and nightclubs, revealing the Rome of Fellini's La Dolce Vita. The chillingly stark facades of the Stadio Olimpico complex bring back Mussolini's attempts to reinvent the architecture of the Caesars.

For a taste of the Baroque, visitors need only climb the famous Spanish Steps, walk through the Piazza Navona or toss a coin into the beautiful Trevi Fountain. Renaissance splendour is perhaps best revealed in the Pope's residence, the Vatican Palace, or in Michelangelo's efforts on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. From early Christian Basilicas to the Roman Forum, the Colosseum and the Pantheon, the sequence of history trails back to the height of the Roman Empire.

It may sound like a city of contrasts, but Rome's timeless magic lies in its ability to blend the old with the new. Empires have risen and fallen, old gods have been replaced with new ones, but Rome remains.

The tiny Piazza di Trevi has been immortalised through this fountain built for Pope Clement XII. The statues adorning this watery display represent Abundance, Agrippa, Salubrity, the Virgin and Neptune guided by two tritons. Tossing a coin into the fountain is supposed to guarantee a return trip to Rome.

The Colosseum enduring symbol of ancient Rome tenaciously clings to its foundations as the site of former gladiatorial conquests. Its architecture boasts an impressive array of Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns and an underground network of cells, corridors, ramps and elevators that were used to transport animals from their cages to the arena. The magnificence of the original structure has been eroded through the years of pillaging and earthquakes so that only a skeletal framework remains.

The stately Pantheon is one of the world's most inspiring architectural designs. Fittingly built as a temple to the Gods by Hadrian in 120AD, its perfectly proportioned floating dome rests seductively on sturdy marble columns. The only light source flowing through the central oculus was used by the Romans to measure time (with the aid of a sundial) and the dates of equinoxes and solstices. The south transept houses the Carafa Chapel and the tomb of Fra Angelico rests under the left side of the altar.

The Sistine Chapel's famous ceiling painted by Michelangelo looms above the frescoes on the side walls that were painted by an illustrious team of artists that included Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, Roselli, Pinturicchio, Signorelli and della Gatta. The altar wall is covered by Michelangelo's Last Supper, revealing the figure of Christ hovering above centre and flanked by Mary and other saintly figures. The Vatican Museums provide an inspiring visit to one of the world's greatest collections of art. The galleries stretch over four miles (6km) and include the magnificent Raphael rooms, the Etruscan Museum and the Pio-Clementino Museum, which boasts the world's largest collection of Classical statues.

Capitoline Hill was the original capitol of the ancient city and continues to serve as the seat of the city's government. The main feature of the area is Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio, a testimony to the superiority of Renaissance town planning. The piazza is bordered by three palaces: the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the twin structures of the Palazzo dei Senatori and Palazzo Nuovo which house the Musei Capitolini, containing the largest collection of classical statues in the world. Among the notable statues found here are the Dying Gaul and the Satyr, the Capitoline Wolf with Romulus and Remus and the Spinario. Paths cut along the side of the hill from the Campidoglio giving way to panoramic views of the ancient sites of the Forum and Colosseum.

The site of ancient Rome's commercial, political and religious centre retires in the valley between the Capitoline and Palatine hills. The Forum's main thoroughfare, Via Sacra, slices through the old market square and former civic centre. To make sense of the ruins and relics of the old Republic it is helpful to consult a map of the area. Some of the best preserved and most notable monuments include the impressive Arch of Septimus Severus -a construction designed to celebrate Roman victory over the Parthinians - and the former atrium of the House of the Vestal Virgins and Temple of Vesta. Also of note are the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, and the Arch of Titus, built to celebrate Titus' destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. To the right of the arch are stairs snaking up the Palatine hill through a series of terraces to the Farnese gardens. The scented avenue festooned with roses and orange trees gives way to a vista over the Forum.

The graceful steps built in 1725, elegantly curve their way from the Piazza di Spagna to the Church of Santa Trinit dei Monti, a pastel tinted neoclassical building. The shopper's paradise of Via Condotti leads back from the Spanish steps to Via del Corso, and during spring the steps are decorated with pink azaleas. At the foot of the steps lies Bernini's boat-shaped Barcaccia fountain and to the right is the unassuming Keats-Shelley Memorial House.

The Basilica lies above the reputed site of St. Peter's tomb. It is an overwhelming interior containing notable sculptures including Michelangelo's Pieta, which is protected by bullet-proof glass since the damaging attack on it in 1972. In the central aisle stands Arnolfo da Cambio's bronze statue of St Peter, its foot worn down by the constant flow of pilgrims' kisses. Proudly resting above the papal altar is Bernini's Throne of St Peter. The Vatican Grottoes, containing papal tombs, can be reached by steps from the statue of St Longinus. The Necropolis is located one level below the grottoes. This is the legendary site of St Peter's tomb and advance permission has to be obtained to view it. A strict dress code is in place for the Basilica and no shorts, bare shoulders or miniskirts are allowed (for men and women).

Separated from central Rome by the Tiber River, Trastevere is a picturesque medieval neighbourhood characterised by a quirky Bohemian atmosphere. Its narrow cobblestone streets are lined with overhanging flower boxes and washing lines, and home to numerous cafes, boutiques, pubs and restaurants. The area has long attracted artists, famous people and expats, and is a charming place to explore, having escaped the grand developments of central Rome.

The Basilica of St John Lateran was built in the 4th century by Constantine the Great and was the first church built in Rome. It is the cathedral of the diocese of Rome, and as such ranks above all other Roman Catholic churches, even St Peter 's Basilica in the Vatican. It is the official ecclesiastical seat of the Pope, and it is here that he celebrates Mass on certain religious holidays. The building has suffered much damage in the past and has been rebuilt several times, leaving only fragmented parts of the original church. The present building is characterised by its 18th-century façade and contains several important relics, a 13th-century cloister and an ancient baptistery. Inside are numerous statues, paintings, the High Altar that can only be used by the Pope, and a cedar table that is said to be the one used by Christ at the Last Supper. Across the street is one of the holiest sites in Christendom that is visited by pilgrims from around the world: the Palace of the Holy Steps, believed to be the 28 marble steps originally at Pontius Pilate's villa in Jerusalem that Christ climbed the day he was brought before Pilate. They have been in Rome since 1589.

Villa Doria Pamphili is a wonderful park to take children to while on holiday in Rome. The park's playground, skating rink and soccer fields will keep kids happy (and very active!) for hours, and the pony rides around Villa Doria Pamphili are also great fun.

There are many theatres throughout Rome staging excellent puppet shows (in English) that will keep the kids amused. Well-known venues include the Pulcinella Puppet Theatre, an open-air theatre on Gianicolo Hill, and the Teatro delle Marionette degli Accettella, on Via Genocchi. The Teatro San Carlino is a puppet theatre in Borghese Gardens, while Teatro Verde is located in Circonvallazione Gianicolense