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Colosseum & Aventine Hill

The Colosseum (Colosseo), one of Rome's main attractions, is easily accessible by metro line B. From here, you can walk to the Roman Forum, along the Fori Imperiali, and explore the remains of ancient Rome. By metro line B or on foot, you can reach the Circo Massimo (metro stop) from the Colosseum. From there, you can take a comfortable footpath up the Aventino Hill.

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Colosseum & San Clemente & Santi Quattro Coronati

Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

Fori Imperiali & San Pietro in Vincoli

Celio Hill

Baths of Caracalle & Aventine Hill

Santa Maria in Cosmedin, with Mouth of Truth

(all these sights are within easy walking distance of the Colosseum)

1. Kolosseum & San Clemente & Santi Quattro Coronati

The Colosseum is the most famous building of the Roman Empire. The amusement park opened in 80 AD with a hundred-day festival and could accommodate 50,000 people. The gladiator training rooms were located beneath the arena. Directly next to the Colosseum is the mighty triumphal arch, which documents Constantine's victory over Maxentius. It was built in 315 AD. Link: https://parcocolosseo.it/en/ - Colosseum Archaeological Park. Information about the Colosseum, also in English. Basilica of San Clemente al Laterano - This church, located near the Colosseum, offers visitors the opportunity to take a triple journey into history. The basilica is located on an ancient pilgrimage route and is dedicated to Clement I. The dominant mosaic of the apse is of particular artistic significance. In its wealth of detail and rich color scheme, it represents an iconographic and stylistic novelty. It is entirely occupied by a symbolic tree of life with a cross. The northern aisle contains the entrance to the lower church. The central nave of the lower church contains frescoes from the 6th to 9th centuries. At the end of the lower church is the entrance to the lowest floor. The Mithras Sanctuary is reached first through vestibules. A modern opening in the outer wall leads to the excavated rooms of the ancient house of Titus Flavius Clemens. Link: https://www.basilicasanclemente.com/eng/ - Information about the Basilica of San Clemente, also in English. Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli - The church of San Pietro in Vincoli is located near the Colosseum. The church's main attraction is Michelangelo's Moses, a marble sculpture created by Michelangelo for the tomb of Pope Julius II. Basilica of the Four Crowned Saints (Santi Quattro Coronati al Laterano) - The basilica is part of a complex of buildings and a monastery dating back to the 4th century. It stands on Celio Hill, between the Colosseum and the Lateran Quarter. Although the church is now a neglected sight, located on a side street, it is worth seeing, as it played a significant role in Rome's history.

2. Forum Romanum & Palatin

The Roman Forum was the center of political, economic, and judicial life in ancient Rome. Here you can admire: Temple of Saturn from 42 BC 6th century AD (of which you can still see the 8 preserved columns) Temple of Vespasian (3 columns are still preserved) Arch of Septimius Severus (This well-preserved and beautiful triumphal arch was built in 203 AD) Phocas Column (13-meter-high column erected in the 6th century AD to commemorate the visit of the Byzantine Emperor Phocas) Curia (It was the central meeting building of the Senate) Temple of Castor and Pollux (Rebuilt several times, originally dedicated in 484 BC to the mythological twins and patron gods of the equestrians, Castor and Pollux) Temple of Antoninus and Faustina (The columned hall of the temple from 141 AD was incorporated into the church of San Lorenzo in Miranda) Temple of Vesta (in this temple burned an eternal flame, lit by guarded by the Vestal Virgins) House of the Vestal Virgins (residence of the guardians of the sacred fire) Temple of Romulus (the domed vault from the 4th century AD has been preserved as part of the Church of Saints Cosma and Damiano) Basilica of Constantine and Maxentius (the remains of the vaults give an impression of the size of this basilica) St. Francesca Romana (church from the 15th century) Temple of Venus and Rome (remains of a temple from 121 AD) Arch of Titus (replica of the Arch of Titus, originally built in honor of the emperor) If you walk up the hill from the Roman Forum, you will reach the Palatine Hill. It was the first home of the Romans and became a desirable residential area, thus giving rise to prestigious imperial palaces. From the Palatine Hill, you have a beautiful view of the Circus Maximus and the Aventine Hill. On the Palatine Hill, you can see: Domus Livia (the house where Augustus and his wife Livia lived, with wall paintings) Domus Flavia (a palace used for official functions, overlooking the oval fountain) Domus Augustana and Stadium (a palace where the Roman emperors lived; the stadium was the imperial private garden) The Farnese Gardens (gardens built in the 16th century, now a place of peace and relaxation)

3. Fori Imperiali & San Pietro in Vincoli

Imperial Forums with Trajan's Markets - If you walk from Piazza Venezia toward the Colosseum along the wide Via dei Fori Imperiali (partly a pedestrian zone), you will see the Imperial Forums on your left. These are a series of extensions of the Roman Forum to the north and east, built towards the end of the Roman Republic and in the early imperial period and named after their builders. The complex, comprising a total of four Imperial Forums (Forum of Caesar, Forum of Augustus, Forum of Nerva or Transitorium, and Forum of Trajan), arose from the need to adapt the existing center of politics and administration of the city and state to the increased demands and to significantly expand it. The Trajan's Markets, for example, were one of the wonders of the ancient world, with 150 shops and offices. The Forum was the Roman food market. Near the Imperial Forums is Trajan's Column, an elegant marble column depicting his victories.

5. Baths of Caracalla & Aventine Hill

The Baths of Caracalla are located about a 10-minute walk from the Colosseum (Metro Line B - Circo Massimo stop). Emperor Caracalla opened this bathing complex in 217 AD. It could accommodate up to 1,600 bathers and remained in operation for about 300 years. A Roman bath began with a type of Turkish bath, followed by the caldarium (sweating room), then the lukewarm tepidarium, and then refreshment in the frigidarium. Finally, the natatio (open-air swimming pool) and the rubbing with perfumed cloths. The baths also offered sports facilities, libraries, art galleries, and gardens, making them a true leisure center. The Baths of Caracalla are located near the Circo Massimo. Suggestion for a pleasant walk: Starting from the Circo Massimo (near the metro station on line B), walk past the large Circo Massimo stadium toward the Aventine Hill. Along the way, you can visit the Rose Garden. Once you reach the Aventine Hill, you can visit the two churches of Santa Sabina and the Basilica of Santi Bonifacio e Alessio, as well as the adjacent Giardino degli Aranci park, offering beautiful views of the rooftops of Rome and the Vatican dome. Immediately afterward, you reach the Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta. Walking down toward the center and the Tevere River, you will reach the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. Continue to the Teatro di Marcello and the Jewish Quarter. Finally, you can linger in a café at the Campo de Fiori square. Worth seeing on this walk: Circo Massimo - Rome's grand stadium, located in the valley between the Palatine Hill and the Aventine Hill, where chariot races took place in the 4th century BC, as impressively depicted in the film "Ben-Hur." Rose Garden (Roseto) (When walking from the Circo Massimo up to the Aventine Hill, you will pass the Rose Garden, which is beautiful in spring and can be visited. Church of Santa Sabina - At the top of the Aventine Hill stands this simple, but impressive early Christian basilica from the 4th century AD. Basilica of Santi Bonifacio e Alessio, often called Sant'Alessio for short - It is dedicated to Saints Boniface of Tarsus and Alexius of Edessa and stands on the Aventine Hill. Weddings are often held in this church. Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta - The square is named after the Knights of the Order of Malta and is famous for the keyhole in the portal, through which you can see St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, framed by the vegetation of the garden. Parco Savello or Orange Garden - The Savelli family built this park in the 16th century. In the 14th century, the emperor built their castle on the Aventine Hill, transforming it into an impregnable fortress. The high medieval walls now enclose the Parco Savello (also called the Orange Garden), a much-visited garden offering breathtaking views of the river, the city of Rome, and St. Peter's Basilica. The orange trees that give the garden its name were planted in memory of San Domenico, who founded his monastery here.

6. Santa Maria in Cosmedin, with Bocca della Verita

"Santa Maria in Cosmedin" - a church with a beautiful 6th-century mosaic floor, also known for the Triton mask, the Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth), located in the vestibule. This mask, dating from the 4th century BC, is also associated with a medieval legend: whoever places their hand in the mouth and does not tell the truth will have their fingers bitten off. A scene from a well-known Italian comedy film about Rome was also filmed here. Right in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin is a 17th-century fountain, the Fontana dei Tritoni. Furthermore, at the Forum Boarium, right next to the basilica, are two impressive, very well-preserved temples dating from the 2nd century BC. The first, rectangular temple, was dedicated to Portunus, the god of rivers and harbors. It stands on a podium and has four Ionic columns made of travertine. The second, small, round Temple of Hercules, is often called the Temple of Vesta. It is made entirely of Greek marble. The medieval Church of San Nicola in Carcere rises above the former site of three temples from the Republican period. The church was rebuilt in the 16th century and restored in the 19th century. Only the bell tower and the Roman columns remain in their original form. It is located on the main road leading to the city center. Also located here is the Casa dei Crescenzi, a house belonging to the Crescenzi family built from fragments of ancient buildings.

4. Celio hill

The Villa Celimontana, also called Villa Mattei, is a public park located on the southwest side of Celio Hill, opposite the Baths of Caracalla. On Celio Hill, we also find: Dolabella Arch - This is an ancient city gate in Rome, next to the Church of Santa Maria in Domnica, which leads into the park of Villa Celimontana. This city gate is located near the Colosseum. It was built during the Roman Republic as a city gate in the Servian Walls and was called Porta Caelimontana. The arch is made of travertine from Tivoli. In the Neronian period, the extension of the Aqua Claudia was carried over the arch. Churches Santo Stefano Rotondo - This 4th-century church has an unusual floor plan: four chapels branch off from a circular building in the shape of a cross. It is one of the oldest religious buildings in Rome, and its 16th-century frescoes depict numerous Christian martyrs. Basilica of Santa Maria in Domnica alla Navicella - The basilica is located on the summit of Monte Celio. Pope Paschal I had a three-aisled columned basilica with three apses built in the 8th century. The remarkable mosaics in the apse vault and on the apse arch were donated by Pope Paschal I. In the apse vault, the Virgin Mary and Child sit enthroned in the center of the image, surrounded by densely packed groups of angels. Church of Saints Giovanni and Paul - The basilica, also called Saints Giovanni and Paul al Celio, is also significant for the remains of ancient Roman buildings excavated beneath it, some of which it still stands on today. The Romanesque campanile (tower), originally standing freely next to the church, is now at least visually connected to it by modern construction. It is built in typical Romanesque style and is considered a "gem of Romanesque architecture." Basilica of Saints Andrea and Gregory at Monte Celio - The basilica, with its magnificent façade, is considered Soria's masterpiece. The church contains several chapels and is known for its three oratories.