Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Once a marshy valley, the Forum was drained in the late 7th century BCE and became the political, religious and commercial heart of the city. What survives is a layered landscape of temples, arches and basilicas: the Arch of Septimius Severus, the Curia, the Temple of Vesta and the House of the Vestals, the huge vaults of the Basilica of Maxentius and the frescoed church of Santa Maria Antiqua.

The Palatine Hill above, covered by the same ticket as the Colosseum, holds the ruins of imperial palaces and gardens with views back over the Forum. There is little shade, so carry water and wear sturdy shoes for uneven paving. Enter from Largo della Salara Vecchia on Via dei Fori Imperiali, and a map or audio guide makes the ruins far easier to read.