For 500 years, Rome was the mighty centre of the Western world. Now it’s merely the capital of Italy, but remains a confident, magnetic city that pulses with irresistible energy. Twelve million visitors are wowed by the place each year, delighting in its peerless art and architecture, its glorious food and shopping, and the inimitable style and verve of its native residents. Few cities offer quite so many riches at once.
Chockfull of relics from nearly 3,000 years of continuous habitation, it’s tempting to conclude that there’s just too much to see in the Eternal City. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and nor can it be seen in one. Or ten. Or twenty. But it helps to have some ideas on where to start, so here’s a brimming handful of recommendations.
