Rome itinerary — 3 days

The best-preserved temple of Ancient Rome, rebuilt under Emperor Hadrian by AD 126. Its 43-metre dome is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world, lit only by a nine-metre oculus. Raphael and the first kings of unified Italy are buried here.

Rome's most baroque square, stretched over Domitian's stadium — its shape still traces the 1st-century arena. Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers stands at the centre with allegories of the Nile, Ganges, Danube and Río de la Plata, facing the church of Sant'Agnese. Artists, cafés and gelato around the clock.

Dominating the center of Rome's Piazza Navona, the Fountain of the Four Rivers is a Baroque masterpiece designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1651 for Pope Innocent X. Surmounted by a soaring Roman obelisk from the reign of Domitian, the travertine basin features four colossal marble statues personifying major rivers of the four known continents: the Danube for Europe, the Nile for Africa, the Ganges for Asia, and the Río de la Plata.

A vibrant, rectangular public square in the heart of Rome, whose name translates romantically as Field of Flowers. In the morning, it hosts a lively open-air market selling seasonal fruits, flowers, and Italian culinary specialties, transforming by evening into a social hub lined with bustling bars. In the center stands the bronze monument to philosopher Giordano Bruno, executed here in 1600.

A historic sunken square in central Rome famous for its ancient republican ruins and feline residents. Below street level lie the excavated remains of four Roman temples dating from the 4th to 2nd centuries BC, along with the Curia of Pompey, where Julius Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March in 44 BC. The site is equally renowned for its volunteer-run cat sanctuary, with wooden walkways allowing close views of the excavations.

A monumental Renaissance square crowning Rome's Capitoline Hill, designed in the 16th century by Michelangelo Buonarroti. The harmonious trapezoidal piazza is framed by three grand palazzi and paved with Michelangelo's famous twelve-pointed geometric star motif. At its center stands the bronze equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, approached from below by the majestic Cordonata ramp-staircase.

The political, religious and commercial heart of Ancient Rome: the temple of Saturn, the Arch of Septimius Severus, the house of the Vestals and the Via Sacra of triumphal processions. Two thousand years of ruins read like a history textbook, and the Palatine Hill gives the best view over the excavations. The ticket is shared with the Colosseum — plan for one day.

The largest amphitheatre of the ancient world: opened in AD 80 under Titus, seating up to 50,000 spectators for gladiator fights and beast hunts. An ellipse 189 by 156 metres, with the hypogeum — a labyrinth of underground tunnels beneath the arena that lifted scenery and animal cages. Go early morning and book ahead: entry is by timed slots.

An ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium nestled in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine Hills. Stretching 621 metres in length, it could accommodate more than 150,000 spectators during thrilling races and triumphal marches. Today the vast grassy basin is a free public park offering views of the imperial ruins on the Palatine Hill and a venue for open-air rock concerts and festivals.

A monumental Roman public bathing complex built in the early 3rd century AD under Emperor Caracalla, capable of accommodating 1,600 bathers at once. Soaring brick walls of the caldarium, tepidarium, and frigidarium still stand amid Mediterranean pines, alongside intricate mosaic floors and vast subterranean heating passages. In summer, the illuminated ancient ruins form an open-air stage for the Rome Opera.