Rome is one of Europe's most ancient cities. It was founded over 2,700 years ago during the Etruscan period. Formerly ruled by Julius Caesar and Augustus and later followed by the Catholic Church. The Roman Empire influenced many political and legal systems and is the source of many European languages. By the end of the 1st century BC, the Romans ruled Spain, North Africa and Greece. The city changed spectacularly in the mid-15th century, and for over 200 years was embellished by the greatest artists of the Renaissance and the Baroque period.
The Vatican City, the papal residence, was built over the tomb of St Peter and is really a city within a city and, since 1929, the smallest state in the world, based in Rome in Italy. It consists of the worlds largest church, the St Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums the restored Sistine Chapel and the Castel Sant' Angelo. A visit to the Sistine Chapel, should not be missed.
Rome is full of world class attractions though a visit to Piazza di Spagna, the Colosseum, the Fontana di Trevi, St Peter's, Piazza del Campidoglio, Palazzo Senatorio, Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo, and finally the terraces of the Vittoriano which offer a breathtaking view of the city, is thoroughly recommended.
