This map shows the stops on our audio tour which you can purchase here.
If you’d like to add this map to your Google Maps app so you can follow along using GPS, just click the square bracket in the upper right hand corner.
Helpful hint: If you want to use Google Maps without using data, you can download the area as an offline map when you’re on WiFi.
This map shows the stops on our Rome City Center audio tour which you can purchase here.
If you’d like to add this map to your Google Maps app so you can follow along using GPS, just click the square bracket in the upper right hand corner.
Helpful hint: If you want to use Google Maps without using data, you can download the area as an offline map when you’re on WiFi.
This post is an overview of the various tours of the Colosseum in Rome available to you, including our free, self-guided tour.
We also provide a virtual tour as well as our picks for the best-guided tours, including tours with access to the Colosseum’s underground.
Let’s get started! Read more »
This post will provide information about how to visit the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums.
We include information on tickets, the best times to go, security, how to skip long lines, guided tours, and a preview of the highlights.
Be sure to also check out our guide to visiting St. Peter’s Basilica. Let’s get started! Read more »
This post provides information about how to take the train from Rome to Pompeii.
We include details about ticket prices, the best times to travel, and any transfers that might be necessary along the way. We also have a post on tickets, discounts, and guided tours of Pompeii.
Let’s get chugging!
Pompeii is located roughly 150 miles (241.6 km) away from Rome.
Visitors should factor in at least 2 ½ – 3 hours of travel by train both to and from Pompeii.
Taking the train from Rome to Pompeii is one of the quickest and most comfortable options for traveling between the two cities.
There are several high-speed trains that run through all of the major cities in Italy.
While it might take 3 or more hours to reach Pompeii by car or bus, these trains can sometimes get you there in 2 hours or less.
There are usually at least a dozen trains to this popular destination every day, but some of them are older and less comfortable than others.
We recommend sticking with the Frecciarossa and Freccibianca trains.
The Frecciarossa and Frecciabianca trains run out of Termini Station in the heart of Rome, making it fairly easy for anyone to hop on and enjoy some time in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.
These tickets include a transfer to the Trenitalia line from Naples which will take you to Pompeii.
You probably wouldn’t be planning a trip to Pompeii with no plans to actually enter the historic site, and it should be noted that you will require a ticket for this activity.
Please read our post covering tickets and tours in Pompeii for more details.
If you’re wondering about how much it will cost to enter the historic site, please read our post about tickets and tours in Pompeii.
If you order your tickets at least a week ahead of time, you will probably be able to find a decent deal.
Tickets bought in advance can be up to €20-€30 cheaper than buying them on short notice.
When you order tickets either on the day of travel or for the very next day, you could be paying as much as €62 or more for a premium ticket.
Although you can visit Pompeii with the slower commuter trains, we can’t recommend this option for tourists and travelers, as some of them can take up to 4 hours each way.
Every train to Pompeii requires a transfer in Naples. The average transfer from Naples to Pompeii will take 35-45 minutes.
Thankfully, most of the train companies from Rome offer tickets with a free transfer in Naples.
The actual transfer is very easy (see the video above).
Frecciarossa and Frecciabianca trains are two of the most popular options for traveling to Pompeii from Rome.
These trains include the following amenities:
Frecciarossa has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor. Customers typically show a lot of appreciation for the speed and comfort of these trains.
Several travelers indicate that they also enjoy the view of the Italian countryside.
Every train between Naples and Pompeii is provided by Trenitalia.
Although Trenitalia only has a 3 out of 5-star rating, most guests feel that they are pretty reliable.
The only problem with these trains is that they are much slower and they can also become a lot more crowded.
They also don’t offer 2nd Class or Premier Class tickets, so there’s no way to upgrade your ticket for a more enjoyable experience.
That said, if you’re planning a trip to Pompeii from either Rome or Naples and you want to use the train, you’ll have to take one of these Trenitalia trains at some point.
If you’re wondering about how much it will cost to enter the historic site, please read our post about tickets and tours in Pompeii.
This post provides several ideas for things to do in Rome at night, including, family-friendly as well as free attractions and activities you can enjoy after dark.
Top 10
The following section features the ten most interesting things you can do at night in Rome.
This post is a self-guided tour of the Forum in Rome as well as the adjacent Imperial Fori.
The tour should take approximately 1 hour or just a bit less than that. The walk is approximately 1 km (just over 1/2 a mile).
This walk is an abridged version of our Ancient Rome audio tour. Listen to a sample of the tour.
There is no schedule (take our tours anytime you wish). We also have an audio tour of Central Rome.
There are also free guided walks that usually take place multiple times each day as well as tours that cover Central Rome, Vatican City, and the Colosseum.
Click on the map to enlarge or to download to a smartphone.
The tour begins from Capitoline Hill (map). It is within walking distance to many historic Rome sites.
We have 4 other self-guided tours that we hope you will consider.
This location is filled with historic sites, including Piazza del Campidoglio itself, which was actually designed by Michelangelo.
Originally, this was one of the seven hills upon which Rome was built, and it was the center of civic life in the city for many years.
Today, the hill is home to many notable sites including the Palazzo dei Conservatori, the Palazzo Senatorio, the Capitoline Museums, and the Basilica di Santa Maria in Ara coeli.
There are also a few notable sculptures and fountains in the area, including Lupa Capitolina and Fontana della Dea Roma.
You’ll find this overlook past Palazzo Senatorio, to the right, and past the arch on Via del Campidoglio.
This is one of the best places to get a good view of the Roman Forum, with several great examples of architecture that relied heavily upon the use of white marble and columns.
The Roman Forum was the first fora in this area, and during the era of the Republic, it was the only centre for civic life in Rome.
If you look directly ahead from the direction in which you came, you’ll see three columns which are remnants of the Temple of Castor and Pollux.
To the left of this site you’ll find the Temple of Saturn represented by its eight remaining columns.
This was built shortly after the Temple of Jupiter, which makes it the second-oldest remaining temple from the Republic era.
You’ll find The Temple of Vespia right next to the Temple of Saturn.
Between the Temple of Saturn and the Temple of Castor and Pollux, you’ll also see the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina.
To the right of this site is the Temple of Julius Caesar.
To reach this location from the last overlook, head back to Piazza del Campidoglio and turn right.
Once you pass the palace, turn right again on Via di San Pietro in Carcere. The overlook is straight ahead and down the stairs.
On the far right, you’ll see the back of Palazzo Senatorio.
This part of the building was constructed over the old Temple of Veiovis, and it was used for the Tabularium (records office).
From the base of the wall here, you’ll see a few small ruins from the Temple of Concordia, a location which was once used for Senate meetings.
The irony is that Concordia was the goddess of harmony, and not every meeting which took place here was harmonious.
By A derivative work of a 3D model by Lasha Tskhondia – L.VII.C., CC BY-SA 3.0
After all, this is where Cicero gave the last of many speeches that condemned a fellow senator’s plot to overthrow the Roman government, which resulted in his opponent receiving the death penalty.
On the left, you’ll see the remains of the Rostrum, a speaking platform that was used for public addresses. You’ll find the Arch of Septimius Severus next to this landmark.
Rome, Arch of Septimius Severus, by Alexander Z., 2005-01-09
This is just one of many triumphal arches which commemorate the victories of famous Roman leaders, each part of a processional route used during Roman triumphs. We’ll be visiting a few more on this tour.
The next overlook is on the corner beside the Arch of Septimius Severus.
If you look beyond the Roman Forum from here, you’ll see a hilltop in the distance, Palatine Hill. This is the site where Romulus is said to have founded the city of Rome.
Archaeology indicates that three millennia of people have lived in this area, which makes it one of the oldest and most historic locations in all of Rome.
To give you a sense of just how much history is here, even ancient Romans would have looked at this location as a remnant of times that had long since passed.
In modern times, this is the site of both an outdoor and indoor museum that houses archaeological finds from the area. Tickets are included with admission to the Colosseum.
The buildings on Palatine Hill are surprisingly better preserved than those you’ve seen in the Roman Forum.
Located just east of Piazza del Campidoglio, this historic site was once used as a prison, and it’s perhaps best known as the place where Vercingetorix was once held.
Although most prisoners here were given swift punishment, Vercingetorix underwent a sentence that lasted many years as a result of the civil war following Caesar’s return to Rome.
It is also said that Christian saints Peter and Paul may have been held here, and there is an inscription describing them above the word “Mamertinum.”
By Chris 73 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
Today, there is an altar to Peter and Paul in this former prison.
As the name implies, this forum was designed by Julius Caesar, and it was just one of many things he designed in the Roman Forum.
This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder, Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
View of the Forum of Ceasar looking toward the Colosseum
The Forum of Caesar itself is a long, narrow, rectangular stone space that had previously been used for residential real estate.
Much like Roman Forum, this location was used to combine a bunch of different services that brought people together including a temple, shops, offices, and an open meeting place to talk.
This forum was intended to provide additional space for public activities, as the Roman Forum was becoming more crowded and the city needed more room for its growing population.
Built in 113 CE, this column was named after Emperor Trajan, and it is dedicated to his victory in the war against the Dacians.
If you look closely, you can see depictions of the war engraved on this structure.
Trajan’s Column was built hollow with a spiral staircase inside leading to the top.
At almost 40 metres tall, this landmark is about as high as the hillside that they removed to make space for it!
Although the story of the war depicted along its walls is difficult to follow now as it spirals up the entire length, there were once two libraries flanking the column which had viewing platforms where you could see the engravings.
The statue on top was once of Emperor Trajan himself, but it was replaced with a statue of St. Peter many decades ago.
The Trajan Column is just one small part of the greater Forum of Trajan which also contained the two libraries alongside the structure.
This location was also home to Basilica Ulpia, which was the largest church in Rome when it was built.
Just past the church is a 100 metre long public area with porticoes along its edges.
The entire area was given a marble floor and an equestrian statue of Trajan was placed in the centre.
The excavation of this area isn’t as complete as other parts of the city.
But, it is thanks to Benito Mussolini that we can even see what we have today, as he was the mastermind behind the excavation of Trajan’s Forum.
This marketplace was actually built into the hillside to keep it from falling, and it has been useful ever since it was originally constructed.
Over the years, Trajan’s Market was used to house both offices of government and commercial shops.
By Alessio Nastro Siniscalchi – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5
This may have been where ancient Romans picked up the government-supplied grain.
Due to the fact that it’s still in good shape, this is now the site of the Museum of the Imperial Fora, which is full of relics discovered during the excavation of all nearby forums.
Tickets to the museum are usually €11.50, but if they are hosting a special exhibit, you may have to pay €14 for admission which includes that attraction.
When this location was originally designed, it included a colossus of Augustus and a Temple of Mars Ultor.
Pieces of both sites remain, but the artifacts from the colossus are now located at Trajan’s Market.
Sadly, much of this forum has been destroyed or built over, so there isn’t much to see here any more.
That said, you can still see the back wall of the forum and three columns from its Temple of Mars Ultor.
Like all the other forums in the area, this location was used for civic functions and it was a public site where people could meet and conduct business.
Named after Emperor Nerva, this forum was originally intended for his predecessor Domitian, but work on the structure was only completed after he left office, so Nerva ended up taking the credit.
By MM – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
Although that might not seem fair, it’s perhaps fitting that this is one of the smaller forums in the area, and that’s because three other emperors already had similar sites built nearby before this one was finished.
Even though it’s technically known as the Forum of Nerva, Domitian’s influences can be seen here, as the temple in this area is devoted to Minerva — Domitian’s protector goddess.
Since it was so narrow, this forum was used mostly as a road during the middle ages.
The newer road in this area covers most of the forum, preventing excavation teams from digging it up.
This entire site is actually the Temple of Peace, which was finished in 75 CE.
However, it has become known as the Forum of Vespasian over the years thanks to its enormous size which was similar to that of a forum.
Originally, the Temple of Peace was built to commemorate the victory of Titus and Vespasian in Judea.
Unlike an actual forum, the floor of this temple was earthen. However, there were long fountains along the sides of the courtyard which was bordered by rose gardens.
In addition to serving as a temple, this area was also used as a civic space with libraries, a medical school, and even a museum once found in the complex.
Today, the Temple of Peace houses parts of a huge marble map of the city as it existed in the early 200’s CE.
When this church was built, it took over the Basilica Ulpia as the largest basilica in all of Rome.
The full name of this location is actually the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine.
These two emperors were once enemies on either side of a civil war, and they were two of the most important leaders of their time.
Constantine eventually beat Maxentius in 312 and finished the construction of this church, which was initially being built for Maxentius. As a result, the basilica is dedicated to both men.
By Livioandronico2013 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine put the construction technology and knowledge of the Romans to the test.
Initially, it housed a colossus statue of Constantine, and there are a few pieces of this structure remaining in the Capitoline Museums.
This arch commemorates Constantine’s victory over Maxentius in 312.
Although it was the largest of Rome’s triumphal arches, its statues and reliefs were taken mostly from other monuments in the city.
By User:Alexander Z. – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
Both sides of the arch have statues made in the era of Trajan and medallions made in the era of Hadrian.
The reliefs do depict the events of his war with Maxentius, but the level of detail put into the artwork was nowhere near the same quality as you would expect from most earlier works in Rome.
Much like the Temple of Peace, this arch was also built to commemorate the victory of Titus and Vespasian in Judea.
The arch depicts scenes from this victory, including the theft of a menorah which would eventually be displayed in the Temple of Peace.
Unfortunately, the events depicted are also part of a long history of mistreatment of the Jewish people which resulted in the Diaspora.
For many centuries, Rome’s Jewish population would be subject to various taxes, forced to worship at Christian churches, and confined to the location known as the Jewish Ghetto.
If you’re interested in learning more about this area, consider taking out Jewish Ghetto self-guided tour.
Named after the colossus of Nero which once existed here, this location was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, named after the Flavian dynasty of Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian.
This was the largest arena in the world at the time it was built, and it is one of the seven wonders of the world.
Although only a third of the original structure still remains, it’s still quite impressive to this day.
The Colosseum was used for multiple events including gladiatorial combat, naval battles, and more.
Today, you can purchase tickets to enter the Colosseum and get a good look at its interior. Tickets also include admission to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
To learn more, check our post about visiting the Colosseum.
This post covers tickets for the Colosseum, how to avoid long lines, available discounts, guided tours, nighttime access, as well as what to expect.
There are several types of ticket options so it’s important to understand the differences before you buy.
Let’s dig in! Read more »
This post is a comparison and review of hop-on-hop-off Rome bus tours, including night bus tours, as well as available discounts.
Due to the situation concerning COVID-19, many operations are scaled back or canceled. Be sure to check each company’s website.
This post covers top events and things to do in Rome in December, including free attractions, things to do at night and family-friendly options.
Don’t forget to check these posts for even more ideas and information. Read more »