Where to Stay in Rome, Lazio

What is Rome known for?

The Colosseum and the Roman Forum draw visitors to the heart of the old city, while the Pantheon stands a short walk north among the squares of the historic centre. Baroque fountains crown its piazzas, none more famous than the Trevi Fountain. Vatican City sits within the city boundaries.

Lazio frames it on every side.

What are the main landmarks in Rome?

Monuments stand on almost every street. The Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill mark the ancient core, while the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona gather crowds across the historic centre. Trajan's Column and the Arch of Constantine record imperial victories near the forum.

The Spanish Steps climb to the north.

What is the history of Rome?

Settlement began on the seven hills above the river Tiber. As the centre of the Roman Empire, the city raised the monuments that still define it, from the Colosseum and the Roman Forum to the triumphal arches set along the route of imperial victories. Emperors left their mark everywhere.

Hadrian built the river mausoleum that became Castel Sant'Angelo, Caracalla gave the southern city its public baths, and Trajan's Column recorded a campaign in carved stone. The Pantheon kept its dome through every age, and the Mausoleum of Augustus was raised for the emperor Augustus. The Arch of Titus rose in the first century AD.

Later, the Aurelian Walls drew a stone line around the city, and the emperors gave way to the popes who made Rome the centre of the Catholic Church. Vatican City holds that role. Centuries on, the city joined a united Italy, and the Altare della Patria rose in honour of Victor Emmanuel II above the forums of the ancient core.

The old centre is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Layer still rests on layer.

Where is Rome?

Rome stands in central Italy. The river Tiber winds through the city within the Lazio region, cutting between the old centre and the higher ground that gives Rome its name as the city of the seven hills. The Palatine Hill stands at their centre.

Vatican City lies on the west bank, a sovereign enclave within the surrounding streets. Hills rise on every side.

What is the climate of Rome?

The weather over Rome's seven hills is temperate. Summers over the Tiber valley run long and dry, while winters stay mild and wetter, with rain falling more often over the seven hills than snow ever does. Spring and autumn bring the gentlest weather.

Snow is rare. The central Italian setting keeps the cold of the north at a distance.

How do you get to Rome?

Rome is the hub of Italy. As the capital, the city draws the main roads and rail lines of the country toward its centre, so most journeys across the Italian Peninsula pass through or near Rome at some point. Lazio spreads around the city on every side.

Long-distance trains reach the central stations from across Italy and beyond. The Tiber threads the centre.