The Colosseum Archaeological Park is not only an archaeological site but also a large green area that extends for more than 40 hectares, considering only the territory of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, in the heart of the city of Rome. A "natural park" in which the spontaneous vegetation, typical of the Mediterranean area, coexists with the large trees planted in recent centuries, in order to revive the spirit of the imperial gardens and the Renaissance Horti Farnesiani, which, in successive phases, have embellished the top of the ancient hill. This green area has been chosen as a habitat by a large fauna of small mammals, reptiles, insects, and birds.

The Ara Pacis Museum was redesigned between 1996 and 2006 by architect Richard Meier, replacing the original 1938 pavilion with a modern structure of travertine and glass. The altar itself was commissioned in 13 BC to celebrate Emperor Augustus’s return from Gaul and dedicated in 9 BC, strategically placed in the Campus Martius near his Mausoleum and the great ancient sundial. Richly decorated with mythological and historical reliefs, the Ara Pacis blends classical and Hellenistic artistic styles, symbolizing peace and imperial power.

The Capitoline Hill was the heart of the Roman Empire, and it is still the most important hill in Rome. From the top of the hill, you can see the valley of the Tiber to the west, the Campus Martius to the north, and the valley of the Roman Forum to the south. The geographical position of the Capitoline Hill made it an important site for the pre-urban communities of the area. The hill is still the political seat of the city: on its top, there are currently the representative rooms of the municipality of Rome, the offices of the Mayor, the council chamber, and other public spaces.

The Domus Aurea was Emperor Nero’s monumental villa, built after the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD across the Palatine, Esquiline, Caelian, and Velia hills. Created to replace the earlier Domus Transitoria, much of the complex was later altered or destroyed by successive emperors. Renowned for its innovative architecture and lavish decoration, the villa featured rich stuccoes, paintings, marble surfaces, and the famed room with a golden vault, reflecting Nero’s taste for grandeur.

The last and the most grandiose of the Imperial Fora was the Forum of Trajan. A total of about 300,000 cubic metres of tufaceous material were removed from the Quirinal hill to make space for the area of about 4.2 hectares where the Forum stands. The Forum was probably intended to serve as a place for the administration of justice. However, it was also built to celebrate the emperor's victory over the Dacians. In the past, some of the functions of the Roman Forum had already been moved to the Forum of Caesar and the Forum of Augustus.

The Roman Forum, together with the Colosseum and Palatine Hill, forms part of the world’s largest archaeological park and was the center of public life in ancient Rome. Originally a necropolis in protohistoric times, the area was transformed into a civic and political hub that evolved over centuries. Its final major transformation saw pagan temples converted into Christian churches, including Saints Cosmas and Damian, St. Hadrian, and Santa Maria Antiqua, reflecting Rome’s transition from antiquity to Christianity.

It is located near Termini station, where it was built between 1883 and 1887 by Camillo Pistrucci at the behest of Massimiliano Massimo, an Italian Jesuit priest and educator. Transformed into a museum in 1998, it houses a large numismatic collection and a section entirely dedicated to ancient art. Palazzo Massimo also offers an overview of Roman artistic production between the late Republican age and the last phase of the empire. It also has works from the Greek world that were brought to Rome.

Located in the heart of Campo Marzio, Piazza Navona is one of Rome’s most evocative squares, renowned for its Baroque masterpieces such as the Fountain of the Four Rivers and the Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone. Shaped mainly during the 16th and 17th centuries, the square reflects the height of Rome’s Baroque era, with fountains originally designed by Giacomo della Porta and later enhanced by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Today, strolling through Piazza Navona feels like stepping back into the artistic and architectural splendor of Baroque Rome.

The Portico d’Ottavia, located in the former Jewish Ghetto, has served many roles over time, including a sacred complex, art center, and fish market. Originally a large quadrangular structure with surrounding porticoes, it housed temples dedicated to Juno Regina and Jupiter Stator. Incorporated into the Jewish Ghetto from 1555, the portico became one of its defining symbols and today offers a quiet, atmospheric glimpse into Rome’s layered history and everyday life.

All that remains of this monument, which has been replaced by Piazza Navona, is its elongated rectangular shape characterized by a curvilinear north side. In 86 A.D., the Certamen Capitolinum was established, a competition in honor of Jupiter every four years, and for the athletic games held in honor of this occasion, the building erected at the behest of Domitian a few years earlier was chosen. Since it is a stadium and not a circus, it was not equipped with a central spine and an obelisk like the Circus Maximus. The obelisk, which currently stands in the center of Piazza Navona, was not part of the stadium in ancient times.

The Temple of Peace, commissioned by Emperor Vespasian between 71 and 75 AD to celebrate his victory over the Jews, became one of the five Imperial Fora of ancient Rome. Though later damaged by a fire in 192 AD and restored under Septimius Severus, the complex housed libraries and a public museum displaying renowned artworks, including pieces from Nero’s Domus Aurea and treasures taken from the Temple of Jerusalem. Today, the remains of the Forum of Peace can still be seen from Via dei Fori Imperiali.

The great Ionic building, which stands at the foot of the Capitol, is certainly identifiable with the Temple of Saturn. It was originally preceded by an altar, connected to the mythical foundation of the town on the Capitoline Hill by the god of regeneration and abundance. It is the oldest temple in the Roman Forum, second only to that of the Capitoline Triad in the entire city. Eight Ionic columns, in grey granite, and the main pediment, attributable to the post-283 AD phase, largely built with recycled material, remain in the temple.

The Testaccio district is currently experiencing a rebirth as an educational and cultural center. It is located in a privileged area close to the historic center of Rome, and it is one of the few districts that has been able to preserve its authenticity, despite undergoing urban redevelopment. During the Roman expansion of the second century B.C., the district underwent major urban redevelopment, and a new river port and large warehouses for the storage of goods were built there. Together with other particularly important commercial areas, such as the Forum Boarium and the Olitorium, Testaccio played a fundamental role in the economic growth of ancient Rome.

In ancient times, it was a district outside the real Rome, which underwent a demographic and consequently urban explosion starting from the late Republican age. Thanks to its particular position in the vicinity of the urban port, it began intense productive and market activity, favoring the development of an immense residential district, which in the imperial age reached levels unknown to other urban regions. The hills and slopes near the river were occupied by important high-ranking villas, including that of the Farnesina .

Ostia Antica is one of the largest archaeological sites of ancient Rome, founded in the late 5th or early 4th century BC as a fortified military settlement and naval base. From the 2nd century BC, it expanded into a vital commercial hub supplying Rome with food and goods. Excavations began in the early 19th century under Pope Pius VII and continued through later periods, ultimately uncovering much of the ancient city that is visible today.