Sights—The ancient Forums, the Palatine Hill, Trajan's Markets, the Campidoglio and the Colosseum; St. Peter's Basilica; the fountains of Piazza Navona; the Spanish Steps; the Pantheon; Trevi Fountain; Circus Maximus; the catacombs and monuments along the ancient Appian Way; Piazza del Popolo and the Pincio gardens above it; Castel Sant'Angelo.

Museums—The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel; sculptures, frescoes and the Tabularium of the Capitoline Museums; phenomenal art at the Galleria Borghese; the privately owned Galleria Doria Pamphilj; the unique paintings in Palazzo Barberini; the modern works at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna; history's layers at the Museo Nazionale Crypta Balbi.

Memorable Meals—Linguine with lobster sauce followed by baked turbot at Ristorante da Vincenzo; fried filet of codfish with zucchini flowers and artichokes Guida at Piperno; sliced, aged beef with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese at Da Tullio; brusque service and celebrities in the spartan Pizzeria Panattoni "Ai Marmi"; nouvelle cuisine at L'Antico Arco, atop the Gianicolo Hill; wandering the ancient street with slices from any pizzeria al taglio (takeaway); a picnic from the gourmet deli Volpetti.

Late Night—Fine jazz at Alexanderplatz; kitsch at Jonathan's Angels; a quiet drink at the swanky Antico Caffe della Pace; dancing at Zoobar or other Testaccio hot spots; late-night vistas from atop the Gianicolo Hill, at the electric Piazza Navona or while walking from Piazza Venezia to the Colosseum.

Walks—A leisurely walk from the top of the Spanish Steps to the Pincio Gardens at dusk; a daytime walk through the outdoor market at Campo dei Fiori; an excursion from the Trevi Fountain to the Pantheon before or after dinner; a nighttime trek to view the Colosseum and the ruins of the Forums beautifully illuminated; a stroll in the picturesque open spaces of Villa Borghese and Villa Pamphilj.

Especially for Kids—A visit to the Museum of Roman Civilization (Museo della Civilta Romana); the Bioparco zoo in Villa Borghese and its Children's Farm; go-karts on the Pincio; climbing the dome of St. Peter's; sticking your hand in La Bocca della Verita (the Mouth of Truth); searching for animals and other hidden pictures on fountains and monuments; indulging in gelato and pizza.

For urban planners and traffic managers, Rome is a headache. Fortunately, visitors need only focus on navigating the city, not solving its traffic problems. The city's historic center is the Centro Storico—it's on the left bank (east side) of the Tiber River (called the Tevere in Italian), and home to the original seven hills. The ancient political, spiritual and commercial heart of this area is the Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill) and the adjacent Foro Romano (Roman Forum). Nearby are the most important monuments of ancient Rome, including Trajan's Markets, the Imperial Forum, the Colosseum and the Arches of Constantine, Septimus Severus and Titus. To the south are Palatine Hill, Circus Maximus and, a bit farther, the Baths of Caracalla, the Appian Way and the Christian catacombs.

The city's main piazzas are also helpful for orientation. Piazza Venezia and the adjoining Piazza Campidoglio are just northwest of the Roman Forum, and Piazza Navona is still farther northwest. Piazza del Popolo is on the western edge of Villa Borghese, a large park northeast of the Centro Storico. Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps are just south of Piazza del Popolo. Connecting Via del Popolo and Piazza Venezia is Via del Corso, the city's main street.

On the right (west) bank of the Tiber, west of the Centro Storico, is Vatican City. To the south of the Vatican are Villa Doria Pamphilj and Gianicolo (Janiculum Hill). The medieval neighborhood of Trastevere (literally, "across the river") is between the Gianicolo and the river, nestled in the westward bend of the river across from Isola Tiberina, an island in the Tiber. On the east side of Tiberina is the old Jewish ghetto, which contains one of the largest synagogues in Europe along with some of the best restaurants serving traditional Roman fare.

Rome is nicknamed the Eternal City not merely for surviving almost 3,000 years but for retaining political, religious and artistic significance throughout that time. Legend has it that Rome was founded by Romulus in 753 BC, but archaeologists have found evidence of a much earlier Etruscan settlement. Fact and myth are difficult to untangle, but it's clear that Rome was already the major power in Latium by the time of the Republic's foundation in 509 BC. By the first century AD, Rome was dominating the Mediterranean through military conquest, cunning diplomacy and innovative political organization.

During the period of the late Republic, Julius Caesar and other generals extended the boundaries and glory of Rome, while simultaneously destroying its principles of government. The Roman Empire followed, remaining a heavyweight power for hundreds of years. Initially, literature flourished with great writers such as Cicero, Virgil, Catullus and Ovid. As the arts bloomed, however, the political structure crumbled. Squabbles and coups—as well as increased debauchery—eventually led to the Empire's division and fall.

In the first century AD, the apostles Peter and Paul arrived in Rome to proselytize, but they were martyred, along with hundreds of other Christians. Persecutions continued, on and off, until the Emperor Constantine legalized the faith in AD 312. The first Christian emperor also gave the Catholic Church temporal powers, beginning the papal state, which continued until the end of the 19th century (with occasional periods of foreign occupation). Papal coffers funded the projects of Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini, the University of Rome and much of the city's infrastructure—as well as the infamous Inquisition.

Benito Mussolini descended on Rome in 1922 and formed the world's first fascist government. When World War II broke out, the nation allied itself with Nazi Germany, but the Partigiani (Resistance) soon convinced most Italians to support the Allies. Rome's open-city status spared it from the destruction of bombing but did little to stop the massacres and pillaging by the Germans.

American troops liberated Rome on 4 June 1944, yet the city and country were destitute. The 1950s economic boom revived both, triggering the dolce vita, era of glamour. The capital steadily grew in cultural and political power. The city had a makeover for the Vatican's 2000 jubilee and now has a revitalized urban plan, improved infrastructure and massive restoration projects under way. Rome continues to bloom with art, architecture, culture, tourism and fine living.

The Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed on 17 March 1861, but it was not finally unified until 1870.

The calendar we use today is more than 2,000 years old and was started by Julius Caesar. The month July is, in fact, named after the Emperor himself.

Italy celebrates 1 May as a national holiday; during this time, Rome hosts numerous music concerts, and international celebrities congregate in the city.

The games held to mark the inauguration of the Colosseum lasted for 100 days and nights, during which more than 5,000 animals were killed.