Within the Vatican City is Saint Peter's Square and Saint Peter's Basilica. Between the years 1656 and 1667, the open area in front of the basilica was redesigned so that it could accommodate the largest number of people possible during blessings given by the Pope.



In addition to surrounding the Vatican, Rome has an extremely long and interesting history. The legend of its founding says that Romulus and Remus, twins who were supposedly raised by wolves, established the city. However, the archaeological evidence indicates that Rome developed out of pastoral settlements and became a city around the 8th century BC.

For around one thousand years, Rome was very important in the political world and was considered the largest and richest city in the Western world. It remained an important power even after the Roman Empire began its decline. However, it did eventually lose its status as a capital city to Milan and then to Ravenna.

One of the things Rome is known for today are the ancient structures that still exist there. The Roman Colosseum has become a symbol of the Roman Empire and of Rome itself. It was the largest amphitheatre ever built by the Roman Empire and was capable of seating 50,000 people. Its original use was as a venue for staging combats between gladiators, which was a popular spectator sport of the time.

Rome is also home to many beautiful villas and gardens. The center of the city is surrounded by many green areas and gorgeous old villas. Among them is the Villa Borghese, which has a large, landscaped garden constructed in the 19th century naturalistic English style. The villa also has a number of buildings, museums, and other attractions.

For the many tourists vacationing in Rome, there are a number of lovely places to stay, including both hotels and holiday apartments.

Examples of hotels in Rome, Italy are:

Hotel Aldrovandi Palace: This historical hotel was built in 1899 and remodeled in 2004. It is located between the Villa Borghese Gardens and the Borghese Gallery in a quiet, upscale residential area. It is also very close to the Spanish Steps. The hotel features an outdoor pool, private park, and garden dining.

Examples of holiday apartments in Rome, Italy are:

Casa Cesi: This two bedroom apartment sleeps up to six people and is located between the Vatican and the Spanish Steps. It's a spacious apartment that has been carefully decorated to make guests feel at home. The kitchen is modern and fully equipped and the master bedroom has an en suite bathroom.

Frattina Beauty: This stylishly decorated apartment has bright, cheery colors to welcome its guests. It's just minutes from the Spanish Steps in the historical centre. It's on the second floor of its building and has an elevator to get you there comfortably.

The famous old structures of Rome make it an exciting place for any traveler to visit. While its sites may be ancient, its hotels and holiday apartments are comfortably modern to accommodate even the most discerning of vacationers.