Rome

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by Mars, the God of War, gave birth to the twins and abandoned them to fate. The River Tiber carried them to the Palatine Hill, where a she-wolf mothered the babes until their discovery by a shepherd. Romulus later killed Remus, before going on to found Rome in the marshy lowlands of seven hills. The anniversary of Rome's foundation -21 April 753BC is marked by a public holiday. (www.travelaroundrome.com)
The historians' version is no less astonishing, and traces the rise of the city from unimportant rural settlement to vast empire, ruled over by a string of emperors from Julius Caesar to Nero. Although Rome's power has diminished, the city remains the essence of European civilization.
Rome saw a second period of development during the 15th century Renaissance, when the Papacy took up permanent residence in the city. Ruins dating from Rome's glory days lie within an area known as Roma Antica (Ancient Rome), and include the monumental Colosseum, and the Foro Romano (Roman Forum) - a crumbling legacy of pagan temples, broken marble and triumphal arches. Buildings from the Renaissance period are concentrated within the centro storico (historic centre), situated between Via del Corso and the Tevere (River Tiber). Here, a labyrinth of narrow, winding, cobbled side streets opens out onto magnificent piazzas, presided over by Baroque churches, regal palaces and exquisite fountains. The romantic Piazza Navona with Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers, Piazza di Spagna and the sweeping Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain immortalised by Fellini's La Dolce Vita , all lie within walking distance of each other. Modern life continues amid this theatre of breath-taking monuments, as thousands of years of history are animated by more recent innovations: Sophisticated boutiques, rowdy pizzerias and a merry-go-round of cars, buses and mopeds.
Across the river, to the west, lies the Vatican State, home to the Pope and spiritual centre of the Roman ...