The political heart of ancient Rome and the hill of the emperors
In the valley between the Capitoline and the Palatine, the Roman Forum was for centuries the centre of public life in Rome: temples, basilicas for trials and business, the Senate House, triumphal arches and the Via Sacra, along which victorious generals paraded. Among the ruins you can recognise the Curia, the arches of Titus and Septimius Severus, the Temple of Vesta and the House of the Vestals.
Above it rises the Palatine, the hill where, according to legend, Romulus founded Rome and where the emperors built their palaces, so that the word "palace" comes from its name. Among pines and gardens, such as the Farnese Gardens, you walk among the remains of the Domus Augustana, the stadium and the House of Augustus, with frescoes in brilliant colours. The view over the Forum and the Circus Maximus is unforgettable.
Tip: the combined ticket includes the Colosseum; enter from the Palatine side, usually less crowded, and allow at least three hours, with water and a hat in summer.
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