The Funky Site

The Forum, the commercial, political and religious centre of ancient and once mighty Rome was constructed over about 900 years, with Republican buildings located with temples from the Imperial era. The Forum is entered from the piazza leading from the Colosseum - that house of horrors cum marble quarry, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. Columns rise from grassy hillocks, and repositioned pediments and columns aid the work of the imagination. Just some of the many must-sees include the Arch of Septimus Severus , the Temple of Saturn , the House of the Vestals , the Temple of Antoninus & Faustina and the Arch of Titus .

The Holy See (Vatican City) is headed up by his holiness the Pope, and this tiny enclave in the heart of Rome is the administrative and spiritual capital of Roman Catholicism, and the world's smallest independent state. During the working week, the population increases fivefold as residents of Rome cross the 'border' to do the Lord's work. The Vatican is probably per square foot the richest country in the world, making up for its total lack of natural resources with an astonishing collection of priceless art treasures. There's St Peter's Basilica , the Vatican museums , the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Library to gawk and marvel at.

The city centre contains a multitude of fashion stores and boutiques, along with the famous Spanish Steps and the nearby Trevi Fountain, immortalised in the film La Dolce Vita.