Rome is the capital city of Italy and a special comune (named Comune
di Roma Capitale). Rome also serves as the capital of the Lazio region,
it is also the country's most populated comune. It is the fourth-most populous
city in the European Union by population within city limits. It is the centre
of the Metropolitan City of Rome, which has a population of 4.3 million residents
Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, within
Lazio (Latium), along the shores of the Tiber. The Vatican City (the smallest
country in the world!!) is an independent country inside the city boundaries of
Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city: for this reason Rome
has been often defined as capital of two states.
Rome has the status of a global city. In 2016, Rome ranked as the 14th-most-visited
city in the world, 3rd most visited in the European Union, and the most popular
tourist attraction in Italy. Its historic centre is listed by UNESCO as a World
Heritage Site. Monuments and museums such as the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum are
among the world's most visited tourist destinations with both locations receiving millions
of tourists a year, and the city hosted the 1960 Summer Olympics. Rome is the seat of several
specialized agencies of the United Nations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD). The city also hosts the Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for
the Mediterranean (UfM).
ATTRACTIONS
Rome today is one of the most important tourist destinations of the world, due to the immensity of its
archaeological and artistic treasures, as well as for the charm of its unique traditions, the beauty
of its panoramic views, and the majesty of its magnificent "villas" (parks). Among the most significant
resources are the many museums: Musei Capitolini, the Vatican Museums and the Galleria Borghese and
others dedicated to modern and contemporary art – aqueducts, fountains, churches, palaces, historical
buildings, the monuments and ruins of the Roman Forum, and the Catacombs. Rome is the third most visited
city in the EU, after London and Paris, and receives an average of 7–10 million tourists a year, which
sometimes doubles on holy years. The Colosseum (4 million tourists) and the Vatican Museums (4.2 million
tourists) are respectively the 39th and 37th most visited places in the world, according to a recent study.
Rome is a major archaeological hub, and one of the world's main centres of archaeological research.
There are numerous cultural and research institutes located in the city, such as the American Academy
in Rome, and The Swedish Institute at Rome. Rome contains numerous ancient sites, including the Forum
Romanum, Trajan's Market, Trajan's Forum, the Colosseum, and the Pantheon, to name but a few. The Colosseum,
arguably one of Rome's most iconic archaeological sites, is regarded as a wonder of the world.
Rome contains a vast and impressive collection of art, sculpture, fountains, mosaics, frescos, and paintings,
from all different periods. Rome first became a major artistic centre during ancient Rome, with forms of important
Roman art such as architecture, painting, sculpture and mosaic work. Metal-work, coin die and gem engraving,
ivory carvings, figurine glass, pottery, and book illustrations are considered to be 'minor' forms of Roman artwork.
Rome later became a major centre of Renaissance art, since the popes spent vast sums of money for the constructions
of grandiose basilicas, palaces, piazzas and public buildings in general.
TOP 3 RESTAURANTS IN THE CITY
- La Terrazza dei Papi (Via Carlo Alberto, 3)
- Ristorante Tre Scalini (Piazza Navona, 30-35)
- La Pergola (Via Alberto Cadlolo, 101)