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People visit Rome for all sorts of reasons. Art lovers flock to its great museums, the faithful make pilgrimages to St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican, and others come to soak up Italy's culture and atmosphere (or just the sun). Below are a few favorites.
The best museums
Rome boasts numerous museums, some vast and famous, others small and catering to specialized audiences. Here is a short list of the not-to-be-missed museums that contain internationally renowned masterpieces and other mind-boggling beauties.
- The Vatican Museums tops this list for the monumental size of their collections and amazing number of masterpieces. They include dozens of rooms dedicated to Renaissance painting and sculpture, as well as a fantastic Egyptian section, an impressive ancient Roman collection, and ethnological art from all over the world. The museums are also home to the Sistine Chapel (see below).
- The Borghese Gallery isn't very big, but it is a triumph of Renaissance beauty. Caravaggio paintings and Bernini sculptures are only a few of its many treasures.
- The National Roman Museum in Palazzo Massimo alle Terme is a huge museum completely dedicated to ancient Roman art. It contains hundreds of artifacts unearthed during the excavation of archaeological sites in Rome and the surrounding areas, including a superb collection of sculptures and some breathtakingly beautiful Roman frescoes.
- The National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia holds a wonderful collection dedicated to the Etruscans, the mysterious predecessors of the Romans. This is a unique treasure trove of Etruscan artifacts and jewelry.
The best churches
Among Rome's hundreds of churches, we considered not only the architecture and the importance of the artwork inside, but also the individual charm and personality of each. Here are some top picks:
- St. Peter's Basilica is the most famous church in a city filled with magnificent churches. Its majestic colonnade and soaring dome are a symbol of Rome as well as of the Catholic Church; treasures inside include Michelangelo's Pietà.
- Santa Maria sopra Minerva, the city's only Gothic church, is filled with artistic delights, such as Michelangelo's sculpture Cristo Portacroce.
- The Sistine Chapel contains the most famous artwork in all of Italy. After the Mona Lisa, the ceiling of the chapel is probably the most famous single piece of art in the world. Decorated with Michelangelo's frescoes, it is accessible from the Vatican Museums. Don't forget your binoculars.
- The little chapel of San Zenone in Santa Prassede will take your breath away. It is one of the oldest churches in Rome and completely covered with gilded mosaics.
- The church of Santa Maria in Trastevere is a splendid example of Medieval and Byzantine art, which is rare in Rome after the general baroque overhaul. It is also an excellent excuse to visit Trastevere, a delightful neighborhood.
The best ruins
On your visit to the site of the world's largest collection of ancient Roman archaeological remains, deciding which places to visit can be a trying affair. Here are a few to take in.
- The majestic and austere Colosseum, where the Romans watched "sports" (as in fights to the death) and chariot races, is Rome's most famous ruin and an impressive work of architecture.
- The Roman Forum and the nearby Palatine Hill, containing the remains of temples, public buildings, villas, and triumphal arches, will take you back in time. They are particularly evocative on romantic Roman nights.
- The Appian Way, the first road built by the ancient Romans, has been transformed into the Appian Way Archaeological Park, which you can visit on foot or by bicycle. Along the way are the remains of tombs and villas that make the trip well worth the exercise.
- The Caracalla Baths were among the largest in Rome and are still an impressive sight. They also stage opera performances during the summer.
- The Villa Adriana near Tivoli, outside Rome, is more than just a villa. It is a huge complex of buildings, gardens, reflecting pools, and theaters built by the Emperor Hadrian in the second century A.D. In the mountains above Rome where Hadrian and a few hundred friends could get away from it all, the villa remains an atmospheric retreat.
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