Rome, capital city of Italy

Rome is the capital city of Italy

One of Europe's great cities, Rome is a bustling, vibrant metropolis that effortlessly pairs history with contemporary style. It is the city where Julius Caesar ruled, ancient gladiators fought and where Fellini created “La Dolce Vita.” As much as an open-air museum as a city, Rome is where past meets present.

The competition is fierce, but the city's most impressive building is the Pantheon, the ancient temple renovated in the 2nd century to honor all pagan gods. Still as awe-inspiring today as it was upon construction nearly 2,000 years ago, the temple's design draws your eyes up to its magnificent dome, the largest ever made until the 20th century.

If the Pantheon is Rome's most impressive site, the Colosseum is a very close second. The structure's size and design is certainly noteworthy, but the most extraordinary aspect of the Colosseum is the sense of gory history it evokes. There, doomed prisoners battled ravenous lions and gladiators warred in mortal combat. To avoid the crowds, get your ticket to see this wonder of the world at the Palatine ticket office, then march right into the fighting ring.

The city's showcase square, the Piazza Navona, is quintessentially Roman with its crowded street level cafes, street performances and rust-hued houses lined with wrought-iron balconies. At the center of the square lies the extravagant Fountain of the Four Rivers. Carved by Bernini in 1651, the fountain depicts the Danube, Nile, Plata and Ganges rivers.

Writers and poets like Keats, Byron and Shelley drew inspiration from the Spanish Steps, and millions of travelers visit the nearby Piazza di Spagna each year to take in one of Rome's most romantic scenes. After climbing the legendary staircase, pose for a caricature by a local artist, sample a scoop of sweet gelato and watch the sun set over the city.

If you want designer style without the high price tags, spend an afternoon browsing the designer knock -offs at the Via Sannio flea market or shop for secondhand styles at the market at Porta Portese. Locals gather there every Sunday, creating one of the largest flea markets on the continent. There, you can find everything from music and antique housewares to original posters, jewelry, furniture and more.

Rome is a shopper's paradise, and some of the most important names in Italian fashion can be found on the streets near the Spanish Steps. If high fashion is your passion, check out the boutiques on Via Sistina, Via Borgognona and Via Condotti. Familiar names like Ferragamo, Prada, Cavalli, Versace, Armani and Gucci line this haute couture hotspots.

Once the sun goes down, enjoy the hipper side of Rome in its eclectic bars, restaurants and clubs. Dance under the stars in the open garden at Akab to live music, mingle with the arty crowd at Freni e Frizioni and rub elbows with local hep cats at Les Affiches, an intimate boho bar with live music each evening.

The city's most famous and largest fountain, the Trevi Fountain is a flamboyant depiction of Neptune's chariot and the moods of the sea. A 1st-century BC aqueduct is the water's source, and the name is a reference to the three roads that meet at the fountain. If you fall in love with the Eternal City, toss a coin in the fountain. Legend says that those who do will one day return to Rome.