Top Sights in Italy's Eternal City

This iconic landmark symbolizes the glories and excesses of ancient Rome. You can see the arena from a spectator's viewpoint or walk toward the center to see the areas where animals and gladiators awaited their turns in the limelight. If the staircases are difficult to navigate, you can use the elevator. Buy tickets online; plan to spend most of a day touring the Colosseum and the adjacent Roman Forum.

You'll need a ticket to wander among the ruined temples and public buildings that once hosted generals and emperors. Don't miss the Curia, where Julius Caesar met his fate at the hands of fellow Senators. Wear comfortable walking shoes; the terrain is quite uneven. Wheelchair users will need assistance to navigate hills and bumps.

This world-famous church is, technically, not in Rome but in the tiny independent country called Vatican City. St. Peter's Square, in front of the Basilica, is an enormous piazza surrounded by columned porticoes designed by Bernini. You'll need to pass a clothing inspection to enter the Basilica; be sure your shoulders and knees are covered. Seeing the Basilica's ornate interior is worth this inconvenience. Priceless art treasures, including Michelangelo's Pietà, vie with the soaring, graceful architecture of the cathedral itself for your attention. The crypt contains the tombs of numerous popes. You can navigate the Basilica by wheelchair; there are ramps.

Your ticket to the Vatican Museums includes admission to the incomparable Sistine Chapel, with its ceiling and Last Judgment by Michelangelo. You'll also see the gloriously colorful Raphael Rooms. Save some time to see the rest of the museums, which contain ancient Greek and Roman sculpture, Etruscan and Egyptian antiquities, medieval maps and much more. Plan to spend several hours here. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, as you'll be on your feet all day. The museums are wheelchair accessible, although not all areas of the museum may be open at any given time.

The Pantheon's second-century concrete dome, with its oculus, an opening that lets in sunlight – and, occasionally, a column of rain – baffled medieval builders, who had lost the knowledge needed to construct dome-topped buildings. Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon as a Christian church in the early seventh century, thus saving it from despoiling and demolition. Tour the tombs inside the Pantheon; the artist Raphael and Italian Kings Umberto I and Victor Emmanuele II are buried here.

The famous fountains and piazzas of Rome – Trevi, Spagna, Navona – invite you to linger, relax and people-watch, just as visitors to the Eternal City have done for centuries. Whether you sit at a sidewalk café or perch on a fountain's guard rail for a moment, you'll find you've become part of Rome's vibrant street life.

The ancient Appian Way begins in Rome. Built by Roman soldiers, this famous road stretched first to Capua and later all the way to Brindisi. Start at the Porta San Sebastiano and walk the ancient paving stones to get a glimpse of ancient Roman life – and death. The ancient Appian Way passes by several early Christian catacombs and the tomb of Cecelia Metella. Visit on Sunday for the best experience; the road is closed to vehicle traffic for several kilometers.

At least once during your visit, take a nap during the afternoon riposo period so you'll be able to stay up late and see Rome by night. Head to the Trevi Fountain or Piazza Navona to see the beautifully-lit fountains and to people-watch. Especially during the hot summer months, this is when locals come out to see and be seen. Spending time the way the Romans do – relaxing and enjoying the company of friends - will change your perspective on the Eternal City.