5. Across the River in Trastevere

Trastevere runs north to south along the Tiber River.

It is a fun place to walk. The streets are crammed with colour and life and are lined with bars and restaurants. You could spend a great day walking from one end to the other,

with lunch in the middle and stops for regular refuelling.

Let's start in the south at Santa Cecilia in Trastevere.

It is a magnificent 5th century church with much to see.

After your visit be sure to ring the doorbell next to the church entrance. The nuns will put you in an elevator to the choir loft,

where you can see 13th century frescos by Pietro Cavallini.

Walk north to Santa Maria in Trastevere. It is a magical place with a strong, religious feeling. Mosaics over the entrance date from the 12th century.

More Pietro Cavalini here. He did the mosaics over the altar (the ones under the line of sheep) in the 13th century.

Above the line of sheep, by unknown artists of the 12th century, we find Christ and His Mother enthroned.

Further north, Santa Maria della Scala is a large, but intimate and atmospheric church with a great feeling of calm. One of our favourite churches in Rome.

Take a seat in a pew. It will give you time to take it all in.

Be sure to look down: the floor is made of carved memorials.

Further north, the Porta Settimiana will lead you to three wonderful sites: the Villa Farnesina, the Galleria Corsini and the Botanical Gardens.

The Villa Farnesina, with its Raphael frescoes, is a must-see.

The intimacy of the Corsi collection of small paintings arranged in an 18th century style makes it a nice change from the opulence of the Farnesina.

The Orto Botanico (Botanical Gardens) is a much needed green space in a busy city. The entrance is right beside the Corsini and across the street from the Farnesina.

Find a mature bamboo forest among other treasures.

The Ponte Sisto will bring us back to the Centro Storico.

6. Ancient Rome Today

Take the Rome Metro to the Colosseo stop.

Thrill to the facade of the Colosseum. The entrance to the Palatine Hill is behind the Colosseum, on the left.

It is fun to walk through the monumental ruined palaces on top of the Palatine Hill. Descend from there into the Roman Forum.

Nothing puts your feet on the ground of Ancient Rome better than a stroll through the Forum.

Because Christian churches need room for large congregations they were inspired, not by Roman temples, but by Roman public buildings like the Basilica of Constantine shown here.

Around the corner from the Forum you can climb these broad, shallow, steps to the Capitoline Museums. The steps were designed in the 16th Century by Michelangelo.

The Capitoline has some of Rome's most stupendous sculpture.

Centre: Dying Gaul. Right: Juno (with staff).

Here's a detail of Juno, to show you the quality of the work.

The Capitoline also boasts great views down into the Forum.

Near the train station, the Palazzo Massimo alle Terme (National Museum of Rome in Palazzo Massimo) has Bill and my favourite collection of antiquities. We call it the Massimo.

Find portrait heads and other statues on the 1st and 2nd floors.

On the third floor find mosaics and frescoes from Pompeii,

including Livia’s Frigidarium, an entire room painted to resemble a garden filled with birds and flowers.

The Museo Nazionale Romano, Terme di Diocleziano, (National Museum of Rome in the Baths of Diocletian), near the train Station, has another strong collection of antiquities.

The perimeter of the cloister is lined with sculpture.

The collection of Latin epigraphs and inscriptions is one of the best in the world. “DOMUS ETERNALIS…” (eternal house…).

The ancient Roman mosaics are full of personality. 

7. Early Christian Churches

We’ll highlight one early Christian church near the train station and three near the Colosseum. Churches close in the afternoon so visit in the morning.

Santa Prassede, near the train station, has some of Rome's most unforgettable mosaics.

Head straight for the 9th century Chapel of Saint Zeno.

It is a gem with much to marvel at.

Now you can relax and enjoy the rest of the church. Santa Maria Maggiore and Palazzo Massimo are both a short walk away. Either would fill out your morning nicely.

There are three superb early Christian churches near the Colosseum. San Clemente is a 12th century church, built over a 4th century church, built over a 1st century Roman house.

The ground-level church is prized for its 12th century mosaics.

The ticket office sells postcards with superb details.

But the real draw is underground. Stairs lead to the excavation of an earlier church in use from the 4th to the 11th centuries. There are rare frescos: such as this ninth century detail of Christ’s apostles watching his ascension (Pope Leo IV at left).

1st century stairs, built during the construction of the Colosseum, lead to a 1st century Roman house. In the 2nd century part of the house was rebuilt as a temple of the god Mithras.

Two blocks from San Clemente, up the Caelian Hill, is the 9th century Quattro Santi Coronati (Four Crowned Martyrs).

Before you enter, don't miss the frescos in the 13th century Chapel of Saint Sylvester. Ring the bell by the locked door, a nun will appear behind a grill and buzz you in for a nominal fee.

Puzzle out the story of St. Sylvester from the tantalizing details.

Within the church is a cloister with a mellow fountain – an oasis of peace steps away from the squalor of the Colosseum.

Further up the Caelian Hill is the 5th century San Stefano Rotundo (Saint Stephen in the Round). One of the few churches in Rome built to a circular plan.

This Google Satellite screengrab shows the splendor of the 5th century plan from above.

This wall is lined with frescoes depicting Christian martyrdoms. These images require tremendous empathy as both foregrounds and backgrounds teem with mayhem.

Who is this man with his head in his hands?