by Juan Leer

Created on: February 07, 2007   Last Updated: June 11, 2009

In my humble opinion, Rome is the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world. I had a chance to visit there back in the summer of 2005, and it was an incredible experience. There is so much to see and do there that you can't even possibly take everything in. So, my best tip for visiting Rome is just to relax, take in what you can, and see as much as you possibly can. Rome is such an amazing, beautiful city that there's no way you can see everything there... which is OK because that means that there is always something to do. Based on my experiences, here are some of the places you should try to visit while you're in Rome:

- Vatican City - Technically it's a new country, but it's right in Rome, and is a must to visit, whether you're religious or not. If you're not religious, you can see some amazing architecture. If you are religious, you can see the same amazing architecture, only in the context of religion and how it relates to you. I found it to be a very enjoyable and breathtaking experience. Personally, Vatican City was my favorite thing about Rome. With all of the history that you know is present there, it can simply leave you in awe.

- Trevi Fountain - Just a beautiful site that shows some of the best of Rome. Also, there are tons of little shops all around it to visit while you're at the Fountain. My favorite was getting agelato and just sitting around the fountain eating it, watching all of the people go by.

- The Coliseum - There's nothing like seeing ancient history right in front of you. You've heard all of the stories and legends about the Coliseum, so to see it, even if you're just standing outside it, is another breathtaking experience. It is probably something that you see more photos of than anything else, so it can be rather surreal to see it with your own eyes.

- Vatican Museum - This is worth it just to see the incredible beauty of the Sistine Chapel. If you are into art, it does not get too much better than the Vatican Museum.

- Basilicas - Again, whether you're religious or not doesn't matter here... the Basilicas are simply amazing. With all of the history, not to mention the beauty of the buildings themselves, they are all very memorable in their own way.

- Roman Forum - It's a little rundown these days, but just like the Coliseum, you are just seeing ancient history right before you, which is really amazing when you stop to think about it. Just knowing that the things you are looking at were at the center of life for people some 2000 years ago, it can almost be a hard thing to grasp.

Anyway, this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as places to see in Rome... all you need to do is just walk around the city and you'll find something beautiful everywhere you look! In my opinion everyone should go to Rome at least once in their life to experience the beauty and history present there... you will never look at the world the same again!

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