Today, you can visit the 1,900 year old Roman Colosseum that was completed in 80 A.D. This spectacular monument has a rather unique history of what kind of sports took place in its vast arena. In ancient Rome 50,000 spectators would fill the marble benches that formed a giant circle around the arena ' and watch fighters called gladiators battle until death. Sometimes the fights would be between men and animals.

The Trevi Fountain, standing eighty-five feet high and sixty-five feet across, is the largest and most famous of the Baroque fountains of Rome. Completed in 1762, it has marble sculptures that show the god Neptune in a chariot, taming two seahorses above a swirl of fountains and rocks. There is a legend that if you throw one coin in the fountain, you are ensured a return to Rome; if you throw two coins in, you'll be sure to get married; but if you throw three coins in you will get divorced!

Beneath Rome lie many miles of underground passageways and chambers that were once used as cemeteries. Called catacombs, these secret passageways were where the early Christians used to hide to escape persecution for their believing in only one god. In more recent times, Jews hid there to escape from the Nazis during World War II. Nowadays you can visit five of these catacombs in Rome and you can see amazing paintings on some of the walls.

People visit Rome for the charm of its unique traditions and the beauty of its panoramic views and to visit the aqueducts, fountains, churches, palaces and historical buildings. But a wealth of Rome's treasures are also found in its many museums. The Capitoline Museums are a group of art and archeological museums located on top of the famous Capitoline Hill. The museums are contained in three palazzi (palaces) that surround a central piazza. The Vatican Museums are the public art and sculpture museums found in the Vatican City. These museums display works from the extensive collection of the Roman Catholic Church. Another important collection of paintings, sculpture and antiquities is housed in the Borghese Gallery which is in the park of the Villa Borghese. And when you finish, be sure to rent a bicycle and ride around!