Rome sightseeing

The Coliseum and classical Rome
The Coliseum is surrounded by the usual touts and men dressed in Roman costume, inauthentically smoking.

The queue to buy a ticket is vast, but moves at a reasonable rate; we were there for 40 minutes. The cost is €10, although it is half price for EU teachers and the ticket also gets you into Palatino, so you needn't queue again.

Although the construction itself is impressive, there is no indication anywhere as to what you are looking at - this is usual in Rome and means that it is well worth spending €3.50 on a guided tour or €4 on an audioguide.

Following the Coliseum, which was on the outskirts of classical Rome, lies the Foro Romano, the remains of the city dating from the days of the emperors.

With many columns and partially intact buildings in place, the size of the site demands a couple of hours before moving on the Palatino, where the wealthy built their palaces.

The Vatican
In addition to the Rome itself, the the city-state of The Vatican lies to the west of the Tiber.

Serving as both a tourist destination as well as a place of pilgrimage, the Basilica of St Peter is full of religious treasures. Although you should expect to queue, the line moves quickly and you should find yourself inside St Peter's within 20 minutes or so.

Once inside, the queue is kept moving and so it lacks any kind of religious ambience due to the sounds of an infinite number of shuffling feet.