Conservatori Palace

Piazzo del Campigodlio
http://www.museicapitolini.it/

Home to a 5th century BC Etruscan bronze of the she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus that is the symbol Rome - the ideal place to begin a tour.

The Vatican

http://www.vatican.va/
Metro: Ottaviano or Cipro-Musei Vaticani.

The centre of the Roman Catholic world although strictly speaking to enter the Vatican you'll be passing into another country, albeit one covering less than half a square mile. The piazza in front of St Peter's Basilica can hold 300,000 people and the tourist can visit eight museums and five galleries, not forgetting the Sistine Chapel of course! But be aware of the strict dress code - no shorts or open-toed sandals.

The Colosseum

Metro: Colosseo.

Built in eight years with slave labour the Colosseum became a symbol of the brutality of entertainment in Ancient Rome. Seating 50,000 the four-tiered arena witnessed many an afternoon of bloodshed of Christians, animals and gladiators.

The Trevi Fountain

Piazza di Trevi
Metro: Barberini.

Recreate La Dolce Vita at one of Rome's most romantic spots. It is obligatory to toss a coin into the fountain, preferably with your right hand over your left shoulder.

Vittoriano

Piazza Venezia
http://www.quirinale.it/

If the Pantheon is a monument to the Empire then the Vittoriano is a monument to the unification of Italy in the 19th century. The giant landmark was a homage to its ancient forebears and it contains the tomb of Italy's unknown soldier of the First World War. It also offers a fantastic view of the city from its top.

The Pantheon

Piazza Della Rotonda

Perhaps the best preserved monument of the ancient city, the Pantheon - or Temple of the Gods - is a marvel of its time. Rebuilt by the Emperor Hadrian the dome's height is equal to its diameter - 43.3 metres - with no supporting pillars or columns.