Palatine Hill

The central one of the Seven Hills of Rome. According to the legend, it was here where the she-wolf found the abandoned infants – Romulus and Remus (Romulus later killed his brother and became the ruler of the city). It is located above the Roman Forum and offers a nice view of it, together with the view of Colosseum and Circus Maximus. Nowadays, you can see many ruins of Roman palaces there.

When Rome was turned into a republic, Palatine Hill became the place where rich Romans had their houses built (e.g. Cicero). There were so many palaces that the hill’s name (Palatino) became the etymological origin of the word “palace” which has similar forms in many European languages. The most imposing one which can still be found there today (in form of ruins though) is the Palazzo di Domiziano (Domitian's Palace).

Consider visiting the Palatine Museum where you can see many interesting archeological findings. On sunny days, you will also surely appreciate the shade it provides and the air conditioning.

The admission fee to the Palatine Hill complex also includes the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. If you buy your tickets on Palatine Hill, you will avoid the much longer queues that usually form by the Colosseum. You can also buy your tickets online to avoid queuing altogether but there is a small fee.