Rome (Roma) is peerless, no other city in the world can compare to its artistic, historical and cultural wealth, no other city can give you the striking opportunity to make yourself familiar with so many interesting sights: you will need at least several days to see only the most popular of them. But Rome has not a few contemporary problems too: noise, traffic jams and pollution, and when you visit it for a first time, especially if this is during the sweltering summer months, maybe you will find it too lively, noisy and disordered. The above words will probably discourage you, but they are only a reminder - it is not difficult to forget that Rome has a present with many and various problems, just as it has a glorious past.

The most appropriate manner is to approach the city in a roundabout way. Don't rush in the very beginning of your visit to see the most famous sights, but start your tour calmly, with a cup of Italian espresso, or a walk through the squares with more decent face - among the most picturesque ones are Piazza Navona and the market place Campo dei Fiori. Don't forget that the pleasure of visiting a city doesn't reduce to only sightseeing, and leave some time for aimless walks in the different neighbourhoods, for example in Trastevere and the Old Jewish Ghetto, two of the most picturesque historic city zones.

After you are ready for the main landmarks, you will need a city map and elementary orientation, as it is not difficult to find your way in the old city. First go to Piazza Venezia- a huge, jammed with cars square, situated in the approximate centre of the city. The square is dominated by the monument of King Vittorio Emanuele II, glorifying the unification of Italy. To the right of this monument rises the Capitoline Hill - the very heart of the old city. From Piazza Venezia Square start three major boulevards, each of them can be an important focus in your sightseeing tour.

The first of them is Via dei Fori Imperiali which goes in a southern direction and passes by the Roman Forum and the Coliseum, two of the most famous symbols of Rome. Walking along this boulevard you can easily reach the forums of the Roman Emperors (Fori Imperiali), the basilica Saint Peter in Chains (San Pietro in Vincoli), keeping the enormous statue of Moses, a work of Michelangelo, and to two of the most popular churches - St. Clement (San Clemente) and St. John Lateran (San Giovani in Laterano). You can see at an easy pace all these sights, although the last big church in this area - St. Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) is a little aside, in the unattractive quarter around the Roman central railway station Termini.

To the west of Piazza Venezia Square goes the second largest road artery in Rome - Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, which passes through an area, most often called the medieval and renaissance heart of the city. The district, which this boulevard divides into two halves, is one of the most lively and picturesque ones in the city and represents a motley mixture of monuments dating from the most diverse periods. Key sights in this area are the Palace Doria Pamphili (Palazzo Doria Pamphili), one of the best art galleries in Italy, and the two of the largest city squares - Navona and Campo dei Fiori. In the surroundings of the district you can find a variety churches, palaces and nameless small nooks and you can easily spend two days touring only this part of Rome. If you don't have so much time, you can limit your sightseeing to the Pantheon of Rome, one of the best preserved ancient monuments in the Eternal City and the churches St. Louis of France (San Luigi dei Francesi) with pictures by Caravaggio, and the Basilica of St. Mary over Minerva (Santa Maria sopra Minerva), keeping beautiful marble sculpture by Michelangelo.

To the north of Piazza Venezia Square goes the third main street of Rome - Via del Corso. Its side streets hide such famous sights as the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, as well as the gorgeous Palace Barberini (Palazzo Barberini), hosting the National Gallery of Antique Art, and the winding streets around Via dei Condotti Street, which is the main commercial district of Rome. The northern end of Via del Corso reaches Piazza del Popolo Square, behind which is situated the Villa Borghese Park, one of the largest parks in Rome, where you can find two of the leading museum: the Borghese Gallery (Galleria Borghese) exhibiting paintings and sculpture, and Villa Giulia showing ancient art and artefacts.

On the other side of the largest river in Rome - Tiber or Tevere, you can see the majestic St. Peters Basilica. You will need half a day to see it and you can spend an hour in the adjacent Castle San Angelo. In the same area is situated the small independent Vatican State with the famous Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina) and the world's biggest museum complex.