Rome is famous for its many monuments and buildings which are left over from ancient times. It is quite an experience to see structures such as the Colosseum, the Circus Maximus and the Pantheon when you realise they stand alongside far more modern buildings.
The key location to visit is not the Colosseum, although this is of course well worth seeing. Your first destination should be the Roman Forum.
When you see what makes up the Roman Forum you will see why it draws so many visitors each and every year. It isn't just a building; it is comprised of various temples, arches and basilicas. As such there is enough here to keep you busy and exploring for a whole day, even longer if you explore every structure in detail.
Be prepared to do a bit of walking if you want to see everything, and make a plan of where you would like to go first if you can. Make sure you take plenty of bottled water with you too - if you are visiting during the summer months you will find it hard going at times due to the heat.
Some locations are more popular than others, such as the Temple of Caesar for example. This has been standing since 29BC. The temple was built after Caesar was murdered by those in attendance at the Senate. Be ready to encounter the crowds if you visit during the main part of the day - stick to the cooler hours if you can.
Elsewhere in the Roman Forum you can see the Arch of Septimius Severus. This was built back in the year 203AD, and it towers 23 metres above the ground. The detail on the arch itself is quite amazing, especially when you consider all the centuries that have passed since it was first constructed.
While some of the Roman Forum has survived remarkably well, other parts of it stand in ruins. A key example is the Temple of Castor and Pollux. These are the two twins who are known as Gemini - the word actually means twins in Latin.
Just three fragile looking pillars are left soaring up into the sky. At some point between the fourth century and the 15th century, most of the structure was destroyed in one or more events, the origins of which remain a mystery. The chances are we will never know what happened.
As you can see, the Roman Forum offers a chance to look back into ancient Roman history in a way no other single structure does in the city. There are many temples and arches present that tell their own story, and if you want to book a room in one of the many Rome hotels available nearby, you too can look forward to going back in time and standing where the likes of Julius Caesar once stood.