Roman Forum

What makes it special

Most of the Forum is fragments, so learn the handful of buildings that still stand whole. The Curia Julia, the brick Senate house, survives almost intact because it became a church. Inside, three broad steps once held about 300 senators.

Facing the Rostra, the speakers' platform, a plain brick shelter covers the place where Julius Caesar's body was burned, and flowers are still left there. Nearby, eight granite columns are all that remain of the Temple of Saturn.

At the top of the Via Sacra, look inside the passage of the Arch of Titus for the golden menorah, carved in deep relief. The pale travertine on either side is a modern repair, cut in a different stone on purpose so you can tell it from the original.

The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina has a church built inside it; look up at its frieze for griffins and acanthus scrolls. The House of the Vestals is a long courtyard with a double pool and headless statues of the priestesses. You will know the Basilica of Maxentius by its size: three vast barrel-vaulted bays of what was Rome's largest basilica.

Visiting

Book one ticket online for the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine, because walk-up tickets are scarce, and see the Forum and the Palatine before the Colosseum. Come at opening or in the last two hours before closing, and expect airport-style security at the gate.

From the Palatine entrance, climb the hill first, while you still have the energy. The Farnese Gardens at the top give the clearest view down into the Forum, and the Palatine Museum holds finds from the hill's own excavations.

Then walk down to the Via Sacra and follow it through the valley, using the Curia and the small Temple of Vesta to keep your bearings. Once you leave the Forum you cannot go back in on the same ticket, so see everything before you exit. The ticket is valid for 24 hours from first entry, but the Colosseum part is a fixed time slot.

Guided or on your own

There are almost no information panels, so bring some context with you or rent an audio guide at the entrance. A guided tour is the simplest way to put names to the ruins. Most tours spend up to two thirds of their time in the Colosseum, so if the Forum is what you came for, ask how the time is split before you book.

Tips

The old paving gets slippery after rain, so wear trainers or walking shoes. Bring a hat and a water bottle, which is allowed in. There are restrooms and drinking fountains but almost no food, so carry a snack.

Climbing on the ruins is not allowed, which children will need telling. Do not try to see it all in half an hour: allow at least two, or the ruins stay nameless.