Palatine Hill 🇮🇹

As the centremost of Rome’s seven hills, the Palatine Hill is considered one of the city's most ancient areas and the first nucleus of the Roman Empire. You will step into a massive open-air museum where human settlement dates back to the 10th century BC. According to Roman mythology, this central hill is where the she-wolf Lupa rescued Romulus and Remus in the Lupercal cave, and where adult Romulus eventually founded Rome.

When you explore the grounds, you can walk among grand ruins once inhabited by affluent Republican citizens and later transformed into exclusive imperial domain. You will see surviving remains of ancient palaces built by emperors such as Augustus, Tiberius, and Domitian, whose dominant Palace of Domitian sits over earlier Neronian structures. Alongside imperial ruins, you can discover the frescoes inside the House of Livia, traces of ancient temples like the Temple of Apollo, and the partially preserved 16th-century Farnese Gardens built over the Domus Tiberiana.

At the top of the hill, visit the Palatine Museum, housed in part of a former 19th-century convent, which displays excavated artifacts from the site and other ancient Italian locations.

What to see at Palatine Hill

• Ruins of imperial palaces belonging to Augustus, Tiberius, and Domitian
• The Palatine Museum showcasing artifacts unearthed from local excavations
• The House of Livia featuring notable ancient wall frescoes
• The 16th-century Farnese Gardens sitting above the Domus Tiberiana
• Mythological sites linked to the Lupercal cave and Romulus

Visiting tips

Be sure to visit the Palatine Museum at the top of the hill to view excavated finds from the area.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Early morning

How to get there & what’s nearby

Palatine Hill is easy to reach on Rome’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Colosseum and Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Rome travel guide.