Rome is the capital of Italy and the capital of the Lazio region. It is located in the central
western region of the Italian peninsula along the Tiber River. Vatican is located within the
city boundaries of Rome. This is the only example of a country inside a city. The history of
Rome spans 28 centuries. Roman mythology records that Rome was founded around 753 BC,
but the site has been inhabited for a long time, making it one of the oldest continuously
occupied cities in Europe. The early population of the city icluded Latins, Etruscans and
Sabines. As time went by, the city became the capital of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman
Republic and the Roman Empire, and was regarded by many as the first imperial city and
metropolis in history.

Today, Rome is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world. In 2019, the
year before the pandemic, 10.1 million tourists visited the city due to the enormous amount of
archaeological and artistic treasures, as well as for the charm of its panoramic views. Among
the most significant resources are museums such as – Musei Capitolini, the Vatican Museum,
Galleria Borghese and many others dedicated to modern and contemporary art.
One type of tourism that is significant for the city of Rome is cultural-historical tourism
which addresses the culture of a region and it focuses on the historical and cultural objectives.
Tourism and culture have always worked together as a whole especially in Europe due to its
rich heritage. And Rome has them all:
- historical vestiges: ruins, amphitheaters (the Colosseum), temples, aqueducts etc. Rome is a
major archaeological hub, and one of the world's main centres of archaeological research.
There are numerous cultural and research institutes located in the city. Rome contains
numerous ancient sites, including the Forum Romanum, Trajan's Market, Trajan's Forum, the
Colosseum, and the Pantheon, to name a few. The Colosseum, arguably one of Rome's most
iconic archaeological sites, is regarded as a wonder of the world.
- churches and palaces as architectural monuments
- bridges, towers, columns (Traian’s column) , fountains (Fontana di Trevi), and countless
statues.
Last but not least, Rome has a impressive collection of art, sculpture, mosaics, frescos,
and paintings, from different time periods. Rome first became a major artistic centre during
the ancient Rome. It later became a major centre of Renaissance art, since the popes spent
enormous sums of money for the constructions of basilicas, palaces, piazzas and public
buildings in general.
 Religious tourism is also important for Rome as it hosts the heart of the Catholic religion,
Vatican. Pilgrimage is one of the first forms of travel, but the initial meaning of this ancient
practice is that of an inner exploration and spiritual healing by faith.
Culinary tourism is also important for Rome. Italian food is loved all over the world but it
is often regarded as just ‘pizza and pasta’. Italian cuisine is, in fact, regional and very varied
and food tours are a go to for tourists. Rome has countless restaurants that can satisfy
everyone’s taste, with foods raging from Carbonara Pasta to fancy seafood dishes that include
lobsters, shrimp and mussels.

1. Capuchin Crypt of Santa Maria della Concezione. This unique place is for a certain type
of tourists.
At Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini, underneath the church lie the bones of
almost 4,000 monks. What's unusual about this crypt is that the bones aren't buried. Instead,
they decorate the six tiny chapels below the church.
The ornaments vary in nature - there are separate crypts for the different bones (skulls,
legs, and pelvises).

2. The Mouth of Truth which now rests outside the doors of the Basilica di Santa Maria in
Cosmedin, has been used as a whimsical lie detector long before the modern lie detector. The
liers faced a severe fate between the jaws of the Bocca della Verità, which is said to bite the
hands off of liars.
Dating back to around the 1st century, the Mouth of Truth is a tall stone disc carved into a
humanoid face with hollow holes for eyes and its gaping mouth. The face itself has been said
to represent a pagan god although exactly which one is up for debate.

3. The protestant cemetery of Rome, officially known as the Non-Catholic cemetery is

hidden behind the pyramid of Caius Cestius, in Testaccio.
The cemetery is one of the oldest burial grounds in continuous use in Europe and it is
packed with history and beautiful monuments such as statues and tombs.

Tourism advantages:
Tourism is considered to be an effective policy for urban development, as well as for re-
launching metropolitan areas in industrial decline, such as Rome. Tourism creates a
favourable context for growth in employment and in the revenues. Income distribution
depends upon the type of demand. Tourist tend to spend only a few days in Rome, since the
average number of nights spent at the hotels is somewhere around 4 and so, the amount of
money they spend is bigger.
Also, an increase in the number of tourists and in tourist attractions in a city would
certainly improve the cultural offer and museum activities.

Tourism disadvantages:
Cultural heritage is in danger since it could be over-used. Thus, the impact of tourism on
the city and its residents is controversial: improvement and development on the one hand, risk
of consumption and deterioration on the other. An increase in tourist demand generates many
negative impacts on the environment: air pollution, noise, changes of smells, urban
congestion, increase in waste. On the environmental side no positive effect can be registered.
At the same time, in touristically successful urban areas such as Rome there would be an
increase in the prices of products, and thus in the cost of life for residents. Real estate is also
affected. This happens since there is a competition in the use of urban spaces takes place
between residents and visitors/tourists.