The hill where Rome was legendarily founded, and the site of the successive imperial palaces whose ruins now cover most of its surface. Augustus built his modest house here near what was believed to be Romulus's hut; later emperors expanded on an ever-grander scale. The excavated ruins of several palaces, their rooms of marble and painted stucco now mostly open to the sky, spread across the hilltop.
Included in the Colosseum combined ticket. The views from the northern edge over the Roman Forum are among the best in the city. Allow 90 minutes and wear shoes with grip — the paths are uneven.