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Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, CC SA 1.0
A very ancient church named after a saint who was in 1969 removed from the Roman Catholic calendar of saints for the lack of details of her life. But the church retains the name and is well worth visiting for an excellent 4th-century mosaic and attractive decorations on the facade. Visiting hours are short, but if you arrive close to 11:30, try talking to the attendant if you see him, and he might let you visit for a few minutes. The church is small, so 15 minutes should be long enough to see and absorb everything.
The Basilica of Santa Pudentiana is the eldest Roman Catholic basilica built in the fourth century in Rome. The original shrine building dates back from the second century and is dedicated to Saint Pudentiana, sister to Praxedes the martyress. Both were daughters of Saint Pudens.
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Fantastic Byzantine mosaics and some other interesting artwork. Not to be missed. 30 minutes are sufficient for a relaxed visit.
The chains that allegedly held St. Peter are displayed in a case before the altar. More importantly, contains the impressive statue of Moses by Michelangelo. It's close to the Colosseum, but a little hard to find. Take the steps opposite the Colosseum on Via dei Fori Imperiali, cross the road at the top and seek directions. Also reachable through steps to the right leading off Via Cavour.
This is the attractive park on the hillside directly west of the Colosseum. Visible ruins in the area come from the Baths of Trajan. These baths were built on the top of the ruins of Domus Aurea - the Golden House of Nero (the Colosseum was built on the drained site of Nero's lake). The area underneath the park contains an enormous area from Nero's villa. It was restored at great expense in the 1980s and 1990s, opened to the public, and then closed again after a few years when it began to leak!
Mercati di Traiano
On the other side of the Via dei Fori Imperiali to the Roman Forum. Well-preserved market area that doubled as a way of stopping the Quirinal Hill from collapsing. Below in the Forum is Trajan's Column, built in 113 with reliefs depicting the Emperor Trajan's victories in battle.
Known properly as the Flavian Amphitheatre, this most famous of Roman landmarks takes its name from the giant statue of the emperor Nero that once stood near this location. The amphitheatre was capable of seating 50,000 spectators for animal fights and gladiatorial combats. It was a project started by the Emperor Vespasian in 72 and completed by his son Domitian sometime in the 80s. The Colosseum when completed measured 48 m high, 188 m in length, and 156 m in width. The wooden arena floor was 86 m by 54 m, and covered by sand.;
Expect a long queue and an even longer wait. You can skip the queue if you decide to take a tour, but if you don't want a tour, you can STILL skip the queue. If you walk to the entrance for the Roman Forum, you can buy tickets there which allow you to bypass the queues. You can also buy tickets online. There are lots of people offering tours in English just outside the entrance to the Colosseum. Inside you can take a tour (English, Spanish, or German) every 30 minutes or so for an additional fee. The tours are given by knowledgeable archeologists, but they don't take you to any areas you couldn't visit on your own.
Completed in 179 BC.