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Palatine Hill

Palatine Hill

The Palatine Hill, which is the centremost of the seven hills of Rome, is one of the most ancient parts of the city; it has been called "the first nucleus of the Roman Empire". The site is now mainly a large open-air museum and the Palatine Museum houses many finds from the excavations here and from other ancient Italian sites.

Palatine Hill

Palatine Hill is the central hill among Rome's seven, and one of the oldest inhabited parts of the city, traditionally linked to the founding of Rome. Today it's an open-air archaeological site with the ruins of imperial palaces, gardens, and terraces overlooking the Roman Forum and Circus Maximus, plus the Palatine Museum, which displays artifacts recovered from the excavations here and from other ancient sites in Italy.

Getting there

The hill sits right beside the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, in the heart of ancient Rome. From the city centre, it's an easy walk from Piazza Venezia (about 15-20 minutes) or a short ride on Metro Line B to Colosseo station, followed by a 5-10 minute walk.

How long to stay

Allow at least 1.5 to 2 hours to walk the grounds and visit the museum. If you're combining it with the Roman Forum, which shares the same site, plan for half a day.

When to go

Arrive early in the morning to avoid both the heat and the crowds, which build up by midday, especially in spring and summer when tour groups from the Colosseum move through. There's little shade, so a hot afternoon visit can be uncomfortable.

Nearby

  • Circus Maximus (0.3km) - the ancient chariot-racing stadium below the hill
  • Arch of Titus (0.3km) and Temple of Vesta (0.4km) - both within the adjoining Roman Forum
  • Arch of Constantine (0.3km) - beside the Colosseum, a natural next stop

Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors

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Tickets & tours

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Stays near Palatine Hill

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Palatine Hill Nearby stays

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Good to visit alongside

Circus Maximus

Heritage & monuments

Circus Maximus

The Circus Maximus is an ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium and mass entertainment venue in Rome, Italy. In the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it was the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome and its later Empire. It measured 621 m (2,037 ft) in length and 118 m (387 ft) in width and could accommodate over 150,000 spectators. In its fully developed form, it became the model for circuses throughout the Roman Empire. The site is now a public park.

0.3 km away
Arch of Titus

Heritage & monuments

Arch of Titus

The Arch of Titus is a 1st-century AD honorific arch, located on the Via Sacra, Rome, just to the south-east of the Roman Forum. It was constructed in c. 81 AD by Emperor Domitian shortly after the death of his older brother Titus to commemorate Titus's official deification or consecratio and the victory of Titus together with their father, Vespasian, over the Jewish rebellion in Judaea.

0.3 km away
Arch of Constantine

Heritage & monuments

Arch of Constantine

The Arch of Constantine is a triumphal arch in Rome dedicated to the emperor Constantine the Great. The arch was commissioned by the Roman Senate to commemorate Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in AD 312. Situated between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill, the arch spans the Via Triumphalis, the route taken by victorious military leaders when they entered the city in a triumphal procession. Dedicated in 315, it is the largest Roman triumphal arch, with overall dimensions of 21 m (69 ft) high, 25.9 m (85 ft) wide and 7.4 m (24 ft) deep. It has three bay...

0.3 km away
Temple of Vesta

Temples & religious sites

Temple of Vesta

The Temple of Vesta, or the aedes, was an ancient edifice in Rome, Italy. It is located in the Roman Forum near the Regia and the House of the Vestal Virgins. The Temple of Vesta housed Vesta's holy fire, which was a symbol of Rome's safety and prosperity. The temple has a circular footprint, making it a tholos.

0.4 km away
Roman Forum

Parks & gardens

Roman Forum

The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum, is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the centre of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum.

0.5 km away
Temple of Saturn

Temples & religious sites

Temple of Saturn

The Temple of Saturn was an ancient Roman temple to the god Saturn, in what is now Rome, Italy. Its ruins stand at the foot of the Capitoline Hill at the western end of the Roman Forum. The original dedication of the temple is traditionally dated to 497 BC, but ancient writers disagreed greatly about the history of this site.

0.5 km away