Rome is a city with layers. Literally. Stretching back thousands of years, the ancient Italian capital has been built and rebuilt, sieged and sacked, and rebuilt some more. Its history is linked to countless world-changing events over the past 2,500 years, intricately connecting it to the entirety of Western civilization. (They don’t call it the Eternal City for nothing.)
Wandering through Rome and you little stumbled upon everywhere you go as there’s some ancient column or area that built around. In fact, it takes so long to build anything in the city because every time they try to build a subway, building, or change something, they stumble across new ruins and have to send in the archeologists to investigate.
But most of these ruins don’t have signs. There’s no story. If you want to peel back the layers of Rome, taking a walking tour is a must. It will give you the context and story of what you’re seeing so you can better understand how the city grew, came to be, and its culture. Whether you’re a foodie, history buff, or culture junkie, Rome boasts countless walking tours to help you peek beneath the layers and see beyond the cacophonous and overtouristed exterior.