Description: This is the most beautiful and mysterious hill of the city, upon which time has left its deepest and most compelling traces. It is here where we find evidence of huts and settlements dating back to the 8th century B.C., constructed with the same form of the funeral urns typical in the region of Lazio dating from the same period. Atop this hill where was Rome was born, we find what remains of the luxurious and enormous residences of the emperors, from the Domus of Augustus (entry is limited to 5 people at the time) where the emperor Augustus lived with his wife Livia, in a fascinating complex adorned with gorgeous frescoes, to the grand palaces of successive emperors, each like a small island composed of the public and private spaces of the ruling few." Absolutely astonishing are the Triclinium, the vestiges of a grand banquet hall paved in marble, where the emperors dined on delectable feasts with guests enjoying the view of his lavish garden filled with superb fountains and the auditorium that served as his forum for political consultations. Close by is the magnificent and obscure 130 meters long tunnel, the so called Cryptoporticus of Nero, that, with its original pavements and the little windows, preserves the mysterious atmosphere that probably characterized the countless halls of the famous Domus Aurea (Golden House) of Nero. Also atop this imperial hill stood a grand temple to the god Apollo, along with the temple to Magna Mater, erected at the end of the 3rd century B.C. in honor of the Eastern divinity which was extremely popular also in Rome, and that had considerable influence on Christianity.
From the fantastic architecture and the natural splendor, the Palatine Hill offers a unique and breathtaking view of the entire city, of its iron temples, of the Campidoglio and of Circus Maximus, all lying below like the subordinate population that once regarded their emperor high above. From this palatial summit, the rulers of Rome watched over their domain- the people, the threats, and the spectaculars of horse and chariot races that took place below in the stadium of Circus Maximus.

The Palatine Hill offers the city’s most dramatic look at the depth of Roman history, where we can catch a glimpse of the private lives of emperors, the vices and luxuries of the seat of the world’s greatest power, and how that power spoiled and intoxicated the likes of Caligula and Domitian, of whom Plutarch said “You are a manic who enjoys squandering his wealth building houses and wishing, like the famous king Midas, that everything you own turns in gold or precious stones.” This is a voyage to another time in which men and gods sat next to each other, a voyage through the myths of men and gods.