ROM

It was the writer Tibullus who first christened Rome "the Eternal City" in the 1st century BC. The nickname refers to Rome's ability to seemingly transcend time and space. Over the centuries, the description has grown to become the city's official name of honor.

Legend has it that Rome was founded in 753 BC by twin brothers Romulus and Remus. They were the offspring of the god Mars and the Priestess Rhea Silvia. Frightened that the twins would contest him for his throne, their Great Uncle Amulius had them abandoned on the banks of the Tiber river. There, they were found by a she-wolf who suckled them. Later, a swineherd discovered the boys and continued to raise them. In later life, Romulus and Remus wanted to establish a city at the site where they were found. Following a fight, Romulus killed Remus, and so the new city came to be named after Romulus.

Rome was in fact founded over the course of several centuries, starting around 800 BC, and was made up of the surrounding villages on the seven hills of Palatine, Capitoline, Aventine, Esquiline, Quirinal, Viminal and Caelian. Today, the city is home to some three million residents.

The Colosseum, St Peter's Square and the Spanish Steps: Rome has many alluring sights to its name. Around every corner, you are met by magnificent buildings, verdant parks,luxurious shopping boulevards and high-class restaurants. The Eternal City tells stories of millennia gone by and yet still remains ever modern.