Palatine Hill is one of the most historically layered places in Rome, preserving remains linked to the city’s earliest settlements as well as the later imperial palaces. The official Archaeological Park notes that the hill hosted important cults, elite republican residences, Augustus’s house, and the palace complexes that eventually made the word Palatium synonymous with royal residence.

Quick facts
- Best for: travelers interested in Rome’s origins and emperors, visitors combining archaeology with panoramic viewpoints
- Known for: Rome’s legendary birthplace and the hill of the imperial palaces.
Why it ranks
Palatine Hill ranks this highly because it preserves the remains of Rome’s earliest settlement core, later became the seat of the imperial palaces, and offers one of the strongest explanations for how Rome evolved from origin myth and aristocratic housing into an imperial capital.
Location and links
- Address: Via di San Gregorio 30
- Official website
Service area and category
- City: Rome
- Region: Lazio
- Country: Italy
- Category: Historical site
Editorial summary
Palatine Hill is one of the most historically layered places in Rome, preserving remains linked to the city’s earliest settlements as well as the later imperial palaces. The official Archaeological Park notes that the hill hosted important cults, elite republican residences, Augustus’s house, and the palace complexes that eventually made the word Palatium synonymous with royal residence.