• Visit the Colosseum, but also check out Rome's less well-known attractions.The Colosseum in Rome image by Jess from Fotolia.com
  
  Rome offers history, architecture and Old World charm. While in Rome, visit some of the most famous sites in the world, such as The Vatican, the Colosseum and St. Peter's Square. You can also stroll off the beaten path and check out some not-as-talked-about tourist attractions.
  
  

Bioparco (The Rome Zoo)

• One of the oldest zoos in Europe, the Bioparco recently has been modernized. Italian and English signs teach visitors about the nearly 1,000 animals housed here, and the winding paths offer plenty of shady spots to relax and enjoy the surroundings. The botanical gardens include more than 1,000 trees--some specimens are rare and old. The rooftop restaurant overlooks the giraffes.
  
  Bioparco (The Rome Zoo)
  Piazzale del Giardino Zoologico, 1
  00197 Roma, Italy
  011-39-06-360-8211
  bioparco.it
  
  

Museo della Centrale Monte martini (Capitoline Museum)

• Built in 1912 to house Rome's first electrical power station, this industrial structure was renovated and now displays some of the country's finest sculptures among the rows of historic machinery. The collection includes temple decorations, marble busts and examples of ancient luxury items, as well as a section devoted to Roman gardens.
  
  Museo della Centrale Montemartini (Capitoline Museum)
  Via Ostiense, 106
  00154 Roma, Italy
  011-39-06-574-8042
  centralemontemartini.org
  
  

Abbazia delle Tre Fontane (Abbey of the Three Fountains)

• Although this abbey was abandoned for a period, the Trappist order of monks arrived here in 1868, and have occupied this monastery ever since. Three churches occupy the site in addition to the three fountains, and all are surrounded by a garden. The monks grow eucalyptus trees and make liqueurs and chocolates.
  
  Abbazia delle Tre Fontane (Abbey of the Three Fountains)
  1 Via di Acque Salvie
  Rome 00142 Italy
  011-39-06-540-1655
  
  

San Giovanni in Laterano (Basilica of St. John Lateran)

• Also known as Rome's Cathedral and once the residence of the popes, this structure is also the most-ancient church in the world. Over the years and, after an earthquake in 896 and two fires (1308 and 1361), the church has been repaired and renovated. Highlights include statues of the apostles, the High Altar--which can only be used by the pope--and a section of the table said to be where Christ consumed the last supper.
  
  San Giovanni in Laterano (Basilica of St. John Lateran)
  Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano 4
  Rome, Italy
  011-39-06-698-86433
  
  

Cimitero Acattolico (Rome's non-Catholic cemetery)

• Considered one of the finest places in the world to be buried and one of the oldest burial grounds in continuous use in Europe, this cemetery is the final resting place of many painters, sculptors and diplomats, including British poets John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Cypress trees and flowers surround the area.
  
  Cimitero Acattolico (Rome's non-Catholic cemetery)
  Via Caio Cestio, 6
  00153 Rome
  011-39-06-574-1900
  protestantcemetery.it
  
  

Mercati Trajani (The Markets of Trajan)

• Originally thought to have been a multi-functional center for public activity, these buildings also housed the Convent of Saint Catherine of Siena in the 16th century. Located in the center of ancient Rome, the city's first big department store operated here at one time. Today, the site includes the Museum of the Imperial Forums, a museum dedicated to the architecture of the Roman forums and their sculptural decorations.
  
  Mercati Trajani (The Markets of Trajan)
  Via IV Novembre 94
  00187 Rome
  011-39-06-679-1620
  en.mercatiditraiano.it