Itinerary from the Colosseum to the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano

This itinerary leads to the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome's cathedral and considered the "mother of all churches" (Omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput).

Before reaching San Giovanni in Laterano, an essential stop is the extraordinary Basilica of St. Clement, which recounts two thousand years of Roman history. Entering this church literally means traveling "back in time" across three overlapping levels: on the upper level is the medieval 12th-century basilica, descending to the middle level reveals the early Christian 4th-century basilica, while on the lowest level, you can admire the Roman structures of the 1st century.

From the Basilica di San Clemente, walking along Via di San Giovanni in Laterano, you reach the Lateran Basilica. The complex also includes the Lateran Palace and the Holy Stairs (Scala Sacra), which, according to tradition, are the steps of Pontius Pilate's praetorium climbed by Jesus. The square in front of it houses the tallest and oldest obelisk in Rome.

From here you can continue to the Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme which, in the Chapel of the Relics, houses fragments of the True Cross, part of the crown of thorns, a nail from the crucifixion, the titulus crucis (the inscription placed on Jesus' cross) and other relics of the Passion.