Recently Rome opened the Golden House of Nero to public viewing and it is an attraction not to be missed. It is interesting that the ruins were discovered long ago during the Renaissance but it was in the late 20th century that they were prepared to be seen by you and I.

Nero's luxurious home was built after the famous fire that almost wiped out Rome while Nero fiddled. Nero built his palace in 64 AD and turned it into a storehouse of riches and art works. When it was at its finest, there was gold foil everywhere and the ceilings were covered with fine gems and ivory. But these lovely things were stripped from the palace after Nero's death.

We know from history that the original complex easily covered 350 acres and supported a lake that was created for Nero, as well as fine vineyards and other luxuries. A strange quirk of the house is that even with 300 rooms, there were no bedrooms. But when you think of the wild orgies Nero threw, every room was a bedroom in that respect.

One of the amazing art works that is now located outside the Colosseum was a magnificent 40m (130ft) high statue that was on the grounds of the house It was a triumphant image of Nero that he made to honor himself.

If your trip to Rome includes a tour of this fascinating old house, it will be a great experience even though the house was destroyed centuries ago. And since Rome is a delightful destination - especially in the fall when the temperatures are perfect, touring Nero's house fits any vacation agenda.

One of the best tours of the Palace of Nero is audio guided, and you will go underground to see the huge vaults and rooms covered with amazing artwork. The world famous artist Fabullus did a lot of the frescoes of the house using a very popular style he learned in Pompeii, that ultimately doomed city.

Fabullus isn't as well known to us but his work was inspirational to Michelangelo and Raphael as well as diverse characters like Casanova and the Marquis de Sade. So keep a sharp eye out because these historic characters actually signed the walls of Nero's house and you may see those signatures on your tour.

The tour will open your eyes to another world as you see ruins still not fully restored, hiding amazing ancient art works. But when you see rooms that look like they did during Nero's time, the artwork and luxurious design will take your breath away.

You will get a good exposure to grotto style rooms during your tour. But when you enter the amazing Octagon room, it will be a true highlight of the day. This room showed Nero's admiration of that famous emperor and the Dying Gaul statue that was housed there, that can now be seen elsewhere at the Palazzo Altemps museum.

After the tour of the building, taking in the gardens is a great way to end the experience. You will enjoy seeing a model of the octagonal room because it will give you such a good feel for what life was like long ago in Nero's day when this amazing house was his home.

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