If you are looking for a fascinating attraction in Rome, the ancient ruins of the Golden House of Nero have just recently been opened after years of being excavated and restored. This is great news because even though the house was found during the Renaissance period, it took a big recovery effort in the 1990s to finally make it available.

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.

Nero’s opulent home actually covered a huge 350 acre grounds which boasted fine vineyards and a lake made just for him. But something unusual about this “home” of Nero’s is that there were no bedrooms in any of the 300 rooms. This is not to say that during those wild orgies we know about, many didn’t just fall in a stupor all around the house and grounds.

One artistic marvel that stood at the site was a magnificent statue of Nero. This huge figure stood 40m (130ft) high. But it was moved to the Coliseum, just leaving the bronze base behind.

Time has taken its toll on the palace but there is a lot of great things to see when you visit the house. Not only is seeing the Palace a delight but Rome is such a delightful and welcoming city. And in Rome often the weather is as delightful as the sights.

A great way to take in this ancient structure is through the guided underground tour that goes lets you view the amazing paintings in the vaults and rooms. This is a rare chance to see artwork done by the famous artist Fabullus who used the Pompeii artistic style.

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 to see a diverse assortment of grottos in the underground tour. But when you see the Octagon room, prepare to be impressed. Nero’s obsession with Greek art was easy to witness in this room, which originally held a statue of the Dying Gaul, and is now at the Pallazzo Altemps museum.

But don’t miss out on enjoying the great gardens and grounds during your stay. The organizers also have a replica of the Octagonal Room for you to examine which will give you a real feel for how it was to live in this amazing time in history in Nero’s house.