09:00 - Culture vulture
Make sure you buy the Omnia Vatican and Rome Pass before you fly. Valid for three days, it gives you entry to the Vatican Museums, plus free access to two out of five other top Rome attractions. You’ll also get a free bus tour, guidebook, travel card, plus a host of discounts. At the Vatican Museums (a must) you should go to the Sistine Chapel and Raphael Rooms. Described as ‘the largest, richest, most compelling and perhaps most exhausting museum complex in the world’, it is worth devoting a whole morning to. And don’t forget the dress code – knees and shoulders must be covered.
13:30 - Refuel like a Roman
When in Rome, eat where the Romans eat. Try Dal Toscano on Via Germanico for giant Tuscan T-bone steaks and chunky homemade spaghetti. About €12 to €15 for mains.
14.30 - Roman delights
The world's largest church and the centre of the Roman Catholic faith, St Peter’s Basilica is also one for art connoisseurs who will appreciate the handiwork of the great creatives of the Roman Renaissance and Baroque period. Make sure you climb up to the awe-inspiring dome, designed by Michelangelo.
16:30 - A historic stroll
Head for the Centro Storico (historic centre), where you can shop till you drop at the same time as gawping at yet more ancient sights. Stop by the Pantheon, Rome’s best-preserved ancient monument, and admire the ornate fountains of the Piazza Navona, before mooching around the boutiques on Via del Governo Vecchio.
18:30 - Candlelit dinner
In Italy, dinner is a less elaborate affair than lunch. Italians thoroughly embrace apertivo (the generous helping of snacks you get with bar drinks in the evening) so when it comes to the evening meal, they generally order fewer dishes. The romantic Casa Coppelle near the Pantheon is a great place to be wined and dined. Its deep-buttoned velvet seats, elaborate floral arrangements and candlelight provide an intimate setting for a Saturday supper.
20:30 - Night crawler
Take a stroll across the Tiber river to the district of Trastevere to soak up the heady nightlife and after dinner cocktails. Freni e Frizioni at Via del Politeama and Meccanismo at Piazza Trilussa are both crowd pleasers. They say all roads lead to Rome, but in Trastevere, all streets eventually lead back to the bustling Piazza Santa Maria – so you won’t get as lost as you think.
