Rome in 4 days

Best time to go: Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit the city but I would try to avoid Easter weekend as it can get really crowded.

General Advice: You can visit for just a weekend but if you have more days to stay and get to know the city it is worthwhile. It is the perfect place for a long weekend or a bank holiday.

Recommended hotel is "Palazzo Caruso” with a very nice terrace just 600 yards away from the Trevi Fountain.

Day 1: Arrival

My suggestion would be to go before dinner to Fontana de Trevi - designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini and several others. Standing 26.3 metres high and 49.15 metres wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world.

Just few minutes walking from Fontana de Trevi, go for dinner to "Trattoria al Moro”, a high-end, 1920s wood-panelled restaurant with a classic Roman menu & a large wine list. Delicious carbonara!

Day 2: Ancient Rome

On the first day you can start visiting the most touristic parts of Rome. You can walk the full itinerary and I will indicate how long it takes you to walk from point to point:

• Colosseum – start your day at the Flavian Amphitheatre built of travertine limestone, tuff, and brick-faced concrete, it was the largest amphitheatre ever built at the time and held 50,000 to 80,000 spectators.

• Palatine Hill - the centremost of the Seven Hills of Rome, is one of the most ancient parts of the city and has been called the first nucleus of the Roman Empire. (6 min)

• Roman Forum - is a rectangular forum surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the centre of the city of Rome. (2 min)

• Campidoglio - between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the Seven Hills of Rome. The hill was earlier dedicated to the god Saturn. (3 min)

• Trastevere - is a funky and bohemian area that clings to its centuries-old, working-class roots. It's known for traditional and innovative trattorias and artisan shops. (20 min)

Have lunch at "Il Ciak" at the Trastevere. The carpaccio is incredible in this place. Very small but very nice with excellent meat.

• Pantheon - a former Roman temple (now a Catholic church) commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus. This is the best preserved building from ancient Rome. The construction of the current Pantheon was carried out during the reign of Hadrian, in the year 126 A.D. (15 min)

• Piazza Navona - one of the largest and most beautiful piazza squares in Rome with three impressive fountains, including la Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi with its large obelisk at the centre. The baroque church of Sant'Agnese in Agone provides an impressive backdrop. (5 min)

Best ice creams in the city at "Giolitti".

Ready to go for dinner to "Ristorante la Carbonara" at Campo dei Fiori with a very nice terrace is a great place for an outside dinner.

Day 3: North Rome

Again, you can walk the full itinerary and I will indicate how long it takes you to walk from point to point:

• Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore - is an ancient Catholic basilica that is considered to be the largest of the churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Rome. It is one of the city’s four major basilicas.

• The Baths of Diocletian - were public baths in ancient Rome, named after emperor Diocletian and built from 298 AD to 306 AD, they were the largest of the imperial baths. (10 min)

On your way to Piazza di Spagna you can stop for a great pizza at "Piccolo Buco" and pass by the Fontana de Trevi to see it during the day as well. If you prefer… the most famous places for a pizza in Rome are actually "Da Baffetto" and "La Montecarlo”, however, the queues are unreal and they are very touristic.

• Piazza di Spagna - at the bottom of the Spanish Steps, is one of the most famous squares in Rome. It owes its name to the Palazzo di Spagna, seat of the Embassy of Spain to the Holy See. Nearby is the famed Column of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (20 min)

• You can stop for a quick coffee at "Café Greco”, a classic place next to Piazza di Spagna.

• The Piazza del Popolo - located inside the northern gate of the city, which was once called Porta Flaminia. The square is situated at the beginning of Via Flaminia and was the main entrance to the city during the Roman Empire.

Suggested dinner at "Per Me - Giulio Terrinoni”, amazing seafood at a very nice elegant restaurant.

Day 4: The Vatican

Get mentally ready for all the hours that you are going to walk, especially at the Vatican! But it is an incredible day and an incredible visit!

• St. Peter's Basilica - a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal enclave. The dimension when you get in are just spectacular! Definitely a master piece worth seeing.

• Vatican Museums - they display works from the immense collection amassed by the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout the centuries. Here you can find the Sistine Chapel. I would definitely visit the Vatican Museums but be prepared to walk for at least 2 hours in there. Buy the tickets in advance and pay the extra for the VIP pass to skip the queue as well.

For lunch "Hostaria Da Cesare”, very good antipasti especially fish, in particular I would recommend the small lobsters. If you want pasta, order with funghi porcini or with clams (this one is really good).

• Castel Sant'Angelo - initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum.

For your last dinner come back to Trastevere to enjoy the atmosphere of this amazing area and have dinner at “Felice a Testaccio” a very nice trattoria dedicated to Roman cooking.