How to spend 48 hours in Rome

Contrary to the title of this article, do not spend 48 hours in Rome on your first attempt. Unless you have legs of steel, high levels of determination and a desire for non-stop sightseeing.

The two pivots about which the city’s history turns – the Vatican and the Roman Forum – are best taken a day each and visited early, fuelled by €1 coffees and sweet, crumbly pasticcini off sticky local bar counters: 48 hours, done.

But to focus on these titanic monuments of European history alone is to miss the real chatter of the city: couples meeting for Monday drinks by the Ponte Sisto, watching the sun go down on the Tiber from the Isola Tiberina, lingering under the vaults of (some) of Rome’s more than 900 churches.

Instead, rise with the Italian larks (not much before 8am) and head to St. Peter’s. Even when you have been to Rome hundreds of times, approaching the piazza in front of the world’s second largest basilica in crisp morning sunlight doesn’t feel far from heavenly and climbing the 551 steps to the top of its dome is worth the early workout to see the rusted rooftops of the city stretch out before you.

Next wander back via one of the Vatican’s many coffee bars – or grab a slice of pizza from Alice Pizza on Via delle Grazie if you are so inclined – heading along the river to the Castel Sant’Angelo.