At a glance
It's hard to say what you'll find most breathtaking about the Eternal City - the arrogant opulence of the Vatican, the timelessness of the Forum, the top speed of a Fiat Bambino, the gory resonance of the Colosseum, trying to cross a major intersection, or the bill for your caffe latte. Make like the locals and souse your senses in the glut of pleasures the city has to offer, from the grandiose thrill of feeling centuries of turbulent history under your feet to the small but potent intoxication of eating chestnut gelati on a hot day.

When To Go
The main tourist season starts at Easter and runs until October; peak periods are in spring and autumn, when the tour buses pour in and tourists are herded around like cattle. Numerous outdoor festivals and concerts and the fact that Romans desert the city for the beaches and mountains, which means very light traffic and a less-crowded city centre, makes summer almost worth the heat. If you do visit in summer, try to hit the sights early, take a long lunch and a nap, and then head out again around 18:00 to take advantage of the cooler evening. Be aware some restaurants and shops close for the month of August. Winters are usually mild with few tourists and some fun events around Christmas time.

Places to See
Sightseeing in Rome is exhilarating and exhausting. That it wasn't built in a day is quickly evident when you start exploring the temples, residences, basilicas, churches, palazzi, piazzi, parks, museums and fountains. All this and the Vatican too!

Places to Eat
The trattoria is usually a family-run concern serving home-cooking. A ristorante is more formal, with a wider selection of dishes. The osteria is an inn, usually with only a few local dishes and endless wine. Pizzerias can serve antipasto, pasta, meat and vegetable dishes as well as pizza.

Night Time Venues
You don't have to look far to be entertained in Rome. Opera or soccer, dance or drinking - the Eternal City has it all. Romans don't drink a lot, but there's a bar and club scene catering to those who do, or those who just like getting dressed up; bars are mainly in the historic centre, Trastevere and Testaccio.

Places to Shop
Don't feel bad if you find that Rome's shop windows are competing with its monuments for your attention: it happens to everyone. Whether it's designer clothing, jewellery, books, homewares or antiques, chances are you'll find something that just has to be bought.

Tipping
You are not expected to tip but it's common (in bars, for example) to leave a small amount: €0.20 or €0.40. If there is no service charge, the customer might consider leaving up to a 10% tip. Tipping taxi drivers is not common practice but you should tip the porter at higher-class hotels.

CITY BREAKS TO ROME