Rome is a true ‘bucket list’ city everyone should see at least once

With the majestic sight of the Colosseum blotting out the sun, we sit in the shade and scoff two giant slices of pizza bought from a street vendor.

In front of us, thousands of tourists mill around the plaza, posing for photographs with Roman soldiers.

But in our quiet corner of the square the only sound is the trickle of water flowing from the ornate stone fountain behind us. What better way to start married life?

Rome has been top of our ‘to do’ list ever since Verity and I met more than three years ago, drawn by the romance and history of this remarkable city.

Every time we tried to book a trip, life conspired to stop us. So when it came to planning our honeymoon, we weren’t going to be denied.

Rome has a reputation as an expensive city to visit, but in reality the prices shouldn’t come as a great shock to anyone who has visited London.

We stayed at the Ambra Palace Hotel near the main Termini railway station, a cost-effective and convenient base for our sightseeing trips.

It may not offer five-star luxury or the most glamorous location in the city, but the rooms are clean and spacious, the bar service and cocktails are excellent, and the tasty breakfast buffet is the perfect way to prepare for a busy day.

Travellers on a budget could easily fill several days in Rome with free activities such as the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain (finally reopened after 17 months of refurbishment), the towering National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II with its tomb of the unknown soldier, not to mention the churches that hide round every corner.

Instead, we decided to cram those into a single day before taking a tour of some of the city’s other sights.

To make the most of our money, we bought a Roma Pass before we departed. They are available to collect from convenient spots across the city, including the airport and the train station and offer free entry to two historical sites (with the notable exception of the Vatican), as well as discounted admission to every additional museum after that.

Best of all, they allow you to skip the queues at the ticket booths so you can pack more into your trip.

As first-time visitors to Rome, we picked an obvious starting point, the Colosseum. This ancient stadium was used to stage everything from plays to public executions, but it remains best known for its gladiatorial games. Standing among the ruins, we could almost hear the roar of 80,000 spectators screaming for blood as gladiators fought to the death for their entertainment.

Next door is the equally impressive Forum, the heart of the ancient city. An afternoon is scarcely enough time to explore this extraordinary site, but as the sun began to sink we scraped together the time and energy to climb to the top of the Palatine Hill to enjoy the view over the city skyline – a rewarding way to end a day of sightseeing.

After retreating to our hotel to change, we headed out for dinner. Rome is as famous for its food as its history and there is no shortage of sumptuous restaurants to suit any budget.

As this was our honeymoon, we treated ourselves to a little luxury and booked at Le Jardin De Russie, a delightful al fresco restaurant in the heart of the city. With starters in excess of £20, it’s certainly not cheap, but it offers delicious fine dining in even finer surroundings, set against the backdrop of a spectacular terraced garden (roccofortehotels.com).

The next day we started at the Vatican for Papal Mass in St Peter’s Square, another obvious, and free, highlight of any trip to Rome. This event is held every Wednesday morning and is led by the Pope himself when he is in Rome.

Pink tickets are handed out in the streets around St Peter’s, but arrive early to choose your seat. Instead of flocking towards the front, prioritise a spot by the barriers which line the giant runways. That guarantees a close encounter with His Holiness as he is driven through the crowd in the Popemobile, pausing to kiss babies who are thrust his way.

The Vatican Museums are another unforgettable experience, culminating with the Sistine Chapel. The queues are the longest in the city, but these can be avoided by joining a guided tour which are generally good value for money as they include the admission fee (mv.vatican.va).

With so much to see, travelling outside the city in search of more sights might seem unnecessary. But Ostia Antica is well worth the effort.

This ancient Roman port is easy to reach, being a short journey on the Metro, followed by a train ride that delivers you almost to the entrance.

At Ostia Antica you don’t have to view history from behind a velvet rope, you can feel it beneath your fingertips.

Many of the remarkably preserved ruins are still recognisable as homes, amphitheatres and temples, even though they are more than 2,000 years old. There is even a tavern with its stone shelves and bar still intact.

Late in the day, clambering across the overgrown ruins without another soul in sight is an experience every bit as enchanting as Rome itself.

With so much to see and do in the Eternal City, it is easy to forget about food until the first pangs of hunger kick in. That is no problem during the day – there are plenty of places to buy pizza and mouth-watering ice cream to eat on the go, or to stop for a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine.

But at night booking becomes essential, as we learned to our cost when we were turned away from a succession of restaurants which were packed with tourists and locals alike before finally finding a table.

A trip to Rome is anything but restful and four exhausting days is nowhere near enough to see everything it has to offer. Instead, our first trip to the Italian capital left us eager to return.

The days when all roads led to Rome may be ancient history, but it remains one of Europe’s most rewarding destinations, a city everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.

Get there

Thomas Cook City Escapes has 2nts BB at the 4* Morgana Hotel (Ambra Palace is no longer available) from £195pp based on 2 sharing. Fly from Luton on Jun 21; Manchester departure on Jul 5 from £249pp. thomascook.com/holidays/city-breaks 0871 8950045.

A 3 day Roma Pass (free admission to 2 museums, free public transport, discounted tickets to other museums, exhibitions and attractions) costs €36pp. romapass.it

Tourist info: turismoroma.it – italia.it

Time zone: UK +1hr

Currency: Euro £1 = 1.26

Best time to go: Eternally interesting any time of year, but hot and crowded in August