Start your journey at Rome’s historic amphitheater, the Colosseum. Early risers don’t need to get gladiatorial because large lines usually start to form in the middle of the morning. By that time, you’ll be exploring the Palatino and taking in the grandeur of the once-powerful palace and its fragrant pine trees before exploring the Roman Forum ruins.

Try Caffè Sant’Eustachio for a well-earned espresso and sweeten it with Vatican tickets before taking in the Centro Storico’s cobblestone walkways. When Bonci Pizzarium opens for lunch, visitors who are first in line at the Vatican will also be in front of the queue there, refueling with a slice of the best pizza in the city while it’s still hot from the oven.

Rome, of course, offers many more museums, but it’s also a vibrant city that offers la “dolce vita”. Spend some time indulging by perusing the fancy shops along Via del Corso and only pausing to enter the devilishly hip Salotto 42 for one of the city’s renowned cocktails.