Rome

Rome is best approached as a series of neighbourhoods rather than a checklist. The Centro Storico from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori is where the grand hotels around the Spanish Steps and Via Veneto sit; Trastevere and Monti are where Romans eat; the Vatican Museums, the Forum and the Colosseum each need a timed ticket and a half day. Spring and autumn are ideal; August is hot and half the city is at the beach. Cobblestones and hills make accessibility uneven — check step-free access for older palazzo hotels. Standard precautions apply on crowded buses and around the major sights. Fiumicino (FCO) is the intercontinental airport, about 45 minutes from the centre by the Leonardo Express or car.