With the bones of an ancient civilisation dominating the skyline, the mighty Tiber snaking through it and enough art treasures to last from here to eternity, Rome is indeed where all roads lead – sooner or later. It could be overwhelming were it not for the relaxed vitality of the Romans themselves, who can work up a passion about anything from a Bernini statue to the latest Fiat or a new pasta shape.

A truly year-round city, Rome is at its best in winter, early spring and late autumn, when the crowds are thinner and the light sharper. Then, from the Appian Way to the baroque beauty of the Piazza Navona, sightseeing is more of a pleasure.