Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about the Eternal City is its historical continuity. The Ponte Fabricio, which spans the Tiber to the Isola Tiberina, dates from 62 B.C. and remains in daily use. And 2,000 years after it was built, the Pantheon still has the world’s largest unreinforced dome. Arguably, the best introduction to the city is still “The Companion Guide to Rome” by Georgina Masson, first published in 1965. It is certainly a favorite of mine, and I have long enjoyed following its detailed walking itineraries. Rome is particularly beautiful during the so-called “ottobrate,” from mid-September to the end of October. High summer is hot and disagreeable, and the Romans themselves leave the city for the seaside.

Recommendations for Rome

• On my first evening back in Rome, I like to climb Michelangelo’s Cordonata (stairway) to the Capitoline Hill. There’s a spot where you can lean on a wall and look out over the Forum. There are Piranesi etchings of this view, and it’s the place where Gibbon decided to write “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.” In the evening, when most of the crowds have gone home, it is fantastically atmospheric.
• Few people are aware that it is possible to explore the Vatican Necropolis directly below St. Peter’s Basilica, which contains the tomb of St. Peter. Visitor numbers are limited, and requests for the guided tours must be submitted to the Excavations Office.
• While strolling from the Piazza Navona to the Pantheon, be sure to visit the lovely Church of San Luigi dei Francesi. There, in the Contarelli Chapel, you will find a superb trinity of works by the Baroque artist Caravaggio, dedicated to the life of St. Matthew. (Other stunning Caravaggios are to be found in the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo.)
• Fountains are one of the perpetual delights of Rome. My own favorite is the utterly charming Fontana delle Tartarughe in the Piazza Mattei, which depicts four young boys, each helping a turtle reach the pool above him.
• A mandatory stop in Rome is Giolitti, steps from the Pantheon and the city’s oldest ice cream parlor. Try the fruit-flavored varieties, the essence of each season. Via Uffici del Vicario 40.
• The Villa Farnesina in Trastevere contains frescoes by Raphael (“The Triumph of Galatea,” among others). It once belonged to the stupendously wealthy Chigi banking family. When Raphael was working on the interior, he was having an affair with the beautiful fornarina, the baker’s daughter, who lived down the street. Raphael’s portrait of his girlfriend hangs in the Palazzo Barberini. Via della Lungara 230.
• For the best view of the city, head for the roof of the Hotel Eden. Plan to arrive well before sunset so that you can sip an aperitivo in the bar and revel in the astonishing panorama. Follow with dinner in the excellent La Terrazza dell’Eden restaurant. Via Ludovisi 49. Tel. 06-4781-2752.
• For some of the best coffee and people-watching in Rome, make it a point to spend an interlude at Sant’Eustachio il Caffè, a favorite gathering spot for the Roman literati. Piazza Sant'Eustachio 82.