Rome in January? Why wouldn’t you? The hotels are cheaper, the designer handbag sales are on and you can get a table at that smart little restaurant you’ve had your eye on. All the sights are still there — just without summer’s hordes. And wait till you see those moody sunsets. Here’s where we’d stroll to make the most of the Eternal City in winter.
■ Our winter wander starts amid the ruins, pines and cypresses of the Roman Forum and the Palatine. Explore 1,400 years of temples and monuments, as well as the majestic pile of arches and bricks that made up the original Caesar’s Palace (£10, including Colosseum entry; archeoroma.beniculturali.it). Be there at 8.30am — you might have it (and its ghosts) all to yourself.
■ Casting winter shadows, the Colosseum is so beautiful, you’ll forget that it was once dedicated to death. Stroll down Via Labicana to the Basilica di San Clemente, a fascinating layer cake of Roman history, built over a 4th-century church, a temple of Mithras and buildings that were ruined by fiddling Nero’s fire (£8; basilicasanclemente.com).
■ From the Colosseum, the 118 bus heads to the sprawling ruins of Villa dei Quintili, bequeathed by members of the ancient great and good (£5; archeoroma.beniculturali.it). Walk back towards Rome along the haunting Via Appia Antica, which evokes a scene from Spartacus. This queen of roads cuts through pretty campagna, pines and crumbling ancient tombs.
■ In the ancient lanes of the centro storico, you’re never far from a bar and a warming caffe corretto (“corrected” with brandy). Begin at the Trevi Fountain, then make for the Pantheon: an awesome rotunda still topped, after 2,000 years, by the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome. Nip into San Luigi dei Francesi for its three Caravaggios, then saunter around Piazza Navona as evening lights soften Bernini’s fountains.
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■ Start a day at Villa Farnesina, home to Raphael’s mythological frescoes starring the nymph Galatea driving a dolphin chariot (£5; villafarnesina.it). Now slowly ascend Via Garibaldi, admiring the ochre and cream townhouses and the baroque arches of the Fontana dell’Acqua Paola, to the tree-lined Passeggiata del Gianicolo for the best views of Rome.
■ The Galleria Borghese is home to the best art collection — Bernini, Titian, Caravaggio — amassed by any family that has produced a pope (£17; galleriaborghese.it). Amble amid the pines, then channel your inner Hepburn and Peck in Roman Holiday as you swan down the Spanish Steps to the Fontana della Barcaccia. The January sales will be on in the shopping streets around Via Condotti: Fendi, Gucci and their high-end ilk.
■ Winter is the best (emptiest) time to visit the Vatican Museums and Michelangelo’s incomparable Sistine Chapel (timed tickets £13; museivaticani.va). Finish at St Peter’s at twilight, when the great square is beautifully lit, then potter down the Tiber to Ponte Umberto I for the city’s most magical illuminated view: St Peter’s, with Bernini’s tempest-tossed statues, the Breezy Maniacs, in the foreground.
■ For a chance to rest your feet and wear that designer outfit you bagged in the sales, book tickets for a concert or opera at the 19th-century Teatro dell’Opera. It’s frescoed and chandeliered — and there are surtitles in English (tickets from £17; operaroma.it).
Where to eat
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Da Remo
Roman pizza has a thinner, crispier crust than its Neapolitan counterpart, and it’s worth a jaunt to this cheerful joint in the foodie Testaccio district for some of the best. It’s open evenings only — arrive by 8.15pm or be prepared to queue (pizzas about £5; Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice 44).
Tre Archi da Loreto
The bland facade keeps most tourists away — try cacio e pepe (cheese and black pepper) or spinach and ricotta ravioli (mains £9; Via dei Coronari 233; 00 39 06 686 5890).
Salumeria Roscioli
With 350 cheeses and 2,800 wines, Rome’s best deli is a perfect pit stop for centro storico strolls. Book a table at the back, away from the busy counter (mains about £15; roscioli.com).
Metamorfosi
The playful dishes defy expectations. The deconstructed carbonara, for example, involves slow-cooked egg, foamed cheese and crispy fried pasta and pork (six-course menu £84; metamorfosiroma.it).
Tramjazz
Tour Rome in a tram with a live jazz band — with aperitivi by candlelight — before it parks near the Colosseum for a seven-course dinner and great music. Tickets sell out fast (£63; tramjazz.com).
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Where to drink
Antica Enoteca
With a wooden bar and faded frescoes, this is an atmospheric place for ham, cheese and a glass of Brunello di Montalcino. It’s also one of the few places open on Sundays near the Spanish Steps (anticaenoteca.com).
Jerry Thomas Speakeasy
An intimate 1920s-style private club for cocktails. Have €5 on you to pay the membership fee, book ahead and bring ID (Vicolo Cellini 30; 00 39 06 9684 5937).
Where to stay
Casa Howard
Five smallish designer rooms not far from the Spanish Steps. Breakfast is served in your room, and there’s a hammam to tend to your tired legs (doubles from £33, B&B; casahoward.com).
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My Guest Roma
Richly coloured rooms in a quiet residential area 10 minutes’ walk from the Piazza Bologna metro stop. It’s run by Stefano Milano, maker of superb breakfasts (doubles from £59, B&B; www.myguestroma.com).
Campo de’ Fiori
The roof garden at this romantic bolthole catches the winter sun — a fine place to sip drinks to the 6pm bells (doubles from £76, B&B; hotelcampodefiori.com).
Getting there
Airlines serving Rome include Alitalia, BA, easyJet, Monarch, Ryanair and Vueling.
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