4 Days in Rome: The Eternal City

Day 1 — Ancient Rome

Morning: Colosseum (pre-book tickets — queues without are brutal)

Midday: Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Afternoon: Circus Maximus and Aventine Hill

Evening: Trastevere neighborhood for dinner — cacio e pepe and supplì

Dawn: Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel (book the first morning slot)

Midday: St. Peter's Basilica and climb the dome for panoramic views

Afternoon: Castel Sant'Angelo walkway along the Tiber

Evening: Campo de' Fiori for aperitivo and nightlife

Morning: Pantheon (free, go early) and surrounding piazzas

Midday: Piazza Navona and its Baroque fountains

Afternoon: Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Villa Borghese

Evening: Prati neighborhood near the Vatican for excellent trattorias

Morning: Aventine Keyhole view of St. Peter's through the Knights of Malta garden

Midday: Testaccio neighborhood market — Rome's most authentic food quarter

Afternoon: Appian Way by bike — ancient road lined with catacombs and ruins

Evening: Farewell dinner in the Jewish Ghetto: artichokes alla giudia