It is said that within four minutes of meeting someone new, we form an impression that 90% of the time does not change. The same can be said about visiting a place for the first time.

Fifteen years on, I am still incredibly excited to embrace my first day in Rome at sunrise because it never fails to inspire and overwhelm me with its beauty.

The light is stunning at 6:00am as I leave Hotel Gregoriana to walk my well trodden path around the historic centre, capturing iconic landmarks with barely a soul in sight. I briskly walk the cobblestones, intent on reaching every place well before Rome begins to wake up.

Alberto Sordi, Italian Actor, said “Rome is not like any other city. It’s a majestic living room to tiptoe through.”

Walking through a city almost 3,000 years old, you notice unobtrusive details and feel the history seeping from every stone and crack in a a wall that could tell a gripping story. Secrets everywhere.

Three minutes from Hotel Gregoriana, I descend 138 steps of Europe’s widest staircase, the Spanish Steps. In the 16th century, it was a dirt hill in front of the French monastery church, built between 1502-1587. The Trinita dei Monti is, by one of the many quirks of Roman history, maintained by France, making it perhaps the most famous church that is not in France. When the steps were built between 1723-1725, the Spanish Embassy was at the bottom of the hill (still is) which is why the steps became known as the Spanish Steps.

Within ten minutes I am in front of the impressive Trevi Fountain as this is the only time of the day that you can enjoy uninterrupted views without annoying selfie taking tourists.

Striding with purpose, my goal is to be on top of Capitoline Hill by 6:30am, one of the seven hills of Rome. Here there is a magical viewpoint overlooking the Roman Forum, once the beating heart of ancient Rome and possibly the most celebrated meeting place in history. The Forum was the centre of daily life and political endeavours during Roman times. It was the gathering place for commercial affairs, public speeches, religious ceremonies and criminal trials. In one sweeping view before your eyes are grandiose temples and exquisitely preserved ruins that almost speak to you of the power and splendour of the Roman Empire, a time when Rome was the first city in the world to reach a population of one million people.

Another ten minutes and I am in front of the Pantheon, Rome’s greatest surviving structure built nearly 2,000 years ago. The dome of the Pantheon remains the single largest unreinforced concrete dome in the entire world, built in 125 A.D. and Rome’s greatest architectural achievement. The gigantic portico of the Pantheon is framed by 16 granite columns, each a single piece of stone measuring 39 feet tall and weighing 60 tons.

Five minutes from here is Piazza Navona, one of the grandest outdoor spaces in Rome. The buildings are among Rome’s finest examples of Baroque architecture. Adorned with three stunning fountains, Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, Fontana del Moro and Fontana del Nettuno, it’s a busy place during the day and night, but early morning there are only a few dog walkers. Originally this was a stadium, a sports field for the Emperor Domitian built in the first century during Domitian’s reign.

My next landmark is Castel Sant’Angelo across the Tiber River. More than any other monument in Rome, it tells the story of Rome through its many lives. Originally built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian in the second century, it has been a fortress, papal residence and prison, but today is a museum. Alone I cross the Sant’Angelo bridge adorned with statues which is special because during the day the bridge is crowded with people.

Skirting around behind Castel Sant’Angelo, I arrive in the elegant neighbourhood of Prati that has beautiful wide, treelined streets. My destination is Sciascia Cafe that Adolfo Sciascia opened in 1919. The cafe is one of the oldest and most famous bars in Rome and absolutely worth the walk. I am in coffee/pastry heaven with my cappuccino and cornetto con crema. How do they make pastries so delicious? I linger, tempted to order a second, but only a few minutes away Castroni is about to open.

This cafe and bottega, open since 1932, is a treasure trove of everything you could ever imagine - coffees and teas, spices and oils, wine, sweets, hard-to-find international ingredients. It is a feast for the eyes and so wildly tempting that it is impossible to leave without buying a few items.

In the space of two hours, I have had so many ‘pinch me’ moments as I have traversed the historic centre with Rome to myself. Believe me, this is how you fall in love with Rome and how you don’t just see, but feel the history of a city 2,779 years old.

Ci vediamo la prossima settimana.

Deb