The trick is to be choosy, and just pick out the stuff you really like.

The city is the fountainhead of an ancient empire, the headquarters of a world religion, and the capital of a 21st-century nation, all blended deliciously into one. For food, fashion and fancy buildings, few places come close. No wonder there's so much to fit in.

We have set out to make sampling Rome simple, by compiling a bespoke break to satisfy every travelling appetite. Whether you're out to eat up the history, feast on the art, or just have a naughty nibble, we've got the recipe. The eternal city is eternally visitable, so don't go at it like there's no tomorrow. Here are four ready-made trips to sink your teeth into.

Ancient Rome

AN UNEXPECTED place to start a tour of ancient Rome is with the city's least impressive empire: that of Mussolini. In the late 1930s, he planned a World's Fair for 1942 to celebrate fascist Italy, and, to house it, built the district of EUR (Esposizione Universale di Roma) to the south (accessible by metro). One of the buildings, an amazing piece of porticoed self-aggrandisement, is home to the Museo della Civilta Romana (Museum of Roman Civilisation, Piazza Giovanni Agnelli; 00 39-06 592 6041, £4.30). The centrepiece of the displays is a pair of fascinating scale models, one of the city before Christ, the other in AD4. Although you will already know about the main sites to check off your list (best seen on a walking tour, see below), add Basilica di San Clemente (Piazza San Clemente, £2) in Laterano, and the deep excavations below the church. The whole complex is a unique striated snapshot of the past 2,000 years of activity in the city, and it is remarkably atmospheric: the only sound deep in the old streets is the gush of running water from an underground Roman conduit.

It is also worth finding the time to head south to the Appian Way (bus 218 leaves from Piazza di Porta San Giovanni in Laterano, or take a cab). This stretch of road south of Rome will bring a shudder to any Spartacus fan (the mass crucifixion stretching for 100 miles was true, but the leader of the slave revolt himself was spared it — he died fighting Crassus's legions on the heel of Italy). One of the best ruins is the Circus of Maxentius (Via Appia Antica 153; 06 780 1324, £1.80), built to entertain legions of garrisoned soldiers, who were not allowed into the city under arms. Unlike the rather barren Circus Maximus, where Ben-Hur was filmed, the Maxentius is still heavy with detail — you can see the spina of the chariot course, the staggered starting blocks, the emperor's elevated seat and the tunnels to the stands where the 18,000 spectators streamed in to watch the quadrigae, the four-horse chariots that were a crowd favourite.

The morning I visited, when the city-centre monuments were overrun and the queue for the Colosseum had reached epic proportions, I was the only customer. In the centre of town, a three-hour Ancient and Old Rome tour, covering most of the important sights, meets Monday-Saturday at 2pm, outside the Colosseo metro stop, beside the green newsstand. On Sunday, the tour is at 11am and leaves from Piazza Navona, at the central fountain. A night tour, also from Piazza Navona, takes place at 6.30pm, Monday-Saturday. It costs £10.50 for under-26s, £14.50 for over-26s. Contact Enjoy Rome (Via Marghera 8a, near Termini station; 06 445 1843, www.enjoyrome.com).

Where to stay The Exedra (06 489381) dominates Piazza della Repubblica in a suitably imperial way. It's handy for the metro (Spanish Steps one way, Colosseum the other) and is built on the remains of the huge Baths of Diocletian, parts of which are visible through glass floor panels in the basement meeting rooms. Rack rate from £290; less if you shop around on the internet.

The 26-room Hotel Due Torri (Vicolo del Leonetto 23; 06 688 06956) has small rooms (some of which have tiny terraces), but a great location in the historic centre, not far from Piazza Navona. From about £120, B&B. The slightly chaotic first-floor Primavera (Piazza San Pantaleo 3; 06 6880 3109) has just eight compact rooms, but is between the Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori and costs from £85 a night, with breakfast.

Where to eat The Costanza (Piazza del Paradiso 63/65; 06 686 1717) serves decent food in an atmospheric room — part of Pompey's huge theatre, where the senate met and murdered Julius Caesar. While 313 Cavour (Via Cavour 313; 06 678 5496) can claim no such notoriety, this well-stocked little dark-wood wine bar serves excellent meats, salads and cheeses, and is handy for the Colosseum and the forums of Trajan and Augustus. The top tip Double-check any museum opening hours before making a visit — closing times and access to exhibitions are currently highly mutable because of "staff shortages". For instance, until the end of October, the Museum of Roman Civilisation will shut at 2pm instead of 6.45pm.

Rob Ryan travelled as a guest of British Airways and the Exedra Hotel

Page 2: culture and romantic Rome
Page 3: Rome an the cheap and travel brief

()Romantic Rome

Times recommends

• Travel advice: what to do if your flight is disrupted
• Top 10 unmissable events in 2010
• Seven spa breaks for January