The saying goes Roma, non basta una vita (for Rome, a lifetime is not enough), so fitting it into 24 hours will be a squeeze. But if that's all you have, don't despair: the historic centre is small enough to be walkable, so you can see a surprising amount in a short time and it won't feel like a slog.

For a whistle-stop visit that won't leave you wasted, start by visiting, or at least hanging around outside, the marvel that is the Colosseum Its subterranean passages and topmost levels of seating have recently been opened to the public. If you’re here during the summer, it’s worth noting the Colosseum also has occasional late opening until midnight. Your ticket also covers the evocative Palatine Hill, with its ruins of the imperial palaces and views across the Circus Maximus where the emperors would watch chariot races.

Next walk through the skeletal ruins of the Roman Forum to climb up the Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill), which is topped by Michelangelo's perfect 16th-century piazza. Don't forget to look back for the view over the forum.

You might then want to visit the superb Capitoline Museums that overlook the piazza, for an awesome display of ancient artefacts, including gigantic fragments of a 12m-high statue of Constantine, ancient Greek masterpieces, and paintings by Titian, Tintoretto, Rubens, Caravaggio and more.

Next, head down the fanfare of steps from the Piazza del Campidoglio to Piazza d' Ara Coeli. From here, dive into the streets to the west to explore the Ghetto (the historic Jewish quarter), with its narrow streets, small piazzas and Jewish bakeries. Have lunch at one of its stuck-in-time Roman-Jewish restaurants.

Next, head north, to see the Pantheon and wonder about the audacity of the hole in the ceiling of this extraordinary Roman temple, which is more than 2000 years old.

A couple of streets west, take the ideal moment for a pick-me-up at Café Sant'Eustachio. This standing-room-only cafe serves what is arguably the world's best espresso. Floating on a caffeine high, zoom a few streets over to the sublime baroque extravaganza of Piazza Navona — a square as big as a racetrack. Here, frothy, statue-laden fountains and people-watching are biggest draws, but if you want a quick caricature or a tacky plastic toy, there'll be plenty of hawkers ready to oblige.

If you have the energy, you could wander farther north, up to Rome's prime shopping district of Spagna, with lots of works-of-art window displays to gawp at. Finally you'll land at the Spanish Steps for a well-earned sit down to watch the hubbub.

In the evening, head to Trastevere, eating at one of its backstreet restaurants, doing as the Romans do and preceding your meal with a passeggiata (evening stroll). Then try out a bar such as chic-and-boho Ombre Rosse (+39 06 588 4155) or cool hangout Freni e Frizioni (+39 06 5833 4210). If you're here in summer, try the local favourite summer refresher: grattacecca (crushed ice with fruit and syrup poured over the top) from one of the stands along the banks of the river Tiber.

Have you tried any of the places on this itinerary? Got any ideas we haven't thought of? Have your say using the comments form below.

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