I love Rome in the springtime

EVER wonder what showtime must have been like at Rome’s Colosseum? Cast your mind back to Ireland and Italy’s recent rugby showdown at the Stadio Olimpico. The Six Nations is as close as rugby gets to all-out gladiatorial combat: by the time the Irish and Italian teams were done tearing chunks out of each other, bruised and battered bodies were legion.

Thankfully, visitors over the next month or two don’t have to go through the same pain barriers. Rome is one of one of Europe’s best cities, and this is one of the best times to visit it. In summer, the temperatures can be nasty; the over-crowding even more so. But come April, the air is fresh, the flowers are in bloom, and there’s space for everyone on the sidewalk.

Not that Rome can be covered by walking alone (unless you’re looking for an excuse to buy a new pair of Italian brogues, that is), but it works brilliantly if you target an area — Trastevere, the Vatican or the historical centre, say — exploring on foot before hopping the bus, metro or hailing a taxi along to the next district, and starting all over again.