Rome wasn't built in a day, but David Martin only had three to get round the sights, on a winter break.

TF there's one thing more jaw-dropping than your first sight of St Peter's Square, it's the sight of thousands of pilgrims spilling down the cathedral steps, totally packing the vast expanse.

First lesson on visiting Rome - don't pick a Sunday in the Catholic Church's Millennium year to try to check out the sights of Vatican City.

Thankfully, when we ventured back on a weekday, the crowds had thinned and we were able to gawp at the vast interior of Michelangelo's cathedral, with its titanic dome. To really overwhelm you, just about every piece of decoration is a major work of art in its own right, including Michelangelo's own Pieta, behind a bullet-proof shield. Then, if that wasn't stunning enough, try climbing to the top of the dome for a breathtaking view across the entire city and the hills of the Lazio countryside beyond.

Once you've wound your way down from Rome's own, rather more impressive Millennium Dome, you can further add to the sense of cultural overload with a trip round the corner to the Vatican Museums. Apparently it takes 14 years to look at every exhibit properly, so turning up 45 minutes before chucking-out time as we did, is not recommended. If you do, however, head to the Sistine Chapel with all haste. Not only is it probably the world's most stunning work of art, but there's also the comic relief of the museum attendants who are employed purely to growl "shhhhh" every few minutes when the hum of conversation becomes less than respectful. If you need a laugh after all that, you can check out the world's tackiest souvenir stalls - plastic Pope in a snow globe, anyone?

You can just about see the absolute essential bits of Rome in two or three days, if you don't mind getting sore feet and a sinking feeling you could spend a lifetime here without seeing all its hidden treasures. The heart of Ancient Rome is the other absolute must - the ruins of the Forum, the Circus Maximus (simply a large hole in the ground these days, if you were expecting something from Ben Hur), and the Collosseum, stained a sinister black by the modern traffic fumes.

If you've got the time, a tour of the Catacombs, and a visit to the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and Pantheon are also high on the list.

Getting around is straightforward enough once you get used to the taking-your-life-in-your hands business of crossing the homicidal gridlock the Romans amusingly call "traffic". There are only two Metro lines, which cross at the central station, Termini, which is where the train link to Fiumicino (also known as Leonardo Da Vinci) airport runs from. Public transport is cheap and no one seems to ever check your ticket, but in a country where the transport police carry guns, I don't recommend fare dodging.

Restaurants are generally good value and as plentiful and as good as you'd expect, though avoid obvious tourist hotspots (and make sure you don't get stung by the price of beer).

Busy squares such as Campo di Fiori and Spagna (The Spanish Steps) keep buzzing for much of the night, as crowds sitting outside bars and restaurants soak up the laid-back atmosphere of night life in warm countries with sensible licensing laws (and this was in October, a few days before floods and gales hit North Yorkshire).

If you don't mind putting in the leg work and feeling you could dedicate your life to wandering around it, Rome rewards pilgrims and sightseers alike - even those on a flying visit.

fact file

Accommodation: wide selection

Food: tasty and good value

Value for money: good

Things to do: you name it

More information: useful websites

http://www.romeguide.it/ - All the tourist information you'll ever need

http://www.nerone.cc - 'The insider's guide to Rome', newspaper for tourists. Useful info.

Flights to Rome are available from Manchester, London and Leeds/Bradford airports

Check out http://www.cheapflights.com https://www.booking.airtickets.co.uk and similar sites for good deals