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Every visitor to Rome has his must-see list. I have a must-not-see list.

My must-nots are tailored to visitors who have only two days in Rome, and it's shocking to first-timers. Not dive into the Colosseum, the Forum, the Palatine Hill, the Vatican Museums? Steer clear of the Spanish Steps? Are you crazy? If the Spanish Steps were good enough for Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday, they're good enough for me, my bewildered friends must think.

Don't get me wrong. I love Rome's most famous sites and visit them when I can, ideally on the coldest days in February, when the crowds are at their thinnest. They are tourist zoos most of the year and fail to give the 48-hour visitor any sense of the Rome of modern-day Romans. For those untutored in Roman history, they can also leave you numb. Stones don't come to life unless you know something about the lives that put them together.

Take the Palatine, one of the seven ancient hills. It overlooks the Forum on one side and the Circus Maximus (think Ben-Hur) on the other. Home of emperors Augustus, Tiberius and Domitian, it was the most valuable real estate on the planet for centuries.

The romantic, crumpled remnants of the palaces, hippodromes, gardens and fountains lie scattered like oversized children's building blocks – half a barrel vault here, a few columns there, a towering, broken wall. Visitors of ours insisted on visiting the Palatine. It meant little to them and they left wondering what all the fuss was about.

The bits and pieces of the Forum also can underwhelm you unless you have the time and patience to piece it all together. Some advice: Instead of traipsing through the Forum, view it from the back of the Campidoglio (Capitoline) Hill. You get a sweeping, high-level view from the Arch of Septimius Severus right through to the Arch of Titus.

Ditto the Colosseum. In high season, you can line up for hours in Rome's African summer heat with hundreds of your new best friends – there is no shade. Far better to walk around the arena at night, when it is gloriously lit up.

The Trevi Fountain is best avoided in daylight too. It is best seen at dawn or 2 in the morning unless you yearn to share the experience with roughly 2,000 Ryanair and easyJet customers.

As for the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms, I can't think of a more fascinating place. But wandering the endless galleries will chew up a full day and leave you drained. Best to see them when you've got a week or more to spare. But St. Peter's Basilica can be seen in an hour. The highlight is Michelangelo's Pieta, the baroque barn's loveliest object.

What else should you see in a quickie tour?

Short-timers not bent on burnout can combine a few highlights of ancient, medieval and Renaissance Rome with a leisurely meal or three in restaurants not plugged with tourists, rounded out with a gelato or an hour's shopping.

The Pantheon, of course, cannot be missed. It is the world's best-preserved ancient building and its bulk and dimensions are awe-inspiring. Nearby is my favourite art gallery, one blessedly missed by the vast majority of tourists. It's called the Galleria Doria Pamphilj and contains one of Europe's finest private collections, including works by Velasquez, Raphael, Titian and Caravaggio, plus a mummified saint. Make sure to get the audio guide. It is narrated by Jonathan Doria Pamphilj, who brings the palace (still his home) to life; as a kid, he would roller-skate through its galleries.

Not far away are the manageable Capitoline Museums, housing Italy's richest collection of Roman relics and art, among them the equestrian statue of philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius, the Etruscan She-Wolf and the Dying Gaul. Then stroll through the Ghetto, find the Via dei Giubbonari, one of Rome's better shopping streets, and have a coffee in the Campo de' Fiori, the lively piazza that is a food market by day, bar scene by night.

Just off the Campo is one of Europe's most elegant buildings, the Palazzo Farnese, a masterpiece of High Renaissance architecture, now the French embassy and home of the French ambassador. Envy will make you hate the French.

Across the Tiber River behind the Palazzo Farnese you will find Trastevere, with its maze of winding, narrow streets and alleys, many of them laid out during the medieval era, and home of some of the city's oldest churches – Santa Cecilia in Trastevere and Santa Maria in Trastevere. The latter faces the piazza of the same name, a refreshingly unadorned and cheerful international meeting spot. At night, the streets off the piazza vibrate with energy. Trastevere has an endless array of pizzerias, trattorias and gelato shops. Hint: The more Italian you hear, the better the dining experience. Go late, stay late.

Two days in Rome? Walk, look up, look down, peek into the old churches (for each is a museum of sorts), round every corner, get lost, see some art, eat. It is a city of wonders. On your second trip – a second trip is irresistible – you can join the throngs. Rome doesn't have to be hard work on a short visit.

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When dining in Rome

Certain rules must be followed when dining in Rome. They can be summed up as: Eat as the Romans eat. That means dining late – never before 8 p.m. – and choosing a restaurant away from the madding crowds. Avoid restaurants with a “Tourist Menu” placard outside. The more Italian you hear spoken, the better. Romans are discriminating patrons. If the restaurant is good enough for them, it'll be good enough for you. Wine? Always. Be experimental. Everyone knows Tuscan wines. Live dangerously; try labels you can't find in Canada.
Here are four restaurants in four different parts of town (though all central) that work for me:

Taberna de' Mercanti Piazza de'Mercanti 3a; 06 588 1693. Housed in a medieval building in old Trastevere, the Taberna, lit up with torches at night, is blatantly touristy yet engagingly romantic. Eat outside in the summer and soak up the atmosphere. The pizza is decent, so are the steaks, pork and chicken, if you need a break from pasta.

Felice a Testaccio Via Mastro Giorgio 29; 06 574 6800. A Roman institution and perennial contender for the title of the city's best trattoria. Felice is located in Testaccio, one of Rome's last authentic market neighbourhoods. Try the cacio e pepe , a simple Roman pasta with olive oil, cracked black pepper and gooey pecorino cheese. Make reservations at least a day in advance.

Al Grottino Via Orvieto 4-6; 06 702 4440. A truly Roman pizzeria just beyond the historic centre that is well worth the cab ride. Al Grottino is run by Tony Vespa, a Canadian-Italian whose pizzas are a curious, though delicious, Roman-Neapolitan hybrid. Great value, buzzy atmosphere.

Gusto restaurant and pizzeria Piazza Augusto Imperatore 9; 06 32 26 273. Gusto is a rare breed in the heart of tourist Rome, near the Piazza del Popolo. It is a big, bright, sleek restaurant that offers terrific value and fast service, for those with no time to linger. The buffet is unbeatable. You don't need a reservation if you show up for lunch at a little before 1 p.m.

Eric Reguly will be in Rome with The Globe's Mediterranean Odyssey cruise this August. For more information, visit globeandmail.com/cruise.