A Guide for the Art Lovers: Tour to Rome in 24 hours

One of the culture-rich and artistically rich cities on earth, Rome has treasures waiting at every turn. The Vatican Museums and hundreds of churches, to galleries and modern art collections, there's plenty for an art lover to be engaged and remembered for the rest of their lives. It's the Eternal City also incorporates its art into beautiful places to enjoy drinks or eat. The paintings of Rome and Italy are something you will remember forever, so you are never going to regret. Check out our art guide on Rome, how to take in Rome's stunning artistic heritage from dawn to dusk.

9:00am: Coffee and culture

Get your morning started with a cappuccino or pastry at Caffe Canova-Tadolini located on the elegant Via del Babuino. The restaurant and cafe was neoclassical Antonio Canova's studio until 1818, when he left his atelier in the name of Adamo Tadolini who was his favourite pupil. The building was converted into a restaurant in the year 1967 and is still home to massive busts, sculptures, and paintings throughout its various rooms. You can wander through the upstairs rooms early in the day before lunchtime, therefore you can make the most of the chance and get there early.

10:00am: Caravaggio

After breakfast, stroll up the hill to Piazza del Popolo and stop in front of the 15th-century Santa Maria del Popolo Basilica to view the masterpieces of Caravaggio, Raphael and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. In the Cerasi Chapel in the back of the church houses two works of Caravaggio, Crucifixion of St. Peter and Conversion on the Way to Damascus, with Annibale Caracci’s Assumption of the Virgin in the middle between the two. The work of Raphael's Creation of the World is an assemblage of mosaics - can be seen in the dome in the Chigi Chapel, along with Bernini's sculpture of Daniel and the Lion.

11:30: Galleria Borghese

In Piazza del Popolo you can climb the steps to get to Villa Borghese and the Pincio terrace, which has a breathtaking view of the city. Take a stroll around the lush garden as you travel towards Galleria Borghese, which is one of Rome's top art galleries. Galleria Borghese contains Bernini's best famous sculptures, which include ‘The Rape of Proserpina’, ‘Apollo and Daphne’and the statue of ‘David and his slingshot’. The Canova's ‘Portrait of Pauline Bonaparte as Venus Victrix’ is among the most famous works in the museum. It also contains numerous other paintings that are famous also from Caravaggio, Titian and Raphael. You need to book your tickets online in advance to secure a time for your visit.

1:30pm: Lunch in the park

Have lunch at Villa Borghese at Casina Valadier, which is among Rome's more sought-after locations where you can eat on the terrace outside and enjoy stunning views of Rome from the top. It was designed by the Roman urban planner and architect Giuseppe Valadier between 1816 and 1837, the structure was built within the neoclassical style, with influence from Pompeii and can be observed in the frescoes that are painted on the portico. The menu is seasonal and features a wide range of mouthwatering meals like fusilli with pesto pistacchio with eggplant, buffalo mozzarella smoked and fried calamari topped with tartar sauce and roast Octopus with almond and raspberry gazpacho.

3:30pm: 18th-century art

Return to the city, and stroll through the bustling Via del Corso to reach Galleria Doria Pamphilj, which is a further treasure trove of art masterpieces within the city. While the museum is in the middle of Rome however, it's usually quite empty, which allows you to really appreciate the work and the atmosphere of the lavish 18th-century homes belonging to the Doria Pamphili family. While the museum has a myriad of beautiful masterpieces by masters like Rubens and Titian as well as furniture and numerous tapestries, its most famous work of the museum is Gallery of Mirrors which resembles an exact replica of Versailles.

5:30pm: Contemporary galleries

While the classics of Renaissance and Baroque art are the most popular in the capital city, Rome is also home to a number of contemporary art galleries some of them located in Campo de Fiori. Make sure to visit Dorothy Circus Art Gallery, an exclusive black and red space specifically devoted exclusively to American Pop Surrealism, or Galleria Lorcan O'Neill and Montoro12 for rotating exhibits of contemporary artists from around the world.

7:30pm: Dine at The Grande Bellezza

To eat dinner, head across to Prati and dine in the gorgeous rooms decorated with frescoes of La Veranda, a restaurant located in the 15th-century Hotel Columbus. Paolo Sorrentino filmed some scenes of his Oscar-Award-winning film La Grande Bellezza, in the room and it's evident why: It has ceilings that are cross-vaulted with frescoes, lunettes and a gilded ceiling designed Pinturicchio and also lighting that is moody and large windows that lead to an internal courtyard. It's an elegant setting and an experience to eat that will be remembered even after you've left this part of the Eternal City.

9:00pm: Visit the Vatican at Night

Many people are unaware they can visit they can visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapels are awe-inspiring night time attractions on Friday nights during between April through October. Enjoy the wonder in one of the most renowned museums, without crowds and with a special atmosphere after hours. The museum has some of the most beautiful spaces to visit comprise The Gallery of the Candelabra, Gallery of the Tapestries, Gallery of the Geographical Maps, The Raphael's rooms and, of course the Sistine Chapel. Tickets must be prebooked.