Rome at the first hour

The complaint you will hear most about Rome is the crowds: no room to stand at the Trevi Fountain, shoulder to shoulder inside the Pantheon, a tour group in every square. There is a fix, and it costs nothing and requires no ticket — get up early.

How early

Seven in the morning. Eight is already late. At that hour the centre of Rome is close to empty: cafés opening, vans unloading, squares being swept. Same stone, same light, same fountain — but it is just you.

A route

Start at the Pantheon (even from the outside it is a different building at this hour), walk to Piazza Navona, then down to Campo de' Fiori. Twenty minutes covers all three, and all three are impassable later in the day.

Breakfast

Standing up, at a bar: espresso and a cornetto. Breakfast in Italy is not a seated ceremony; it takes two minutes at the counter and costs less that way.

One small note

When the centre fills up towards midday, change direction. Trastevere or the Aventine hill stay calm through the afternoon. Do not compete with the crowd — shift your hours instead.