Via XX Settembre is one of Rome’s most important streets. It links the ancient Roman northeast bound road Via Nomentana to the central Via del Quirinale. The Palazzo del Quirinale is the official residence of the president of the Republic of Italy. Originally constructed in 1574, the palace was continuously modified until well into the 18th century. It was the Pope’s summer residence until the reunification of Italy in 1870, when Rome was released from the government of the Catholic Church. The building was then occupied by the kings of Italy until the second world war.

The immediate surroundings of Leon’s Place also constitute the commercial heartbeat of Rome, with Via Nazionale running parallel and several indoor shopping areas. Termini Station, which also includes probably the city’s most modern mall, is a leisurely stroll away - past the characteristic Piazza della Repubblica with its instantly recognisable central fountain.

In the other direction is Piazza di Spagna and the heart of Renaissance and Baroque Rome. In this area of the city exquisite designer boutiques jostle for space among crumbling ruins and sun-soaked marble covered churches, while locals and tourists alike while away the hours in the cobbled streets and the famous Spanish Steps.

For pilgrims to the Holy See, the Vatican City, fronted by the immaculate sight of St Peter’s Basilica, is five stops away on the metro Line A. Together with the Sistine Chapel, painted by the master Michelangelo himself, and the Vatican Museum, the largest museum in the world, the Vatican City is one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions and can take anything upwards of a day to see.