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When a best friend heads to Italy for a month to research a travel guide the only logical thing to do is follow her. Not for the whole time, of course, but for a few choice days, along with a friend she enjoys, too. http://romewithkids.com/

That’s how I found myself, quiet happily, in Rome earlier this month.

Our home in Rome was the Albergo del Senato, a three-star hotel in Piazza della Rotonda, with an eye-popping view of the Pantheon. It’s a perfect hotel: rooms and bathrooms are fashionably outfitted and very clean. Charming front desk personnel steered us to fabulous restaurants. Included: a delicious and filling breakfast. www.albergodelsenato.it/

We checked in and headed out. I’d never been to Rome; our friend Deborah led the way, map in hand. In no particular order over the next few days we visited the Basilica di Santa Maria sopra Minerva and the Bernini elephant outside of it, Caravaggio’s St. Matthew cycle in the French cathedral San Luigi dei Francesi, the layered Basilica of San Clemente, which dates to the 2nd century, the extraordinary Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Cathedral and Michelangelo’s Pieta, which brought me to my knees, even thought it is behind glass and I was buffeted by tourists snap snap snapping photos instead of looking.

Also the Pantheon, about which no blog post could cover: it is one of civilization’s great buildings and after 2,000 years remains the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.

Most of a day was spent at the ancient Forum and its Palatine Hill. Worth it. (Go for the small-group guided tour offered at the Forum ticket office.) Along the way, we hiked the steps to Basilica di Santa Maria in Ara coeli al Campidoglio, first a temple devoted to Juno.

We were shut out of the Galleria Borghese; no amount of asking around/bribery could get us in to the famous sculpture hall. Be advised: tickets for timed entry sell out  one month in advance.

A pleasant surprise: the Museo Frati Cappucini e Cripta Ossario (known as “the bone church”) was uncrowded and offered relics from the Franciscan order, including — Deb and I loved this — a handheld confession counter.

We stopped often for caffe latte, made from wood-roasted beans, at San Eustachio.

We ate well. (Don’t laugh: Rome is overrun with tourists. It pays to ask, study menus and declare yourself a foodie.) My favorite: Il Falchetto, recommended by hotel staff. In season, stuffed zucchini flowers, deep fried. Braised artichokes. Also cacio e pepe (our waiter tried to talk us out of it: “too simple!”) We loved the casual Ristorante La Sagrestia for its thin, crisp pizza. Another standout: Ristorante Sapore di Mare, where we dined in a quiet outdoor alley on cold seafood salad, creamy risotto, and grilled fish. (Again, arranged by our concierge.)

Grazie Mille, J.M., for arranging our stay at Albergo del Senato, which set us up for perfect days and nights in Rome.