Enjoy the Secret of Rome

Rome is a great place to go if you want to combine fun with culture.

It's not renowned for its nightlife, and it's not the place to go if you want to recreate the excesses of your last Ibiza soiree.

But Rome offers you a young man's lifestyle and a refined, sophisticated man's interest.

• Rome is awash with ancient architecture: you can visit the Colosseum, Roman forum, the Pantheon, Trajan's Column, Trajan's Market, the Catacombs, the Arch of Constantine, the Baths of Caracalla and many others,

• Chill in large, bustling outdoor spaces like the Trevi Fountain, the Piazza Novona, Piazza del Popolo, Spanish Steps, St Peter's Square or Rome's large peripheral parks and gardens,

• All these sites stay open as late as 10pm, so if you've been out the previous evening until the small hours, you don't need to leave your lodgings until after lunch for a full day's site-seeing,

• Rome is connected by a big, cheap, underground metro. Don't bother with car hire; you can get wherever you want quickly and cheaply without the worries relating to drinking and Italian drivers,

• There's a beach; it's a half hour train away, but it has good quality sand and there are some swanky smart cocktail bars on the seafront. Why not get away from the city bustle for a day!

• Rome is thriving at night. There are tonnes of people out at 2am and it's still really warm (you'll be in short sleeves). Warm enough, in fact, to find an all-night ice-cream vendor, of which there are loads,

• The city centre is teeming with bars; you'll be able to find one to suit every taste and mood, especially romantic,

• The coffee is unlike anything you'll have in the UK. Cappuccino was invented here, and our imitations are nothing as good as The Real Thing,

• Food and drink - fine outdoor dining in the big open spaces of the Piazzas, or go down a backstreet for an authentic Italian experience: five courses with Italian lager, house wine and lemon liquor (Limoncello) will be delicious and affordable. Italian food is very different here from your average chain in the UK,

• Experience Serie A football at A.S. Roma or S.S. Lazio at the Stadio Olympico; arguably the finest football stadium in the world. The season starts in August,

• Go to indoor and outdoor concerts and theatre: from Opera to English language films,

• Have a suit made by a fine Italian tailor, or browse masses of upmarket fashion boutiques,

• Hire an apartment in Rome and don't forget to bring some sexy lingerie sexy lingerie Instead of a hotel, hire an apartment in the city centre. They come enormous and expensive, decked in oil paintings and make for an unforgettable Italian experience. A great pad to take the random friends you acquire back to, after another late night experience.

By Paul Bowers, I write about fashion or lifestyle issues and in particular about swimwear, corsets, stockings, pyjamas, designer lingerie and womens shoes. I am especially interested in new brands or cutting edge, innovative new designers from France and Italy.