Fly from the UK to Rome Fiumicino and make your way to your 4-star hotel for a 3-night stay. Take an evening stroll to the Trevi Fountain to toss in a coin, guaranteeing your return to Rome, then enjoy dinner at a local trattoria. Your hotel is well placed for exploring the historic centre on foot, with many of Rome's great sights within walking distance or a short metro ride.

Step inside the Colosseum, the vast amphitheatre of ancient Rome, then walk the Via Sacra through the Roman Forum and climb the Palatine Hill for views across the ruins. In the afternoon, visit the Pantheon and finish with an aperitivo in Piazza Navona. Book Colosseum tickets in advance, as timed entry slots sell out, especially in spring and summer.

Spend the morning in the Vatican Museums, ending in the Sistine Chapel beneath Michelangelo's ceiling, then enter St Peter's Basilica. Later, cross the Tiber to the cobbled lanes of Trastevere for dinner. The Vatican Museums are closed on most Sundays, so plan your visit accordingly. Smart dress covering shoulders and knees is required in St Peter's.

Make your way to Fiumicino airport for your direct flight of around two hours to Athens, then make your way to your 5-star hotel for a 3-night stay. Spend your first evening in the Plaka district, dining at a taverna beneath the floodlit Acropolis. Plaka sits at the foot of the Acropolis, a maze of neoclassical houses, little churches and shops selling local crafts.

Climb the Acropolis early to beat the heat and crowds and stand before the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and its Caryatids. Then visit the Acropolis Museum at the foot of the hill, where a glass-walled top floor faces the Parthenon itself. In summer, visit the Acropolis first thing in the morning, when it is cooler and quieter.

Explore the Ancient Agora and the well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus, then browse the flea market of Monastiraki and watch the Evzones guard change outside the Parliament on Syntagma Square. Later, join an optional coastal excursion to the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion for sunset over the Aegean, or climb Lycabettus Hill for sunset views across the city. Cape Sounion lies around 70 km south of Athens along the coast road.

Enjoy a final Greek breakfast, then make your way to the airport for your flight home to the UK. Depending on your flight time, there may be time for a final coffee in a café on Syntagma Square or a last wander through Monastiraki before you leave.