The trip left a strong return list. Come back when Rome is cooler. Build the days around food, neighborhoods, and one major sight at a time. Stay closer to Trastevere or the Jewish Ghetto, where evenings feel easier and the restaurants that mattered most are within reach.

Bottega Tredici earned favorite-restaurant status. Trastevere earned a longer stay. The Appian Way earned its place as the surprise hit. Positano, at least in peak crowd conditions, probably does not need a repeat. Florence deserves more than a day. And every future plan should remember the most practical lesson of the week: Rome rewards patience, shade, water fountains, and fewer assumptions about cabs.