Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Rome is wonderful, but it's huge and exhausting. On a first-time visit, many travelers find
that Rome is best done quickly—Italy is more charming elsewhere. But whether you're here
for a day or a week, you won't be able to see all of these sights, so don't try—you'll keep
coming back to Rome. After several dozen visits, I still have a healthy list of excuses to re-
turn.
Rome in a Day:
Some people actually try to “do” Rome in a day. Crazy as that sounds,
if all you have is a day, it's one of the most exciting days Europe has to offer. Start at 8:30
at the Colosseum. Then explore the Forum, hike over Capitoline Hill, and cap your “Caesar
Shuffle” with a visit to the Pantheon. After a quick lunch, taxi to the Vatican Museum (the
lines usually die down mid-afternoon, or you can reserve a visit online in advance). See the
VaticanMuseum,thenSt.Peter'sBasilica(openuntil19:00April-Sept).TaxibacktoCampo
de' Fiori to find dinner. Finish your day lacing together all the famous floodlit spots (follow
my self-guided Heart of Rome Walk). If you only want a day in Rome, consider side-trip-
ping from Florence, or fit it in before taking the night train to Venice (via Milan).
Rome in Two to Three Days:
On the first day, do the “Caesar Shuffle” from the Colos-
seum to the Forum, then over Capitoline Hill to the Pantheon. After a siesta, join the locals
strolling from Piazza del Popolo to the Spanish Steps (follow my self-guided “Dolce Vita
Stroll”). On the second day, see Vatican City (St. Peter's, climb the dome, tour the Vatic-
an Museum). Have dinner on the atmospheric Campo de' Fiori, and then walk to the Trevi
Fountain and Spanish Steps (following my Heart of Rome Walk). With a third day, add the
Borghese Gallery (reservations required) and the National Museum of Rome.
SprawlingRomeactually feelsmanageable onceyougettoknowit.Theoldcore,withmost
ofthetouristsights,sitsinadiamondformedbyTerminitrainstation(intheeast),theVatic-
an (west), Villa Borghese Gardens (north), and the Colosseum (south). The Tiber River runs
through the diamond from north to south. In the center of the diamond sits Piazza Venezia, a
busy square and traffic hub. It takes about an hour to walk from Termini Station to the Vat-
ican.
Think of Rome as a series of neighborhoods, huddling around major landmarks.
Ancient Rome:
In ancient times, this was home for the grandest buildings of a city of a
million people. Today, the best of the classical sights stand in a line from the Colosseum to
the Forum to the Pantheon.
