Dear Reader,
Rome is a great city to visit for a week to explore, or even just for one day. If you have a layover or are coming with a cruise you may only have this little time. Here is how to see the most of this amazing city in a short period of time.
Basic Information
Rome is the capital of Italy and one of the biggest cities. There are many sights to see and things to do. The location makes it great in terms of weather. It can become very hot in the summer, but in the winter it rarely snows although it does rain a lot.
You can easily reach Rome by plain, train, or bus. They have good connections all over Europe and the world. Rome has two airports and there are buses and trains running to and from each one to Termini continuously throughout the day. For the bus, you pay between 7 and 15€ return. The train costs around 30€. This choice depends on how much time you have. If you take the bus you will be affected by traffic, which can be strong and problematic in Rome.
Once you are in Rome getting around the city is simple. They have a well working Metro system and the buses and trams also run all over the city. You can buy a ticket for 1.50€ at any station or newspaper stand. You can also get day or two day tickets for around 12€.
Since you only have 24 hours, we have to decide between visiting the Center with many of the sights or the Vatican. You do not have time for both. In this post, we will focus on the center and assume you are starting around Termini.
Morning - Walking around the center
If you are coming from Termini, the fastest thing is to take the Metro to "Colloseo". If you would like to visit the Colosseum, this would be the time to do it. I did not get the chance to do so, therefore I cannot tell you how long it is going to take. If you decide to do this, make sure you get tickets in advance since the line is normally very long and you will loose a lot of time waiting.
From the Colosseum you can walk through the archeological sights which can be interesting and show just how old this city really is. This way will take you directly to Piazza Venezia which its gorgeous structure called "Altar of the Fatherland".
If you keep walking across the piazza and through the shops, you will find signs on how to reach the Trevi Fountain. Expect a lot of people here and it will be hard to get the picture you are probably dreaming of. Also I was surprised to see that the Trevi Fountain was actually in a small square squished between building.
At this point I suggest you eat lunch in one of the restaurants around the fountain or on the way to your next destination. I managed to get a plate of pasta, a salad, and a bottle of water for 12€. Expect to pay a lot of money for food, since Rome can be quite expensive. Take advantage of small stores you can find that sell dishes, such as pizza. They may not have chairs, but the food is normally delicious.
Afternoon - Continuing you walk
Once you have finished lunch, you can continue on walking towards the Spanish Steps. This is another one of the famous sights in Rome you just have to have seen. If you finish lunch a little earlier than most, you might get to see it somewhat empty. To really have seen the steps you should walk up and down.
Once you have takes all the pictures you want, do some shopping around here. This is especially great if you are looking for luxury brands. but they also have some smaller local stores. One of the ones you should definitely check out is the Nashi store. They sell hair products made with Argon oil, which are amazing and some of my favourite products to use. You can only get them in a few locations in Italy, so take advantage of it and see if you like any of their products.
Once you have done all the shopping you can or want to, you can head back to the hotel and take a little rest. You will need this to be able to go through the rest of the evening. You will also be tired at this point because of all the walking.
Evening - Trestevere
Trestevere is one of the cutest parts of Rome. This is a great place to come in the evening because there is life. I suggest you come around 5 or 6 pm and walk around a little to explore the region. With it's small streets and new things to discover at every corner, you will enjoy it for sure.
If you need a break, stop for an apero at one of the many bars in this neighbourhood. You will find many cute ones and always full of people. If they do not have seats, you might also be able to take your drink to go.
You will also see many restaurants. Stop at one of these, if you are getting hungry. You will be able to find anything from low-end to expensive, from local food to exotic options. It is a great place to spend some time with friends and enjoy the time catching up.
If you still have energy, you can move on later to one of the other bars or clubs to finish your evening off in style. Finding something that will suit you in this part of town will not be hard.
That is my itinerary for one day in Rome to enjoy it and see the most. I did this and managed to do it in one day. If you are coming by cruise, check here for how to get from Civitavecchia to Rome. Hopefully, these tips will help you plan your trip to Rome and get the most out of it.
If you are looking for more destinations in Italy, check out this great itinerary by Meghan.
As always, if you have any other tips or stories about Rome, please share them in the comments below or on social media.
Kisses,
Juli
It sounds like you had a fantastic day, even if you didn’t get to see all the main sights. Did this make you keen to return and explore more!?
It was a great day and we saw most of the things we wanted to. One day I will see the Vatican, but everything I’m not super interested in.
You are right! Rome is a beautiful and is a great destination for one, a week, a month, or even more. You can never get bored of Rome. There is just so much to do here. And even if there isn’t, just sitting and watching people pass by is my favorite pastime here. This is a great one-day itinerary. And has given me the itch to get back to Rome as soon as possible.
You’re right. There is a ton to do in Rome, but I think this covers many of the main things. I love people watching in almost any city I visit. Normally it is one of the activities I try to fit in.
Great post! I’m overdue a trip to Rome actually! The Spanish Steps was definitely one of my fav spots when I last went – great with a gelato xx
The Spanish Steps were definitely one of my favorite monuments although unfortunately I didn’t manage to get a good picture of them. Hope you have the chance to go soon.
It looks like you had a lovely day! Of course you cannot do Rome in a day but you seem to had a lovely time there.
Thank you so much for sharing this. It is certain that you cannot see Rome for a day but for sure it looks like you had a great time. Do you think that buying city card is worth it for 3 days?
Hi,
Unfortunately, I was never there long enough to see, but if you are planning to visit all the famous sights and go inside, I think so from what is included (I do not know the price though). Otherwise you might spend a lot of time waiting in line for tickets and in line to get in.
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Thank you. I designed it myself. It is not that hard.