It’s the city where romance and charm collide as you’ll have no trouble finding grand architecture, compelling art, fascinating history and great food. Rome attracts visitors from all over the world and is the third most visited city in Europe and the fourteenth worldwide. As the capital of one of the world’s most powerful ancient empires, the Eternal City is worth visit at least once, though it would take a lifetime to see all it has to offer. We think Rome ought to be on everyone’s bucket list and if you plan your days well, you will find that visiting Rome once is enough, but it’s a city that in the years to come long after you’ve been, you’ll likely want to return and do it all over again!
Day One
Arrival
Assuming you’re flying, there are two international airports in Rome, Ciampino and Fiumicino airport. Most likely you’ll be landing at Fiumicino this is the largest and main airport in Rome. Once you’ve landed, you can purchase bus tickets into the city centre of Rome quite easily, by looking out for bus ticket booths just outside the airport, otherwise save yourself time and book your tickets online and hop on the next bus available. We personally took the Fiumicino – Roma Termini service, which takes you to the main train station in Rome as our hotel was not far. The service is cheap and convenient and we highly recommend it. We paid 10.80€ one-way and bought our tickets via Booking.com at the same time as booking our hotel. We stayed at the Rome Times Hotel if you’re interested. When flying, try to ensure that you have an early morning flight as this will help you not waste a day completely and enjoy a late afternoon walking the streets and getting your bearings for the next day.
Hotel Check-in and Trevi Fountain
Once you’ve checked into your hotel and settled in your room, don’t waste too much of your day. Leave your luggage in your room and head out for a late afternoon/evening walk. A great place to see in the evening is the Trevi Fountain. The only issue is that it can be overcrowded at this time but to just simply admire the fountain and take some impressive photos make it all worthwhile. If it’s photos you’re after, you will have time in the days to come, just simply wake up early before the huge crowds all gather. The Trevi Fountain is surrounded by little souvenir shops and restaurants, so you’ll have no trouble finding somewhere to eat as well as browsing the shops and taking in the charming Italian evening atmosphere. It’s important not to burn yourself out as you have been travelling and this first day is just a case of seeing and experiencing a taster of what’s to come.
Day Two
Roman Forum and the Colosseum
Start early with a day pass to both the Roman Forum and Colosseum. Most often your hotel should be able to get you tickets, otherwise, you can either book them online or visit one of the tour excursion offices. Our hotel booked and arranged for our tickets to be collect by Touristation. Once there, we followed a group past the Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland) and into the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill where we were then left on our own to freely explore. The tour was audio based using an app on your phone and to be honest, this is more than enough and suits most people, rather than having a real person for a tour guide. We were given two hours to explore the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill which was plenty of time and once we had finished following the one-way route, we continued on to the Colosseum which was included on our ticket. If you’re interested in following the exact same tour: Touristation Colosseum Express Guided Tour
Take your time and take as many photos as you would like before you enter the Colosseum as it’s just as impressive from the outside as it is in. There ought to be a quick security check and then you’re free to walk around and be sure to use your audio tour from the app to listen to all the captivating points made. Try and picture yourself back in time looking at the same surroundings at the ancient time when the Colosseum was used to entertain the crowds of Rome!
Circo Maximo
When you think you’ve simply had enough, feel free to take more photos from the outside of the Colosseum and then stroll through the streets till you reach the Circo Maximo. Fans of Ben Hur will be mad to let this one slip. Here you’ll find a virtual reality experience that allows you to visit the Circus in all its historical phases and learn much more about the competitions that took place, together with the gladiator games. The idolised charioteers were all considered celebrities at the time. The large area of the valley floor was also suitable for events related to the political, social and religious life of the city, such as triumphal events, processions and public executions. We never had the opportunity to undertake the VR experience as it closes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I recommend that you look at the official site here to double-check on any changes if this is something you’d like to experience: Circo Maximo Experience. Either way, walking around this impressive ruin is an experience in itself.
The Pantheon
From here may want to break off for lunch and you’ll find lots of suitable places to do just that if you fancy a sit-down meal or something to take away. Head north to see the Pantheon and discover the story of one of the best-preserved examples of Roman monumental architecture. The Pantheon is free to walk inside, there will be large crowds but nothing that will disturb any photos you might want to take. Once inside if you look up, you’ll see a hole known as the oculus in the structure which for us was amusing when the weather decided to downpour, however it created a neat artistic effect when witnessing the rain pour into the monument and onto the marble floor. A clever lighting trick is played out on 21st April, the so-called founding date of Rome. At midday the sunlight hits the metal grille above the door, filling the entrance way with light. This would have illuminated the emperor in ancient times, reflecting his perceived status as a god on earth.
As your day starts to end, take a walk through the Piazza Navona, a spectacular and characteristic square that is the location of Rome’s city market, and it’s one of the most popular places to do some shopping. Be wary of crowds and of course, keep an eye on your valuables and zip up any pockets. The local police do patrol the tourist hotspots quite frequently but personal safety starts with you. Have a wonder and unless you’re planning on a meal back at your hotel, treat yourself to your potential first Italian meal in the heart of Rome!
Day Three
Castel Sant’Angelo and the Vatican
Start your third day early again by visiting the Vatican City. Entering the Basilica of St. Peter and standing in awe while you gaze upon the Sistine Chapel is certainly an all-day event. For the interest of time, the Castel Sant’Angelo, which over the years has been used as a defence fortress and dungeon to Renaissance residence and, today, a museum, can be appreciated from the outside while you carry on to the Vatican. If you feel you have the time or perhaps are in Rome for a day longer than we were, then this perhaps could be an ideal place to visit. However, missing the Vatican would be a certain disappointment and so I’d commit your day to this world-famous site that attracts millions of Christians worldwide.
We used the same company for the Forum and Colosseum and headed to the Touristation Vaticano which is a bit of a walk from the Vatican itself. Once there, we purchased the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel – Skip the line excursion and again without a tour guide as we often like to explore at our own leisure. A few important things to mention are that you must abide by the strict dress code: no shorts or sleeveless shirts are allowed and double-check the Museum hours and the closure time as this may change due to special religious events. There was also a warning when we visited regarding that around the Vatican area there are many promoters, and so do your best to ensure you have nothing to do with them.
After a quick security check, you’ll be queueing to enter the Vatican Museum and start your tour. Take your time once inside and everyone often gets hyped up for when you follow the crowd to enter the Sistine Chapel, and rightly so! Just remember that photography is strictly forbidden and I mean, strictly forbidden! Just use your eyes and study your surroundings and embrace the awe as you are inside one of the most important religious rooms in the entire world. When you’re done, you’ll have to queue again to enter the Basilica of St. Peter. This is one of the holiest temples for Christendom and one of the largest churches in the world. Besides, it is where the Pope presides many liturgies all year round. Several renowned architects designed the temple, highlighting the works of Bramante, Michelangelo and Carlo Maderno. The basilica was called St Peter’s after one of Jesus’s twelve disciples known as Saint Peter, who became one of the founders of the Catholic Church and was executed in Rome and buried where the Basilica now stands.
By the time you’re finished, you’ll no doubt want to go somewhere to get something to eat and this also will be a perfect opportunity to do some souvenir shopping. Dine and shop till your hearts content for your last night in Rome!
Day Four
Hotel Check-out and the Altare della Patria
As this the day you’ll be departing Rome, once you check out, ask your hotel if you may keep your luggage in a safe place for them to lock away while you finish exploring the city and kill time before your flight departure. More often than not, hotel staff are more than happy to accommodate as although you are finished staying with them, your guest experience and possible hotel review matter to them. Because no doubt you’ll be clock watching most of the day, keep it simple by not venturing too far from your hotel. For us, we explored the Piazza Venezia a little more, as we often walked straight through it to get to where we wanted to go on the days prior. Although we walked past the Altare della Patria numerous times, we decided to venture inside to see what it was all about. After all this structure is so impressive, you’ll be so curious that you’ll end up inside at some point during your stay in Rome. Inside you’ll see Italian military plaques and small monuments to Italy’s military personnel. On the top floor, you’ll be able to go outside where you’ll find a little cafe should you want refreshment and you’ll get a superb view of all you’ve achieved from your short stay in Rome.
If you’ve still got time then consider the Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore, where you’ll find more grand architecture worth seeing. This is an ancient Catholic basilica that is considered to be the largest of the churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Rome. It is one of the city’s four major basilicas.
Once you think you’re done and ready to stay “Arrivederci” to this beautiful city, then it’s time to get the same bus service back to the airport. This was again 10.80€ at the time and was again a very easy and efficient service. Our flight departure was 20:55 so we had lots of time during the day but of course, always try to have at least two hours to spare before your flight departure for the usual pre-flight measures.
In all, Rome really only needs less than a week and we felt that four days was a comfortable amount of time to see the main monuments and attractions. If we stayed for a week, we would have definitely been tempted to venture out on an excursion to Pompeii, but because of the short time we had, that will have to wait for another adventure!
