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| Saint Peter's | Roman Forum |
| Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums |
Palatine Hill |
| Capitoline Hill | Castel S. Angelo |
| Colosseum | Spanish Steps (& Piazza di Spagna) |
| Pantheon | Trevi Fountain |
ome was neither built in a day, nor can it be
enjoyed in one. For many, even a month-long visit results in leaving Rome with an extended
sightseeing agenda for the next visit. More, clearly, than any other city in the world.
Despite believing three days is an irreducible minimum for seeing the city's most important spots, we have put together a suggestion for a one day itinerary for those on supersonic schedules.
There are so many 'top' sights, though, that they really can't be covered in a day or two. Our five half-day itineraries provide a survey of most of the major sights.
You can skim the most important spots quickly, and enjoyably. But to get the most from your visit, however long, you'll need to set priorities and do a little tour planning.
More
than three days in Rome? |
Attraction opening hours are a bit arcane in Rome though much improved in the last year or two. We've developed a list of the more important.
ou don't need to spend money on a guide. Touring the city on your own is not only feasible, it's
more fun.
If you feel an Internet-based map may be helpful, ATAC's address finder and mapping site is the most useful we've found. If you'd like pictures of what you will be visiting, then you may want to stop by 1000 Images of Rome.
ou'll find one or more of the following sections
helpful whether you've time for just a day or two or want to explore Rome more fully at
leisure:
Suggested Itineraries Less Well-known Sites Beyond the Basics Excursions Beyond the City's Walls Retreats from Big-city Hustle and Bustle
hich are the top? Depends on your
interests. For Ed the Roman Forum and Palatine would top the list.
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Courtesy of and © Romanhomes |
For Julie either or both Saint Peter's and the Vatican Museums would be at the top. Whatever your leanings, these are the most important. If you see nothing else in Rome, see these.
A Book Recommendation  |
ortunately, Rome is compact enough to skim the
top dozen in three full days. The following five excursions will at least give you a
cursory introduction to our favorite city. And most of you will, by the end, have 'the
bug' and begin planning for your return visit.
Though you can 'do the sights' relatively quickly, Rome has over 2,000 years of layers, like an inscrutable onion. The city is complex in architecture and history. You'll enjoy and learn far more if you invest in some basic study before your visit. Georgina Masson's book is particularly excellent.
You'll want to have a reference book in hand for your visits to relatively complex and rich sights as the Vatican Museums (though you should rent a CD tour as well), St. Peter's and the Roman Forum and Palatine. Easier to carry, we find the Michelin Green Guide Rome quite adequate after some pre-trip study as well as most easily carried.
The Blue Guide Rome (Blue Guides) has the most thorough information about all sights, though so rich in detail a bit hard to read on the spot. Eyewitness Travel Guide: Rome has become quite popular with excellent information and pictures of the sights, though we find it inconvenient to carry and more a coffee table book for armchair travelers. You'll find as well several others in our recommended reading list.
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Some are long half-days, some short. They're not meant to be the five tours to take. After two dozen trips to Rome, they're the first five we'd take if we went again for the first time.
Have only one day in Rome? If you're energetic you can squeeze in the Vatican excursion in the morning and take an afternoon stroll through the sights of Ancient Rome. Be sure and add the Pantheon to the afternoon route. That about covers the basics ... but what if you want to go beyond that!? Julie and I hope you do. We'll introduce you to more interesting sights, some less well-known but quite worthwhile, as well a retreat or two, a place to get away from the city's hustle. And don't forget our notes on daytrips. Once you digest all that, you'll find
that, truly, to enjoy Rome, Ranking
the Top Attractions | Suggested Itineraries Complete Index of Articles on Rome/Italy Our Favorites Trip Tips and Tools Copyright © 1996-2001 E.J.
Gehrlein Traveling
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f Rome is an ice cream sundae, the first three
tours are the ice cream, syrup and whipped cream. Each enjoyable, but you've not got a
Sundae without all three. The fourth and fifth are the chopped nuts and cherry -- nice to
have but not vital. 