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Sometimes you just don’t have more than one day to enjoy a location, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get the best bang for your buck in 24 hours! Rome is one of those magical cities that you just can’t miss. To get the most out of your time there, follow this simple itinerary.
Start your day early with a Vatican tour. We opted to use Viator to schedule an “Early Morning Vatican Truly Small Group Tour.” This three and a half hour tour was perfect and is a max of six people! We started at 7:30 a.m. and beat both the heat and the crowds. Our knowledgeable guide moved with a purpose and was able to answer all of our questions. The best part was the lack of crowds. Instead of getting pushed around, we were able to enjoy looking at everything in the museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Even if you aren’t religious, the artwork collection here is truly outstanding and well worth a look.
After a tour that long, you are likely to be famished. The weather is probably hot and a cold drink is a must at this point. Pizza Zizza is just a 5 minute walk from St. Peter’s Basilica and a fabulous place to grab a quick bite to eat. The waiter recited the menu for us — the options were so few! However, that doesn’t mean this place doesn’t pack a punch when it comes to flavor. Their dough is made using different types of flour and then they add phenomenal toppings to create the most delicious piece of pizza. We opted for a sample platter of pizzas and were not disappointed.
The sample platter for one person had 6 slices, and everything was just so good! If you like fruity and carbonated drinks, try a Hugo spritz. It’s made with elderflower, lime and mint and is oh so refreshing! If that’s not your style, beer and other non-alcoholic drinks are also available.
Once you’ve had your fill, get ready to explore a little. Plan on either walking, getting a Roma Pass for public transportation or using Uber (yes, they have it in Rome). Head to the Pantheon, a former Roman temple turned into a church. In front of the Pantheon you’ll find the Fountain of the Pantheon, a marble structure designed by Leonard Sormani. Marvel at the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome and then carry on.
Next up is Trevi Fountain, a quick 7 minute walk from the Pantheon. This Baroque fountain is the largest in Rome and one of the most famous in the world. Grab a coin and toss it with your right hand over your left shoulder into the fountain to ensure you’ll return to Rome someday! If you really believe and want to gamble away some more money, two coins will lead to a new romance and a third coin is said to lead to marriage!
By now you’ve been exploring for a while and a break is on the horizon. Grab some gelato at one of the many locations. Be sure you establish the price before you order so you aren’t surprised by a cone that costs 12 euros! There are often 20-plus flavors to choose from and each cup/cone normally comes with two flavors. How many flavors can you try before leaving the city?
After refueling, get ready to shop. From the Piazza di Spagna (at the bottom of the Spanish Steps), you can wander down Via Condotti, Via Borgognona and Via Frattina. Here you’ll find a crazy mix of high end stores and local tourist souvenir shops.
As the day winds down, get ready for one of the most fabulous dinners of your life! Since 1876, Tonnarello has been delighting customer’s taste buds with homemade dishes made from the finest ingredients. Their friendly wait staff speak perfect English and are happy to help you with the menu. We just had to try a bit of everything and opted for calamari, suppli, meatballs in tomato sauce, carbonara and beef entrecote with rucola, parmesan and tomatoes. Each dish was better than the last! Don’t forget to order dessert, even though you’ve just stuffed yourself. The tiramisu is to die for! You can’t make reservations here, so be prepared to either show up right when they open or stand in a massive line. Luckily, there are two floors inside the restaurant and outside seating, so they can hold quite a few people at once.
Get ready to end your day in Rome with a bang, because obviously you can’t leave without seeing the colosseum! We really wanted to go on the underground tour and opted to book another Viator option, “Colosseum by Night with Underground Access, Arena Floor & Roman Forum Tour.” This tour is once again perfect because you avoid baking in the sun and there are hardly any people there. We started our tour learning about the Roman Forum and then walking toward the colosseum. Once inside, you’ll walk around on the second floor, have access to the arena floor, and even get to go to the underground chambers where wild animals were once caged. You get to enjoy the colosseum all lit up and see visuals of what the colosseum used to look like before it was ruthlessly pillaged.
Be sure to wear comfortable shoes because you will certainly need them! After you’ve toured everything, stop again for gelato because, “when in Rome!” Now you can finally relax. You just saw Rome in a day!
