Here is my challenge: One day in Rome
 

If you only had one day in Rome, on your own, had never been to Italy and know you would come back with your family someday, what would you do and where would you eat.

I will be flying through on my way to Turkey and can arrange for two nights (two dinners; one full day) in Rome. I will likely use Starwood points so am looking at Westin Excelsior or St. Regis (I've read the locations are not the most central but using points makes this possible).

I am an active traveller. I love art, food, architecture and enjoy history. I am happy wandering around or following guidebook walking tours. I have little experience with private or group tours though am open to it. While shopping is usually high on my list it is not a priority for this trip (and I am trying to travel light but this is my great challenge). Willing to spend lots for great dining experiences.

Thank you for your suggestions.

I'd start very early in the morning and take one of those hop on hop off buses. You can cover a lot of ground on one of those and they stop at most of the majot sights.

I would get Rick Steve's "Rome" guidebook, and check out his Italy DVD at your library to plan your time most efficently. I would get up early and do the sites at the Vatican, then go directly to tour the Colosseum and Forum. I would then do his walking tour connecting all the sights that interest you, stopping frequently for gelato breaks. Have fun!

What day of the week? I would forget the Starwood points and stay as central as possible.

Pick a route/day itinerary from the Rome's tourist office .
http://www.romaturismo.it/v2/romain4...in48ore_1.html

I suggest you stay in the Centro Storico (historial center). Start : walking about to get to know Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Via Del Governo Vecchio; cross Corso Emanuele to Campo de' Fiori, Piazza Farnese, and down Via Giulia. Towards the end, cross over and stroll down Via dei Coronari. Walk acros and down Campo Marzio to Via dei Condotti and there view the amazing fashion designs on display. From there, visit the Altar of Peace, stunning; walk to Piazza del Popolo.
Where to eat: Piazza del Popolo, Canova [Fellini's hangout, in which there's a memorial to him]; Via dei Condotti and Altar of Peace,Settimo all'Arancio; off Piazza Navona, Virginiae and Da Francesco. Via del Governo Vecchio, Ciccio Bomba. Espresso, behind the Pantheon at San Eustachio.
Evening cocktails, rooftop of the Raphael Hotel and Ingliterra Hotel lounge.
You should get a guidebook; I suggest Access Rome, which allows you to walk down a street with an explanation of what you are looking at.
Judge for yourself: view the Rome Channel on www.WebVisionItaly.com that has shows showing many of the above restaurants and more.
Book list on Rome, view www.RomeTravel.BlogSpot.com

Buon viaggio

I would just walk around and enjoy the "sights & sounds" without going into any of the major sites that usually have long lines, like the Vatican & St Peters (other churches didn't have long lines when we were there). The "on & off" bus seems like a good idea. Survey the land for your later return. Roman Ruins & Colosseum don't require too much "idle" time.

Stu Dudley

I would use the Starwood points and rely on taxi cabs or book a private car. Make sure one or two car tours of the city (early morning and sundown) are included.

I would contact Context Rome (http://www.contexttravel.com/home/) and hire them to design the perfect one-day itinerary. One that includes: Elizabeth Lev at the Vatican/Borghese Museum, Tom Rankin for architecture, and leave room to have dinner with NY Times columnist and foodie extraordinaire, Maureen Fant. Let Maureen pick the restaurant based on your favorite palate quenchers. With only one day in Rome, I would experience it in grand style and live life like a Caesar.

Hi POlson,

I agree with Stu, I would just walk and enjoy! I was NOT impressed with the hop on /off bus. They can't go to many of the sites because buses don't fit on those tiny streets. Also, the quality of the taped narrative was very poor. Most of the plugs didn't work and the ones that did could barely be understood they were such poor quality.

Rome is VERY walkable and it's fun to make discoveries along the way. Every corner you turn brings a fabulous historical or architectural surprise!

With a good guidebook, start at the Coliseum and Palentine Hill, Forum. Head toward the Vittorio Emmanuelle Monument and then towards the Piazza Navona, Pantheon and Santa Maria Sopra Minerva - never crowded and a Michelangelo to see. Then you could head towards either the Castello Sant'Angelo and the Vatican, or the opposite direction to the Spanish Steps and Villa Borghese.

The fountains and major sites are beautifully lit at night.

Buon viaggio!

The challenge is not what to include, but what to exclude.

You say you love art, so a good morning stop would be the Borghese Gallery. Reserve ahead online, you're admitted for a two hour window.

After lunch, visit the Forum, Palatine Hill and Colosseum. Buy your ticket for the latter when you enter the Palatine.

Later in the afternoon stroll to the Pantheon and over to the Piazza Navona. Venture into the small streets in the area.

If you have time on your first night, take Georgina Masson's advice and climb the Capital for a floodlit view over the Forum.

Sounds like you're looking for more sophisticated food than I usually pursue in Italy, so I'll let someone else guide you there.

Thank you all. You have quickly given me alot to think about.

To answer a few questions, I will be there late April on a Wednesday. I love the early morning so I should be able to get a quick start to my day. I like the idea of starting out at the Borghese Gallery.

I have Frommers 24 Great Walks in Rome and will pick up Access Rome, and probably a Fodor's too for general information. Rick Steve's hasn't always suited my needs but if it is really good for Rome, I will pick it up too.

I like to have a very detailed plan/itinerary (with reserved meals) but with enough flexibility to allow me to wander off plan if something catches my interest along the way (though I almost always make it to my scheduled restaurants). I will try not to squeeze in too much, maybe a museum, a couple of ruins/historical sights and alot of wandering but with really good food along the way!

Thank you again!

If you're going to go back with your family, they will probably want to do the big things like Colosseum, Forum and Vatican, so save those for that trip.

After dinner the first night, take a stroll to the Trevi Fountain, then over past the Pantheon to the Piazza Navona, where you can enjoy a drink and/or dessert while watching the people, artists and performers. My favorite way to end the day, and all of these are nice to see at night with the lights.

For the next day, do start out with the Galleria Borghese. Then pick a few things from all those tour guides you're going to get. Pick those that seem most interesting to you, or one of the walking tours you mentioned.

I personally wouldn't worry about reserving a restaurant for lunch. You don't want to have to leave somewhere you're enjoying to rush over to that restaurant. You don't really know where you'll be when you want to eat. I have had mostly good luck picking someplace nearby when I'm ready to eat lunch.

I would not want to spend a one day trip to Rome without walking through the forum and seeing the colosseum, although I don't think I would spend the time to go inside the colosseum. Even if you will be coming back with your family, you can never see those sights too many times. And you could be the tour guide for the family next time.

If you do the hop on hop off make sure you know where it's going ,they don't all do the same route,i learned that while in Rome in Oct.i had always taken them when i have a short time and really didn't pay attention this time.Big mistake ended up walking to the sights i wanted ,Just went back to my room for gps and the walk wa not that bad and i saw everything o wanted to.

View "One Perfect Day in Rome" on the Rome Channel of www.WebVisionItaly.com -- see yourself in Rome!

Visit the Colosseum and the Forum. English language tours with Italian docents are available; audiophones for self-guided tours are available at most tourist sites.

Go back to the Colosseo Metro stop and take Line B (Blue) Northbound (Rebibbia) two stops back to Termini. When you transfer at Termini you go from one line to the other and don’t pay another fare. Change trains to Line A (Red) Northbound (Battistini) six stops to the Ottaviano/San Pietro stop. Exit station and walk south on Via Ottaviano, through Piazza del Risorgamente to Piazza San Pietro (St. Peter’s Square)

Visit St. Peter’s Square (San Pietro) and St. Peter’s Cathedral. The Pieta is located in the Cathedral as well as many other outstanding pieces- there is no charge for St. Peter’s, but you do have to go through a security check. Note: Perhaps the best gelato in Rome can be found at Old Bridge Gelateria, which is across the street from where people line up to get into the Vatican Museum. The Nutella gelato is Carolyn’s favorite!). The Vatican Museum houses the Sistine Chapel, which is magnificent. It will take probably at least 2-3 hours to make this visit due to the lines, so you may want to keep that in mind while deciding whether or not you want to include it in your itinerary.

Walk southeast on Via della Conciliazione (a major avenue) to the Tiber River. Cross the Tiber River on one of the bridges. We recommend the Ponte Sant Angelo or “Bridge of Angels,” which has several Bernini statues of angels on it, which crosses the Tiber at the Castel Sant Angelo. Continue on Corso Vittorio Emanuele (another major avenue). Take a left (north) on Corso Rinascimento to Piazza Navona. Many fountains, artists and other artisan booths are found in this piazza, which is one of the best known in Rome.

From Piazza Navona walk east to the Pantheon. This was originally a temple to all the Roman gods, which was later taken over by the Christians. Its dome with its open oculus is famous. Raphael is buried here.

From the Pantheon, walk east (crossing a major avenue – Via del Corso) to Trevi Fountain. Trevi Fountain is the most famous fountain in Rome. If you throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain you will return to Rome some day, according to local lore.

From Trevi Fountain, walk north to the Spanish Steps (Spagna)

We have been to Rome several times (going again in March!) but on our first trip we had 24 hours. We arrived by train at 7 am, dropped our luggage at our hotel and headed straight to the Borghese Gallery where we had a 9am reservation. (If I could only visit one place in Rome it would be the Borghese. It always brings tears to my eyes.)

After the Borghese we walked to the Spanish Steps and then straight to Piazza Navona for lunch. After lunch we took a cab to the Vatican Museum and St. Peters. Finding no line we walked right in. That was several years ago. I don't know if it is the same now.

We then visited the Trevi Fountain and had dinner at Piazza Navona. After our whirlwind visit, we knew we would come back someday.

Two years ago we celebrated by 60th birthday at a wonderful restaurant....Pierluigi. Roberto and Lorenzo made us feel like family and the food was excellent. They even took us to the kitchen to meet the chef. We love Pierluigi.

No matter what you do, you will have a fabulous time and you will return to Rome. Happy travels!

If i had only two days in Rome i would skip all the museums and i would just enjoy the atmosphere as other posters have suggested!
It's wonderful city to just walk around in the tiny streets..
For me some of the must see's are
Piazza Navona, Spanish steps, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, the Patheon and St Peters Cathedral (don't go inside and to the museum because unfortunately you'll loose half the day).
Also stay IN the centro storico and leave your hotel points for another trip!
Have fun! Rome is wonderful!

One day in Rome for me would have to include walking around the Colosseum, the Forum and Palatine Hill. After a long (?) flight I'd want to out in the open air. I'm not particularly fussy where I eat but it would be Italian!

If you want to visit the Borghese then book tickets in advance and remember to turn up at the required time to collect your tickets.

As you're on your way to Turkey do you plan on visiting some of the spectacular amphitheatres there? Do see the Colosseum first.
I've been to Side and Aspendos amphitheatres and they're stunning.

You guys have been great. Such wonderful suggestions! Thank you, happy holidays and happy travels in 2009.

From someone who flys to Rome quite a bit for work, the Borghese gallery would be on another trip to Rome. I agree that the Forum and other parts of ancient Rome are a must for the first day which should also include several stops for gelato and wine!!!Rome is one of those cities which is like an artichoke-you keep peeling back more and more of it to find more interesting and wonderful things. Enjoy!