barbara

Where would you go, what would you see, where would you eat, where would you stay -- no restrictions

barbara

Is the dearth of replies due to the fact that this question has been asked and answered, is vague and ambiguous, or is it simply uninteresting. I would welcome one's thoughts, as we would like to maximize what is boiling down to only one day/night stayover

Paige

You could easily spend most of a day at the Vatican in the museum and St. Peter's. Spend the rest of the day walking all over. Don't miss the Colosseum and eat at least one exceptional meal. If you really only have one day and you've never been before, it would be a shame to spend it all inside museums and dashing from sight to sight. However, there are SOOO many cool sights there, you're definitely going to feel cheated.

Rex

If I only had one day in Rome, I would think critically about how and why the itinerary was put together the day before and the day after. Where are you coming from? a transatlantic flight? or traveling by car/train from some other nearby destination, passing through to a point on "the other side" of Rome? <BR> <BR>There could be many legitimate itineraries that leave you with just "one day" in Rome. But the answer depends quite literally on what hour are you arriving, what hour departing, from where, going on to where - - and perhaps most important of all - - why the time squeeze? <BR>

barbara

Rex, we will have spent the previous two weeks touring the countryside of Italy -- Lake Maggiore, Cinque Terre, Elba (requisite beach vacation) and Tuscany -- and flying out of Rome. My fellow travelers already have been to the "must sees" in the cities, and I must admit I do enjoy the countryside more than big cities, so the itinerary was definitely intended to stay away from the cities. However, with one day and night in Rome I thought I would try to see what others' would not miss, if they had only one day in which to do it.

Gina

You could do one of two things, if you've never been to Rome before and you truly have the full day--either spend the day at the Vatican, St. Peter's and the Vatican Museums (try to schedule a Scavi tour if you can, but that may be pushing it--but it was definitely the highlight of my Rome visit), or do the major "ancient Rome" sights--the Forum, the Colosseum, perhaps the Capitoline Museums and/or Trajan's Forum (on the opposite side of via dei Fori Imperiali from the main Forum, and a lot of people miss it). <BR> <BR>Another option: if you saw the Forum and the Colosseum in the morning, you might be able to make a 2 pm appointment (assuming you can get one--you have to call) at the Borghese Galleries, which absolutely knocked me over. They have a stunning Bernini collection, among other things, and only reopened last year after 13 years of restoration. Fabulous. <BR>

barbara

Gina, thanks so much for the info. I actually have just finished "helping" my 11 year old daughter on a project on ancient Rome involving Trajan! what a nice way to tie that together.

pam

Barbara, <BR>One day in Rome: early in the morning, start at the Piazza Campidoglio, climbing the famous steps to the Piazza. Appreciate Michelangelos' architecture of the space. Go around the left side of the Palazzo Senatorio (the building facing you as you top the stairs), and see Romulus and Remus being suckled by the she-wolf. Look over the Forum and on to the Colosseum and ponder the history of what lies before you. Before leaving the Campidoglio, visit Santa Maria in Aracoeli church. Then you can wind down to the right of the Palazzo Senatorio to get to the Forum and Colosseum if you wish. Beyond the Colosseum, I would suggest going to the church of San Clemente (south of the Colosseum), and visiting the excavations beneath the 11th or 12th century church (which as it is is about 15 feet below street level, if I remember correctly), down into the 4th-c. church and further into ancient Roman houses and a Mithraic temple. From there, head NE to San Pietro in Vincoli, and see Michelangelo's _Moses_, which some think is a greater work than his Pieta in St Peters. Head over to the Trevi Fountain, up via Sistina to the top of the Spanish Steps, enjoy the view, descend the steps, stroll down the via Condotti, head for Piazza Navona, sit a spell, possibly head to Isola Tiberina, cross the old bridge and go to the Campo dei Fiori to people watch, then around the corner to La Pollarola in Piazza Biscione for dinner. I am much more into architecture than other kinds of art, so I wouldn't spend one day in a museum. Rome's churches offer ample art-viewing possibilities.

pam

Oh, geesh, I can't believe I left out the Pantheon--my favorite place in Rome. Insert between Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. <BR>

poop

you suck

Deborah

One day in Rome is simply NOT enough!! How can one go to Rome without taking a walk to The Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain, sitting by the steps or the fountain for at least an hour and taking in all the people and things going on around you ? How can you go to Rome without SEEING The Vatican (it's amazing )?? The Colliseum (it's amazing)?? These things alone will take you at least 3 days and 2 nights.....And it really would be a shame to miss any of them !!! If you are in Rome only for one day you are cheating yourself out of one of the most interesting cities on the planet, and let's not forget about the GELATO!!!

Doug Weller

Pam's suggestions, or maybe try a walking tour? <BR>We're using http://www.enjoyrome.com/main.html <BR>next week-- The Ancient and Old Rome one, as a sort of intro to the city.

Dottie

Barbara, if you pick at least 5 sights to visit you should be able to capture the essense of Rome. Just make sure you do visit the magnificent Trevi fountain! Toss your coins in, and you'll be back in Rome again next year!!!

Brenda

Barbara: <BR> <BR>One day? However you structure it, the two MUST SEE's in Rome are: <BR> -- St. Peter's Basilica <BR> -- Colosseum <BR> <BR>To best make use of time, you should consider a morning or an afternoon guided tour that incorporates one of these sites as its' centerpiece. <BR>If you opt for a tour of the "ancients" (Coloseo, Forum, etc) then you can easily go to visit St. Peter's on your own. Having time for only a 1 day visit to Rome, you should save the Vatican Museum for another trip --- can't really "dash" thru the Vatican Museum. But you can easily take an hour or two & go thru St. Peter's, see Michelangelo's Pieta, even get up to the cupola and the wonderful panoramic view of the city from atop the Basilica (that really depends on time of day & year --- sometimes the line to get up there can be busy).

silly

Well if I had one day in Rome, I would head to Piazza Navona and try to make contact with one of the many gorgeous Italian men milling about. After hooking up with one or two I would have him/them show me the sites. We would then go to a locals place for dinner and mucho wine. Later if he was extremely lucky, I would let him have his way with me. Hopefully after all the sightseeing, I would become pregnant and he would marry me and I could stay in Italy forever! All part of the master plan! Just a thought!