We will be arriving on Thursday October 14 - 7am. We have a car arranged for pick up at the airport to drop us (luggage) off at our hotel. We plan to head out as soon as we can - looking for recommendations for our Thursday and Friday sites. We will be staying by the Spanish Steps. We plan on getting the Roma Pass. In the books they suggest St Peters, Vatican Sistine Chapel, Pantheon Closseum and Roman Forum.. is that doable in one day? Should we have reservations prior to leaving or make them when we get there for the Vatican? Day 2 is the Villa Borghes, Museo e Galleria - which seems much "lighter" in destinations than day 1. Additionally we want to see the Chiesadi Santa Maria della Conezione -
Last question, when we were in Irleand there was a bus that toured around the city of Dublin which helped us get our berings - do they have something like this in Rome...
Thank for your help and any suggestions and or comments will be greatly appreciated.
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We plan on getting the Roma Pass. In the books they suggest St Peters, Vatican Sistine Chapel, Pantheon Closseum and Roman Forum.. is that doable in one day>

Yes but only if you reserve a Vatican time before hand and as early as they open

I'd go right between Vatican and Colosseum-Forum (they adjoin each other) and do the Pantheon some other time when you are wondering around the Spanish Steps area - Pantehon is a short walk from there and i think open late.

Yup, like every tourist mecca in Europe there is a circular hop on hop off bus circulating between major sites/sights.

To see a very different McDonalds check out the Roman version by the Spanish Steps - downhome Italian pastas and gelatos as good as the average caffe IMO - served by nattily attired wait people and at a fraction of the price in more Roman establishments.

I posted this many years ago:
"Start your day early at the Forum. Take the early English tour. Then walk over to colosseum and catch a tour at the doors.
You should finish before noon. You can then taxi to the Vatican. The lines are now short. Tour the museum using an audio tour. Finish about 3 or so.
Go to St. Peter's and catch a free (tips ok) English tour that takes about 45 minutes. Bus back to your hotel to refresh yourself.
Eat near the Piazza Navona and see Fiore and the Pantheon while you are there. IMHO this day represents the absolute musts.
Day two you have options based on your likes. LOTS of options.The Spanish steps and trevi can be seen in the evening.
I agree that it's not enough time, but I'd cram the first day in and not push it as hard the next. Just sitting at Navona and Fiori and watching people is an experience."
Seems like it fits your situation.

In the books they suggest St Peters, Vatican Sistine Chapel, Pantheon, Closseum and Roman Forum.. is that doable in one day?
Day 2 is the Villa Borghese, Museo e Galleria - which seems much "lighter" in destinations than day 1. Additionally we want to see the Chiesadi Santa Maria della Conezione -

Well yes Day 2 is so much lighter than day 1 IMO you should dwell on the Vatican and Pantheon and stroll around the Spanish Steps area - don't miss the Trevi Fountain and don't miss IMO the Piazza Navona - these to me are as must 'don't miss sights and places' as any in Rome - they are close enough to the Pantehon so spend IMO Day 1 at Vatican - as early as possible and area around Pantheon, Trevi, etc - this is anicent Rome with its characteristic cobblestones, narrow lanes, etc.

The Day 2 do Colloseum and Forum in morning and Villa Borghese later (this may be open some evenings as well).

Assuming two full sightseeing days, I'd spend:

-one day primarily at the Vatican area, seeing the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's. Note that the Sistine Chapel, wonderful as it is, is just a portion of the fine things to experience at the Vatican Museum.

-the other day primarily seeing the Forum and Colosseum. As PalenQ suggests, you can also add in something like the Galleria Borghese or another church if you want.

You almost certainly will need to get a timed entry for the Galleria Borghese. Not sure about the Vatican Museum.

The Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, and Trevi Fountain can all be experienced in the evening.

Doing the Forum, Colosseum, St. Peter's, and Vatican Museum all in one day would be an awful lot to take in. I'm thinking it would be too much, and I'm a voracious sightseer.

I'm inclined to agree with bachslunch's suggestions. Our visit to Rome lasted only three nights, so 2 full days, and there is no way we could have managed everything you are planning.

I think you can do this in two days. Yo will just have to watch your time at the various sights.

I suggest:

Thursday, October 14
Vatican Museums
Use group exit from Sistine Chapel to exit to St Peters
This may fill most of your afternoon, bu maybe not if you don't look at much in the museums.
Stroll from St Peters across the Ponte St Angelo to Piazza Navona and then the Pantheon

Friday, October 15
Morning reservation at Villa Borghese, Museo e Galleria (visits are limited to 2 hours)
Chiesa di Santa Maria della Concezione (I suspect you want to visit the Capuchin Crypt) is near here, but has odd opening hours and days with possible closing at middle of day. Put this before or after the Borghese, depending on the time of your reservation.
Colosseum and Roman Forum in the afternoon

bookmarking

We had one day in Rome at the end of a cruise earlier this month. Knowing that we'd only get the barest glimpse of Rome, we decided that we wanted to spend the bulk of our time at the Vatican and just see a few other sites from the outside. This is how we arranged our day:

Taxi from our hotel near the airport to the Colosseum; walk around the Colosseum, Constantine's Arch, and the Forum. Walk to Trajan's Column.

Taxi from Trajan's Column to Vatican Museum. We had pre-purchased timed tickets to the Vatican Museum so that we would not have to wait in line. As it turns out there was no line at all to enter the museum -- paying extra for timed tickets wasn't strictly necessary in retrospect, but it was nice insurance against waiting in a line.

We were able to get in to the museum early, got the audio tours, and took our time wandering through the various galleries before we got to the Sistine Chapel. IMO, the Gallery of Maps in the Vatican Museum was just about the most amazing part of the day! Spent a long time in the Sistine Chapel, then returned the audio guides and walked around the Vatican to the front of St. Peter's.

A lot of people on these boards talk about exiting the group doorway in order to go straight to St. Peter's. I think we could have surreptitiously exited with a group, but I don't know how we would have returned the audio guides.

Walked around Vatican city to St. Peter's Basilica and went inside. Again, we lucked out on the lines -- there was a relatively fast-moving security line, and that was all. Lingered in the sanctuary, then went down in to the crypt to see where many of the Popes are laid to rest. Again, no line (there was a pretty substantial line to go to the roof of St. Peter's).

Walked from St. Peter's to the Castel Sant'Angelo, across the Ponte Sant'Angelo, and down to Piazza Navonna where we had a great dinner at one of the cafes on the Piazza -- REALLY enjoyed sitting down with a glass of Prosecco, people-watching, and listening to the man singing opera arias just down the piazza from where we were sitting!

After dinner, walked from the Piazza Navonna to the Pantheon and then on to the Trevi Fountain, which was packed (at 10:30 at night)!

Are we satisfied that we have "seen" Rome? Nope. Did we have a great day? Absolutely!

I have been to Rome at elast a dozen times - and what you have listed for your first day will take 2 full days if yuo actually want to see anything. If you are happy walking into a site - spending 5 minutes gazing around and laving you can do all that in one day.

If you really want to see anything at St Peter's/the Vatican - Scavi tour, Treasury, St Peter's Dome, more than whizz through the Sistine Chapel (the museum is enormous) and Castel Sang Angelo it will take you a whole day.

Similarly to tour ancient Rome (Coloseum, Forum, Capitoline Museum, Pantheon et al) will also take a full day - assuming you plan on stopping for lunch.

If yuo want to really understand Rome you ned to slow down, have a gelao, sit in a cafe across from the Pantheon to have a drink and see the world go by before returning to the hotel to change for dinner.

Also, you need time to see some of the incredible fountains, explore some of the piazzas and wonderful churches.

If yu oly have two days i suggest you make the most of them by learning about rome - not just racing from spot to spot and never feeling the city.

Please do not miss Galleria Borghese. Bernini's marble sculptures are breath-taking. The villa with the surrounding park is an oasis in the middle of a beautiful, hectic city. Take a few hours on your second day to see this incredible site. It is one of favorite places to go in Rome. Don't forget to make reservations, though.