My wife and I are going to Italy for the first time for a full month. We spend our first five days in Rome, arriving at 8:30 after a 22 hour trip from the West Coast. I always like to stay up the first day until bed time to try and get the jet lag behind me as soon as possible.
I've found from similar trips to London and Paris that it is beneficial to spend the arrival day afternoon doing a bus tour overview of the city, as it gives you the big picture while you are sitting down.
Can anyone recommend any specific tours for this purpose? If so, where can I find out about them?

Interesting differences among people.
When I arrive tired, I prefer a walking tour to keep myself moving, sitting on a comfy bus or boat is sure to put me to sleep.
Anyway, here's some tour bus info

you can look at www.enjoyrome.com

also, I haven't done this, but I have this info
<for general orientation and a glance at the main sights, is the ATAC-run #110 bus tour which in summer leaves Termini Station at 10.30am, 2pm, 3pm, 5pm, 6pm for a three-hour jaunt, with
twenty-minute stops at the Vatican, in Via dei Fori Imperiali and in Piazza Venezia. The air-conditioned grey coach, with pictures of Rome?s monuments on the sides, stands out against the ocean of orange buses. >

Stops include Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo, Vatican,Castel S. Angelo, Piazza Navona, Piazza Venezia/Campidoglio, Colosseum/Foro Romano/Palatino, Quirinale, and back to Termini Station.

well, you can go to expedia to get a bus tour. I'd suggest an open-top bus tour. Otherwise, you can go to your hotel and they'll give you some information. I was in Rome not too long ago, and found it to be a great way to map out the city. You can get off and on as you please. You will need to buy tickets (if not ahead of time, which really isn't necessary) right at the main bus station. It's at the same place as the train station, just outside of course.
I would recommend, however being very careful of who your driver is. When I was just there, our bus hit AND LITERALLY DESTROYED a parked Smart car, and yes, just kept on driving....

Do you recall the name of the open bus tour of Rome?

Looking to do this the first morning to get a good overall picture before doing more "in-depth" tours.

thank you.

http://www.affiliate.viator.com/broc...&AUID=1627

This appears to be one of those 'hop on/hop off' but also works with a Tiber River cruise.
"Bus n Boat is a new 'Hop On Hop Off' tour that offers the opportunity to explore Rome in an open-top double-decker bus as well as by cruising the Tiber River at your own pace. One ticket offers it all! Tickets are valid for use over 24 or 48 hours. The buses make 9 stops in the most beautiful areas of the eternal city, and the riverboat makes 6 stops to allow you to experience Rome like never before. You are free to organise you day in Rome just like you want it to be!"

I personally found the 'hop on/hop off' as a general waste of time. The information was average and lacking at best. Most(at least the bus we were on) people ,included my wife and I, had a hard time hearing the messages.
If you get off and plan on getting back on, you may find your wait long if you just missed a bus. Just my personal observation and opinion.

i dont remember the name, but just ask the hotel. there's probably just 1 company. sorry!

jabez, in theory I agree with you-- you do not get a lot of info from these tours, but they're good for just getting a sense of the city's layout. I'll also use them when I first arrive--after a long flight from the US, as a generally pleasant way of getting acquainted with the city while resting up before tackling it on my own.