Rome in 1 1/2 days....oh well
 

My husband and I have literally have 1 and 1/2 days to see a bit of Rome. We are going in early September. The Coliseum and Forum are tops on my list. Can we do the Vatican and Sistane Chapel in the same day or will we be dead to the world? I saw the Vatican many years ago so I suppose if we have to give one up we would give that sight up. Any other MUST SEE places?
Thanks

I would spend a full day at St. Peters/Vatican/Sistine and then the half day at the Coliseum and as much of the Forum as you can squeeze in between the Campidoglio and the Coliseum.

You could do both the Vatican (i.e St. Peter's Basilica) and the Sistine Chapel in the same day, as they are both part of the Vatican complex. To see the Sistine Chapel you must buy a ticket for the Vatican Museums, whose entrance is quite a walk from the entrance to the Vatican Museums. I have heard (but not personally confirmed) that there is a "secret entrance" to St. Peter's from the Sistine Chapel that will save you a long walk if you can find it. Plus, you'll also probably want to look at some of the other things in the Vatican Museums. So I'd go to the Vatican Museums first and see if you can find your way into St. Peter's from there, and if you can't, then hike over to the entrance to St. Peter's.

Ditto the Coliseum and the Forum--the Coliseum is right at one end of the Forum. You can do Coliseum and Forum in a half day, even if you're really into Roman history. Go early in the morning because even in September it will probably be very hot and sunny. Also, you can see the Campidoglio (Capitoline hill) which is a fairly short (but uphill) walk from the Forum and has great views of the Forum and surrounding area.

There are lots of other must sees in Rome, but the four you mention are certainly among them.

Bostonbean,
In April 2009 my husband and I used Angel Tours.
We did the same day 9:00 A.M. Roman Forum/Coliseum
and the 1:30 P.M. Vatican Tour (including Sistine Chapel).
Like you our time in Rome was very limited, but we were
satisfied with this itinery.
www.angeltoursrome.com

Bostonbean, obviously, you've already been to Rome since you've seen the Vatican. What else do you already know?

I really only saw the Vatican on my last trip (many years ago). We are traveling with another couple and they don't want to go to the Vatican. I understand The Borghese Gallery is another "not miss". If that is true, I think we have an itinerary.....

Well, Rome is of course full of world-class sights, and which of them is a "must see" is a highly individual question that depends entirely on your personal likes and interests; nobody can advise you on that unless you tell more about them: which kind of sights do you prefer? archeological, religious, secular? which style (Rome is strong on ancient, early i.e. pre-Romanesque medieval, Renaissance and baroque)? museums, yes or rather not? And so on... For people who love Renaissance and ancient art and museums, the Galleria Borghese is certainly unmissable. For people who prefer churches from the 6th to the 11th century, rather not.
Anyway, I think with the little time that you have for Rome, it's a blessing that your friends don't want to go to the Vatican. IMO it wouldn't have been such a good idea to tackle such a time-consuming sight if you have virtually no time at all for this huge and incredibly interesting city. It's not that the sights at the Vatican aren't first-class, sure they are - it's just: in the time you'd need for the Vatican, you can see a dozen of diverse other sights and thus get a better flavour of how much Rome has to offer.
Although, if you're not particularly into archeology, I for one would skip the Forum. That's a great sight for people who really know their stuff about ancient Rome and how to read archelogical remains. For everybody else, the Forum is difficult to decipher and hence often very underwhelming. If I'd want to get an impression of ancient Rome, I'd rather walk from the Terme di Caracalla to the Foro Boario, the Teatro di Marcello and the Portico d'Ottavia. Or go into the Mercati di Traiano and see the Colosseo from outside (if you walk from the first sight to the latter, the Forum is to your right, and you can view it through the fence; or, even better, walk up Capitole Hill and look down on the Forum - just enough for a first impression, and you'll have to go back to Rome anyway if you like the city).
Once more, if you tell more about your preferences, I can suggest dozens of other "don't misses".

Thanks Franco! Great info to ponder.

I heartily endorse Franco's recommendation for the Portico d'Ottavia, especially a stroll by after dark. There are several very good restaurants in the area. The site is always well-marked on maps, and you can ask your hotel to recommend a restaurant right near there, and make a reservation.

I also think walking up the Capitole Hill and looking down on the Forum is a very enjoyable substitute for tromping all over the site if you are not well-versed in Roman antiquity.

I would make a point of seeing the Pantheon.

You must make a reservation for the Galleria Borghese if you don't want to miss it.

You can do it all just like pookie.