My daughter and her friend will have just one full day in Rome (a Tuesday, arriving the night before and departing the following morning.) DD has been to Rome before and seen most of the "Big Things." This is her friend's first visit, however. The single thing the friend most wants to see is the Colosseum. DD's favorite thing is to simply wander around the Centro Storico and the grounds around the Villa Borghese. They are both young, healthy, and capable of walking a good deal. They are staying near the Piazza Barberini and already have a 9pm dinner reservation close to their hotel.

So, we were thinking something like this:

1) Take the bus or metro from Piazza Barberini to the Colosseum. Buy ticket on Palantine Hill and tour the Colosseum.
2) Take bus or metro from Colosseum to St. Peter's Square. Suck up atmosphere, take photos, etc.
3) Take bus or metro (or is this walkable?) to Campo dei Fiori and walk from there to the Spanish Steps, taking in Piazza Navonna, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, etc on the way.
4) Once at the Spanish Steps, decide weather to walk or take a bus, metro or cab to the Borghese Gardens. Wander through the gardens, perhaps exiting near Piazza del Popolo. Return to Piazza Barberini either by metro, bus or cab.

Of course, there will be no points taken off for not completing any part of this itinerary! What to you all think? Leaving out the Forum and any museums is intentional. I would be especially interested in opinions regarding the best transportation between each segment, and if you think it flows properly. Many thanks!

Sounds very doable to me. The only tour is of the Colosseum. Everything else on the list is sort of a stroll ( with bus, metro ot taxi helping out) past some of the main sights in Rome. Can spend as much time as interests allow at each spot. Sound like a very good day to me if you only have one day.

I agree - it's quite a busy day, obviously, but they know that and you've planned things well.

Piazza San Pietro to Campo dei Fiori is walkable, but I think it would take 30-35 minutes, and the most direct way isn't *that* interesting (a couple of main roads). If your daughter is familiar with Roman transit systems, that might save them some time (and some steps!).

Thanks gh21 and jen103. I'm glad to hear that you think this itinerary makes sense. I would love to hear comments on the best routes between segments: bus or metro? If bus, which ones? Any portion where a taxi is the best choice?

They need to buy a metro day pass (4€ - good for buses/trams too). The little electric bus runs near the Vatican through the center and up to the Borghese.
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=9

1) I'd metro from P. Barberini to the Colosseo, changing lines at Roma Termini

2)From the Colosseo, take the metro back to Termini, connect to A line and ride to the Otttaviano stop.... OR .... Ride the 81 bus to Piazza Risrogimento. You could also catch the 87 bus from the Colosseo, change to either the 64, 62, or 492 buses to the Vatican area.

3) TO get back to the Campo, the 116 starts a little far from St. Peter's, so you might ride the 492 to the VEII stop, or they could walk to Castel Sant' Angelo and jump on the 40 bus - heads to the same stop.

4) There are no buses from the Spanish Steps to the center of Villa Borghese Perhaps better - if they don't mind walking, to head to Piazza di Popolo from the Spanish Steps, climb up to the Pincio gardens for a great view, and then cut through Villa Borghese, and walk down the hill on Via Venento to Piazza Barberini. You could ride the 116, or 95 bus down the hill... OR ... once at Piazza di Popolo, if you want to avoid walking, head throught hte gates and jump on the 490, 4

If they need more help on the metro and bus, they might look at these articles for assistance:

http://tinyurl.com/rome-bus

Sorry - I was editing #4 and hit the wrong button (too many fingers!) - Pardon my miss-spellings above. To finish those thoughts:

(4)
OR ... once at Piazza di Popolo, if you want to avoid walking, head throught the gates and jump on the 490, 495 or other buses headed up the hill through the park. Get off at the top of the hill when you see the Aurelian walls (San Paolo Brasile stop) and then walk through the park - saves some walking and climbing.

OR...if they're exhausted by now (after Piazza di Popolo), just jump on the metro at Flaminio (outside the gates of Popolo) and ride back to Barberini.

Those article links would include:

http://tinyurl.com/rome-bus
http://tinyurl.com/rome-metro
http://tinyurl.com/rome-tickets
http://tinyurl.com/bus-kiosk
http://tinyurl.com/metro-2100

I can (and have) done pretty much that itinerary without using the metro. The walk from near Pz Barberini to the Colosseum is not that far. Bus from there to St. Peter's Square might be a good idea. Then walk again the rest of the route. If they are young and make frequent stops for gelato and coffee they can see all you listed in an enjoyable day. The Rome metro is not the best and it will take as long to walk to a station, go down, get tickets, etc etc then it would to walk and walking they'll see more.

"Leaving out the Forum... is intentional".

I think your DD's friend might regret not visiting the Roman Forum if he/she never returns to Italy.

The friend will thru-out his/her's life hear references to the Roman Forum (articles, movies, news, books, conversation, etc) and might later in life regret not just doing a quick 30min walk-thru of the Roman Forum. Regards, Walter

The forum is close enough to the Colosseum that you could do it!
It is so wonderful imagining all the old buildings! I thought it was a sort of essential part of visiting rome-- I actually much prefered it to the Colosseum!

I don't know what your financial restrictions are, but my wife and I hired and tour guide and a driver for a day in Rome and it was the best day of our Italian vacation. Cost was probably around $700 including tip.

But, you really do get to see everything, and with the driver, you are dropped off at the front door of every site, get the skip the lines at the Vatican, etc. Expensive, but if you are only there for 1 day, worth every penny!

We are going back in one week, with the kids this time, and have booked another tour guide for a day.

Many thanks for your kind help! Walter and steviegene, I know the Forum is a tough thing to pass up but they don't feel they have the time to do it right when they have so many other things they want to see. Besides, my DD is the history wonk of the two and she has seen it already. When she goes back, it would have to be with someone who has the patience to deal with her desire to stop and examine every single thing.

Doogle3419, I did in fact offer to hire a guide for them for the day, but they really want the freedom to do what they want when they want and throw the whole itinerary out the window if they find something else that engages them.

Finally, isabel and rineurope, thanks so much for your very useful information. These are exactly the options they need to make the best use of their day.

I will report back and let you all know how it went.