Rome in a Day
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By Dion Protani
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Latest update: 5 November 2021
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Ok so you have to do Rome in a day, let's not try to rush around and see so many things that it becomes unenjoyable.
The sights you can visit in one day to give you an overview of Rome are best viewed from the outside only, which frees up a lot of time saved on queuing, buying tickets and the extra time you naturally spend when you've paid to enter somewhere. Of course it would be nice to spend time entering the main sites and wandering around them at your leisure, but with just one day available, a well thought out walk around the city is the best way to fit as much as possible in while preparing you for your next visit. |
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Starting point:
The Colosseum
Start time: 10:00
Finish time: 17:10
Walking/sightseeing time: 4 hours 10 minutes
Rest/coffee breaks/lunch/cocktails: 3 hours
Walking distance: 11 kilometres (approximately 14,000 steps)
Start at Colosseo Metro station (Line B)
Walk around the outside of the Colosseum; you can get some great photos this way, even if you miss out on going inside. At the south-western corner of the Colosseum is the Arch of Constantine, so make sure you don't miss that.
Walking/sightseeing: 10 minutes
Distance: 750 metres (985 steps)
Time: 10:10
Head north-west along the main road called Via dei Fori Imperiali and you'll take in a good few sights. On the right hand side of the road you'll find Trajan's Market which has a balcony viewing area. Continue on the same side of the road, away from the Colosseum, until you reach Trajan's Column which is situated in front of two beautiful churches.
Walking/sightseeing: 15 minutes
Distance: 1 kilometre (1,300 steps)
Time: 10:25
Now you'll get a great view of the Altare della Patria, the huge marble building which is also called Il Vittoriano. You're going to walk all the way around the outside of Il Vittoriano but with a little diversion first. So cross the road from Trajan's Column towards Il Vittoriano and you'll see at the back of the marble structure a road that gently starts to climb a hill.
Turn left here, slightly down a hill and you'll find a wonderful collection of sights. You'll pass the entrance of the Mammertine Prison and reach the Chiesa Santi Luca e Martina Martiri. However, of much greater interest is the view you'll get of the Roman Forum. Of course on another day you might like to spend a few hours walking around the Forum complex but this way you get to see some of the most important sights from a better angle and understand how it's all laid out. Better still, to the left of the Mammertine Prison which has a beautiful church above it, there's a staircase that leads up to an even better view of the Forum.
Walking/sightseeing: 15 minutes
Distance: 750 metres (985 steps)
Time: 10:40
Once you've finished viewing the Forum from above, you're just a few steps from the Piazza del Campidoglio. Although it's not particularly big, this is one of the most important squares in Rome; otherwise known as the Capitoline Hill, it was where the most important government buildings were at the height of the Roman Empire. It's much changed since then of course with Michelangelo largely responsible for its current layout. The entrance to the Capitoline Museum is on the Piazza but that requires several hours for an effective visit. Once you've seen enough of Campidoglio, you can proceed down the monumental staircase called La Cordonata Capitolina.
Walking/sightseeing: 10 minutes
Distance: 100 metres (130 steps)
Time: 10:50
At this point there's every chance you'll be feeling a bit tired but just around the corner is something sensational. From the bottom of the beautiful Cordonata staircase, turn right and you'll almost immediately arrive at the bustling Piazza Venezia. The square is dominated by the gargantuan Il Vittoriano and this is where you're going next. The structure is mostly free to enter so you can spend a while wandering around, but as we're on a time limit let's restrict the visit to just one thing. Climb the various staircases until you reach the area with the columns at the back, then just turn around and admire the view.
Walking/sightseeing: 20 minutes
Distance: 300 metres (390 steps)
Time: 11:10
Ok, so time for a little rest, a nice strong Roman coffee and on to the next set of sights. The views you were just enjoying from the top of Il Vittoriano were of Piazza Venezia. If you walk directly away from Il Vittoriano across the Piazza, you reach Rome's busiest shopping street: Via del Corso. Just before you enter Via del Corso, turn right and you'll see a selection of bars and restaurants.
Walking/sightseeing: 5 minutes
Coffee/rest: 15 minutes
Distance: 200 metres (250 steps)
Time: 11:30
So now you're feeling a little bit refreshed and it's on to the next sight. From the caffè, turn right along Via del Plebiscito and keep going for around five minutes until you reach a piazza with some Roman ruins at its centre. This is called Largo di Torre Argentina. Interesting as it is, it's just a waypoint along the more scenic route to one of Rome's most famous sights. From Largo di Torre Argentina, turn on to Largo delle Stimmate and in a few minutes you reach Piazza della Minerva; distinctive due to the statue of an elephant with an obelisk rising from it.
Continue just a little further in the same direction and you reach the Piazza della Rotonda where you'll find one of the most famous buildings still standing from Ancient Rome: the Pantheon. You're now in the heart of what's called the centro storico, the historic centre of Rome. Piazza della Rotonda is almost always heaving with people and it can be difficult to appreciate the beauty of the piazza itself with the wonderful fountain at its centre. However, there's no doubting the main sight here and slightly breaking away from the ethos of the rest of this itinerary, you should be able to enter the Pantheon without having to queue and without having to pay.
Walking/sightseeing: 30 minutes
Distance: 1.2 km (1,500 steps)
Time: 12:00
By this stage you'll have seen some of the major sights of Rome in a relatively short space of time but with a fair amount of walking involved. You'll now need a good lunch and a couple of hours to take the weight off your feet to enjoy some Roman cuisine. With the entrance to the Pantheon behind you walk ahead to the far left hand corner of the Piazza and then turn left along Via Giustiniani. At a certain point you'll reach the main road of Corso del Rinascimento where you need to turn left then right straight away.
You're now in the wonderful Piazza Navona; the oblong-shaped piazza is fringed by a large selection of restaurants and has three famous fountains at its centre. The main building here is the Chiesa di Sant'Agnese in Agone. This marks the halfway point of your itinerary and the best place to stop for a bite to eat. Buon appetito!
Walking/sightseeing: 5 minutes
Lunch: two hours 25 minutes
Distance: 350 metres (450 steps)
Time: 14:30
This next part of the itinerary may well put your energy levels to the test, hence the need for an extended lunch stop. There's still a good deal to pack in though from this point, and remember, this is the only day you have available so it's best not to waste it.
From the northern section of Piazza Navona which is marked by the Fontana di Nettuno, walk through Via Agonale and then turn left on to the narrow Via dei Coronari. This is one of the most typical streets of Rome's centro storico; a narrow alley flanked by shops, cafes and restaurants which continues for about 500 metres.
At the end of Via dei Coronari you'll just about to see the river to your right, and that's the direction you need to follow. This brings you to the southern side of Ponte Sant'Angelo, the beautiful bridge that leads across to the imperious Castel Sant'Angelo. The fortress was built in the second century AD and has witnessed some incredible moments in history, including the sack of Rome in 1527 when the Pope was holed up inside and managed to make a daring escape through a secret passageway.
Walking/sightseeing: 10 minutes
Distance: 750 metres (985 steps)
Time: 14:40
From here you can cross the bridge towards the Castle and get a really good view of it from the outside. In addition, the views to either side of the bridge are magnificent as you look down the River Tiber; the Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II on the left as you cross the bridge is particularly beautiful and offers one of the picture-postcard images of Rome. Once on the other side of the bridge, turn left, away from Castel Sant'Angelo and your next stop comes into view gradually.
At the end of Via della Conciliazione lies Saint Peter's Basilica with the equally impressive Piazza San Pietro sprawled out before it. The Basilica is the largest church in the Christian world and took more than a hundred years to build. By the time you reach the Basilica, you'll have officially crossed the border into another country without realising it. This area of Rome is the Vatican City and you could easily spend a whole day here, exploring the Basilica and the expansive Vatican Museums which house the Sistine Chapel.
The next part of the itinerary is the most difficult because you'll be feeling quite tired by now. So whilst you're in Piazza San Pietro, it's a good idea to have another one of those strong Roman coffees before you head off on the final part of your itinerary.
Walking/sightseeing: 20 minutes
Coffee/rest: 20 minutes
Distance: 1 kilometre (1,300 steps)
Time: 15:20
From Piazza San Pietro you need to head back in the direction you came, towards Castel Sant'Angelo. Cross Ponte Sant'Angelo, again the reverse of the way you came, and then turn left on to the Lungotevere. The River Tiber is called Fiume Tevere in Italian and the Lungotevere is the riverside walkway. After a long, probably hot day, you'll be glad of the shade provided by the trees and the light breezes coming off the river. As you walk along the river you'll see one of the most impressive buildings in Rome yet one that gets hardly any recognition: the Corte Suprema di Cassazione which houses a complex of judicial buildings.
Eventually you'll reach the Ponte Cavour bridge at which point you turn back towards the centro storico and away from the river. It's another ten minutes or so walk from here to Piazza di Spagna and the famous Spanish Steps.
Walking/sightseeing: 40 minutes
Distance: 3 kilometres (3,900 steps)
Time: 16:00
You will most likely want to stop at this point, either that or start berating yourself for only having one day. However, there is just one sight left and you can't leave Rome without seeing it! Matters are certainly helped by the fact this is one of the most engaging parts of your day as you wind your way through the bustling streets of the centro storico.
So let's say you have a rest of an hour or so at the Spanish Steps, perhaps armed with a cocktail or two, before heading south of Piazza di Spagna for eight minutes and a distance of 650 metres to reach the beautiful Trevi Fountain. The eighteenth century fountain is one of the symbols of Rome and no matter what time of day you arrive, will be surrounded by a throng of people, many of whom will be throwing coins into the water and making a wish.
By this stage, you may just close your eyes and wish for a rest and something strong from one of the nearby bars!
Cocktail bar: 1 hour
Walking/sightseeing: 10 minutes
Distance: 650 metres (850 steps)
Time: 17:10
The Colosseum
Start time: 10:00
Finish time: 17:10
Walking/sightseeing time: 4 hours 10 minutes
Rest/coffee breaks/lunch/cocktails: 3 hours
Walking distance: 11 kilometres (approximately 14,000 steps)
Start at Colosseo Metro station (Line B)
Walk around the outside of the Colosseum; you can get some great photos this way, even if you miss out on going inside. At the south-western corner of the Colosseum is the Arch of Constantine, so make sure you don't miss that.
Walking/sightseeing: 10 minutes
Distance: 750 metres (985 steps)
Time: 10:10
Head north-west along the main road called Via dei Fori Imperiali and you'll take in a good few sights. On the right hand side of the road you'll find Trajan's Market which has a balcony viewing area. Continue on the same side of the road, away from the Colosseum, until you reach Trajan's Column which is situated in front of two beautiful churches.
Walking/sightseeing: 15 minutes
Distance: 1 kilometre (1,300 steps)
Time: 10:25
Now you'll get a great view of the Altare della Patria, the huge marble building which is also called Il Vittoriano. You're going to walk all the way around the outside of Il Vittoriano but with a little diversion first. So cross the road from Trajan's Column towards Il Vittoriano and you'll see at the back of the marble structure a road that gently starts to climb a hill.
Turn left here, slightly down a hill and you'll find a wonderful collection of sights. You'll pass the entrance of the Mammertine Prison and reach the Chiesa Santi Luca e Martina Martiri. However, of much greater interest is the view you'll get of the Roman Forum. Of course on another day you might like to spend a few hours walking around the Forum complex but this way you get to see some of the most important sights from a better angle and understand how it's all laid out. Better still, to the left of the Mammertine Prison which has a beautiful church above it, there's a staircase that leads up to an even better view of the Forum.
Walking/sightseeing: 15 minutes
Distance: 750 metres (985 steps)
Time: 10:40
Once you've finished viewing the Forum from above, you're just a few steps from the Piazza del Campidoglio. Although it's not particularly big, this is one of the most important squares in Rome; otherwise known as the Capitoline Hill, it was where the most important government buildings were at the height of the Roman Empire. It's much changed since then of course with Michelangelo largely responsible for its current layout. The entrance to the Capitoline Museum is on the Piazza but that requires several hours for an effective visit. Once you've seen enough of Campidoglio, you can proceed down the monumental staircase called La Cordonata Capitolina.
Walking/sightseeing: 10 minutes
Distance: 100 metres (130 steps)
Time: 10:50
At this point there's every chance you'll be feeling a bit tired but just around the corner is something sensational. From the bottom of the beautiful Cordonata staircase, turn right and you'll almost immediately arrive at the bustling Piazza Venezia. The square is dominated by the gargantuan Il Vittoriano and this is where you're going next. The structure is mostly free to enter so you can spend a while wandering around, but as we're on a time limit let's restrict the visit to just one thing. Climb the various staircases until you reach the area with the columns at the back, then just turn around and admire the view.
Walking/sightseeing: 20 minutes
Distance: 300 metres (390 steps)
Time: 11:10
Ok, so time for a little rest, a nice strong Roman coffee and on to the next set of sights. The views you were just enjoying from the top of Il Vittoriano were of Piazza Venezia. If you walk directly away from Il Vittoriano across the Piazza, you reach Rome's busiest shopping street: Via del Corso. Just before you enter Via del Corso, turn right and you'll see a selection of bars and restaurants.
Walking/sightseeing: 5 minutes
Coffee/rest: 15 minutes
Distance: 200 metres (250 steps)
Time: 11:30
So now you're feeling a little bit refreshed and it's on to the next sight. From the caffè, turn right along Via del Plebiscito and keep going for around five minutes until you reach a piazza with some Roman ruins at its centre. This is called Largo di Torre Argentina. Interesting as it is, it's just a waypoint along the more scenic route to one of Rome's most famous sights. From Largo di Torre Argentina, turn on to Largo delle Stimmate and in a few minutes you reach Piazza della Minerva; distinctive due to the statue of an elephant with an obelisk rising from it.
Continue just a little further in the same direction and you reach the Piazza della Rotonda where you'll find one of the most famous buildings still standing from Ancient Rome: the Pantheon. You're now in the heart of what's called the centro storico, the historic centre of Rome. Piazza della Rotonda is almost always heaving with people and it can be difficult to appreciate the beauty of the piazza itself with the wonderful fountain at its centre. However, there's no doubting the main sight here and slightly breaking away from the ethos of the rest of this itinerary, you should be able to enter the Pantheon without having to queue and without having to pay.
Walking/sightseeing: 30 minutes
Distance: 1.2 km (1,500 steps)
Time: 12:00
By this stage you'll have seen some of the major sights of Rome in a relatively short space of time but with a fair amount of walking involved. You'll now need a good lunch and a couple of hours to take the weight off your feet to enjoy some Roman cuisine. With the entrance to the Pantheon behind you walk ahead to the far left hand corner of the Piazza and then turn left along Via Giustiniani. At a certain point you'll reach the main road of Corso del Rinascimento where you need to turn left then right straight away.
You're now in the wonderful Piazza Navona; the oblong-shaped piazza is fringed by a large selection of restaurants and has three famous fountains at its centre. The main building here is the Chiesa di Sant'Agnese in Agone. This marks the halfway point of your itinerary and the best place to stop for a bite to eat. Buon appetito!
Walking/sightseeing: 5 minutes
Lunch: two hours 25 minutes
Distance: 350 metres (450 steps)
Time: 14:30
This next part of the itinerary may well put your energy levels to the test, hence the need for an extended lunch stop. There's still a good deal to pack in though from this point, and remember, this is the only day you have available so it's best not to waste it.
From the northern section of Piazza Navona which is marked by the Fontana di Nettuno, walk through Via Agonale and then turn left on to the narrow Via dei Coronari. This is one of the most typical streets of Rome's centro storico; a narrow alley flanked by shops, cafes and restaurants which continues for about 500 metres.
At the end of Via dei Coronari you'll just about to see the river to your right, and that's the direction you need to follow. This brings you to the southern side of Ponte Sant'Angelo, the beautiful bridge that leads across to the imperious Castel Sant'Angelo. The fortress was built in the second century AD and has witnessed some incredible moments in history, including the sack of Rome in 1527 when the Pope was holed up inside and managed to make a daring escape through a secret passageway.
Walking/sightseeing: 10 minutes
Distance: 750 metres (985 steps)
Time: 14:40
From here you can cross the bridge towards the Castle and get a really good view of it from the outside. In addition, the views to either side of the bridge are magnificent as you look down the River Tiber; the Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II on the left as you cross the bridge is particularly beautiful and offers one of the picture-postcard images of Rome. Once on the other side of the bridge, turn left, away from Castel Sant'Angelo and your next stop comes into view gradually.
At the end of Via della Conciliazione lies Saint Peter's Basilica with the equally impressive Piazza San Pietro sprawled out before it. The Basilica is the largest church in the Christian world and took more than a hundred years to build. By the time you reach the Basilica, you'll have officially crossed the border into another country without realising it. This area of Rome is the Vatican City and you could easily spend a whole day here, exploring the Basilica and the expansive Vatican Museums which house the Sistine Chapel.
The next part of the itinerary is the most difficult because you'll be feeling quite tired by now. So whilst you're in Piazza San Pietro, it's a good idea to have another one of those strong Roman coffees before you head off on the final part of your itinerary.
Walking/sightseeing: 20 minutes
Coffee/rest: 20 minutes
Distance: 1 kilometre (1,300 steps)
Time: 15:20
From Piazza San Pietro you need to head back in the direction you came, towards Castel Sant'Angelo. Cross Ponte Sant'Angelo, again the reverse of the way you came, and then turn left on to the Lungotevere. The River Tiber is called Fiume Tevere in Italian and the Lungotevere is the riverside walkway. After a long, probably hot day, you'll be glad of the shade provided by the trees and the light breezes coming off the river. As you walk along the river you'll see one of the most impressive buildings in Rome yet one that gets hardly any recognition: the Corte Suprema di Cassazione which houses a complex of judicial buildings.
Eventually you'll reach the Ponte Cavour bridge at which point you turn back towards the centro storico and away from the river. It's another ten minutes or so walk from here to Piazza di Spagna and the famous Spanish Steps.
Walking/sightseeing: 40 minutes
Distance: 3 kilometres (3,900 steps)
Time: 16:00
You will most likely want to stop at this point, either that or start berating yourself for only having one day. However, there is just one sight left and you can't leave Rome without seeing it! Matters are certainly helped by the fact this is one of the most engaging parts of your day as you wind your way through the bustling streets of the centro storico.
So let's say you have a rest of an hour or so at the Spanish Steps, perhaps armed with a cocktail or two, before heading south of Piazza di Spagna for eight minutes and a distance of 650 metres to reach the beautiful Trevi Fountain. The eighteenth century fountain is one of the symbols of Rome and no matter what time of day you arrive, will be surrounded by a throng of people, many of whom will be throwing coins into the water and making a wish.
By this stage, you may just close your eyes and wish for a rest and something strong from one of the nearby bars!
Cocktail bar: 1 hour
Walking/sightseeing: 10 minutes
Distance: 650 metres (850 steps)
Time: 17:10
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