Rome in a Day - Do it Yourself tour

A great place to start is the Termini Station, which is easily accessible by Metro. I always book my hotel near Termini for its great flexibility to the Metro and trains throughout Italy and the Fiumicino Airport.

Head South West on via Cavour for less than 5 minutes for the first stop, the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore – a 5th century church with gilded ceiling and majestic works of art. The basilica is the largest catholic church in Rome outside of the Vatican. Typically, a 15 minute stop should to the trick.

Continue South west along via Cavour, following the bend to the right, for about 15 minutes where you will intersect with via Dei Fori Imperiali, turn left towards the Coliseum. With your advanced ticket purchase, you’ll use the short line for pre-purchased tickets – this should take about 5 minutes. When entering the Coliseum, head upwards into the stadium. An hour should be ample time to explore and take photos.

When exiting the Coliseum, head south towards the Arch of Constantine then west up the roadway to the Forum. After entering the gates, the Arch of Titus is straight ahead – celebrating the 1st century victories of the Roman conquest of Jerusalem. Spending about an hour you can walk the grounds of the Forum and ascend the palatine hill for some great views of modern Rome.

From the center of the Forum, exit through the North East exit onto via dei Fori Imperiali and cross the street. Head north west along Trajan’s Forum and past Trajan’s column ending at the Alter of the Fatherland, also known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II. This landmark was completed in 1925 in honor of Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy.

Now head North on via dei Corso and follow the signs to the Trevi Fountain – there are several places here where you can get some food on the go.

Arriving at the Trevi Fountain, you’ll want to push your way through the crowds to get to the edge of the fountain for the obligatory coin toss over your shoulder – ensuring your future return to Rome. You’ll want to spend about 15 minutes here.

Heading west, follow the side streets to the Pantheon – generally, lines move quickly here and exploring the inside of the Pantheon will take about 20 minutes.

Continue westward towards Piazza Navona, following the signs. In Piazza Navona, there are several fountains and an Egyptian obelisk located in the center – cafes and restaurants surround the perimeter of the square, but be warned, the amazing atmosphere does significantly affect pricing.

Head westward along the winding streets lined with restaurants and then northward (keeping right) towards the Ponte Sant’Angelo. Cross the bridge over the Tiber to the Castel Sant’Angelo.

Keeping left, head West towards St. Peter’s Basilica and Vatican City. When entering the main square, keep to the right for the entrance into St. Peter’s. You’ll spend about 30-45 minutes in the Basilica where you’ll be overcome by the grandeur of the architecture and marvel in the incredible works of art, including the Pietà sculpture by Michelangelo.

Heading out of St. Peter’s, head towards the large obelisk in the center of the square and then turn left, or north, up the street, taking another left at the corner of the Wall to the Vatican. Here you will enter the Vatican Museums where you will see well know masterpieces from throughout the centuries, including works by Raphael and the Sistine Chapel paintings by Michelangelo. Although this museum is huge, you can march through it in about an hour and a half.

Heading East, a 25 minute walk back across the Tiber to the Piazza Popolo where you can climb the stairs to the Terrazza del Pincio for a great view of Rome at the edge of the Borghese gardens.

Head South East towards the Spanish Steps where there is plenty of luxury shopping and a great selection of restaurants for dinner. As the night turns darker, head south towards the Trevi Fountain for a completely different experience and an evening Gelato.

If you are in Rome for the day from a cruise ship, check out our videos on self directed excursions.
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COLOSSEUM TICKETS - https://www.coopculture.it/en/colosseo-e-shop.cfm

FORUM TICKETS - https://www.coopculture.it/en/ticket.cfm?office=Roman%20Forum%20and%20Palatine%20Hill&id=4

VATICAN MUSEUM - http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/visita-i-musei/tariffe-e-biglietti.html
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