How to See Rome in A Day Guide

In my opinion, there's no touristy places, just bad, unprepared travelers. And if you're coming to the Eternal City, which is one of the greatest cities in the world, you really owe it to yourself to get up early in the morning and experience these monuments in their true light, without the crowds. Remember, Rome is a place where your travel dreams can come true or where they can go to die. You probably have imagined this very moment where you're standing in front of one of the world's biggest mega monuments. It's on everyone's bucket list for good reason. It's where the opening chapters of Western civilization were written. I'm Angel Castellanos for the Tour Guide, and today, I'm gonna give you the formula of how to have the most epic day right here in Rome. In today's episode, we're covering Rome's best experiences, from getting onto the arena floor of the Colosseum to where to find the best carbonara in the city. And make sure you stay until the very end because we're even going to have an aperitivo in the Vatican Museums after touring them virtually empty. But first, there's some things that you need to know. The eternal city of Rome we know today was traditionally founded on April 21st, 753 BC, and is located in central Italy in the region of Lazio. Rome has two major airports, Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport and Ciampino. Fiumicino has more international flights coming in with over 30 million passengers each year, so you'll likely fly in there. Ciampino is closer to the south of the city and mostly services budget airlines and European destinations. To reach central Rome from Fiumicino Airport, you have two main options. The fastest and most convenient is the Leonardo Express train, taking about 32 minutes and costing 14 euros via the Tren Italia app. Alternatively, a taxi provides direct transportation in approximately 45 minutes, but it is pricier at a fixed rate of 50 euros. If you're driving into the city, pay attention to the ZTL zone as driving in central Rome is heavily prohibited. Rome is a major metropolitan city made up of 22 rioni, or districts. The good news is that for visitors, all the major sites are in the middle of the city. The Centro Storico, or Historic Center of Rome, is the area within the Aurelian Walls, which were built in the third century AD to protect the city from invaders. The Centro Storico is home to many of Rome's most famous landmarks, including the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon. The whole area itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the Colosseum, Via dei Fori Imperiali runs down the Roman Forum to Piazza Venezia. From there, you can head north down Via del Corso, which is the main shopping street in Rome, or west along Vittorio Emanuele, which runs in the direction of the Pantheon and eventually you'll reach the Tiber River. The Vatican is in the west of the city on the other side of the river. Most of the city is walkable, so be sure to pack comfortable shoes. The distance from St. Peter's Square to the Colosseum is approximately 3.6 kilometers or 2.2 miles if you take the most direct route. Today we'll be mostly walking because distances are short. St. Peter's Square to Piazza Navona takes only about 15 to 20 minutes. Getting to each side after that takes approximately 15 minutes. Public transportation is available in Rome and ideal for covering long distances or getting from one side of the city to the other. Rome has two main metro lines that visitors can easily take advantage of, Line A and Line B. For a full day pass, it costs seven euros. Line A stops include Ottaviano, which is the closest stop to the Vatican, and Spagna, which is the closest stop to the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon isn't too far away. On Line B, you have the Colosseo stop. You guessed it, this station is closest to the Colosseum. Ride-sharing apps do work in Rome, but Uber tends to be a bit expensive. The popular ride-sharing app Freenow makes hiring a local taxi super easy by providing the price up front and makes your destination very clear. We created the perfect route and plan to get you from A to Z that includes an incredible end at the Vatican, so be sure to stick around. Before we get started, hook us up with a subscribe and hit that bell so you can find our next video. Today, I'm doing what many people think is absolutely impossible. I'm seeing St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and all of the iconic sites in between. If you really wanna see Rome in a day, mega monuments like the Colosseum and St. Peter's Basilica, then jump on our Rome in a Day tour because it's the only way you get all the highlights of the city and have plenty of time for gelato or to dive deep into the places that you really love. All right, it's about 7.15 a.m. I'm about to meet my group because today I'm climbing the Dome of St. Peter's. So when you visit St. Peter's Basilica or climb the Dome, you definitely have to go through a security check, so be prepared to go through metal detectors. And the great thing about jumping on our tour is that we get in line super early, so now we're avoiding this huge long wait. You can see the line stretches all the way across the square. So I'm on top of St. Peter's Basilica here having a coffee, a cornetto crema, and let me tell you, this is already an incredible experience, and I haven't even climbed the Dome yet. So we took the elevator up and then we arrived at this terrace and we get incredible views straight away of Michelangelo's really last project, this Dome of St. Peter's. And this leads to the stairs that we're about to climb to get to the final viewpoint on top of the Dome. The Dome of St. Peter's Basilica is one of the most iconic and architecturally significant structures in the world. It was designed by Michelangelo and took over 100 years to complete. The Dome is 136 meters tall and is one of the largest domes in the world. It is a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture and is the last testament of Michelangelo's genius. So we've made it up to the top and what a view this is. This is the most worthwhile experience because this is the tallest building in Rome and will always be the tallest building. So you're gonna get the most epic views. If you look down below, you can see St. Peter's Square and Bernini's incredible colonnade hugging the square. Your eye goes past to the Castello San Angelo. You see the Tiber, the different hills of Rome. I mean, what an incredible experience. This is by far the richest and grandest church on the planet and the spiritual home of millions of Christians worldwide. The Basilica is free to enter, but be sure to dress respectfully. No shorts, above-the-knee skirts, or bare shoulders. The best time to visit is early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Remember, the Basilica is closed on Wednesdays during papal audiences. One of the top things to see here inside of St. Peter's Basilica is the Pietà by Michelangelo. Now, as soon as you enter, it's to the right over here and it will take your breath away. Michelangelo made it when he was 24 years old and it's the only piece he actually ever signs. This magnificent piece of art behind me is a transfiguration by the Renaissance master, Raphael, and as soon as you walk up to it, you realize it's actually a mosaic. That's because all the pieces of art inside of St. Peter's Basilica are mosaic replicas. The originals are in the Vatican Museums, most of them in the Pinacoteca Gallery. Well, that's it for our time here at St. Peter's Basilica. It's incredible to actually experience one of the most famous places in the world. Now, it's finally time to hit the city. If you still need a coffee or breakfast, one of the most famous cafes in Rome is on the way to the Pantheon just past Piazza Navona. I'm gonna have a cornetto crema and a cappuccino at one of the most well-known cafes right here in Rome. It's right around the corner from the Pantheon, San Eustachio. So, if you're seeing Rome in a day, it's good to get up early and get your day started. Come to San Eustachio first thing because there's gonna be less crowds and remember, ordering al banco is a completely different price than sitting down at a coffee table. Al banco's cheaper, standing up at this table's cheaper than sitting down at the table. About a 15 to 20-minute walk from St. Peter's Square is the ancient stadium of Emperor Domitian that is now a beloved Baroque piazza. One of the greatest squares in all of Rome is situated between the Pantheon and the Vatican. It's Piazza Navona where I'm standing now and it has an incredible Bernini masterpiece, the Four Rivers Fountain, which is framed by this incredible Borromini church. Now, I suggest that you come here early in the morning, late in the afternoon, or if you're taking the route between the Vatican and the Pantheon, this is a great place to hang out. So, what I've done is I've decided to rest my feet a little bit and order a drink here at one of the places that surrounds Piazza Navona to admire the view of the church. Now, I will tell you that if you're looking for a place to eat, just like anywhere in Europe, main squares aren't the places to eat. You wanna get outside of the main squares, so check out our blog or check out my Piazza Navona video where we list plenty of great places to eat. Ching, ching. Before heading to the Colosseum, I'm making a quick stop in one of ancient Rome's must-see sites. The Pantheon is an absolute game-changer and one of the most well-preserved ancient sites here in Rome. You can easily visit it on your own, but if you do, you wanna avoid the long lines and come during the nine o'clock hour. Or to make it easy, you can jump on our Rome in a Day tour and hear all the great stories and historical content from a passionate guide. The Pantheon, built by Emperor Hadrian almost 2,000 years ago, features the most influential dome in history. Michelangelo drew inspiration from both the Florence Duomo and the Pantheon's remarkable dome, making it essential to visit for a deeper understanding of St. Peter's Dome. It's best to see all of Rome's ancient sites together. So next, I'm headed to the epicenter of ancient Rome. You've probably imagined this very moment where you go right up to one of the world's biggest mega-monuments, the Colosseum. It's the epicenter of ancient Rome, but so many people wanna visit it today that it requires special access. So today, I'm getting onto the arena floor and seeing the heartbeat of the ancient city, the Roman Forum. Remember, when you show up to Rome's most famous ancient site, it's gonna be a pretty hectic scene. There's different lines, lots of crowds and ticket touts. I would hate for you to waste your time in a line like this. You can easily book your ticket online ahead of time or jump on one of our tours, which has special access to all of the ancient sites. Remember, there's two sorts of travelers, those who stand in line and those who don't. So after going through the special entrance for groups, went through a really quick security check, and now we're about to check out the glory of ancient Rome. One of the hottest tickets in town is getting tickets to the arena floor, and I'm so glad that I jumped on this tour because that's the only way I was able to do this, and I just walked through the gladiator's gate. And really, from this arena floor, you get a 360-degree view of one of the world's greatest amphitheaters. I mean, it's hard to believe that building started in 72 AD, it was finished in 80 AD, and you get views from this point of view that you don't get to see from anywhere else, like the 80 tunnels that lead into this place, and you're instantly transported back in time to ancient Rome as if I was a gladiator myself. So I'm gonna give it a... The last part of the tour is coming up to the terraces and having these epic views of not only the underground, but of the arena floor. If you have a ticket on your own, you can certainly come up here, but don't miss the opportunity to check out the last views of the Colosseum. One of the great things about visiting the Roman Forum is that you get to walk in the heart of ancient Rome, the political and commercial heart, so you get to walk down the Via Sacra through the Arch of Titus. Right behind me is the final resting place of Julius Caesar, one of the greatest and most well-known people in human history. This is the Via Sacra, which runs right through the middle of ancient Rome from the Colosseum, essentially, through the Arch of Titus, all the way to the Capitoline Hill. Left is the Palatine Hill, straight ahead is the Capitoline Hill, and you're gonna see so many amazing things. Remember, Rome is a city of seven hills, and one of those hills is the Palatine, so when you have a ticket to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, you can come up here and take in spectacular views of the city. Don't miss this. It's finally time for lunch, and close by the Colosseum and Roman Forum is one of my favorite restaurants. So if you're sightseeing near the Colosseum or the Roman Forum, come on over to Monty, my beloved neighborhood. You can check out one of my videos on it. I like to eat at La Taverna Fori Imperiali because they serve authentic Roman cuisine. It's not a tourist menu, and you're gonna get excellent service. So the artichokes in Rome are world-famous, and there's two ways to typically order them here. Alla romana, braised, and then alla giudea, fried. So nice. Look at the steam right here. I'm gonna go in. Dai paura. That's what you say here in Roman, something is amazing. Dai paura. If you're in the Piazza Navona neighborhood around lunchtime and don't really want pasta, go see my boy Simone at I Pizzi Caroli. Being in the capital has its perks. While this place isn't traditionally Roman, they specialize in charcuterie and cheeses from Umbria and other parts of Italy. For sharing with your travel partner or families, this place is a win. Abruzzi near Via del Corso is ideal if you're heading from the Roman Forum or Pantheon to the Trevi Fountain. One of the classic places to eat here in Rome is Abruzzi. I love eating here because it's absolutely no nonsense and they serve traditional, authentic Roman food. One of the classic Roman pastas that you should definitely try when you're in town is carbonara, and the ingredients are pretty simple. It's essentially egg, pecorino cheese, guanciale, which is pork, a little bit of Tears of the God, and pasta, one of the best carbonaras in town. The Trevi Fountain is an iconic symbol of Rome. It's really a 2,000-year-old public works project now famous for its Baroque facade. The fountain features Marcus Agrippa in two square panels and Oceanus at its center. To avoid crowds, visit early in the morning or late in the evening since it receives over 1,000 visitors per hour. And don't be shy about tossing your three coins into the fountain. Before dinner, I'll stroll along Via del Corso to Piazza del Popolo, passing by the Spanish Steps on Via Candotti. Then I'll take a taxi to tour the Vatican Museums where I'll also enjoy an aperitivo. But first, I'll grab a coffee at one of my favorite coffee shops. If San Eustachio is my morning cappuccino place, then Tazza d'Oro is my afternoon coffee spot. I don't have cappuccinos afternoon just like most local Romans, but here they roast their own beans and it's arguably one of the best espressos you will ever have in Rome. Ooh, mommy. Nice and hot, too. Ooh, yeah. Passeggiata time here in Rome. So we're taking a break from sightseeing and walking down one of the biggest boulevards and shopping streets, the Via del Corso. Via del Corso in Rome has a rich history dating back to ancient Rome and has evolved from a former horse race track into a bustling street known for its shopping, architecture, and ambiance. Turning on to Via Candotti leads you to the iconic Spanish Steps, locally known as La Scalinata dei Trinità dei Monti, a captivating area that has inspired poets and writers for centuries, with a small, unassuming boat-shaped fountain sculpted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and his father right in front of the stairs. Many people don't realize Santa Maria del Popolo houses incredible artworks of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Bernini's masterpiece, Habakkuk and the Angel, in the Chigi Palace, portrays the prophet being visited by an angel, showcasing dynamic movement and intense emotion. Caravaggio's Crucifix of Saint Peter and Conversion of Saint Paul captivate us with dramatic scenes and groundbreaking use of light and shadow and immersing us in the early days of Christianity. In the Della Rovere Chapel, Pinturicchio's Renaissance art unfolds, depicting the life of Saint Jerome. One travel tip for Rome is that you definitely don't need to buy bottled water. There are thousands of these fountains all over Rome that have fresh, drinkable water because the Romans were incredible engineers. They're called nazzone and you can bring your own water bottle to fill up or simply plug the bottom and have a drink. It's time for a last bit of sightseeing before ending the day with aperitivo and dinner. I'm headed to the Vatican for an after-hours tour of the museums and Sistine Chapel, which is 15 minutes away by taxi or metro. I'm pretty excited because today I get to do something super special that I've never done before, and I've been to the Vatican Museums dozens of times. Today, there's a limited access tour, which I'm a part of. There's only six people in my group and the Vatican limits access. So not only do I get to experience all that great world-class art with very few people in peace and quiet, but I also get to have aperitivo in the Vatican Museums. So we've made it inside of the Vatican Museums, gone through the security check. Remember, you will go through metal detectors. If you have a huge backpack, you'll have to leave them in the baggage deposit. On today's visit to the Vatican Museums, we'll get epic views of St. Peter's Dome, cross through the Pinecone Courtyard, see the Pio Clementino Museum and Nero's Bathtub. It's about 5.30 here in the Vatican Museums and I'm getting to enjoy all the great artwork with my passionate guide in a space where I can take everything in, very limited crowds. I mean, look it, nobody around me. After exploring ancient art and strolling through the galleries, it's time to experience the Renaissance section of the Vatican. The Pope's commissioned the finest artists, including Raphael, to adorn their rooms with masterpieces. Raphael's exceptional use of light, dramatic scenes, composition and smooth brushwork on each wall creates a truly remarkable sight. The museum visit culminates in the Sistine Chapel, the personal chapel of the Pope and the site of papal elections, featuring Michelangelo's iconic ceiling and Last Judgment. Even the side panels were collaboratively painted by renowned Renaissance artists, including Botticelli, Ghirlandaio and Perugino. So we just finished our tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel and now it's time to have a little aperitivo sesh to take it all in. So we're sitting down for our aperitivo and it's a fixed menu here. There's only a limited amount of tickets left for this, so you have to book this early. We got all sorts of different little meats and cheeses and typical fried things. It also comes with a glass of wine. Isn't that awesome? How often do you get to have an aperitivo right here in the Vatican Museum? I mean, this is just great. Mixology is a craft Italians excel at and are renowned for worldwide. In Rome, you'll find some of the top-rated cocktail bars in the world. Here are two of my favorites. Located in Monte, Drink Kong is not the norm in Rome. Take 70s futurism, added Japanese influences and wrap it in neon, that equals Drink Kong. Their drink list focuses on flavor profiles and chemistry-like precision. It's my go-to for date nights, special occasions or where I like to bring out-of-town friends. Frenia Frizzoni is one of the top-rated cocktail bars in the world that happens to also be located in the center of Rome. It has an unassuming charm. They curate their playlists and has a total laid-back vibe. While the passionate mixologists serve fantastic cocktails. It's my go-to spot, especially when I'm dining in Trastevere. When you visit, be sure to tell them you saw them on our channel. A classic spot in Trastevere that you will not regret eating at is Taverna Trilusa. I've been coming here for years and it's a classic Roman restaurant. Their traditional Roman pastas cannot be missed. You should definitely try. Amatriciana, which is so simple but so classic because all it is is guanciale, tomatoes and pecorino in a beautiful pasta. I mean, I'm gonna pick this up and show you. Come on, son. Come on. Look at this. God, it's so good. Well, that's it for our time here in Rome. It's incredible to think how many things you can see and do right here in the Eternal City. Remember, if you're armed with good information and a good attitude, your travel dreams can come true. And when it comes to travel-savvy tips, we got you. I'm Angel Castellanos for The Tour Guide. Don't forget to comment, like and subscribe and ring that bell so you can find our next video. Happy travels.