24 Hours In Rome, Italy

I have been home from Europe for almost 2 months and I have yet to write a full post on our honeymoon! I promise, more of those details are coming soon. As I mentioned two weeks ago, I have so many ideas up my sleeve, it is so hard to choose just a few topics each week. While I am not diving into our honeymoon just yet, I do have a Europe themed post today!

I have noticed several people mentioning an upcoming trip to Rome (jealous!), and I want to share some of my favorite locations. The best part is you can do all of these in just one day! With only 24 hours in Rome, you can see most of the big sights, and enjoy the scenery. While you won’t see every single tourist stop, you will be able to wander the streets, have some delicious gelato, and take incredible photos.

Your first stop is the Colosseum, aim to get here as soon as you can. The best way to see everything here is to buy a ticket online to enter. You can buy general admission or a group tour, we did general admission and it was great. I like being able to walk around and take my time where I need it, rather than sticking to a group and waiting for others. Walk the inside walls, outside walls, and then take a trip to the outside walls in the middle. You will have a beautiful view of the city and the Arch of Constantine.

Once you have visited all of the interior of the Colosseum, head to the metro station to make your way to the Vatican. You could also take a taxi, but it won’t save you much time. It’s a very easy and quick ride. Once you arrive to the Vatican, look for someone selling group tours, it is highly likely that you will see over 10. Simply ask for their prices and what the tour includes. You will absolutely want to take a tour because the line itself will be at least 2 hours long at all times.

We spent around 30 Euros each and had an audio and guided tour (in English- though they had several options) of Vatican City, Sistine Chapel and St. Peters Basilica. Our tour lasted for around 3 hours in total. I highly recommend the time and money spent. Make sure you have a skirt/dress/shorts that reach your knees and your arms covered. There are places to buy scarves for your arms, but it is nice to be prepared.

The rest of your day can be leisurely and you shouldn’t have to pay for admittance to any location. When your tour of the Vatican is complete, make your way back to the metro to head towards Fiumi Fountain. This fountain is in a courtyard full of restaurants and shops. Now would be a wonderful time for gelato because you will be outdoors for a bit.

After you take in the sites of this area, head east towards the Pantheon. It is less than 10 minutes away, and you will see gorgeous alleyways, quaint shops and likely some tourists following the same path as you. One wonderful thing about Rome is the abundance of water fountains. Remember to bring a water bottle to fill at the various locations, there will be a place right in front of the Pantheon. There was no line to get in when we arrived, and the inside is beautiful!

The next stop on your tour is the Trevi Fountain. I was so upset to see the fountain under construction (it feels like Europe always is), but it was still amazing to see in person. Make sure you have some coins to make a wish and toss it in! After the Trevi Fountain you can walk north towards the Spanish Steps, this is another great opportunity to fill up your water bottle. I was less than enthused with the steps themselves, but this courtyard was one of my favorites. There was an amazing salmon colored building, cute shops and it was the perfect place to take a break from walking and enjoy the view.

When you feel your people watching has been enough, head a little further north towards Piazza del Popolo. This is another beautiful courtyard. There are fountains, an incredible view down two parallel roads, and lovely architecture. If you walk upwards to the east, you will arrive at Pincian Hill. One of the highlights of the day was wandering this area, soaking in the view, and enjoying a crepe. The walk back down was full of floral covered buildings and cute restaurants. This is where we decided to end our day in Rome, and it was a great one!

If you are taking a trip to Rome soon (I absolutely recommend it!) I truly hope this list helps! Remember to bring along a water bottle, scarf and great walking shoes!