There's No Place Like (24 hours in) Rome.
Rome is a beautiful, yet chaotic city bursting with iconic sites, history, and drool-worthy carbs. Oh, and of course, home to The Lizzie McGuire Movie. As the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day... but sometimes a day is all you have to see it. So say arrivederci to the keto diet, put on your gladiator shoes, and come "Rome" the streets of the Eternal City with me for 24 hours. Caution: You'll be so exhausted by the end of the day, you'll collapse like an ancient ruin yourself.
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With only one day, you have to accept the fact that you'll barely scratch the surface. I mean, thousands of years worth of historic beauty lurk around every corner--It's impossible to see it all in a day. Trust me, this was my third time visiting and I've hardly made a dent. However, you can catch the major highlights if you plan, prioritize, and I cannot stress this enough-- wear comfortable walking shoes. Don't be that girl who wants to look cute for an Instagram photo and ends up with blisters and full of regret. There's a time for that and this is not it.
For me, my first priority was to find a centrally located home base. To be honest, I'm not picky when it comes to a hotel. After all, you're in Rome. Why would you spend any time in your hotel room? All I wanted was a safe, clean, and reasonably priced place to rest my head. My goal was to be within walking distance of the major sites because ain't nobody got time to spend half their day taking a bus all over God's green Earth (especially with such limited time). And ya'll, I found the perfect place --Colosseo Accommodation Room Guest House. It was a steal. It is located in a local apartment building and only comprised of 3 rooms with one small common area for breakfast. Being only 0.4 miles from the Colosseum was the cherry on top!
(Photo Credit: Booking.com)
(Photo Credit: Booking.com)
Now that you have a shelter over your head, it's time to throw your luggage down and hit the streets! First up: The Colosseum.
The most iconic structure in Rome, and arguably the world, the Colosseum is just as impressive in person as it was in the pages of your sixth grade history book. Can you imagine sitting in there back in the day amongst 50,000 of your closest friends watching people and animals fight for your entertainment? How savage. Today millions of tourists visit it every year, so be prepared for the crowds. If you want to actually go inside, you should pre-book your tickets online and get a fast pass while you're at it... or else your 24hr in the city will be spent waiting in line.
Right next to the Colosseum is the Roman Forum. It's where all those Romans used to shop til they dropped. Just kidding. Well, it's original use was as a marketplace, but then it transitioned to a gathering place for all sorts of activities. It was the happening place. If you do end up going in the Colosseum, generally your ticket includes entry to the Roman Forum as well. If you don't, no worries, you can still get a glance of it from the sidewalk.
As you continue to walk past the Roman Forum, you will see a large white marble building with incredible detail and a plethora of sculptures. It can't be missed as the white color stands out like a sore thumb among all the 'ancient' colors in the city. This is Vittoriano in Piazza Venezia AKA a monument to some King named Victor Emmanuel. Groovy.
Next up on the agenda is Piazza Navona. About a 5 min walk from Vittoriano, Piazza Navona is a massive town square full of fountains, restaurants, street artists, and musicians. Quite the lively place.. or what the kids call "lit". It's definitely worth a peek.
It's also the perfect opportunity for a little gelato stop too, because it's necessary when in Rome to eat gelato for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Seriously, I could bathe in the stuff. (TIP: not all gelato is made equal. You'll see gelato shops luring you in with their vibrant colored scoops, but really the more natural, authentic color, the better the quality gelato)
Only a hop, skip, and a jump across the Tiber river from here is Castel Sant' Angelo, the furthest spot on today's itinerary. It's been everything from a mausoleum, to a fortress, to a prison, to a museum. I mean damn, it's been everything! I haven't been inside, but supposedly it has one of the best views in the city as well. And who doesn't love a good view from a castle?! If you are wanting to go inside, again, plan ahead and get tickets online before, or else expect a line that's slower than death.
Once done doing a little exploring, walk across the "Bridge of Angels" directly attached to the castle to head in the direction of the Pantheon. There's something wild about knowing you're walking on ancient history... not that all of Rome isn't ancient history.. cause it is.. but you know. It's one old ass bridge. Take time to look up as you're walking across the bridge and admire Bernini's angel sculptures. I'm always in awe of the detail that goes into sculptures. I mean, I struggled to make a bowl in pottery class. These folks are talented af.
In about 15 min walking time, you will reach the Pantheon. It is known to be the "best preserved structure from antiquity" and I believe it. Maybe all these moisturizers I use will help me to age that well.
This beaut is free to enter and you definitely should. My favorite feature is the unique hole in the ceiling of the dome. When it rains it pours, baby. Seriously though, be cautious.
No trip to Rome is complete without a stop at our next destination: The Trevi Fountain.
Honestly, I have mixed feelings about the Trevi Fountain. Yes, it's a must see, but no, it's not as romantic as you think it would be due to the large crowds. I'm talking shoulder to shoulder crowds. I could be wrong, but In my opinion I think this is the busiest spot in Rome. However, if you do have a little extra time in the morning, wake up and be there at 530am. You'll have the place to yourself and the only noise you hear is the flowing water. So peaceful...until you have to tinkle.
If you are there when it's crowded, don't be afraid to unleash your feisty side and push people out of the way. (wow. I'm rude), but seriously, get a good view of the fountain and snap some pics. Also, don't forget to toss in a coin! Word is, if you throw a coin into the fountain behind your back you are guaranteed to come back to Rome.
Once you have had enough of the fountain (or rather the people surrounding the fountain), continue about 3 min past the right side, where you will reach "That's Amore Restaurant". Now if you know me at all, you know I am all about food, and in Rome that means pizza! American pizza vs. Italian pizza is a joke. It's night and day. We Americans just cant seem to perfect the pizza. So, when in Italy, why not try to learn? "That's Amore Restaurant" offers hands on lessons on how to make a superb Italian pizza.
From prepping the dough to garnishing your pizza with fresh toppings, it's a fully immersive class. And the best part? You get to shove it down your pie hole once it's done cooking. (along with bruschetta, wine, and dessert). I definitely waddled out of there.
I highly recommend this class. It was fun, informative, and you get a fabulous recipe to take back home. Talk about a good souvenir!
As you stroll (more like roll, am I right?) back in the direction of the hotel, you get to see the city come to life at night. It is only about a 20 min walk back to the hotel from the restaurant, so take time to admire the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum all lit up.
Then, as soon as you reach your hotel, I promise you and your fitbit will be ready to crash. So take a shower, collapse like a ruin, and get some sleep, you've earned it!
xoxo,
Em