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Before I get shouted at, yes I know that one day is absolutely not enough to see all that Rome has to offer. In fact before we left Rome we had already decided we would be coming back to explore more!
But on our trip from Madrid to Bucharest we discovered flights were significantly cheaper (I'm talking £13 for a flight) if we stopped for a day in Rome and flew out the following morning.
We actually arrived in Rome at 1am, slept for 7 hours then got up, proceeded to walk 25km in a day, slept for a few more hours then got up at 3am for a flight. So it was definitely an intense one day in Rome and we were exhausted after it!
But the great thing about Rome is that it's very walkable. Meaning no money spent on transport (although you might need to get transport home depending how sore your feet are at the end of the day!)
Without further ado, here is how to spend one day in Rome - use it wisely!
Beat the crowds to Trevi Fountain
The crowds at this popular attraction are notoriously huge. Often you’ll see people on Instagram going at 4am in the summer months to beat the crowds. But if you’re just looking for slightly less jostling and people in your photos, head to the fountain before 8am. There will still be plenty of people around but nothing like the crowds you see from 10am onwards!
TIP - head down the steps to the right or left sides of the fountain. There are far fewer people here in these corners and you’re more likely to get a picture with the fountain without anyone else in it.
Grab some fresh Italian coffee and pastries for breakfast
Would it be a trip to Italy without some Italian coffee and warm, freshly baked breakfast pastries? We loved the chocolate filled croissants at Antico Forno Serpenti.
TIP - Move away from the tourist attractions for cheaper prices, and fresher, more authentic bakery foods.
Make a beeline for the Colosseum
Another obvious one but you really cannot miss visiting the Colosseum. When in Rome, right? We decided not to go inside as the queue was huge and we were more interested in seeing its beauty from the outside in our short time there. Maybe next time! If you do want to visit, be aware that the standard adult ticket increased from 12 to 16 euros on 1st November 2019.
TIP - the best place for photos of the Colosseum are from higher up or further back to get as much of the building in as possible. Try the wall along Via Nicola Salvi or from the pedestrian crossing at the top of Piazza del Colosseo.
Walk along Via dei Fori Imperiali
This long road from the Colosseum walks you right past some great free viewpoints of the Roman Forum. Again we were short on time so didn’t want to pay to enter. But you can see most of the site from this road and it has the advantage of being above the ruins so you get a higher vantage point for photos.
The reason I loved this road so much is because if you continue down here you also have beautiful views of the old city and rooftops to the right too. It also leads you directly to the Altare della Patria - the majestic landmark which honours Italy's soldiers and first King.
TIP - head up to the Terrazza delle Quadrighe (marked on Google Maps) for 360° views of the city! It isn’t cheap (€10) and if you go in the middle of the day there is often a bit of a queue but the view is amazing.
EXTRA TIP - If you’re looking for great free views, head down the hill (under the museum bridge) behind the Capitoline Museum for a great free view of the Roman Forum.
Grab some pizza for lunch
You’re in Italy, the motherland of pizza so it would be rude not to! We found two spots we loved.
If you’re looking for a central location for pizza in Rome, this one is for you! Right by the Trevi Fountain, Piccolo Buco is unassuming from the front and the prices are pretty reasonable for its location. Go here for lunch to avoid the queues that form at dinner time! Their pizzas are awesome!
Get lost in the beautiful Italian streets
Okay not literally! But Rome is such a walkable city so it's easy to see some beautiful streets and architecture all over the city, it is a 5000-year-old city after all!!
Make your way to Castel Sant'Angelo via the Pantheon and Piazza Nova for some quintessential Italian streets and public squares.
TIP - the Pantheon is free to enter and really is spectacular. For great photos frame it with the fountain opposite the entrance.
But first Gelato…
Where to get the best gelato in Rome? Okay we only had a short time so we didn't try them all (I wish!) but we were recommended this gelato place by two different people and it lived up to those recommendations!
Gelateria del Teatro is a little out of the centre but a perfect stop on your way to the Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican City. They have everything from classic flavours to crazy ones like fig and almond ricotta and white chocolate with basil! They also have sorbets and cater for those with dairy, gluten and even egg intolerances! Definitely a great ice cream place in Rome for those with allergies or intolerances.
Walk along River Tiber and see Castel Sant'Angelo
Again we didn’t have time to go inside Castel Sant'Angelo, tickets cost €19.50 for one adult, however if you are an EU citizen aged 18-25 you can buy tickets at the reduced cost of €7.50. We would have had to pay full price so it wasn’t worth us spending almost €40 when we were short on time. However I am told the view from the top of Rome and the Vatican City is beautiful. Instead we walked along the river and enjoyed the view on our way to the Vatican.
TIP - Enjoy the views of the Castel Sant'Angelo from the opposite side of the river where you can take photos from the bridge without people in the way!
Visit the smallest country in the world: the Vatican City
Why go to one country on your trip when you can go to two?! Yes, the Vatican City is a city state and the smallest country in the world with a population of approximately 1000 people.
TIP - it is free to enter the Vatican City borders but you will need to pay for tickets to enter the Basilica, Sistine Chapel or museum and prepare for long queues! We would recommend getting your tickets in advance and getting queue skip tickets as we didn’t have the time to queue when we visited.
Also don’t miss the opportunity to post a postcard from the Vatican Post Office! It's in the main Square on the left side of the Basilica and means you’ll get a Vatican City postal stamp!
Eat an authentic Italian dinner
Escape the city, the prices and the tourist traps and head to La Forchetta d'Oro for dinner. This is an authentic Italian restaurant, incredibly reasonably priced and big portions too! The owner was so lovely and welcoming and might give you a freebie or two of starters or a shot of limoncello! Absolutely recommend to round off your day in the city.
Where to stay in Rome on a budget
We stayed at Yellow Square Hostel in Rome. This is a bit out of the centre making it cheaper, but is in a popular area for nightlife so great if that’s what you’re looking for without the price tag.
But if that isn’t your scene there are a huge selection of hotels for all budgets on booking.com.
If you are looking for somewhere to stay near to Rome Ciampino Airport then I can totally recommend Hotel Villa Giulia. They upgraded us for free, the room was a great price and location, super clean and modern. They also arranged a taxi for us to the airport at 4am since we had an early flight before public transport was running.
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Have you been to Rome? What would you add to this 24 hour city itinerary?
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Flights: I use Expedia to find great flights and the best deals all over the world, they have regular sales and offers so I always check their website. I also check CheapOair to find cheap deals on round trip flights.
Car Rental: I love the customer service I've always gotten and the variety of options with Rental Cars. But for short notice rentals, I've been using Expedia for the last year, they always seem to have great one-day rates or last-minute rates from the main rental companies.
Accommodation: I prefer the flexibility of booking accommodation with Booking.com so I can cancel or change my reservation without a fee or only pay on arrival for most properties. For longer or more unique stays I prefer AirBnB because you can get the long stay discount, you can also find more unique properties and book experiences with talented locals and businesses. For my budget trips, I always stay in hostels and book through Hostelworld because they have great guarantees if anything does go wrong. If you arrive and your booking is not at the property, they refund the full deposit AND give you $50 extra credit.
Tours and organised trips Although I don’t use tours that often, I do like to book local experiences or day trips once I reach my destination. For that I use GetYourGuide because it has the biggest selection and variety of tour and experience options.
Travel Insurance: I currently use SafetyWing Nomad Insurance. Which allows me to pay a rolling monthly fee to cover my long term travels.
My camera gear and equipment: I use a Canon 77D with an 18-135mm lens or a 50mm lens. And a DJI Mavic Mini Drone. For all my gear including laptops, tripods and more camera accessories read my travel photography gear guide.