What to See in Rome

Of course you know what to see: the Sistine Chapel, the Colisseum, Piazza Navona. The question is how to organize your steps and stops to see as much as possible. Here are a few half-day walking/Metro itineraries. We were just there. We saw a lot. We ate successfully.

Where you are, that’s your point of departure in Rome. I compiled these notes for a friend staying near Piazza del Popolo. If you have questions, drop me a line.

I. To Campo de Fiori: From Piazza del Popolo, take the stairway up to Pincio Terrace. Then proceed down to Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and Campo de Fiori. (3 hrs). If I was tired, thirsty, and hungry, I’d look for a place to sit along Via del Governo Vecchio.

II. To Sistine Chapel: Take the Metro from Piazza del Popolo to the Ottaviano (St. Peter) station, for a short walk to Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, Castel Sant’Angelo. (4 hrs)

III. To Colisseum: Take the Metro from Piazza del Popolo to the Colisseum station.
See Colisseum, Forum, Palatine.; Via dei Fori Imperiali, Trajan’s Market, Piazza Venezia, Campidoglio. This is your hardest outing, after Sistine Chapel. Soul-crushing crowds. Long lines. Skip-the-entrance ticketing is offered online, recommended especially for Colisseum and Forum. Note: You can get good views of the Forum behind the Campidoglio. When we were in Rome, late afternoon there was no line to get into Trajan’s Market. Consider Trajan’s Market an alternative to the Forum. (4 hrs)

IV. To Baths of Caracalla: Lots of walking here. Of course. The baths are worth it. Take the Metro from Piazza del Popolo to the Circo Massimo station. Walk to Terme di Caracalla (the baths), walk back to Circo Massimo station. (3 hrs)

V. To see three big churches: After the Circus and the Baths, take the Metro from Circo Massimo to Vittorio Emanuele metro stop. Walk to Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni Laterano, Santuario della Scala Santa, Take the Metro from San Giovanni back to Piazza del Popolo. (3 hrs). Note: nice walk up and/or down Via Merulana.

This trip to Rome we had really satisfying lunches. We ate three times at ai Balestrari, near Campo de Fiori (Via Dei Balestrari 41 | Campo de Fiori, +39 06 686 5377). The service was not the best, but the food was very good. We also ate twice at da Gino al Parlamento (Vicolo Rosini 4, +39 06 687 3434).