BeforeYouGo.com

Rome is a big city with A LOT to see.  Walking through Rome is like walking through a history book, and it is one of those places where there is so much to see that some things that would be the highlight of some cities barely gets a mention in Rome.  You could easily spend a week in Rome and not get bored, but if you have less time than that you can still see an astounding amount. 

Our time in Rome was a 1 day stop on a cruise, so we had to be efficient to see what we wanted to see.  The walking tour we did required a whole lot of walking and a small map, but we were able to see a lot in one day. 

From the cruise port we took the train and got off at Stazione di San Pietro from which you can walk to the Vatican.  We walked around St Peter's Basilica and we could have had time for the Sistine Chapel if we had known then to book a tour in advance.  We then walked over to the Cipro-Musei Vaticani Metro station.  We rode the Metro and got off at the Barberini station.  

From the Barberini station we walked a path that took us to the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Mamertine Prison, past the Roman Forum, to the Colosseum, then to San Giovanni in Laterano.  From there we got onto the San Giovanni metro station which we used to connect to Stazione Termini where you can catch a train back to the cruise terminal.

Here are some of the highlights from our trip, in the order in which we saw them:

The Vatican:

Within the Vatican you'll find St Peter's Basilica (pictured at the right from the outside and one of the domes from the inside) and the Sistine Chapel.  Reserve a tour at the Vatican if you want to see the Sistine Chapel. Showing up and hoping to get in can take hours, and if you’re in Rome there is so much to do you do not want to waste a bunch of time in line. You can reserve a tour here.

The Pantheon:

The Pantheon is another unique historical building in Rome that has some great architecture.  The Pantheon was built around 126 AD and it is one of the best preserved early Roman buildings in the world.  Even today, 2000 years after it was built, the dome in the Pantheon remains the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.  The dome is very impressive to see and some consider it the most architecturally perfect dome in the world.  There is an open air hole at the top of the dome where sunlight streams in and that provides all the light for the building.  Because there is no covering, if it rains then the water comes right down into the Pantheon.

Mamertine Prison:

The Mamertine Prison is a very small, short stop along the walk near the Roman Forum when going from the Pantheon to the Colosseum, but it is worth a stop.  This is where it is said that Peter was held in prison and he made water come out of a column so he could baptize his fellow prisoners.  There is a memorial setup for him that has an upsidedown cross.  Peter was crucified upside down because he did not count himself worthy to be crucified the same way as Jesus. 

Sometimes known as the Tullianum, it is located on the east side of the Capitoline Hill below the church of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami.

Roman Forum:

The Roman Forum was the center of ancient Rome and today it remains packed with history.  It was hub of the economy, the government, and the justice system.  The Forum held the major marketplace in Rome and it was the main business district and civic center.  It was also the home to several temples, a senate house and courts of law.   You can get access to the Roman Forum with your ticket to the Colosseum.

San Giovanni in Laterano:

Although this is not one of the major tourist attractions people think of to see in Rome, San Giovanni in Laterano is a beautiful church with a lot of history of its own.  It is the cathedral of the Church of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome - the Pope. 

There are a lot of impressive architectural features, along with 12 sculptures depicting the 12 apostles.  The tombs of six popes are inside inside the basilica, Alexander III, Sergius IV, Clement XII Corsini, Martin V, Innocent III, and Leo XIII.  After Leo XIII popes were entombed in St. Peter's Basilica.

San Giovanni in Laterano also holds the Scala Sancta, or Holy Stairs.  These are wooden steps that, according to tradition, were stairs from the palace of Pilate in Jerusalem.  That would mean they were the stairs Jesus Christ walked on during the trial.  The stairs were brought from Jerusalem in the fourth century by Saint Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine I.

Here are a few quick tips to do Before You Go to Rome:

If you want to see the Sistine Chapel, reserve a spot Before You Go here.

Map out what you want to do ahead of time for the most efficient use of the Rome Metro.

Buy a city map and be prepared for a lot of walking. Think about how you want to see the Colosseum. There are usually long lines, but if you spend an extra couple dollars and get the audio tour you can go at your own pace and the line should be much, much shorter. This is also much cheaper than the guided tours. The audio self guided tours will save you both time and money.

Pictured at right is a view of the Colosseum from the inside and the outside.

The Colosseum is also right next to a wealth of other stops, including the Roman Forum and an often overlooked site, Basilica of St. John Lateran (Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano). From the Colosseum this fascinating site is just a few blocks down the street.

With a bit more walking in the opposite direction you can get to the Pantheon an the Trevi Fountain. This is more than a few blocks, but much of the walk you are going past the Roman Forum and there is a lot to see along the way.

The Trevi Fountain: