Rome may not have been built in a day, but you certainly can see Rome in a day.
Well, the major stuff at least!
Yes, I’m well aware there is obviously so much more to Rome than the Trevi Fountain, Trastevere, and the Colosseum… but! If you wanted to, you could actually see many of the major, epic sights in Rome in just one day.
I have done this — and it involved a missed flight and very limited time in this beautiful city. But I’ll get to that in a second.
Again, I want to reiterate that there is so much more to Rome than just the classics, but there is a reason these things are, well, classics. I’ve been to Rome three times now, and personally I cannot wait to return and explore more neighbourhoods. I just know Rome has some incredible trattorias, cafés, and little negozi that I am very much looking forward to discovering the next time I go back (because I absolutely will be back).
Rome was one of the first major cities I travelled to, and it definitely left a mark on me. The food, the people, la dolce vita. Italy in general is just such a wonderful country.
So, you might be wondering how you could possibly see Rome in a day. To come back to how I know this to be true — in the summer of 2024, my mom, my sisters, and I took a trip to Europe. We had about 10 days and wanted to see Lisbon, Rome, Napoli, and Malta (lol, I know).
It was also a good learning lesson for me — especially now as a travel advisor: slow it down. Take your time. Experience a place and really sink into it.
So, we were in Portugal and missed our flight to Rome. Because of our travel timing, even though we were able to book another flight later that day, we ended up losing most of our first afternoon and evening in the city. And the following day we were already planning to take the train to Napoli.
I remember telling my sisters, “It’s ok — we can see Rome in a day!” Because I had been before and had managed to pack quite a lot into one visit. Rome is surprisingly well set up for walking, and if you’re in a bit of a crunch you can actually see many of the major sights in a day.
Here’s roughly how we did it.
First of all, stay in Trastevere.
It’s close enough to the main landmarks but still feels like its own neighbourhood — and a really lovely one at that. There is a beautiful botanical garden close by, and one of my favourite bars ever, Bar San Calisto, is there. It’s a classic Roman bar that you have to experience at least once. The service is fast, people crowd around outside and spill into the streets, and the atmosphere is just great.
The only downside is the line for the single bathroom is always very long. Also worth noting: Trastevere can get a little loud at night, which is something to keep in mind if you’re travelling with family.
We arrived late that evening, checked into our Airbnb, and basically went straight to sleep.
Another thing to note when coming to Rome is that Fiumicino Airport is outside the city, so getting into the centre usually takes at least 45 minutes.
The next morning we had one goal: see as much of Rome as we reasonably could.
First stop was a quick espresso bar. This took maybe five minutes because, if you know, you know — Italians drink their espresso quickly and move on.
From there we crossed the river and started walking into the historic centre.
🏛️ Pantheon
First stop was the Pantheon, which is honestly one of the most impressive buildings in Rome. The fact that it’s nearly 2,000 years old and still standing is kind of incredible.
When you walk inside and look up at the dome with the open oculus in the centre, it’s pretty amazing.
Right outside the Pantheon is a lively square with cafés and gelato shops, so naturally we stopped for gelato. At this point it was already getting warm, and gelato felt very necessary.
⛲ Trevi Fountain
From there we made our way toward the Trevi Fountain.
The Trevi Fountain is one of those places where you don’t really see it coming. You’re walking down fairly normal streets and then suddenly you turn a corner and there it is — huge, dramatic, and surrounded by people.
Yes, it’s touristy, but it’s also stunning. We tossed our coins in (obviously) and hung around for a few minutes before continuing on.
🐈 Cat Sanctuary
Not far from there we stopped at the Largo di Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary.
It’s an archaeological site full of ancient ruins — and it’s also home to a large colony of cats that live among the ruins. Volunteers care for them, and they lounge around the old stones like they own the place.
It’s a slightly random stop, but also a very Roman one — ancient ruins and cats casually existing together in the middle of the city.
🇮🇹 Piazza Venezia
From there we kept walking toward Piazza Venezia, which is the big roundabout in the centre of Rome. In the middle is the enormous white Victor Emmanuel II Monument — the massive marble structure that kind of looks like a palace.
This area is also where you start seeing more ancient ruins scattered throughout the city.
One of the things I love about Rome is how history just exists everywhere. You’ll be walking down a normal street and suddenly there’s a structure that has been there for thousands of years.
🦁 Roman Forum & Colosseum
Not far from there are the Roman Forum ruins, which used to be the centre of political and social life in Ancient Rome.
And then of course — the Colosseum.
Even if you’ve seen it in photos a million times, it’s still pretty impressive in person. It’s enormous and you can spot it from quite far away as you walk toward it.
We spent some time walking around it and taking the classic photos before slowly making our way back toward Trastevere.
🍝 Back to Trastevere
By this point we had walked quite a bit. Rome is very walkable, but the distances between the major sights do add up.
As the afternoon wound down, we made our way back across the river to Trastevere.
It’s one of my favourite neighbourhoods in Rome. The streets are lively, restaurants spill out into the piazzas, and the atmosphere in the evening is just really fun.
We found a little trattoria, ordered pasta and wine, and wrapped up our very full day in Rome.
🚶♀️The walking route we accidentally did
Pantheon
Trevi Fountain
Largo di Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary
Piazza Venezia
Roman Forum
Colosseum
Dinner in Trastevere
If you’re planning a trip to Rome (or anywhere else in Italy) I would absolutely love to help you design it.
Here are a few of my favourite photos from places I’ve visited in Italy over the years. It truly is such a beautiful country.
You should definitely book that trip… and maybe let me plan it 😉
