Where to go: Rome Itineraries


Vatican City Itinerary

Leaving from Termini you can take the subway Linea A and stop at the Ottaviano station or the bus number 64, then you can walk to the Vatican City taking about 5 minutes. Inside visit the Sistine Chaple (Lire 18.000 - student Lire 12.000) one of the most famous and visited monuments in the world, it is is an emblematic example of papal patronage during the Renaissance, and it was adorned with the extraordinary paintings done by Michelangelo in the 16th century. From the Vaticans Museums it is also possible to see Raphael's Stanze, painted between 1509 and 1512, and the Borgia Apartment, frescoed in the late 15th century by Pinturicchino and arrive in St. Peter's Square. At the square you can observe the geometric architeture by the circles present at the floor and go to St. Peter's Basilica, the largest one in the world. The dome was designed by Michelangelo and so was the Pietà, kept in the first chapel of the right aisle. You can go to the top of the Basilica and after 320 steps you will be able to catch your breath with one of the best views of Rome. At the same day you can also visit the Castel Sant'Angelo that used to be a tomb of the Emperor Hadrian and later a fortress and a prision. Take the same subway line to go back to Termini.

Campo de'Fiori

Leaving from Termini take the bus number 64 and stop at Largo di Argentina near to Campo di Fiori: a square with a very good market of fresh fruits and vegetables and a statue of Giordano Bruno (a Dominican philosopher that was burned at the stake because he supported the heliocentric theory) in the center, crossing Via Vittorio Emanuele II you find Piazza Navona, one of the best places in Rome, where a lot of tourists, artists and musicians spend days and evenings. In the center of the area rises the famous Fountain of the Four Rivers. Walk towards Piazza della Rotonda which takes its name from the cylindrical shape of the Pantheon, this building of ancient Rome has been preserved best down to the present day, and is a true masterpiece of architecture, an amazing characteristic of the building is the exceptional covering dome. It is the largest dome ever created out of concrete, the entire building is conceived as a perfect geometry figure: a sphere inserted in a cylinder. The diameter of the sphere coincides with the height of the cylinder. Today it is the sanctuary of the kings of Italy. Then go to Trevi Fountain with a few steps and throw the famous coin to come back to Rome, it is recommended to rest for a while by the fountain, a really nice place. Walking in Via del Corso (one of the best for sales) you can reach Piazza di Spagna with the famous steps climbing to the church of Trinità dei Monti which offers a beautiful view of the city. The square has an original shape, with a narrowing at the center which divides it into two parts, almost like a butterfly's wing, it has been the meeting point for travellers and today it still is for tourists. You can also spend the evening there, have dinner or just relax.


Ancient Rome

You can visit all the ancient Rome in one day leaving early in the morning starting from Piazza Venezia, a monumental palace ordered by Pope Paul with a statue in honour a Vittorio Emaneulle II where you can also check the museum and the Church of the Aracoeli. Spend some time also in Piazza del Campidoglio, Palazzo Valentini and Foro Traiano and Foro di Augusto. Walk through Via del Foro Imperiali and reach Colosseo, the ticket to check inside cost Lire 13.000. Foro Romano is also a nice option, wacthing the old buildings go for a ride inside it finding beautiful temples and statues. Circo Massimo is close enough and you can visit it walking by Via dei Cerchi and after by Via delle Terme you find Terme di Caracalla, when in some months happens some concerts. To go back to Termini you can take the subway at Circo Massimo station.

Trastevere

In the evening Rome offers many options like pubs, discos and the famous squares. A real good choice is to go to Trastevere a zone with a lot of pubs and good restaurants, you can do that taking the bus 64 from Termini stopping at Largo Argentina and by Via Arenula walk to the other side of the river; Piazza S. Maria in Trastevere is a meeting point for youth that just sit at the stairs of the church to hang out for a while; one alternative is to go to Piazza Navona where a lot of people have dinner, 'gelato' and watch many artists, magicians and painters. But if you are looking for something more funny you can go to Testacio Village, a lively night-time hangout of Roman young people. Just check before the night buses lines since the subway and the normal buses stop at 11:30.

Villa Borghese

If you spend a weekend in Rome a good place to visit is Villa Borghese, a park which you can do a picnic, relax under the sun and see beautiful places. The Borghese museum is a good choice too. At lunch time you can go to Piazza del Popolo and then walk by the Teber river. Visit the Isola Tiberina where it is possible to admire what remains of the Castle of the Caetani then it is possible to reach Piazza in Piscinula with the Casa Mattei, an elegant complex of 14th-century dwellings built for the noble Roman family and restored, during the Facist period. Going back to Via Genovesi take Via di Santa Cecilia, which leads into the square dominated by the church of the same name. The church of Santa Cecilia considerably changed down through the centuries, has a beautiful Gothic tabernacle executed in 1923. Piazza Sonnino has one of the most well-known medieval constructions: the Torre degli Anguillara, known as the ' House of Dante', near the square is the church of San Crisogono, one of Trastevere's great medieval basilicas. Going down Via della Lungaretta, there is a square where the Basilica Santa Maria in Trastevere is located, it contains the famous mosaics with the Coronation of the Virgin, Stories of the Virgin. At night you can have an excellent pizza in this neighborhood.

Ostia Antica

On the coast near to Rome you can go to Ostia a beach where the roman citizens go on the weekends, it takes about 45 minutes to get there and you can go by the subway Linea B from Termini stop at Piramide station and then get the train to Ostia. Today Ostia Lido is a great center of attraction in the summertime, both during the day and night, with discos and pubs. Since you are there you can also go to Ostia Antica (see Ostia Antica) it is recommended to start from the Piazza delle Corporazioni then for a good panoramic view you should go up the steps of the teather. If it is lunchtime, you can stop at any tratoria having a nice time in a ancient place.

Kid Friendly Itineraries in RomeConsider it a mission impossible to make a meaningful visit to Rome in one or two days. Rome is not like Florence or Venice, where most major sights are crowded into a compact central tourist district within walking distance.

Just getting from one place to another, with children in tow, is a daunting task. It is difficult to overstate how much more sprawling, chaotic and confusing Rome is compared to any other Italian city or even compared to Paris, London or New York.

But, if a few days are all the time you have, we have outlined a two-day itinerary, followed by a three- and five-day plan for your visit to Rome. In two full days you can at least get a sense of the ancient and sacred that mix to make Rome a living museum.

Remember: Even by taxi it can take 30 minutes or more to travel between most of these major sights, all of which are described in greater detail later in this chapter.

TWO-DAY ROME ITINERARY
Day 1: Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome (all day excursion): The Roman and Imperial Forums, the Colosseum, and surrounding sights. The fragments of ancient Rome scattered across the immense Roman Forum were the highlight of our children’s visit.
Trevi Fountain (before or after dinner): Our kids loved throwing coins in the fountain. Save room for the excellent gelato sold across from the fountain.
Day 2: Sacred Rome
Vatican City (4 hours or more): St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums are awesome whatever your religious background. The Sistine Chapel was a high-point of our children’s visit. They marveled at how one man Michelangelo could possibly have lain on his back for most of a year painting the famous ceiling frescoes.
Catacombs (2 hours): Kids love both the mystery and history of these cool underground burial mazes. Our children enjoyed the visit to Priscilla Catacombs because it was a small, personal tour (just us) that did not go on endlessly. (They are also convenient to the Borghese Gardens, Rome’s central park, which is a nice break â€” see below).
Piazza Navona (evening): Our kids delighted in the street performers and sketch artists in this lively piazza filed with fountains, sculpture and sidewalk cafes.
THREE DAY ITINERARY
Day 1: Ancient Rome
See above.
Day 2: Sacred Rome
See above.
Day 3: Rome Old and New
The Pantheon (1 hour): Kids are awed that this pagan-temple-turned-church is nearly 2000 years old.
Capitoline Hill (2 hours or more): A short walk from the Pantheon, the Piazza del Compidoglio, overlooking the Roman Forum, is an architectural wonder and home to the Capitoline Museums. Kids love the many new interactive exhibits and the gigantic head and foot from a statue of Constantine.
St. Paul’s Outside the Walls (1 hour): Second only to St. Peter’s, this impressive basilica is built over the tomb of St. Paul.
Or…

Church of the Bones – Santa Maria della Concezione: Near the entrance to the Borghese Gardens, in a crypt below the church, lies the strange spectacle of the bones of 4,000 Capuchin monks arranged into altars, friezes and chapels.
FIVE DAY ITINERARY
Day 1: Ancient Rome
See above.
Day 2: Sacred Rome
See above.
Day 3: Rome Old and New
See above.
Day 4: Relaxed Rome
Campo dei Fiori (1 hour or more): A taste of more ordinary Roman living at this lively outdoor food and flower market (open daily, except Sunday, until 1pm). Kids love to pick out their own breakfast or lunch. For a complete meal, La Carbonara is a good bet for a classic sit-down lunch (listed with restaurants below).
Borghese Gardens (2 hours or more): This is Rome’s central park, a very quiet, safe and entertaining place for a picnic lunch, bicycling and afternoon fun. Two art museums also grace this enormous public park, notably the Galleria Borghese.

Any sightseeing expedition you can follow by a visit to the Borghese Gardens will earn major brownie points with your kids.

Tiny bumper car rides, ponies, bicycles and family peddle-carts to rent plus lots of paths and grass to run in. A great way to end (or break up) the day! This picturesque public park is home as well to one of Rome’s top art museums Galleria Borghese which at least one adult can sneak off to see while the children play.

Spanish Steps (before or after dinner): The Piazza Di Spagna is a favorite hangout for people of all ages. With children it is best visited in the afternoon or early evening, when the musicians, artists and Italian families are at their most entertaining. The 137 steps are located just below one exit from the Borghese Gardens, so the two can be seen in tandem. A short walk away is Pizzeria Le Grotte, one of the best family restaurants in Rome.
Day 5: Around Rome
Cervetri (6 hours or more, including travel): Before the Roman Empire, the great Etruscan culture dominated the Italian Peninsula around present-day Rome and up through Tuscany.

While Egyptian pharaohs were erecting pyramids, the more democratic Etruscans were constructing far-flung necropoli (cities of the dead) with fascinating burial mounds of varying sizes. The best of these are in Tarquinia and Cervetri, with the latter the closest about an hour by train from Rome and well worth the trouble.

Tivoli Gardens (4 hours or more, including travel): Tivoli is where the wealthiest Romans built their summer villas and it remains home to the Villa D’Este and its world-famous fountains. The gardens, hedge maze and whimsical fountains are great fun for kids and wondrous for adults particularly at night during May through September when the monumental sculpted fountains are floodlit. Tivoli is 40 minutes by train or car from the city center.