How to Do Rome in 48hrs

You've just arrived in Rome with a couple of days tovendors will sell small bottles at exorbitant prices. Along
kill. How is it possible to see all there is to see in such alunch also gets you out of the hottest part of the day.
short time? This is the guide to get the most out of15:00
Rome in the shortest amount of time.Entry tickets to the Colosseum can be bought at the
19:00gate but if the line is too long you can go to the ticket
Hopefully check in at the hotel has been fairlywindow at the base of the Palatine hill and buy them
straightforward so now it is to venture out in search ofthere. The line here is generally much shorter as not
a good meal. A meal in the old Trastevere part of themany tourists go up the hill. The remains of the
city has several benefits. Firstly there is a multitude ofEmperors palace stands at the top overlooking the
touristy type sidewalk restaurants and pizzerias toforum and quite stretegically down on the Temple of
choose from and secondly they are within gentlethe Vestal Virgins. This hill is also said to be where
strolling distance of several significant landmarks,Romulus founded Rome.
including the well preserved Pantheon.Beside the Colosseum stands the Arch of Constantine,
Rome is just as appealing by night as by day, with thewhich was an exercise in recycling of old monuments
heat of a Roman summer, night time walks may justby Emperor Constantine to reward himself for beating
save a few hours of excessive sweating during theMaxentius. The Colosseum has been damaged over
day. Any of the little back streets between thethe last 1800 years by earthquakes, invaders and
Pantheon and the Spanish steps are perfectly placedmarble merchants but the recent restoration projects
to allow a generous meal of pasta and a good carafehas seen parts of it restored to give a good idea of its
of wine to be walked off quite easily.original state.
21:0016:00
Make your way to the Spanish steps to sit and hangThe Via Sacre leads from the Colosseum up into the
out with the locals, while the view from the top of theForo Romano, the centre of the ancient Roman
steps in front of the church Trinita dei Monti offers atrading world. The ruins include the original forum, Julius
great view out over the city. Wander through to theCaesar's funeral pyre, his Senate building, the Temple
Trevi Fountain and buy dessert in the form of a gelatoof the Vestal Virgins and the arch of Septimus
and try your luck with the change. Throw one coinSeverus. The forum was buried over several
over your shoulder to come back, two coins to comehundreds of years of flooding, each layer has been
back and get kissed or three coins to come back andstripped back to reveal another Roman era, and in
be married.some cases where two eras have merged, as in the
22:00case of the Temple of Antonino and Faustina. The
Keep on walking through the streets until you reachdoor that stands halfway up the exposed wall shows
Piazza Venezia, so named because of the Palazzowhere the ground level was during the 8th Century
overlooking the piazza that resembles the Dogeswhen the 2nd Century temple was converted to
Palace in Venice. The balcony on the second floorchurch.
may look familiar, it was the podium from which theThere are plenty of tour guides available as history
dictator 'il duce' Mussolini delivered his fascist speeches.students and licensed guides offer their services with
The other landmark overlooking the piazza is thetours of the forum and the coliseum. The stories they
unmistakable monument to Vittorio Emanuele II.tell really help the ruins to come alive. Across the road
This has earned several nicknames over the yearsis Trajan's Forum with the very conspicuous Trajan's
including the Wedding Cake and the Typewriter. Thecolumn. This marks the edge of ancient Rome and the
tomb of the Unknown Soldier lies here under armedcontinuation of the modern city. Unfortunately most of
guard along with the eternal flame. If the monument isancient Rome lies beneath the Via dei Fiori Imperiali, the
open there is a fantastic view over the Romeroad built by Mussolini to parade his troops up and
rooftops, a glimpse into the Roman Forum and thedown before going off to battle.
Colosseum behind it. This is closed at dusk but many17:00
of the ruins are lit up at night.The rest of the day can be spent either indulging in
23:00.some people watching at any of the cafes in Piazza
If the night air has revived you there is the option ofNavona and admiring the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi
checking out the local night life as there are plenty ofsculptured by Bernini, or relaxing in the shade in the
bars and clubs open around the central city area. Alsopark at the 17thC Villa Borghese. Then its back to
there are some in other piazzas such as Piazzathose clubs you missed last night.
Navona and Campo dei Fiori that stay open until the08:00
early hours. Otherwise it's back to the hotel to getThis really depends on when you decide to leave. An
ready for tomorrow.early evening departure may enable you to take in one
08:00of three options provided you start early. The baths of
It pays to start early, particularly in the summer to beatCaracalla is a 10 hectare space that once held 1600
the crowds and the temperatures but luckily the city ispeople there to take advantage of the bathing, shops,
not too spread out to get from one sight to the next.libraries, gardens and public entertainment. These open
The metro system is basic to use to say the least,at 9am closing 1 hour before sunset and 2pm on a
there are only two metro lines that criss-cross the cityMonday. You would need around 3-4 hours including
and the buses are clearly marked with destinations.travel time to view these.
Termini is the central bus and metro terminal. TicketsThe other option is to visit one of the vast catacombs
must be bought before boarding and validated in thethat are buried beneath the city. These are miles and
yellow machines, starting from EUR1 for one journey.miles of tunnels, burial vaults and Churches dug by the
No visit to Rome is complete without a trip to theearly Christians to escape persecution by the Romans.
Vatican. San Pietro is on the western side of the riverThe burial vaults are countless metres tall and the
Tiber with the dome of St Peter's visible from mosttunnels run down over several levels. The resulting
parts of the city. The Vatican museum rooms arerabbit warren requires a guide to take you through and
open from 8.45 in the morning until 4pm, with the lastout again safely. You can choose from the ones on
entry just before 3.30pm, during the busy summerthe Via Appia Antica, which are the largest, or the
months. It is open until 1pm on Saturdays and lowCatacombs of San Callisto which are next door to the
season, while it is closed on Sundays and religiousCatacombs of San Sebastiano. They open at 8.30am
observances. You need plenty of time to walk throughclosing at noon, reopening in the afternoon from
the 7km of museum rooms to reach the Sistine chapel2.30pm until 5pm. Again you would need 3-4 hours to
where you can admire the detail and wonder at thetake one site in.
creation on the ceiling by Michelangelo. It pays to have10:00
some sort of description of the frescoes handy toThe third and final choice is to leave the whole touristy
explain what you are looking at. The Pope gives histhing out and indulge in some authentic food
public address on Wednesday mornings at 11am.experiences. The food markets north of the Vatican
13:00are held just off Viale dele Millizie and the ones in
If you are still hungry for more there is the vast interiorPiazza Vittorio Emanuele near Termini offer a
of the Basilica itself, the crypt below and the viewselection of fresh and locally made produce.
from the dome above down into the square. Now isThere you have it, all the major attractions of Rome
probably a good time to find some lunch before takingachievable in just 2 days. The choice now is, do I really
on the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Take plentywant to leave just yet?
of water with you in the summer months as wily