by D. Trump

Created on: August 08, 2010

Rome is one of the most popular travel destinations in the World.  It is not nicknamed the Eternal City for nothing.  You can spend literally months in Rome and still not see everything that it has to offer.  Having said that, even though It seems impossible, you can see the best of Rome in a single day.  All you need is a little planning and time management, and you will be able to see all of the most important sights.  Get a map and plan out your path.  All hotels have a tourist map, which proves to be one of the most important resources on your trip. This guide is meant as a walking tour, it does require quite a bit of walking, but can also be done with the help of the Subway system.

First of all, you have to plan where you are staying.  I have found that the best area to stay in is the Vatican area of the city.  This is because this is a very important part of the city, and transportation is very easy to get.  If you have a flight out the next day, you are best to stay in the Termini area.  This will ensure a quick train ride to the airport the next day.  Both areas have reasonably priced hotels, but you have to shop around.  I used hotels.com and it worked great.  Keep in mind that hotels in Europe are small and basic, so they may not be as nice as you are used to.

Assuming you are in the Vatican area, our day starts there.  Start early in the morning with the Vatican museum and you will miss much of the lines for this amazing sight.  Spend a couple of hours in this museum and take in the largest and most expensive collection of art in the World.  Do not rush to the Sistine Chapel as you will miss quite a bit of beautiful art along the way, and you can't go back once you get there.  The museum includes admission to the church of St. Peter, which is an amazing sight as well.  

After you are done the Vatican, you should head east to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.  The Pantheon is one of the oldest and best preserved buildings in Rome, and is an amazing sight.  It is free to enter as well.  Inside, you will see some amazing architecture, and the tomb of the Artist Raphael.  Piazza Navona is also an amazing sight.  It is a huge meeting place in the middle of the city with amazing fountains and art in abundance.  Both of these together should take less than an hour of your day.

Next, you will head east again to the Spanish Steps. 

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