Everyone knows that Rome wasn’t built in a day, but you might be thinking – can you explore it in one day? The answer is – absolutely not. Sorry to burst your bubble. Rome is both quite large while being simultaneously spread out, and due to the deep history, guided tours often last hours. Trying to see everything would make for a very rushed 24 hours in Rome with little to no rest or time to stop and enjoy the surroundings. Not to mention, this completely goes against Roman culture where it’s praised to stop and enjoy life.
In a perfect world, you’ll have multiple days to spend in Rome and you’ll be able to make time to see most of the city and all of the history and beauty it has to offer. But sometimes, you don’t have the luxury of additional time, and you want to make the most of it with the time you do have to spare.
This was the case for Amanda when she recently spent 24 hours in Rome before she embarked on a 7 day Mediterranean cruise with Royal Caribbean. In this small amount of time, she was able to try multiple traditional and locally created dishes, learn about the history of the city from locals, watch a gorgeous sunrise, and see a lot of the key landmarks.
Amanda was traveling from the USA, so the below itinerary is based off how she hit the ground running upon her mid-morning arrival. But, feel free to mix up the itinerary however best suits your schedule!
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Arrival
If traveling from the US, then you will likely take an overnight flight and will arrive in Rome early to mid-morning. You will have a few different options available to get from the Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport to the Rome City Center.
Our favorite option, and the easiest in our opinion, is taking the Leonardo Express train. This is a non-stop train that leaves from the airport every 15-20 minutes and goes directly to the Roma Termini station in Rome. The journey lasts around 30 minutes. You can purchase tickets at the airport from ATM style machines located in the ground transportation lobby after clearing customs / border control / baggage claim.
Once you arrive in the city, you can either check in to your hotel and store your bags there or drop your bags at a luggage storage drop so you can begin taking in all that Rome has to offer. If you’ve never used a luggage storage place before, we highly recommend it when you’re short on time. It’s a fantastic way to be able to hit the ground running without lugging around cumbersome luggage, and luggage storage spaces are usually pretty affordable.
Amanda stayed at The Hive and absolutely loved it! The hotel is located only a 10ish minute walk from the Roma Termini train station. The Hive has excellent AC (which can be hard to find in the city!), large beds, and large rooms. They also have a rooftop bar and a spa but Amanda didn’t have time to check those out this time.
If you’ve read our Guide on How to Plan an International Trip, you know it is important to choose your accommodations strategically – especially if you only have 24 hours in Rome. You will want to consider your transportation options as well as your itinerary and choose accommodations that are closely located to minimize additional travel times. Amanda chose her hotel based on its proximity to the Roma Termini station since it was the station she was both arriving and departing from.
Afternoon
There is a lot you can see and explore in Rome, so how you spend the afternoon will depend on what all personally interests you. The rest of our itinerary for 24 hours in Rome contains two guided tours, so this part of the day is a chance to explore on your own for a few hours.
It might be controversial, but Amanda had little interest in touring the Colosseum, Vatican, Pantheon and other tourist attractions. She has a real disdain for tourist attractions on a good day, but especially doesn’t want to spend much time at them when she is short on time.
Our advice is to use the afternoon to wander the city and get lost in the Rome vibes. If wandering aimlessly is out of your comfort zone, you can also do a self-guided walking tour like the ones offered by Rome Toolkit.
Alternatively, Rome also has a Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour which is a good option if you want to easily get from place to place and learn a little about Rome’s history along the way. Kayla used the Hop On Hop Off Bus during a trip to London where she was traveling with a large group who had varying mobility abilities, and it was an easy way for everyone to be included in the sightseeing without exerting too much energy.
Evening
Instead of the traditional route of key landmarks you should opt for a locally- guided food tour in the Trastevere neighborhood at sunset. This was HANDS DOWN one of Amanda’s favorite experiences during her 7 days in Italy and Spain. The tour far surpassed her expectations.
The local tour guide had a wealth of knowledge of the neighborhood and the greater Rome area that she shared throughout the walking tour. You are taken to five different locally owned restaurants where you are able to try key dishes and drinks that represent Roman culture.
You’ll try delicious dishes from fresh made bread, aged cheese, pizza, pasta, world famous gelato, and more. At the end of the tour you are also given a list of restaurant recommendations that are also locally owned and operated.
If you stored your luggage earlier in the day, don’t forget to pick it up before heading to the hotel to rest up for one last tour the following morning.
Following Morning
In our opinion, the BEST way to see most of the key landmarks and historical places is via the Sunrise E-Bike Tour around Rome. This is a three hour tour stopping at key places like the Trevi Fountain, Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon, the Aventine Keyhole, and many more! It also stops for VERY yummy coffee and pastries (included in the cost of the tour!) before heading back to the bike shop.
Being able to see the city before most of the crowds wake up, listen to a local share stories both well known and lesser known about each stop, and watching the sunrise over the Roman Forum is such a unique and memorable experience. This is well worth the early wake up call! The meeting spot is also only a 3 minute walk from The Hive hotel, another reason Amanda chose to stay there!
Pro Tip: there is a stark difference in enjoyment between e-bike tours and regular bike tours. Earlier this year during our annual bestie trip, Amanda convinced Kayla to join her on a regular bike tour that was… rough, to say the least. Kayla might have been questioning our friendship by the halfway mark.
So choose your biking tours wisely – E-Bike tours are immensely easier thanks to the electric boosts on the bike. You can read more about our bestie trip and our recommendations on Belfast, Northern Ireland here.
If you’ve only got 24 hours in Rome, you’ll likely be headed out of the city shortly after your return from the sunrise E-bike tour. If you are headed to the cruise port like Amanda was, we suggest booking the train ticket WITH shuttle bus, it will take you from the cruise port train station to the cruise terminal doors. Use the train website to find your nearest station and be sure to select Civitavecchia PORT as your destination. This will automatically include the bus ticket.
How would you spend 24 hours in Rome? Let us know in the comments below!
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