Day One

Begin your trip in the eternal city of Rome. The two primary areas to visit are Ancient Rome and Vatican City. You should make a difficult choice about which one you would like explore. Or, if you don’t mind a bare-bones overview, you can try to do both.

 

If you choose to concentrate on the ancient sites, start with the Pantheon on Piazza della Rotonda. It is by far the most preserved building of all of Rome’s ancient structures, and it stands today as one of the world’s architectural wonders. The diameter of the dome is precisely equal with its height, and the interior is illuminated through a 30-foot hole in the dome’s roof.

 

Move on to the Roman Forum (Foro Romano), which was the center of Roman life in ancient times and the 50,000 seat Colosseum (Colosseo), which was the site of bloody gladiator duels. You can tour both.

 

The Golden House of Nero (Domus Aurea) was built after the Rome fire in 64 A.D. Many suspected Nero of setting the fires himself, but that has never been proven. He did seize much of the damaged land and subsequently built one of the most luxurious palaces in history, though later emperors destroyed much of it. It reopened in 1999 after a 15-year restoration, and visitors can tour 30 of the original 250 rooms.

 

Of Rome’s famous seven hills, Capitoline Hill (Campidoglio) is the most famous and sacred. The beautiful Piazza del Campidoglio has replaced the Etruscan temple to Jupiter that once stood at its pinnacle. Designed by Michelangelo, it provides a spectacular view of the Forum below.

 

If you choose to spend your day in Rome exploring Vatican City, you will start in St. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro) is located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica. Bernini designed the magnificent piazza from 1656 to 1667, and it can hold an astounding 300,000 individuals. Massive Doric columns encircle the ellipse-shaped piazza, with an Egyptian obelisk monument at its center.

 

St. Peter’s Basilica is traditionally considered to be St. Peter’s burial site. Construction began in 1506 and was completed in 1626. Michelangelo, who became the chief architect in 1546, designed the colossal dome. The interior includes famous artworks such as Bernini’s baldacchino (altar canopy) and Michelangelo’s Pieta, created when he was still in his early 20s.

 

The Vatican Museums contain an absolute mind-boggling collection of treasures. There are different tour itineraries you can follow, depending on how much time you have or what you are interested in. One of the tours leads you to the legendary Sistine Chapel, where you can view Michelangelo’s glorious ceiling. 

 

However you spent your day, plan to walk along the Spanish Steps (Scalinata di Spagna) at sunset. It is one of the best places in the city to soak up the Roman spirit and enjoy some of the world’s best people watching. The Trevi Fountain is located just off Via del Corso near the Piazza Colonna. It is perhaps the most beautiful fountain in the world, and legend says every visitor should toss a coin in and make a wish to return to Rome some day. Since you have tried to pack several centuries of sightseeing into a single day, you will certainly want to make that wish.