Destinations,Hiking

Top Tips for a Quick Walking Tour of Rome

posted on : February 1, 2023 posted by : GNExplorer 0 Comment

Can you walk Rome in a day?

When we planned our Italian itinerary, we decided to play it safe and spend one night in Rome rather than fly from Sardinia, layover in Rome, and then fly home the same day. We had both seen Rome before, but we didn’t want to risk missing our flight from Rome back to the US because of any unforeseen problems.  Was this going to be a wasted day? Is it even possible to see Rome in a day?

The flight from Sardinia to Rome is quick and inexpensive. Our cheerful Uber driver pointed out sights along the way from the airport to the hotel, which was nice because the traffic was gnarly. We finally arrived at The Regency Rome, which we had booked with Marriott points. it was a solid choice for a one-night stay in Rome with its proximity to the Villa Borghese Gardens and the Spanish Steps. If you collect Marriott points always check your account to see if you have any free upgrade vouchers; you could get lucky like we did and score a better room with a balcony.

We sat in the lobby café of our hotel, sipped espresso, and charted out a plan for our one full day in Rome. We decided upon a meandering walk that would take us by many of the major sights and finish with a stroll through the Travestere neighborhood. Most of the sights we had seen before, but neither of us had ever visited Travestere. 

We continued to Piazza del Popolo for some fantastic views at the top of the dramatic terrace overlooking the grandiose piazza. We walked through Campo Fiore and climbed the Spanish Steps to look out over Piazza d’Espagne. At the top of the steps there are street vendors that try to hand you a rose then get you to buy it; it’s a bit of an annoyance. Don’t feel obligated to take the rose; they use this ploy all day long. 

View from top of the Spanish Steps

There are lots of luxury stores close to the Spanish Steps, and we walked by many of them window shopping. Most of these stores only let in a few customers at a time, and people line up on the sidewalk waiting for their chance to be admitted.  Some require appointments. We didn’t have the inclination to drop massive amounts of cash and kept walking. It’s important to remain alert; the area near the Pantheon was particularly crowded. A man tried to distract my husband by commenting on his shoes than asking for a high five. My husband had his hand in his front pocket protecting his wallet, so we assumed that this was a pickpocket ploy. Rome is beautiful and impressive; just keep in mind that it is a big city with lots of visitors and protect your valuables. 

Trevi Fountain

We had both visited the Trevi Fountain as college students, so it was fun to see it again. There were throngs of people admiring the coursing water, posing for pictures, and throwing in coins. We continued our walk through the Roman Forum and its remarkable ruins. I admit that I wore the wrong shoes and by then was regretting it. We saw the Colosseum in the distance and that was good enough for me. 

It was pleasant to cross the Tiber River into Travestere. This is a working-class neighborhood with lots of small cafes and bars. It has narrow cobblestone streets and many alleys. It was an agreeable break from the larger tourist attractions and a good place to poke around in little shops. We took some time to chill out by the Tiber River and soak in the view, by then we had walked for more than seven miles. It started to sprinkle so we used that excuse to hop in an uber rather than walk back to our hotel.

It felt amazing to relax and enjoy an aperol spritz on our charming hotel balcony as the sun set, reminiscing about our two-week Italian adventure. We had a celebratory dinner at 44 Osteria Quarantaquattro which is a five-minute walk from the Regency Rome and an excellent choice to sample some of the signature Roman dishes like cacio e pepe and amatriciana. We felt entitled to a big plate of pasta after our epic walking tour. 

Our day in Rome had come to an end. In my opinion, the most captivating thing about this city is the juxtaposition of ancient ruins and buildings in the middle of a modern bustling city. Exploring this vibrant city steeped in history is exciting.  Just keep in mind that you can’t possibly see everything in one day. It was a perfect grand finale to our trip as we said goodbye to Italy and turned our sights towards home.

See my post about Florence for more Italian city adventures and make sure to click “Subscribe” in the upper right hand corner so you don’t miss any of my posts.

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