One Day in Rome: The Perfect Itinerary with Hidden Gems

Well… hello there, friend! If you are currently planning a trip to Rome, or visiting shortly, I’m so excited for you. 😍 

Rome and I are on a first-name basis, and I want to introduce you to her and her eternal beauty in a non-intimidating way. Spending one day in Rome means being ready to put on comfy clothing, shoes, and having fully charged phones and cameras. It also means having to sacrifice entering some sites to enjoy the city to the fullest.

Whether you have visited before or it’s your first time, this itinerary for one day in Rome is curated to make your day smooth and filled with the best of the city, including special hidden gems. 

I’ll be honest about what is realistic for a day trip to Rome and what is worth seeing or not. Throughout this itinerary, I also include insider tips, optional hidden gems, the best gluten-free restaurants, gelaterias, and more.

Because of family, I have visited Rome twice a year (if not more) for the past 25 years. This itinerary is brutally honest on certain landmarks and will allow you to experience Rome as a local, while still seeing the important hot spots. 

As someone who could walk around Rome with a blindfold, this one-day itinerary is organized in a strategic and walkable manner. It is perfect for both first-time and repeat visitors who want to make the most of their time in Rome, while also enjoying it to the fullest. This itinerary includes Rome’s main attractions, hidden gems only locals know of, and essential tips.

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How to Spend One Day in Rome

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🏡 Stay at Piazza di Spagna 9 or Singer Palace Hotel
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Rome is an eternal city, and if you’re ready to walk 30,000 steps, you will be able to see the most important sites. Being such an immense city, this itinerary’s order is set up to give you the best route.

On a brutally honest note, if you are planning to enter the Colosseum or the Vatican Museums, I highly advise against it. Instead, I recommend seeing both sites from the outside and focusing on seeing the city and everything else it has to offer.

Why? Because the Colosseum and the Vatican are very hectic to visit and enter, and personally, it’s not worth missing out on Rome’s magic. However, if you must see at least one of them, make sure to visit first thing in the morning and follow the itinerary from there. In addition, I include all the information you need to visit these two places.

Here’s a quick overview of my itinerary, as someone who grew up in Rome:

• Colosseum
• Altare della Patria
• Fontana di Trevi
• Lunch
• Spanish Steps
• Pantheon
• Piazza Navona
• The Vatican City

This itinerary begins with the Colosseum as the first site – but if you plan to enter the Vatican Museums, start there and follow this itinerary backward. Throughout this itinerary, you’ll also find local favorite hidden gems I’ve sprinkled throughout, as well as essential insider tips.

Happy Reading! 😊

Il Colosseo – The Colosseum

What says “Welcome to Rome” more than the Colosseum itself? Nothing! 😍

If you’re only spending one day in Rome, I recommend admiring the Colosseum from the outside and beginning your journey around the city afterward. However, if for you this is a must-visit, I’ll give you a few tips for visiting the Colosseum.

First things first, buy a skip-the-line ticket well in advance. I can attest to the Colosseum lines being incredibly long, even with tickets.

While there isn’t a specific best time to visit, the morning is your opportunity to be surrounded by smaller crowds. If you’re in Rome in the summertime, you may want to consider an evening tour to see the Colosseum lit up and avoid the brutally humid heat.

This guided Colosseum tour will bring you to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill, allowing you to dive deeper into Ancient Rome and all its history.

Book your tickets today – before they sell out!👇

Altare della Patria – Altar of the Fatherland

Once you are done admiring or visiting the Colosseum, make your way down the beautiful Via dei Fori Imperiali. Via dei Fori Imperiali is a wide street lined with various imperial forums and other historical sites.

Towards the end of this street sits the Altare della Patria. The Altar of the Fatherland is, personally, a beautiful building. However, many people call it the Wedding Cake or Typewriter to express their dislike of the building. This dislike stems from the monument being new and pearly white compared to the historic buildings that surround it.

Now that you know that fun fact, let’s talk about visiting the Altar of the Fatherland! The Altare della Patria is free to enter, and you can climb up to the top. The rooftop offers one of the most beautiful views of Rome and the Colosseum.

Should you choose to, you can also bring some popcorn and enjoy the roundabout craziness from above. 🚗😂

Santa Maria in Aracoeli (Hidden Gem)

Santa Maria in Aracoeli is one of Rome’s best hidden gems that sits right next to the Altar of the Fatherland. This church dates back to the 6th century and sits atop the Scalinata dell’ Ara Coeli — a staircase once considered holy, believed to grant grace to those who climbed it on their knees (TurismoRoma).

Whether you are a religious person or not, this church is a spectacular work of art that is worth the 124-step climb! This church is free of charge, and there is no dress code.

Fontana di Trevi – Trevi Fountain

It’s time to live out your Lizzie McGuire moment (but without a tone-deaf superstar named Paolo). The Trevi Fountain is a short 11-minute walk, where you’ll be surrounded by endless stores.

If you make it to the Trevi Fountain before 11 am, you will be able to walk around it smoothly. Around noon, it’s game over with immense crowds.

❗️Insider Tip❗️: Being such a popular site, the Trevi Fountain is a hot spot for scammers and pick-pockets. Some scams you will find include “friendship bracelets” and paintings on the floor. 

If anyone comes up to you offering you something for free, know that it is NEVER free. These people are not aggressive but can be insistent. If someone tries to put a bracelet on you, simply walk away and keep all your belongings close to you. 

For the paintings on the floor or a clear cup for coins, stay far away from these. If you step on something, the scammer will harass you for payment for “damages”.

Lunch at Pizza in Trevi & Gelato G Italiano

With the common assumption that restaurants near a touristy attraction are tourist traps, these two spots proved me SO wrong! And I highly recommend them for lunchtime.

Pizza in Trevi is a pizzeria with two separate kitchens, one for non-celiacs and the other for celiacs. It has the AIC-certification, meaning it’s perfectly safe for celiacs (myself included) to eat there.

Here you can enjoy everything from their delicious pizzas to authentic, traditional Roman dishes, including pasta alla carbonara and cacio e pepe.

Just around the corner is Gelato G Italiano, which is a 100% gluten free and AIC-certified gelato shop. Their gelato is to die for, especially their passion fruit flavor. 

Whether you’re celiac or not, these two spots fit perfectly into this itinerary, and I cannot recommend them enough. My only note: make sure to reserve a table at Pizza in Trevi in advance!

Want more delicious, authentic options? Check out my complete Gluten Free Rome Guide! 😋

Spanish Steps & Visual Merchandising

Next up is Piazza Spagna and the most iconic stairs in Rome – the Spanish Steps!

By the Spanish Steps, there are endless high-end fashion and jewelry stores. I strongly believe that nobody has a better visual merchandising game than Italians.

If you love fashion and jewelry, make sure to walk down the street Via dei Condotti and admire the window setups – you will love them!

Pantheon

Ahhh… Rome’s most beautiful, architectural work of art!! The Pantheon is one of Ancient Rome’s best-preserved monuments and dates back to 25 B.C. This monument is thought to have been designed as a temple for the Roman Gods.

One fun fact about this work of art is that Michelangelo said the design of the Pantheon was from angels, not man. 

Unless you are a Roman resident, or it’s the first Sunday of the month, it costs 5 euros to enter the Pantheon. 

At the end of the day, the Pantheon is one of the best things to do in Rome, and I say that as an Italian!

Lines for the Pantheon can be absurdly long, so spare yourself the time by booking this skip-the-line ticket in advance. What’s nice about this ticket is that it also includes an audio guide, allowing you to dive deeper into the Pantheon’s history and who it houses. 👇

Casa del Caffé Tazza D’Oro

If you’re a coffee lover, you’re in for a treat! Casa del Caffé Tazza D’Oro is one of Rome’s best and most-known coffee shops. Dating back to 1946, Casa del Caffé continues to prioritize high quality and tradition, which explains its continued success.

Casa del Caffé sits right in front of the Pantheon and is the perfect pick-me-up! Here, you MUST try their signature drink: Granita al Caffé con Panna. If you’re not familiar with it, Granita is a Sicilian-arab dessert that is essentially ice and flavoring.

Their signature drink is coffee granita with two layers of fresh, homemade whipped cream. This dessert/drink is refreshing and offers the perfect balance between the dark coffee’s bitterness and the lightness and freshness of the whipped cream.

Piazza Navona – Navona Square

Welcome to the most beautiful square of Rome! Piazza Navona is a square with three, important Baroque Fountains created by Bernini: Fontana dei Fiumi, the Fontana di Nettuno, and the Fontana del Moro. In addition to its Baroque architecture, this square is built on the ruins of Diocletian’s Stadium.

Fun game to play: look CLOSELY at the statues of the Fontana di Nettuno (Neptune Fountain). I had a great laugh looking closely. Watch my reel to learn about the Neptune Fountain and understand better why I find the statue funny. 😂

❗️Insider Tip❗️: The restaurants here are tourist traps. Don’t eat here.

Sant’Agnese in Agone (Hidden Gem)

Now that you are in Piazza Navona, you have to enter Sant’Agnese in Agone! Its interior is a breathtaking example of  17th-century Baroque art.

If this makes sense, the outside of the church is not a hidden gem – but the inside is, due to few people realizing they can enter. I, for example, didn’t visit my whole life thinking it was part of the Brazilian Embassy. 😂

Arco dei Banchi (Hidden Gem)

If you love starry skies, like me, this hidden gem is for you! The Arco dei Banchi has a deep-blue ceiling with endless, tiny yellow stars painted on it. The walls are warm and light orange, and there’s a 19th-century Hail Mary painting.

This peaceful spot is on the way to your next destination in the itinerary – Castel Sant’Angelo.

Castel Sant’Angelo (Hidden Gem)

Another hidden-in-plain-sight gem! If you’ve been to Rome, you have seen this monument various times and likely didn’t think twice about checking it out. Castel Sant’Angelo dates back to the 2nd century AD and was built for the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum.

Throughout the many centuries, this landmark has gone through various transformations and renovations – from being a fortress to a papal residence and now a museum and attraction.

The façade is not the most inviting, but the interior is worth every penny – especially the views from its higher floors!

If you want to see the most beautiful views of Rome, and witness its eternality, make sure to visit Castel Sant’Angelo. There is even a bar/coffee shop at the top, where you can enjoy a delicious cappuccino or Aperol Spritz with the best views.

Fun fact: Castel Sant’Angelo has a bridge that connects it to Vatican City. When this monument was a papal residence, the Pope would walk on the bridge toward the Vatican for safety and a faster route. Can you spot the narrow bridge? (Hint: look at the bottom right corner. 👀)

❗️Insider Tip❗️If you are an EU citizen 25 and under, you get a discounted entry ticket of around 3 euros. If you are an AIRE member, you get in for free! If you are any of the above, make sure to bring your ID and any necessary information (like proof of AIRE membership) to enjoy free/discounted tickets.

Book your skip-the-line entry tickets here! 👇

Il Vaticano – Vatican City

After visiting the Castel Sant’Angelo, why not take a trip to a different country?

Was that a funny joke, or a forehead slap, wishing you hadn’t read the “joke”? 😂 However, you may feel about the joke – head to the iconic Vatican City to admire all its beauty and glory!

If the Vatican Museum is a must-visit for you, make sure your day starts here, and you follow this itinerary backward. Most importantly, you will need to buy tickets WELL in advance!

While the tickets include an optional audio guide, there is also a guided tour.

Entering St. Peter’s Basilica is free, but be ready to expect long queues. Make sure you follow the dress code – no shoulders or knees showing and no crop tops. People will check outfits and deny entry if you don’t follow the dress code.

To make the most of your experience and one day in Rome, I highly recommend booking this best-rated guided Vatican tour, which helps you learn all about the Vatican wonders, from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter’s Basilica, but also skips all the lines.

Book your tickets today, before they sell out!👇

❗️Insider Tip❗️Something important to note is that the Vatican Museum does not have an entry limit. This means that you will be in a sea of people during your visit.

Jewish Quarter

What better way to end your day in Rome than with the Jewish Quarter and its INSANELY DELICIOUS cuisine? 😍 Not only does this hidden gem of a neighborhood have delicious restaurants, but it is also full of fun and vibrant vibes.

You can let yourself roam around, or book this best-rated tour. Whichever way you go, get ready to EAT! 😍

Practical Tips for Spending One Day in Rome

Getting to and from Rome’s Airport

To get to and from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, your best transportation method will be a combination of the Trenitalia train and the Metro. The Trenitalia ticket is around 8 euros, with a 30-minute commute.

When you reach Roma Ostiense, walk a few minutes to the Metro, Line B, Rebibbia. This method will bring you next to the Colosseum. Depending on where you start the day, the metro line might change, but the train will be the same.

The public transportation of Rome is easy to navigate and, personally, has always functioned properly!

Is the 1-Day Rome City Card Worth it?

One city card that is highly rated is the Rome Tourist Card. This card costs 97 euros and includes skip-the-line tickets to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and more. 

While this is a decent deal, it is not worth it if you’re in Rome for only one day.

Why? Because you won’t have time to visit all these places in one day – unless you’re okay with missing out on the beauty of the Eternal City and running yourself ragged.

Where to Stay in Rome

If you’re spending the night in Rome, the best area to stay in is the city center, preferably close to a metro stop that you can easily access.

One great option is Piazza di Spagna 9, a beautiful apartment-style stay located near the famous Spanish Steps. This location genuinely cannot be beaten, as it places you in one of the most central locations in Rome to optimize your day adventures, but is also steps away from the metro.

If you’re looking for a classic hotel stay with close proximity to the Termini station, then Hotel Artamideis a perfect option! It is one of the best-rated hotels in Rome and is a 10-minute walk from the Termini Station and a 15-minute walk from the Trevi Fountain.

Want to see more options? Read my complete guide to the 3 best areas in Rome for tourists to stay in.

What to Eat in Rome

One hill I will die on is that eating local food is an essential part of traveling – and if you’re not trying local specialties, you’re not experiencing your destination to the fullest. 

As a major foodie who grew up in Rome, I find it to be my mission to ensure you know of all the great foods to try in the city!

While I share everything in my Rome Food Guide, here are some foods you simply cannot miss out on:

• Suppli – fried rice ball with tomato sauce and a mozzarella heart
• Pizza al Taglio – “pizza by the cut”
• Pasta alla Carbonara
• Carciofi alla Giudia – fried artichoke
• Maritozzi – iconic dessert, sweet bread filled with whipped cream

And if you’re celiac, I have great news for both you and I: you can enjoy all of these local delicacies gluten-free! 

Check out my Gluten Free Rome guide for all the celiac-safe restaurants and cafes, where you can safely enjoy authentic Roman cuisine.

Insider Tips for One Day in Rome 

Early Mornings

If you hope to see certain attractions with little crowds, early mornings will be your best friends! Usually, the hectic Rome crowds slowly start to roll in between 11 am and 12 pm.

Free Entry & Heavily Discounted Tickets

Many of Rome’s attractions offer free entry or heavily discounted tickets. For example, if you are an EU citizen 25 and under, you will likely get discounted tickets.

If you are an Italian living abroad and an AIRE member, you will likely get free entry or a discounted price. Due to these opportunities, always have your documents with you in case your age group or AIRE status has benefits.

Scammers & Pickpocketers

Rome is an overall safe city, but it has a large number of pickpockets and scammers. It is important that you always stay aware of your surroundings and keep all your belongings in a safe place.

For example, if you have your phone in your jacket pocket, keep your hand on it at all times. Or at restaurants, never leave a phone or something precious on the table.

Overall, if someone gets close to you and tries to offer you something for free, like a friendship bracelet, it is a scam. Nothing is ever free, so don’t be fooled by strangers. If you see drawings or paintings, even a clear plastic cup with coins, stay clear to ensure you don’t step on them.

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