Walking in Rome

If you have eight hours, and are active for your age, this should not be a problem! You get to see a lot of great things on the way. Depending on what part of May you are there, the weather shouldn't be -too- hot (but still warm, likely) and it won't be full fledged tourist season either, so that will be helpful.

Google maps is your friend for this kind of question. I'm going to post a full link at the bottom, but since the forums don't seem to support embedded URLs very well, I'll tell you how to do this yourself as well. 1. Go to Google maps at http://maps.google.com/ 2. Click Get Directions 3. In the A field, type in St. Peter's Basilica, Saint Peter's Square, Rome, Italy. You can get by with a less explicit description as it will provide a list of suggestions. 4. In the B field, type Pantheon, Rome, Italy. 5. Click the little walking man icon.
You should end up with a route of around 1.9 km and an estimated time of 23 minutes and a couple of nate routes. The default route will show up in blue with directions arrows between the A and B points. You can add and rearrange destination points. You can select different map options to see satellite or map view, Wikipedia links, 45 degree view if you're zoomed in far enough, street view, GPS encoded photos, videos, etc. I typically create my own maps before going on a trip for each destination with sites I know I plan to visit, restaurants, the hotel I'm staying at, etc. and can then look at that information quickly and interactively while I'm at the destination. That can be pricey and/or problematic depending on use of 3G data plans or wi-fi, but it is a great planning tool even if you never use it while you're there. You can print out the maps, mail or create links for web pages. Link to directions: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=St.+Peter's+Basilica,+Saint+Peter's+Square,+Rome,+Italy&daddr=pantheon,+rome,+italy&hl=en&geocode=FcBgfwIdcxW-ACGGXWm-L2CY-g%3BFWFTfwIdYmG-AClx3vkfTmAvEzEgAlPYaVT1Rg&mra=ls&dirflg=w&sll=41.893652,12.492421&sspn=0.012539,0.018539&ie=UTF8&ll=41.899857,12.475201&spn=0.003134,0.004635&t=h&z=18

I forgot to add that the Forum (Foro Romano) is another 1.4 km (estimated 17 minutes) from the Pantheon. The problem with both time estimates is that there is so much to see along the way of both routes that you get distracted <wink>

We have done it a number of times, it is a good distance, but the up side is that you can hit Castle San Angelo, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, all on the way to the Pantheon, then Piazza Navona, Campo di Fiori and Capitoline Hill, all on the way to the Forum, winding up at the Colosseum. There are also a number of things along the way, plus the opportunity to stop for coffee, gelato, and Lunch as you go. A shorter option would be to take the Metro from the Vatican, going a few stops and getting off at the Spanish Steps.

Tom, Ever hike up the Poudre Canyon area? Walking in Rome is a snap by comparison. You can walk from the Vatican to the Pantheon in under one hour. Have a great stroll.

Tom:
We are 58 and 66 and walked all over Rome (and Italy) with no problem, 6 to 10 miles a day. 8 hours can give you a good overview, but to make the most of your time, consider hiring a private guide. You won't be subject to a group tour "start here/end there" as you can customize. Have a guide meet you at the drop off point and tell him/her what your priorities are. I'd recommend Ancient Rome (Foro Romano, Palatino, Colosseo) then up to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, and whatever else strikes your fancy. They guide could help you do Ancient Rome in 3-4 hours, leaving time for a meal in Piazza Navona or near the Pantheon, and still some time to wander, depending on your departure point. We used Francesca Caruso, [email protected], for the ncient Rome tour. Fabulous! Tell (or whomever you choose to hire) what your interests and limitations are and let the guide make some recommendations, too. Ciao!

Are you trying to see the Vatican (St. Peters and/or Vatican Museum + Sistine Chapel) and the Pantheon? Because it is most certainly walkable, but it's a matter of how much time you really have moving from one place to the next. Rome is one city that my husband and I seem to have a hard time navigating in. Eventually we get from Point A to Point B, but I'm pretty sure we aren't taking the most direct route (And we usually stop to poke our heads in whatever large church we've stumbled upon...) IMO, to make the most of your day, you will want to use some public transportation, especially if you have to get back to the Vatican after visiting the Pantheon and Forum.

From the Vatican, take the Metro to any location and walk from there. The Vatican is the furthest point from "central" Rome.
The subway is easy to use (be aware of pickpockets here) and CHEAP, and fast, taxi's are more expensive, and you have to deal with traffic on the surface. The Metro station is just down the main street from the Vatican, ask around to get going in the correct direction. The Forum is just a few stops away. Once in the center, you can walk everywhere. I did this with my daughter a few years ago. Get a map to help you navigate. We visited all the main sights easily by foot, and even a few extras, like the Hard Rock Cafe (daughter wanted to buy a t-shirt for her brother) 8 hours is a good amount to see most of the sights. If you plan a tour of the Vatican, plus museum, that will eat 3-4 hours of that time. The Pantheon takes 30 minutes, it's open to the public, easy to just walk in, look around, then move it. Not far from the Trevi fountain, then not far to the Forum area. Just figure if you plan to take a tour of any of these sites with a guide, plan ahead to reserve a time, and plan to take longer to see these sights!

I agree with Laurel. Contact Francesca. She will make your stroll through Rome so very memorable.