7 days for Rome and Florence - Help with my Itinerary please. Taking 83 yr old father

I would put Borghese on Day 1 and Colosseum on Day 2

Where are you flying home from?

I agree with Christina's idea of doing Borghese on day one. Move Colosseum with Capitoline Hill to day 3? My husband and are big Caravaggio fans so when we are in Rome we try to find and see as many Caravaggios as possible. There are some in the Borghese Gallery, but many are in the churches where he painted them for. Focusing on a specific artist helps us narrow down where we want to go. Also, the Galleria Doria Pamphilj is amazing. You get to see a beautiful private art collection and a spectacular family Palazzo. There is usually no need to pre book, and it probably will not be crowded like the Vatican. There is so much to see in Rome that whatever you do will be great. Have fun!

Thank you.

We are flying into Rome and flying home out of Florence.

You need to prioritize Museo San Marco in Florence. It is a rare opportunity to see the art in its original location(a monastery). In Rome there is a church near the Pantheon-it's in the RS Rome book-that has a Michelangelo statue and the church was from a different time period(Gothic) than most you will see. You have to go down some steps, but San Clemente Church in the Colosseum area is also especially interesting. I would add the extra day to Rome and maybe do a day trip to Orvieto-the cathedral in Orvieto is stunning. Are you flying home from Florence?

If he LOVES art, I think he would also enjoy the Pantheon, the Palazzo Barberini, Galleria Doria Pamphilj and the Capitoline Museum.

All these churches have great art, many of them are quick to see and you'll probably walk right by them at one time or another:

• Santa Maria Maggiore
• San Giovanni in Laterano
• Sant'Ignazio (close to the Pantheon)
• Sant'Andrea della Valle (close to the Pantheon)
• Chiesa del GesùSaint (close to the Pantheon)
• Saint Mary of Minerva (close to the Pantheon)
• Church of St. Louis of the French (3 Caravaggios) (close to the Pantheon)
• Santa Maria del Popolo (2 Caravaggios)
• Santa Maria della Vittoria
• Santa Maria in Trastevere
• Sant'Agnese in Agone (close to the Pantheon)
• Saint Cecilia in Trastevere
• Santa Maria in Ara coeli

Hi
If you do a tour in the Vatican museum make sure it is one that takes you through into St Peter's; it will save you a lot of walking and especially if you are going in high season a lot of queueing to get into the basilica. Rick's tip of just taking the connecting passage from the museum into the basilica doesn't work any more. You have to be with a tour.

If it me with my Dad, I'd pay extra for the early entry Vatican Tour. It's too crowded otherwise. Florence is easy to walk. Rome not so much for an 83 year old. In Rome I'd also pay extra for a good Coliseum Tour.

I don't know that I would put the Borghese on day of arrival. I don't get jet lag that badly but I have felt like I was sleep walking the couple of times I thought I could do a museum the same day. And Borghese is "serious" art. You should also know that they are under major renovation and significant parts are closed. At least some of that art is on display at another museum in the meanwhile. And perhaps what is still at Borghese is enough for you, but just so you have the information. Here is a link to another RS thread on this topic.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/borghese-gallery-2nd-floor-closure