Arrival Day Questions

Rome doesn't lend itself well to hoho bus tours - so much of the good stuff is in pedestrianised areas where the big buses can't go.

Also, sitting on a bus isn't a great way to fight jetlag. Get thee on thy legs and start walking in the sunshine. Magic cure.

Are you at Hotel Nerva on Via Tor de' Conti? Wonderful area! Practically around the corner is La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali for lunch.

Then, as Nigel recommends, walk. Go to Via dei Fori Imperiali and walk to the Vittoria Emanuele monument. Consider taking the elevator to the top for the views. Walk by the Forum, Colosseo, etc., even though you will no doubt visit them later. It is amazing when you see these sights for the first time! You can walk to Largo Torre Argentina then through Campo de' Fiori, Piazza Farnese and perhaps swing up to Piazza Navona. Then let yourself go back to the hotel for a shower and a 90-minute nap. Set an alarm! Then have dinner and let yourself crash about 21:00.

Laurel,
Yes, that’s the one. Thanks for the suggestions!

To keep yourself moving out in the sunshine you might consider one of these "free" tours.

https://www.freetourrome.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpZPIqsWJ1wIVhDJpCh1ZIQ0REAAYAyAAEgL_XfD_BwE

Please tip the guide.

Your hotel (Nerva) is in a very central location, within easy walking distance of lots of things you'll probably want to see. I'd also recommend skipping the hop on bus tours, entirely.

You'll be very close to the Roman Forum and the Colosseum - go walk around them, and get a feel for the area. Both are nearly as impressive just on the outside as they are from a paid ticket to go inside, so I'd recommend just strolling around your first day.

Right around the corner from your hotel, try "La Tavera dei Fori Imperili" for lunch or dinner.

I would get out of the airport as soon as possible and take the train to Termini - though it's a very good idea to stop at the TI and pick up brochures and a map. I like to take a taxi to my hotel in a new city because it's really crappy to get lost when you're hauling your stuff around with you. Get a taxi at the official taxi rank so you don't get ripped off. Drop your luggage, ask the hotel staff to show you nearby places on the map (and a lunch recommendation) and then go for a walk and get oriented. Then just wander. If you get totally lost, you can always flag a taxi for the ride back to your hotel.

If I remember correctly, there's a TI not too far from your hotel, on via Nazionale if you decide to get the Roma Pass. Depending on how long you'll be in Rome and how much you like to walk, you may want to get a transportation pass if you don't get the Roma Pass. Last time I was in Rome, I bought mine at a kiosk (tabacchi) at Termini. There's a day pass, and multi-day passes: 48 hrs, 72 hrs and 7 days.

As you exit the Termini toward bus stops the Tobacco stands on left sells Roma Pass or transport tickets. We purchased Roma Pass to activate on our second day and bus tickets. He will take CC but make sure he places chip in correctly. He is doing more than one thing at a time. He will answer basic questions too. Express to Termini to Bus 40 is a reasonable option. Bus 40 stop would most likely be Argentina square or the next stop which is new (Nuovo) church. There is quite a distance between these two stops. I recently read Bus 81 is the poor man's Rome Tour.

It's not that easy to flag a taxi, since most of them don't cruise, but taxi stands are at nearly every monument. I would take a taxi from Roma Termini to the hotel, drop luggage, and wander around. You might want to get a couple of daily bus tickets, or a multi-day pass, if you plan to use public transportation.

I like Laurel's suggestions. Taking the elevator to the top of the Vittorio Emanuele Monument would be a great view for your first day. Trajan's Forum next door provides a fantastic sweep of 2,000 years of history. If you're a cat person, the shelter at Largo Torre Argentina is a must. Honestly, I think it's hard to go wrong in Rome. Just walk and enjoy layer upon layer upon layer of history and culture.