how to spend jet-lagged first day in Rome?

I have not been to Rome yet, but my usual first-day strategy applies. Try to do as much outdoors as possible, for example strolling through a park. Minimal museum/tour activity, but I would consider the Pantheon. From my plans for a visit that was cancelled, I think you want to stay somewhere between the Monti area and the river.
Your guide book will tell you what is closed on Sundays.
enjoy!

Hi adriem,

I went to Italy for the first time a little over a year ago, and we arrived around 1:30 in the afternoon. We were able to check in at our hotel, and we did rest for a little bit, then we went out and just walked around the immediate area, poking in around whatever shop was open. So we didn't actually go to a site, just took a walk wherever to help with the jet lag. Since Rome is big, I wanted to stay somewhat close to Termini Station to easily catch the trains and both metro lines. We stayed in the Monti District at Hotel Domus Nova Bethlem. It's not a boutique hotel but the rooms are spacious and clean. They also give a Rick Steves discount if you ask. There are restaurants nearby and souvenir shops, if you're into that. I liked the area, it's pretty quiet, and I felt safe walking around in the evening. I think you'll find something open on any given day, so you don't need to worry about going hungry. Not sure about the attractions though. I would check the attraction website to be sure.

We contact our hotel to see if we can atleast leave our luggage and also if we can possibly check in early. We have found a short nap and a shower helpful, if possible. Being in the fresh air really helps. We try to include a walk before dinner (for us a simple pizza) and not go to bed until 9-9:30 the first night. I would not plan to do anything too hectic (like the Vatican Museum) the day you arrive. We often try to get up as early as we can the week before we go overseas. This seems to help with jetlag. When are you going? How much are you hoping to spend on the hotel? Areas in the historical center (around the Pantheon,/Campo di Fiori or Spanish Steps/Villa Borghese) seem to be good places to stay. We stayed on the main street in Trastevere once, and it was very noisy (though I'm sure there are places in Trastavere that are quieter). We often book through Booking.com which allows you to see the rooms, location and reviews. We often book a place with a cancellable rate, and then keep looking to see if something better comes up. There are plenty of restaurants open on Sunday. You can always ask for specific places from the hotel staff. Happy planning!

First advice: stop thinking of what time it is at home. Change clocks to local time as soon as you are on the plane.

Some people can rest for a bit, others need to get out walking as soon as possible. I never feel jet-lagged but a long uncomfortable flight makes me a little cranky. So I need an hour or two to regroup.

Then explore your neighborhood and nearby piazze.

Many stores close on Sundays, particularly smaller ones; the large stores are open daily. Every restaurant has one closing day a week, posted outside it. Many of them choose Sunday, but there's still plenty of places open, so unless you have your heart set on a specific place, you don't have to worry. Many museums close one day a week, but it's more common for that to be Monday than Sunday. The Vatican Museum is closed Sunday, except one Sunday a month when it's open, free, and MOBBED (to be avoided).

As for what to do when you land, everyone is different, so I'll post what works for me. I get to my hotel and drop my bags, if I can't check into the room. I've prepared my luggage so that the stuff I need for that first day - daybag, camera, guidebook, maps, umbrella - is readily accessible, so I don't have to unpack the whole suitcase in the lobby. If the room is ready, I take a shower.

I then walk, and walk, and walk some more. Arrival day is great for one of Rick's walks, like Heart Of Rome or Trastevere. I try to spend as little time indoors that day as possible, because I find that natural light is crucial for adjusting to the new time. I agree you have to think of your arrival as 8 AM, not midnight, or you'll never adjust. I know it's recommended not to take an afternoon nap, but I often need one; however, after bitter experience, I make SURE to set an alarm on my phone to wake me up after an hour, so I don't take too long a nap and really mess up my time adjustment. I also never do anything crucial that day (I learned this after seeing the Prado my first day in Madrid - I didn't really see it at all).

One other thing I learned when I got Transitions - the eyeglasses that darken in sunlight. Well, they block UV rays, which I need to adjust to the new time, so I now wear only my non-darkening glasses my first day.

Rick's Rome walks are in his book. You can also get them on his app (they do not need a data connection once downloaded) or here on this page: https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-tours/italy

We stayed at Albergo Del Senato right next to the Pantheon. They have a rooftop bar with 360 degree views..it was fabulous. A little expensive but worth everybody penny. It is in the center, which was nice. My 2nd choice was Hotel Campo de fiori....looks very nice, too.

I was so worried about jet lag, but found that it didn't effect me like I thought it would. I think the adrenaline kept us awake and alert. I have good friends who have to go to sleep right away for 3 hours, then they get up and shower and then are on track. I would have a hard time getting back up. If I were you, I'd try to stay up until at least 7pm, then go ahead and crash....sleep 10 hours, then start your day!

That first day I would just walk around outside, have a light lunch then heavier dinner at 5....which is early for Italy but who cares that first night. Have some presecco on a full stomach...then sleep like a baby!

We'll be in Rome in a few days. Flight gets in to FCO at 12:30, we should be to our apartment by 2:00. It will be a Sunday, so I did make a dinner reservation at one of the not-so-many restaurants open for 7:00 that night. In previous trips to Europe, we've gotten to our place late morning/early afternoon, and we've combatted the jet-lag issue by walking around, maybe grabbing a snack, then coming back to the hotel and taking a 2-3 hour nap. Get up, shower, go to dinner, come home and go to bed. Next morning I've felt pretty good.

That's what works for us.

Thank you all for the very helpful advice, much appreciated!

We are in Rome now. We took the advice of other posters to help with the jet lag. We arrived and stored our luggage at the hotel. We walked around until check in time then took a 2 hour nap. We the. Got up, went to eat and walked some more. We went to sleep at around 9:30 and was fine the next morning.

We are staying at the Hotel Regno which is on the Via dei Corso which is a Main Street. The bus 1/2 block away and it goes everywhere; but, since we are so centrally located we can walk everywhere. We walked to the Vatican, the Borghese, the Colsseum, Trastervere and none took longer the. 25 - 30 minutes. We did bus/metro to St. Paul Outside the Wall Church. We are 2 blocks from the Trevi Fountain one way and 2 from the Pantheon the other.
The rooms are great, very quiet even though our windows face the Main Street. The breakfast is great too, enough to eat and filling. The same food is offered everyday (yogurt, fresh fruit, cereal, cheeses, salami, prosciutto, rolls, croissants, doughnuts, tomatoes, fruit tart, toast, juice, coffee, tea; eggs are extra.). Would definitely stay here again.
Have a great time

Heard the taxi strike was over on Wednesday, same with the buses. Can you verify that, Barbara? I'll be there in a few days...

Yes taxi strike is over, the buses were always running. The private drivers went out to support them

I don't tend to sleep on the plane, and so have a tough time following the advice to stay active. Two things about visiting churches is that they're generally free and generally allow you to sit down. Sunday morning, you could actually attend a mass. But looking at Rick's listing of Sunday visiting hours at churches around the Pantheon, there is always something open; they're not having too many masses. The Pantheon itself is a 3-star site that doesn't require a lot of energy to see, and it's in a fine area to continue a leisurely stroll.

We arrived in Rome around Noon on a Sunday in March 2015. After we grabbed a little lunch and eventually got to our hotel near the Pantheon, we checked-in and took a short nap -- about an hour.

Then walked around a little before meeting up with an evening walking food tour. It was scheduled to run from 7pm to around 10 or 10:30pm.

I booked it for the express purpose of keeping me active and making me stay up the first night until it was a typical time for bed.
I enjoyed the food (i "drank" my first, last and only espresso), the walking did me good and I slept until around 7:30am the next morning, ready to head out for the sights pretty early in the day. And I did not feel any lingering effects of jet lag from then on.
I wholly recommend this as a way to make it through the first day and be ready for the rest of my holiday from then on.

This year, I am catching a train to Florence upon arrival in Rome and I'm guessing I will probably doze a little on that leg of the trip, so I'll have to see what else I do to get on proper Italy time