Rome in one day?

Sure you can, with the Eurostar train it is only a 1.5 hour trip each way. It will be a marathon day, especially if you hope to take in the Vatican, Ancient sites as ell as the historic center. I guess you can snooze on the way back :)

My advice would be to hit the colosseum first thing, before the midday heat sets in. The Vatican would be best around lunch time, and then if you have some time left you can visit the Trevi fountain, Pantheon (have a gelato at Giolitti or Palma both are close), piazza navona, and if you have time the bone church at piazza barberini.

I wouldn't do it, too much traveling in a day - save Rome for another time and if you want to do a day trip, go to wonderful Siena or Lucca, or even stop by Pisa for an hour or so. They are easy day trips and both of the former very worth seeing and a welcome break from the craziness of Florence!

I'm with Rebecca: enjoy Firenze, all it has to offer, and perhaps a day in Siena (although, really, 3 days in Florence is not overkill by any means). Rome is big, tougher to navigate, crowded, and a little more chaotic...a day trip could be wrought with frustration. Make Rome a primary stop sometime in the future, and then you could do the Forum and Coliseum one day, the Vatican the next, shopping another day, et al. That's my take. Ciao!

I did a one day whirlwind tour of Rome in 2003 and I have never regretted it. I spent a lot of time planning out the day. We arrived in Rome early, bought all day passes on the Metro and headed straight over to the Vatican area. Toured St. Peters, visited the Vatican Museum (know what is important to you to see and where it is located-we just had a few things and the Sistine Chapel.) Ate lunch at the McDonalds next to the Spanish steps, bought a Gelato and ate it as we walked to Trevi fountain, caught the Metro over to the Colloseum and toured it and walked through the Forum reading the RS tour. Walked over the hill to the Emmanuel monument and then walked to the Pantheon. Re-visited Trevi fountain, bought a gelato and headed to the train station where we bought a picnic lunch to eat on the train ride back. It was an awesome day and we were so glad we did it. We did start and end in Orvieto, but with an express train, Florence isn't too much longer. I would plan out the day trip and then see how you feel about it while you are in Florence. If you haven't had enough time there, cancel it. However, if you are ready for someting new....hop on a early, early train and buckle up for a great day.

Elizabeth,

If the RS guide says it is doable, then you should assume it is doable.

I just did an overnight trip from Florence to Rome. Arrived in Rome around 3PM, checked into hotel, visited the Pantheon. Next day did an 8:45AM Context Rome tour of Palatine Hill, Forum, Colosseum. Jetted across town via a 20 minute taxi over to the Vatican Museum. Ate a quick lunch, then did the Context Rome Ars Vatican tour. Took a taxi back to the train station. 6:30PM train back to Florence.

As for the question, is it worth it...Well if you can somehow figure out how to do the Forum, Colosseum, Raphael Rooms/Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's, and Pantheon in one day then you have just done the single greatest day of sightseeing that is possible on the planet Earth.

Three considerations to making you get the most out of your day.

• Last Eurostar trains leaving Rome for Florence are 7:50PM and 8:30PM. I would plan on catching the 7:50 train (that way if you miss it you can still do the 8:30PM). If you grab a taxi at 7PM, you should have no problem getting to the train station in plenty of time to catch the 7:50PM train.

• USE TAXIS: The RS book is correct. Clean, Air-conditioned Roman taxis are your friend. Don't even think of trying to walk from major area to major area. This is doubly so if there is any kind of heat. You will pay in terms of time and physical punishment. Have directions and addresses ready to go and hand to the taxi driver.

• CONSIDER DOING TOURS: In most cases the tours pre-purchase the tickets so you don't waste time in lines buying tickets. Secondly, you are spending all this time/money coming to Rome; why not spend a little a more to have professional, passionate people make the sights come alive for you. We used Context Rome and their docents were fantastic.

GOOD LUCK!

Elizabeth: (At the risk of stating the obvious) Human nature being what it is, you're more likely to get a reply from travelers who have done this and would like you to have the same experience they had. We rarely hear from travelers who say: "Yes, I did that once, and looking back at it now, it wasn't as good an idea as I thought it was going to be and I'd like to spare someone else from making the mistaking I did." Travelers who have chosen not to do Rome in one day, as a day trip from Florence, probably don't feel like they need to muster up the energy to rain on your parade. It's easier to remain silent and let you try it, you'll learn.I don't believe I saw anyone discuss the total cost per day of this one day trip?Anyway, here's what Rick actually says about the scope of what is do-able in Rome in a day (note that his writeup assumes you're already starting out in Rome rather than Florence): "Some people actually try to "do" Rome in a day. Crazy as that sounds, if all you have is a day, it's one of the most exciting days Europe has to offer. See Vatican City (two hours in the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel — if the line's not too long — then one hour in St. Peter's), taxi over the river to the Pantheon (picnic on its steps), then hike over Capitol Hill, through the Forum, and to the Colosseum. Have dinner on Campo de' Fiori and dessert on Piazza Navona. (With typical crowds, you'll likely have to skip the Vatican Museum. But the rest is entirely doable.)"

Contrary to Rebecca's comment, travel times from Florence to Siena & to Rome are nearly identical (assuming you catch the non-stop Eurostar to Rome). That being said, Siena is a great place. I just came back from a few days in Florence, a day trip to Siena, then Cinque Terre. I also debated on Siena vs. Rome. I chose Siena solely because the bus ticket was much cheaper than the Eurostar to Rome.

On the return trip home, it ended up that my Pisa to Rome flight was canceled, causing me to miss my Rome to Chicago flight. When all was said & done, I ended up having a 1/2 day in Rome after all. We didn't get into any museums, but did make it into St. Peters, saw many of the piazzas & fountains, and experienced the differences in culture. I had been there before, but it was my girlfriend's first experience, and she loved it (even in her sleep deprived state). With proper planning, and an early train, it's definitely doable.

If you choose the cheaper route & do Siena as a day trip, you won't regret that either. Next trip, I would like to make Siena home base & Florence the day trip. Siena has a lot of character.

It depends on whether you think you'll ever make it back to Italy. Also, how do you feel about the time lost waiting for the train and on the train traveling from Florence to Rome and back? Also, you'll be taking away time from Florence. Would I do it? No, but I know I'll be going back to Italy (been twice already and plan to go back quite a few more times).

I made an easy return day trip by train from Rome to Florence, but not the other way around. One day in Rome is better than none (I guess) -- but I spent 7 consecutive days in Rome and still didn't accomplish everything I felt was worthwhile. Just returned home from my 6th visit to Rome and I remain as awed as I did on my first.

If it was me, I would do it - especially if you know this is a once in a lifetime chance. We just got back from Europe and it was a fast paced trip. My lifestyle probably won't allow me to go back to Europe very often, if ever, so I cherish every moment I had over there, even if they were short. My advice, plan ahead, meticulously. Know the transportation system, study the metro maps...i think it would be easier than you think. To me, everything was easier over there than I had anticipated (but I am somewhat of a worrywart!).

Yes, in 2004. It was thrilling, but just a taste that we followed up later in 2007. You really can't see Rome in a day.. or even two or three days. Expect to go back and concentrate on Rome later after the h'orderve of the one day there. We took the fast train, then the metro to the Vatican. We spent too much time at the Vatican. My wife has a Masters in Art. So getting her out of the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel in a timely manner was difficult, the Vatican people basically kicked us out at closing.. I'm to blame also as I wanted to study the Laocoon. We got there using the metro to Ottaviano, but everything was closing later on the walk. We walked all the way from the Vatican, cross the Ponte Cavour to the Colosseum and saw all the sights between: Pantheon and Trevi Fountain, a bit of a zigg-zagg, then the Forum - which was closing - and took the Colosseo subway back to the Termini Station.

We walked, all of it, as if we were younger people than we are. And felt it later back in Florence, with bloodied feet and total exhaustion. It was worth it though just to get a glimpse of someplace to see later with more time, which we did two years later.

If I though at that time that we would not come back, then we would have visited Castel Sant' Angelo THEN.

Thank you all for your replies. I see now that I will just have to come back and visit Rome for more than just one day. "Just a sample" will probably not be enough. :)

Rome is so amazing, I cant imagine you would see anything in 1 day. Stay in Florence, there is so much to see and do there!

Yaaaay! (that's a cheer, if you weren't sure!)--You decided not to "do" Rome in a day!IMO opinion, a good decision, Elizabeth. Enjoy your extra time in Florence. Florence is so worth it!