Only Time for One Tour in Rome? Pick This One

Rome is absolutely massive and spread out, so choosing the right hotel, restaurants, and activities is key to getting the most out of your time in Rome. I stayed in a more residential neighborhood about 10 minutes from the Spanish Steps, at the Hotel Romanico Palace. Romanico Palace was a peaceful escape from the city noise, and I’d absolutely stay here again, but with only two days, it meant a lot of walking and less time actually doing things. Working with your travel agent to understand what your must-do activities are and how much you are willing to spend commuting to those activities will help narrow down your location.

Roman Forum. Photos by me, Tay Holland

Like I mentioned in the opening statement, finding the activity for you in each destination you travel to is important. And for Rome, that is the Colosseum and a guided tour of the Roman Forum. There are several options out there for this tour, but your travel agent will know the right one for you. Each guide has their own take on the tour and what they like to discuss, which means you can go more than once! Because the Roman Forum is still largely in ruins, a guided tour is in your best interest so you actually know what you are looking at and why the restoration is where it is at.

Colosseum with sunlight shining through

We did a traditional tour with no add-ons and were still blown away. I can’t wait to go back and try the other options. Our guide was super passionate about the true history of the space and did not shy away from the gritty details of the past. We discussed the assassination of Julius Cesar while he was footing the bill for the Senate building to be redone—so he was not actually killed at the Senate building at the Forum as it was under construction on his dime. We had several members in our group (including myself) interested in mythology, so our guide worked a lot of that into the tour and storytelling as well.

Drinks at The Court Rooftop overlooking the Ludus and Amphitheater

The Colosseum, or Flavian Amphitheater, is breathtaking to say the least and completely overwhelming—in the best way. From the sheer size, to the age of the building, to the amount of people impacted by the “games” that took place here—all of it was spectacular. The information that was shared, the photo opportunities, and just being in the same place as so much devastation and history was out of this world.

Colosseum from The Court Rooftop Bar

My favorite piece of information was about the colossus that used to stand in front of the amphitheater before it was torn down. Standing on the piece of lawn where a giant ancient statue once stood was really meaningful to me. I had no idea I would get sentimental over an old torn-down statue, but I did. You don’t have to be a history buff to take in the awe of the Colosseum and be left speechless by the experience. There is so much to enjoy for every type of traveler that this tour is by far the number-one thing to make sure you do when you are in Rome.

The neighborhoods close to the Flavian Amphitheater were my favorite in Rome with tons of great bars, restaurants, and hotels. I will be staying in either Monti or Celio next time I visit the Eternal City, specifically at Palazzo Manfredi for the vibes and the views. The Court rooftop bar at the top of Palazzo Manfredi overlooks the Ludus Magnus which in and of itself is magical, then add the amazing cocktail program on top and you have a recipe for the best night. They have example cocktail pairings to indulge in to help take the decision out of it, too. There is a two drink minimum, so having the pre-picked pairings is so nice. They rotate every so often, but you can always find a flavor profile that works for you—spicy, floral, spirit forward, or whatever you like. I am a big spirit-forward or tropical gal myself.

This area is super walkable, but there are scooters and bicycles available to rent for those that have had enough walking. There are buses and other public transportation options but they are limited as they are not able to expand the way they would like because of archaeological finds that keep happening when digging into new areas. Rome, in general, isn’t the most accessible city for mobility-challenged travelers. Keep that in mind when planning with your group or multigenerational family. We had several families with stroller-age children on our tours; watching them struggle over cobblestones, fold up the stroller for stair climbs, or have to take the slow elevators from floor to floor really opened my eyes to how challenging the city can be to navigate with mobility aids.

This tour is all outside. Please be mindful of the time of year and what your personal needs are for a tour of this kind. I went during a heat wave (90 degrees Fahrenheit and up). Since it is important to cover your shoulders and knees when visiting most churches, I was wearing a too-heavy-for-the-weather simple T-shirt and long lace skirt that I swear weighs 10 pounds by itself. It probably doesn’t, but it sure felt like it this day. Luckily I was wearing a tank top under the T-shirt and could layer down as I got too warm.

There are water bottle fill-up spots all over Rome. Do not be afraid to fill up your water bottles when you can. The fountains are safe to drink out of unless there is signage saying otherwise. If you don’t want to lug your large “Americanized” water bottle with you on your adventures, there are vending machines to purchase bottled water that you can refill throughout the day. This is a good option since you can crumple it up and fit in a bag easier than a large metal water bottle. But if you are like me and need your comfort water bottle with you, do it! Who cares if someone on social media said it was cringe. Hydration is necessary!

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Rome page.