A weekend in Rome is a challenge in every way, but with appropriate preparation an unforgettable experience. My first weekend in Rome was in 1987 as part of a four-week Interrail trip through Europe. At that time we took the night train from Munich to Rome and spent two days there. Thanks to the budget airlines in Europe, a weekend in Rome is nowadays much easier and cheaper than 30 years ago. Of course, this does not only have advantages, because hereby the number of tourists in Rome has grown enormously, especially the number of tourists from Asia. Depending on the season, it is not difficult to spend the whole day in front of the entrance to the Colosseum or besides the walls of the Vatican City, while standing in line in front of the Vatican Museum. Therefore a plan is essential, combined with hard decisions, which sights you want to visit. In the Eternal City, nothing passes faster than time and this is very precious. As a suggestion, I have put together a few walks through Rome, which are based on the most beautiful sights of the city.
Rome is so rich in outstanding and attractive sights that the city can accommodate any comparison with the most beautiful cities of the world. Since you can not explore all the sights of the city within a weekend, a limitation to the following 10 most beautiful sights of the city is recommended:
- Colosseum and Roman Forum
- Capitol
- Palatin
- Pantheon
- Piazza Navona
- Piazza di Spagna
- Santa Maria Maggiore
- Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi)
- Vatican City (with St. Peter's Square, St. Peter's Basilica and Vatican Museum)
- Villa Borghese
Whether it pays to enter the Colosseum, everyone has to decide for themselves. However, considering that a weekend in Rome involves a demanding program anyway, I would recommend a walk from the Colosseum to the Roman Forum and to the Capitol (and possibly a visit to the Capitoline Museums) instead of a tour inside the Colosseum.
