Tuesday, June 3 (Rome) - Rome wasn't built in a day, and you certainly can't see it all in a day, but in the past 24 (actually more like 30 hours) I came pretty close! I highly recommend spending more time in this great city if you can, but in case you only have a day, here is an action-packed, but doable itinerary.
5:00PM (Monday, June 2) - Get started with gelato
There's no better welcome than a sweet, creamy, delicious gelato! Some of the best in Rome:
- Ottaviani Antica Cremeria dal 1913 (near the Vatican)
- Il gelato di San Crispino (near the Trevi Fountain)
- Gelateria Valentino (near the Trevi Fountain)
5:30PM - See the sites on a free walking tour of Rome
Tour guide Andrea in front of the Pantheon New Rome Free Tour offers just that - a free tour of Rome. Every day at 5:30, you can find a tour guide at the base of the Spanish Steps who is ready to walk you through some of the highlights of the city. Andrea, our tour guide, was particularly passionate and interesting, and it was one of the best free tours I've been on! Tour highlights include:
- Trevi Fountain
- Pantheon
- Saint Ignatius Church
The Pantheon
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One of Rome's optical illusions - not really one big palace!
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8:00PM - Spaghetteria L'Archetto for dinner
 On a relatively quiet street just a few blocks from the bustling Trevi Fountain, is Spaghetteria L'Archeto, a restaurant featuring over 100 different pastas! While the waitstaff isn't the friendliest (which is unfortunately common in Rome), the food is delicious and well-priced. TIP: always bring cash - they told us we could use a credit card before we even ordered, but when we went to pay, the "machine was broken" | 
Over 100 pasta dishes to choose from!
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10:00PM - Stroll the Piazza Navona and Trevi Fountain (again)
 Piazza Navona Piazza Navona is a nice place to walk off some pasta after dinner. You will find artists and people selling things that glow in the dark, and there is always good people watching. I recommend walking back over to the Trevi Fountain to get a nighttime view of the statues and water. | 
The Trevi Fountain at night
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9:30AM (Tuesday, June 2) - Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill
One of the must-see's in Rome is the Colosseum, but sometimes people forget about the other sites that are included with the Colosseum ticket: the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. TIP: Start at the Roman Forum and buy your ticket there as the line is much shorter than at the Colosseum itself, and it is the same exact ticket. Also, if you DO happy to get on the line in front of the Colosseum, cut the line and go to ticket booth #10 to buy your ticket and the audioguide while everyone else waits in line.
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12:30PM - Lunch in Campo de Fiori
Campo de' Fiori is a great outdoor market where you can find fresh fruits, olive oil and other Roman specialties. The square is lined by restaurants, and I recommend a little panini shop on one of the corners called Aristocampo Campo de' Fiori that has a restaurant around the corner with big, delicious salads.
2:00PM - Make your way to Vatican City
The Vatican is another must-see in Rome. It is also another long-line to wait on, but like the Colosseum there is a bit of a shortcut. TIPS: If you enter through the Vatican Museums, you will likely have a much shorter line. Also, make sure to have a scarf or sweater to cover your shoulders or you will not be allowed in the Sistine Chapel, the main site in the Vatican. My favorite parts of the Vatican:
- The Sistine Chapel
- Padiglione delle Carrozze (aka the Popemobile museum)
- Pinacoteca (painting gallery)
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6:00PM - Take the metro to Spagna and walk around the shops
The Spanish Steps are a good meeting point to walk around the upscale shops, do some touring or get a bite to eat. After the Vatican I used this time to see all the remaining sites that I had missed and to walk around my favorites once more.
8:30PM - Pizza for dinner
By now you've already had your gelato and your spaghetti, so for your final meal, it is pizza time! I went to Grazie a Dio e'Venerdi (Thank God it's Friday) which is a small, low-key pizza shop by the Cavour metro. They have a big variety of pizzas, starting at 5 Euros. My pizza and local Birre Moreti was the perfect way to end a great 24 (or 30) hours in Rome.
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