What to do in Rome in 12 hours

2 self-guided 12-hour routes through Rome — every stop timed, mapped and in the order that works on the ground.

Vatican at opening, the centro storico over lunch, the ancient core at golden hour. Five kilometres, nine stops.

Vatican Museums · St Peter's Basilica · Castel Sant'Angelo · Piazza Navona · Campo de' Fiori · Pantheon · Trevi Fountain · Roman Forum & Palatine Hill · Colosseum

5.3 km on foot 9 stops 11h 01m total

12h Budget

Rome in a day: the Appian Way to Testaccio

The pope's cathedral and the Holy Stairs, the Baths of Caracalla, the catacombs and the tombs of the Appian Way, the Aventine's garden and keyhole, the pyramid and dinner in Testaccio.

San Giovanni in Laterano · Scala Santa · Baths of Caracalla · Catacombs of San Callisto · Tomb of Caecilia Metella · Giardino degli Aranci · Aventine Keyhole · Pyramid of Cestius · Testaccio

4.4 km on foot 9 stops 7h 34m total

Planning the rest of the trip

These routes cover the walking. The Rome guide has where to stay, what a day costs at each tier, and what to book before you go.