Day 4 of 8 · Tuesday, August 18

Rome I: the Ancient City

1,000 years of empire in eight hours, by 300 km/h train.

Home by 9:00 PM ~9 km Frecciarossa (reserved) + Metro B ~€60-90 tickets + €80 food

The plan

9 stops

6:50

Leave home

walk 25 min or taxi ~€10 to Santa Maria Novella station.

7:30

Frecciarossa to Termini (~1 h 32)

Seats assigned; no validation, just board.

9:10

Metro B two stops to Colosseo

Emerge, look left, gasp.

9:30

Colosseum timed entry

then the Arch of Constantine.

11:15

Roman Forum down the Via Sacra

then the Palatine Hill and its shady overlooks.

1:45

Lunch in Monti

La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali (book) or Ai Tre Scalini wine bar.

3:15

Capitoline Hill

Michelangelo's piazza, the she-wolf, the Tabularium view over the whole Forum, air-conditioning.

5:45

Gelato, Trajan's Column

and a 25-min walk (or €10 taxi) to Termini.

6:50

Frecciarossa home

Florence ~8:25, door by 9:00.

Trenitalia round trip (held)

Colosseum 9:30 timed entry (BOOK NOW)

Late plate at Osteria de' Benci if hungry