Find Out How to Best Spend Your One Day in Rome During a Cruise Vacation

Figuring out how to spend one day in Rome from a cruise ship can be a bit of a daunting task. It’s a huge city with so many famous landmarks and narrowing down what to do can feel overwhelming. But never fear because we are here to help! Whether you have a port of call in Rome or you are getting in a day early to explore the city before you embark on a cruise from Rome, we have put together ideas to help you plan the perfect day.

One Day in Ancient Rome

Some of the top sites people want to see during their one day in Rome from a cruise ship are the ones that are leftover from Ancient Rome. The capital of the Roman Empire was in Rome (you may be starting to get a good idea why the city has the name it does) and during the reign of its leaders – which included the likes of Marc Antony, Julius Caesar, and Napoleon – great monuments, stadiums, and other structures were built.

The main one that is practically impossible to miss if you’re in Rome is the Colosseum. The Colosseum was a massive stone stadium where the people of Rome would gather to cheer and jeer at gladiators, who would fight each other and animals that would be turned loose in the arena. Walking around the Colosseum is an incredible experience as it’s easy to imagine what it must have been like centuries ago; especially if you tour it with an expert guide on one of our shore excursions. A guide for the Colosseum can regale you with in-depth stories of the Colosseum’s past with information about tis grisly activities and exceptional architecture.

Next to the Colosseum is another ancient wonder: the Roman Forum. Walking through the Roman Forum is like walking through time as you amble through a town center used during the Roman Empire that is still remarkably preserved today. The Roman Forum was the cultural and political center of Ancient Rome and its mind-boggling to think you’re walking by the same buildings Julius Caesar did before his untimely end (you can also see where he was cremated in the Roman Forum).

Other sights to visit to round out your day in Rome with a focus on its ancient origins are the Baths of Caracalla (ruins of public baths used during Roman times) and the Pantheon (a former Roman temple).

Renaissance Wonders in Rome

Ancient Rome isn’t the only era to have left its mark in Rome. The Renaissance had a strong presence in Rome as well. During the 14th century, the Renaissance was in its heyday in Italy with the likes of Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and Raphael all making their mark on the country, with a strong presence in Rome.

Some opulent and intricate artwork came out of this time that is still open to public viewing today. A highlight for many people to Rome who are interested in Renaissance artwork is the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museums, which was painstakingly painted by Michelangelo over the course of four years. The Vatican Museums are also home to the Raphael rooms where you can see some impressive large-scale paintings done by Italian painter Raphael.

Another famous piece of artwork commissioned during the Renaissance Age is the Trevi Fountain, the most famous fountain in Rome. The Trevi Fountain is a Baroque sculptural masterpiece, which features Oceanus being pulled by two tritons. Bring a coin with you when you visit the Trevi Fountain; legend has it that if you throw it over your left shoulder with your right hand, you’ll return to Rome one day.

Just down the street from the Trevi Fountain are the popular Spanish Steps. These are located along a ritzy square in Rome and lead up to the Trinità dei Monti church.

For more Renaissance adventures during your day in Rome, visit Villa Medici (a stately mansion built in the Renaissance era with a Borghese garden) and Palazzo Farnese (a beautiful Renaissance palace), or embark on one of our Rome shore excursions that focus on the Renaissance side of Rome.

Vatican Treasures

Vatican City has many more things to see than just the Sistine Chapel and Raphael Rooms. For starters there are the thousands of other pieces of artwork and memorabilia located within the Vatican Museums, which contain a massive private collection of artwork collected by popes over the years, and which is open to the public to tour. Vatican City is also the location of St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest Catholic church in the world. St. Peter’s Basilica takes up one side of St. Peter’s Square, a lovely square that is the central area of Vatican City.

Rome in a Day Shore Excursion

If you’re still having trouble deciding what to do during your one day in Rome from a cruise ship, don’t decide! Instead, do it all. Ok, do at least a lot of it thanks to the Rome in a Day shore excursion. As the name suggests, it’s a great way to get a taste of all that Rome has to offer, even if you only have a day to do so in.

Experience a Rome City Stay

If you are about to embark on a cruise from Rome, you can do a City Stay before you leave, which gives you three days in the city with the convenience of having the details arranged for you – enough time to do a few of these one day in Rome adventures!

Book Your One Day in Rome from a Cruise Experience Today!

To spend your one day in Rome from a cruise ship (or during extra travel days if you start or end your cruise in Civitavecchia, the cruise port for Rome), browse our Mediterranean cruise itineraries and find your perfect sailing. You can book your stateroom, airfare, and activities all in one convenient spot. You can also reserve shore excursions in advance to make sure you don’t miss out on getting a spot on the excursion that lets you spend the day in Rome just as you wish – whether that’s exploring its ancient sites, marveling at Renaissance wonders, or doing a variety of it all!

By CelebrityCruises