We organized our trip to Rome as a short getaway during our stay in Tuscany for two primary reasons. First, accommodations in major cities can be quite pricey for an extended period. Second, we preferred not to drive our rental car into Rome. Our lodging at the holiday park in Tuscany was such a great deal that it made sense to leave most of our belongings and the rental car there while taking the train to Rome for a two-night stay.

This arrangement gave us one full day along with the morning and afternoon on either side to explore all the attractions in Rome. Was that enough time? Perhaps not. However, we maximised our experience while staying within a reasonable budget and tried our best to steer clear of the crowds. Here’s our plan of action for the day:

We arrived in Rome early in the afternoon, following a three-hour train journey from Figline Valdarno, close to Florence. Our accommodation was an Airbnb located in the Monti neighbourhood, near the Cavour Subway stop, which we reached easily on foot from the main Rome Termini train station. The place was suitable as a budget option for our family of five, consisting of a one-bedroom studio with a loft space for additional beds. While it served our needs for two nights, it was let down by the lack of windows!

However, the neighbourhood was fantastic, and I highly recommend it. We were within walking distance of the Colosseum, so we got our first glimpse during our afternoon stroll. It was spectacular to see, sitting in the middle of the large roundabout, a true testament to its centuries-old history! After that, we walked along Via dei Fori Imperiali, where we could see some of the Roman Forums and Imperial Forums from the street, before returning to our accommodation. This was a wonderful introduction to the sights of Ancient Roman history.

The following morning, we rose bright and early, just before sunrise, intent on avoiding the throngs at the Trevi Fountain. Having seen countless videos on social media showcasing the overwhelming crowds during peak season, I knew it would be my idea of chaos. So, we felt that waking up early would be worthwhile. Since we were staying within walking distance, navigating the streets at dawn became an adventure in itself, though we were surprised to find many others already awake, eagerly awaiting the sun's arrival at the Trevi Fountain.

The fountain is truly impressive and breathtaking. It's easy to see why it attracts so many visitors, with its grand cascading waters and intricate sculptures set against a historic palace backdrop. The centerpiece features Neptune, the sea god, surrounded by magnificent horses and tritons that represent the taming of the waters.

According to legend, tossing a coin into the fountain over your left shoulder guarantees a future return to Rome, which explains the constant stream of tourists making wishes. I followed this tradition during my visit in 2007, and indeed, the legend holds true! We also encouraged the girls to toss their coins over their shoulders.

After visiting the Trevi Fountain, it was only a short stroll to the Pantheon. Originally constructed to honor all Roman gods, it now serves as a church and stands as a testament to the architectural brilliance of Ancient Rome. It opens to the public at 9 a.m., and since we arrived around 7:30 a.m., we missed the chance to admire the vast dome and oculus that allows sunlight to flood its well-preserved interior. However, we did enjoy the columns of the front façade without any crowds around us.

Our walking tour next took us to Piazza Navona, which was once an ancient stadium but is now a lively hub filled with charming cafes and rich history. It’s renowned for its breathtaking Baroque fountains, including Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers; however, the fountains were covered and undergoing restoration. With the major Jubilee celebration planned for next year, many of the city's main attractions were also under renovation. Although it was a bit disappointing, we were on our way to Vatican City, and the Piazza was conveniently along our route.

We aimed to arrive at St. Peter's Basilica early to avoid the crowds. In a last-minute decision, I bought tickets for a group tour of the Basilica, thinking it would spare us from waiting in line. Unfortunately, everyone still had to queue for the security checkpoint at St. Peter's. Although entry to St. Peter’s Basilica is free, I believed that a guided tour would enhance our appreciation of this monumental site. Inside, it is incredibly ornate and detailed, filled with numerous artworks, sculptures, and chapels, all steeped in cultural and historical significance. We all enjoyed the insights shared by our guide. The tour included a visit to the crypts below, but we hadn’t purchased the option to go up into the dome or visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. The duration of the St. Peter's tour felt just right. The girls behaved wonderfully, and several other tour participants even commented on how attentively they listened. However, we would have been stretching it if we expected them to continue with additional tours of the Vatican.

After our time at Vatican City, we returned to our apartment to rest and enjoy a lunch of takeaway pizza and pasta. We needed a little break after such an early start!

But once we were rested and revitalised, our first stop for our afternoon of exploring was the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II, the grand marble neoclassical temple honouring Italy’s first king and First World War Soldiers. It’s free to climb the stairs to the higher levels that offers sweeping views down the Via del For Imperiali, across the Roman Forums towards the Colosseum.

The next part of the afternoon was dedicated to exploring the Roman Forums and then onto the Colosseum. The Roman Forums are a sprawling complex of ancient ruins that once served as the heart of public and political life in the city. They offer a fascinating glimpse into the grandeur of Roman architecture and the girls loved searching for the ruins that featured in the book we purchased about Ancient Rome. Our ticket also included the Palatine Hill, but we decided to skip that area in favour of resting our feet and enjoying the view of the Colosseum.

We had purchased a pass that allowed us enter into the Roman Forums and Palatine Hill at any time of the day but we pre-booked a 5:30pm timeslot for the Colosseum to avoid some of the crowds and the heat. This worked out to be a good choice, it was fairly easy to admire the interior of the ancient mega structure. We decided to forego any guided tours but we did watch lots of youtube videos about the colosseum during our midday break, which helped the girls understand the historic significances.

The following morning we walked over to the ruins of Largo di Torre Argentina which is known for being a sanctuary to the stray cats of Rome. Today, volunteers at Torre Argentina provide care for around 130 cats, many of which are disabled or dealing with illness. Once the site was excavated, Rome's stray cats quickly settled in, and the gattare, or cat ladies, started feeding and looking after them. The girls loved spotting all the cats sleep amongst the ruins. After a detour into a nearby book shop and some lunch, we headed back to the train station and headed back to our accommodation in the holiday park of Norcenni Girsole.

Overall, it was a bit of a whirlwind tour of Rome that involved a lot of walking! But we managed to see the iconic city in a fairly budget friendly way.