Day 1
To make the most out of your short visit, it's best if you arrive early in the morning. Of course you need to check into your hotel and for this I’d say the train airport shuttle is the quickest alternative (supposing you arrive by air). If you on the other hand arrive by car, well then you’re in for a very frustrating journey until finally finding your hotel. Don’t bring your car to Rome.

Once you’ve arrived and put all your valuables in the safety deposit box, it’s time to explore. In this text I’ll start by using Fontana di Trevi as reference point because of its central location. Also during the first day I’d recommend staying only on one side of the Tiber River to minimize time spillage. And be sure, this side of the river has so much more to offer than one single day can possibly squeeze in. So starting at Fontana di Trevi, take a moment to just admire this fantastic creation. Feel the buzzing city spirit around you in this tiny, overwhelmingly crowded little piazza. Then take a stroll the down south in the little narrow pedestrian roads and look at the architecture and perhaps stop for a hot genuine Espresso.

After a few streets you should have reached the southernmost end of Via del Corso and Piazza Venezia. Via del Corso is the best and biggest shopping street of Rome. Here and around this street you’ll find all the world class brands and many little exclusive shops. Now, at the southernmost end start walking north on Via del Corso. If you’re approaching lunchtime and you’ve walked about 1/3 of Via del Corso there is a simply excellent restaurant just a couple of blocks to the west. At Colonna di Marco Aurelio, make a left and keep walking until you find Via della Rosetta. Here you’ll find La Rosetta, or the best seafood in all of Rome.

Having had lunch, or not if you wish, before continuing on Via del Corso go back south a few steps and be amazed by The Pantheon. Now keep going on Via del Corso (feel free to take small detours around the block, it’s simply magnificent) until you reach Piazza di Spagna and the famous Spanish steps. Sit around a few moments and admire the view from the top, people watch and have something to drink. Rome tends to get very hot in the summer so it’s important to keep drinking.

Continue north to Piazza del Popolo and look for the bus stop four “tourist buses”. You pay a onetime fee of a few Euros and you get to use these buses whenever you want for a designated period of time (two days if you wish). You can hop on and off wherever you want and my idea here is that you get some nice sightseeing (open roof) while heading to another great sight. Recorded guided tours are available in different languages in exchange for an extra fee. Take your time and relax in the bus. Walking on Via del Corso can easily become exhausting so this is a nice way to rest your legs. Continue with the bus until reaching the Coliseum.

The Coliseum is one of the mandatory sights for any tourist in Rome. Endure the queues and don’t look twice at the overpriced gift shop and you’ll love it. You can almost sense centuries of history being communicated through the ruins.

There isn’t really any point to going further south, so take one of the smaller, cosy streets north from Coliseum until you reach the crossing of Via del Boschetto and Via Panispema. On Via del Boschetto 19 you’ll find an excellent place for dinner. Also discussed in the restaurant section is Il Quadrifoglio. It’s affordable and the food is excellent. Depending on what time it is, feel free to walk a bit further up north and explore the small streets. Perhaps stop to have a drink in a nice bar somewhere before going back to the hotel to build up your strength.

Day 2
Now it’s time for the western coastline of the Tiber River, starting with something that you simply must not miss; The Vatican. First of all, be sure to be early because queues are tremendously huge. If you’re lucky enough to be there on the last Sunday of the month when entrance is free, the queues are even bigger. Basilica di San Pietro and the Sistine Chapel are two of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. If you’re interested in art the Sistine Chapel might take all day, so once again manage your time carefully. If you feel that you want to spend a lot of time here though, I encourage you to climb the tilted stairs up the cupola. Bear in mind that the more you climb the narrower it gets, so this isn’t something for the claustrophobic one. Once you reach the top you have an incredible view waiting for you; all of Rome and The Seven Hills in the glimpse of an eye. Also again depending on time you can visit the catacombs underneath the Basilica.

When (or if) you’re done with the Vatican, walk southwest until you reach the bridge Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II. Cross the bridge and stroll through the beautiful neighbourhood. If you’re hungry and thirsty sure it is good to choose a place to have a bite here, but if you want to experience the more hip and chic neighbourhood of Rome maybe you should walk another 20 minutes and reach Trastevere. If you decide on my alternative, reach Ponte Sisto and you’re only a couple of minutes away from a very trendy restaurant by the name of Glass. Mix traditional flavours with eastern influences and you end up with a remarkable experience. Good food, good drinks in a vibrant neighbourhood.

If you now have any time left you can consider yourself lucky. Finish your day off with a hot coffe or a cold drink on Isola Tiberina, a small island right in the middle of the Tiber River. As far as I know there is only one café, you can’t miss it.