How to Take a Walking Tour of Rome

Rome is one of the oldest, most historically rich cities in all of Europe and as capital of Italy, this metropolis remains an important cultural center of the modern world. Come walk the streets of this ancient city, see the ruins of a once great civilization and taste some of the best cuisine the world has to offer.

Things You'll Need

• City Map
• Good Walking Shoes
• Camera
• Guide Book

Instructions

Self-Guided Walking Tour

1. Buy a comprehensive travel guide of Rome. A good guide will have detailed maps of the city and maps of any public transportation. It should also have a bit of history about each landmark as well as descriptions of Rome's culture and people.

2. Peruse the guide looking for points of interest that appeal most to you.

3. Make a list of the places you would like to see then find them on the map.

4. Decide how much time you have to spend and plan accordingly. Most walking tours, even when you're setting your own pace, will take at least 2 to 3 hours (so wear comfortable shoes).

5. Highlight each point on your map and plan out the best route to get from A to B to C. Then, find a suitable place to begin your tour. Remember, you're on foot so plan tours of sights that are reasonably close together.

6. Read about each location's history in your guide as you walk from point to point.

7. Take pictures of each landmark. Try taking pictures of things from unusual angles and distances to add interest to the photos.

8. Keep a journal of your tour, making notes about each place. Write down your first impressions, what feelings a particular place evoked or what you liked most about something as a way to remember the experience.

9. Repeat the process as many times as you'd like, changing the route and destinations each time. Because Rome is so large you will definitely want to focus on specific sections of the city for each tour.

Professional Guided Tour

1. Research Rome before you go so you know what parts of the city you most want to visit.

2. Find a tour agency that provides walking tours. This is easily done by searching the Web for walking tours. Most agencies offer various tours that cover different parts of the city. Some of the tours have themes as well.

3. Book the tour of your choice. Generally these tours can be booked online, in advance or you can often meet at the starting point and pay on the spot. Most tours are reasonably priced and offer discounts for students and children.

4. Get directions to the starting point of the walking tour and be sure to arrive on time so you don't miss guide.

5. Take your camera and your travel journal to record your walking tour experience.

Tips & Warnings

• The advantage of a self-guided walking tour is that you get to set the pace and choose the specific destinations. You don't have to wait for a group so if you find a particular location interesting you can spend as much time as you'd like and can move on quickly from the spots that are less appealing to you. If you like exploring on your own, a self-guided tour is the best choice.

• The advantage of a professionally guided walking tour is the expertise of the guide. Not only does the guide know the city well, so you won't get lost, he or she also knows the history. If you're a history buff and love listening to stories from bygone eras, a professionally guided tour is the best choice.

• Some travel guides are available online and provide suggestions for walking tours that are already mapped out for you. They also give background information on each landmark you visit. This is a good way to do your own walking tour without the cost of hiring a tour guide but without losing the expertise. Frommers is an excellent guide book for this type of tour information and is available in both hard copy and Internet forms.

• Be sure to visit Vatican City while in Rome. This unique enclave is a sovereign state unto itself. It is home to St. Peter's Square and Bascillica, one of the largest cathedrals in the world. And of course is the home to the head of the Catholic Church, the Pope. The Sistine Chapel is also located within the walls of the Vatican where you can see great works by Michelangelo. There are also works of art by other great Italian artists such as Raphael, Leonardo Da Vinci and Botticelli.

• They say Rome wasn't built in a day and that is especially evident in the city's ancient ruins. Consider designing a walking tour around the main ruins, most of which have been turned into monuments. Begin the tour with the Colosseum, an amphitheater with an original capacity of 50,000, then move on to the Roman Forum, Domus Aurea and the Pantheon. Also be sure to see the Catacombs of Rome and the Circus Maximus. These are just some of the highlights of the ancient Roman ruins.

• Consider taking a popular guided tour of Rome called Dark Rome. There are three separate tours, each focusing on different aspects of the city. The Dark Heart of Rome tour is a nighttime walking tour that shows you the mysterious side of the city at night. Legends and supernatural mysteries are told as part of the narration. The Crypts and Catacombs tour takes you to the underground city where ancient catacombs and pagan temples lie. The Angels and Demons tour is based on the same novel by Dan Brown and focuses on secret passages and encrypted messages. All three tours provide a fascinating, alternative look at Rome.