Arriving in Rome: Our First Day Exploring the Ancient City

There are some places you spend years dreaming about before your feet ever touch the ground.

Rome was one of those places for me.

After months of planning, packing, researching, and counting down the days, there was something almost surreal about finally arriving in Rome, Italy—the ancient city I had read about, seen in photographs, and imagined wandering through for years.

And then suddenly… I was there.

Rome has a way of making you feel like you’ve stepped directly into a history book. Except this history book is enormous, sprawling across busy streets, grand piazzas, ancient ruins, magnificent churches, fountains, and buildings that have witnessed thousands of years of stories.

My first thought?

Where do we even begin?

Getting Acquainted With Rome

When you’re visiting a city as historically rich as Rome for the first time, it can be difficult to know where to start.

The Colosseum is here.

The Vatican is there.

The Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Roman Forum, Santa Maria Maggiore…

There is so much to see that it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out how everything fits together.

That’s why, for our first full day in Rome, we decided to start with Big Bus Tours Rome.

Rather than immediately trying to navigate Rome’s streets and public transportation, we wanted to get a feel for the city first—to see the major sights, learn how the different areas connected, and decide what we wanted to return to later.

And it turned out to be the perfect way to begin.

Walking From the Colosseum to Our First Big Bus Stop

Our Airbnb was only about a 15-minute walk from the Colosseum, so we started our morning on foot.

And honestly, there is something pretty incredible about casually walking through the streets of Rome when the Colosseum is essentially your neighborhood landmark.

We made our way toward Big Bus Rome Stop 4 at Circus Maximus, where we boarded the bus and officially began our introduction to the city.

As the bus pulled away, we could simply sit back and take it all in.

No trying to decipher a map.

No worrying about whether we were heading in the right direction.

Just Rome unfolding around us.

Stop 7: The Spanish Steps

We rode through the city to Stop 7 near the Spanish Steps, where we hopped off to explore on foot.

The Spanish Steps themselves are one of those places you’ve seen countless times in photographs, but standing there in person makes them feel completely different.

At the top, we visited Trinità dei Monti, the beautiful church overlooking the Spanish Steps.

From there, we continued walking through the streets toward one of Rome’s most famous landmarks:

Trevi Fountain.

And yes, seeing it in person is every bit as impressive as you’d expect.

The intricate details, towering sculptures, rushing water, and sheer size make it one of those places where you can’t help but stop and look for a while.

After exploring the fountain, we made our way back to Big Bus Stop 8 and hopped back on.

Stop 2: Santa Maria Maggiore

Our next destination was Stop 2 near Santa Maria Maggiore.

And this was one of those stops that reminded me why I love traveling—because sometimes the things you don’t expect end up being among the most memorable.

We got off and visited Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome’s four major basilicas.

It is considered the second most important church in Rome and the largest church in the city, and walking inside felt like stepping into another world.

The incredible ceiling, ornate details, marble, mosaics, and sheer scale were breathtaking.

This is one of the things I quickly realized about Rome:

You don’t have to be standing at the Colosseum to feel the weight of history.

Sometimes you simply walk through a church doorway and find yourself surrounded by centuries of art, architecture, faith, and history.

Stop 4: Back Toward the Colosseum

After exploring Santa Maria Maggiore, we reboarded the bus at Stop 2 and continued on to Stop 4.

From there, we walked past Circus Maximus, the ancient site once used for legendary chariot races, and made our way back toward the Colosseum.

It felt almost surreal retracing part of our morning route on foot.

Earlier, we’d boarded the bus near Circus Maximus without knowing exactly how our day would unfold.

Now we were walking back toward the Colosseum after seeing the Spanish Steps, Trinità dei Monti, Trevi Fountain, and Santa Maria Maggiore.

And suddenly, Rome was starting to make sense.

Why Big Bus Was the Perfect Way to Start

Our first day wasn’t about trying to see absolutely everything.

It was about getting acquainted with Rome.

That’s what I loved about using Big Bus Rome at the beginning of our trip. We could combine sightseeing by bus with exploring on foot, hopping off whenever something caught our attention and then reboarding when we were ready to continue.

In one day, we got a glimpse of several completely different sides of Rome:

• The ancient world around Circus Maximus and the Colosseum
• The elegance of the Spanish Steps
• The artistry of Trinità dei Monti
• The iconic beauty of Trevi Fountain
• The grandeur and history of Santa Maria Maggiore

And we didn’t have to spend the entire day figuring out transportation between them.

The bus gave us the overview.

Walking gave us the details.

Together, they gave us our first real sense of Rome.

Finally… Rome

There is a particular kind of excitement that comes with finally arriving somewhere you’ve dreamed about.

It’s not just “I’m in Rome.”

It’s:

I’m finally standing in the place I’ve imagined standing in.

I’m finally seeing the Colosseum with my own eyes.

I’m finally walking streets that have carried people for thousands of years.

I’m finally looking up at architecture I’ve only seen in photographs.

And I’m finally beginning to understand just how much history is packed into this city.

Our first day with Big Bus Rome wasn’t about checking every famous sight off a list.

It was about letting Rome introduce herself to us.

We started near the Colosseum, rode through the heart of the city, wandered the Spanish Steps, stood beneath Trinità dei Monti, made a wish at Trevi Fountain, stepped inside one of Rome’s most magnificent basilicas, and walked past the ancient chariot-racing grounds of Circus Maximus.

All before making our way back toward the Colosseum.

And after our first day?

I knew one thing for certain:

We had only just begun.

Planning Your First Day in Rome?

If you’re visiting Rome for the first time, consider starting with an overview before diving into a packed itinerary.

For us, Big Bus Rome was a great way to get acquainted with the city’s major landmarks while still giving us the freedom to hop off and explore on foot.

It’s a particularly nice option when you want to see a lot on your first day without spending all of your time figuring out how to get from one landmark to the next.

Sometimes the best way to begin exploring a city is simply to sit back, look out the window, and let it introduce itself to you.

Ready to Explore Rome?

If Rome is on your travel list, save this post for your trip planning so you can come back to it when you’re mapping out your own Roman adventure.

And this was just the beginning of our time in the Eternal City! I’ll be sharing more of the sights, hidden gems, practical tips, and unforgettable moments from our Rome adventure.

Follow along on Instagram @stampsinmypassport1 for more travel inspiration, destination guides, hidden gems, and practical tips to help you travel with intention.

📌 Save this post for your Rome itinerary!
📲 Follow @stampsinmypassport1 for more of Rome and beyond.

Because there’s a whole world waiting to be explored—and I’m here to help you find the places worth remembering.

Happy exploring! ✈️

Until the next adventure,

Krista