How to See Rome in 2 Days
The Ultimate Itinerary for First-Timers
Two days in Rome may not sound like enough, and while they will be two busy days, you can actually see the main sights in Rome in just 48 hours. Here is the perfect itinerary for a short Rome visit!
On my most recent trip to Rome with one of my tour groups, we only ended up having two full days in Rome. While I thought this wasn’t enough at first, I was actually positively surprised.
Even in the heatwave, where you can’t go outside for the hottest hours, we managed to see the main sights of Rome. Everyone said they had the best time.
So, if you’re also on a little bit of a time crunch, but don’t want to miss out while visiting Rome, this is the guide for you!
This blog may contain affiliate links to support the running of the blog. If you make a purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.
How to get to Rome?
Rome actually has two airports, Fiumicino Airport (often called Leonardo da Vinci Airport and the largest in Italy) and Ciampino Airport which has mostly budget airlines.
Alternatively, you can reach Rome by train (Trenitalia) or bus (Flixbus or Itabus) from either within Italy or many surrounding countries.
Where to stay in Rome?
Rome is pretty big, and knowing where to book your hotel can be tricky. Check out my full guide on the best areas here.
Best accommodation for any budget:
$ The RomeHello
$$ Saint Peter Loft
$$$ Maalot Roma
Must-do activities
How to Spend Two Days in Rome
Two days in Rome doesn’t leave much time to just wander, but it gives you just enough time to tick all the bucketlist items off your list. Here is how to fit everything you must-see in Rome into 2 days:
Day 1: Colosseum and Highlights of Rome
Start the day with the Colosseum and Roman Forum
I’d always start early with the Colosseum, but especially in the summer months where the heat quickly becomes unbearable. It opens at 8.30 am and I would aim to get that early slot or an early tour in order to minimise the crowds and heat.
That way, you get one of the absolute highlights done early while you still have energy. I find that the Roman Forum especially can feel overwhelming in the heat, so going early on can mitigate that.
Remember to pre-book the Colosseum as early as you can, it opens 4 weeks in advance and you want to book your slot no later than 2 weeks in advance! This is the official website, or you could get an official guide for skip-the-line tickets and historical information:
Have a bit of a break
I would plan in a bit of a break either back at your hotel or in a nice café or restaurant after the Colosseum, especially in the summer. The Colosseum and Roman Forum is already a ton to take in and as mentioned, gets very hot in summer, so that break allows you to reset and be ready for more exploring.
If you’re looking for a bar/restaurant, I really like RoYaL Art Cafè right behind the Colosseum with amazing views!
Go on an afternoon walking tour of the highlights of Rome
Whenever I am in Rome with one of my tour groups, we do a 2ish hour Walking Tour of the main monuments of ancient Rome.
The route includes:
- The Spanish Steps (famous for their shape and views from the top)
- Trevi Fountain (on top of an ancient aqueduct, coin tossing tradition)
- Hadrian’s Temple (built in 145 – features eleven towering Corinthian columns)
- The Pantheon (Built by Agrippa between 25 and 27 BC, only ancient Roman building to be fully intact)
- Piazza Navona (ancient racetrack below, features Bernini’s famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi)
- Largo di Torre Argentina (where Caesar was murdered)
- Monument to Victor Emmanuel II (honours Italy’s first king after the unification)
You could also add on places like the Jewish quarter, Piazza del Popolo and Chiesa di Sant’Ignazio di Loyola.
As mentioned, this tour takes between 2-3 hours and hits a lot of Rome’s ancient wonders and overall highlights. While you can’t sit on the Spanish Steps anymore (you might be fined), it’s still a great spot for sunset at the top.
Find a local trattoria or osteria for dinner
Finding delicious restaurants in Rome isn’t hard, but unfortunately there are a lot of tourist traps. If there’s a waiter at the front trying to get you inside, if the Menu is only in English, if you are right by one of the monuments, you are likely in a tourist trap.
I’d recommend heading down a side street or exploring the area of your hotel to find something more local. For example, I had a great meal at this one near Termini: Trattoria “Al Camoscio D’Abruzzo”.
Day 2: Vatican & Trastevere
Start the day with the Vatican Museums, Saint Peter’s Cathedral and the Sistine Chapel
The Vatican is another place I’d recommend doing as early as possible, to hopefully reduce the crowds and heat. I’d also say a tour is worth it here, as you get skip-the-line entry into all three, plus the history and information from an experienced tour guide.
You can visit the main square of the Vatican and Saint Peter’s Cathedral completely for free though, but the queue for the cathedral can get massive. A way to bypass this is buying a 7€ audio-guide timed-entry ticket.
The museum and Sistine chapel costs 25€ if you book in advance, which I’d highly recommend as you get a timed entry slot and skip a lot of the lines. Basically, just don’t buy tickets for the Vatican on the day.
Grab some to-go food and head to the Tiber River
The areas around the Vatican is called Prati and Borgo and are full of delicious restaurants, countless souvenir stores and clothing shops. They are actually some of my favourite streets to wander and I recommend doing so, slowly heading towards the Tiber River.
Another thing I have found amazing in this area is the take-away pasta and Italian street food scene. While not strictly Roman in a historic sense, it’s a great way to get some delicious Italian food on the go.
Pastasciutta and Ostevia are two of my favourite pasta places. There’s also many amazing sandwich and focaccia places, like Scialla or Panificio Lintozzi.
Top Tip: Find the famous “Holy Kiss” by searching for the Monumento di Santa Caterina da Siena. If you stand on the patch of grass facing the St. Peter’s Basilica, it looks like the statue is giving the dome a kiss.
Spend the evening in Trastevere
You could now walk about half an hour along the Tiber river (a beautiful walk) or hop in a bus to take you to Trastevere. Trastevere is the foodie and nightlife neighbourhood of Rome, and one of my favourite places in the city.
It used to be the Working-Class neighbourhood and still holds onto its cobblestone medieval streets creating a charming atmosphere and lots of hidden corners for delicious trattorias and fun bars.
If you have the time, there are some amazing pasta classes and food tours in this area (linked below), or just hop into any restaurant. They’re pretty much all great (Tonnarello Scala is one I love).
At night, Piazza Trilussa in the heart of Trastevere has gone viral for its live music, but every street is lively and there’s a bar for everyone.
Is it worth going to Rome for 2 days?
Yes, it’s 100% worth it. As we’ve just seen, you can actually tick off many of Rome’s highlights in just 48 hours.
Of course if you have more time, you could add a few more things or just wander (which is one of my favourite ways to explore Rome). But for those on a tight schedule, 48 hours is more than enough!
Things to add if you have additional time:
Here are a few things you could add to this itinerary if you find you have more time:
- Castel Sant’Angelo – right by the Vatican, a fortress built between 123 and 135 AD
- Villa Borghese Gardens – free to visit, you can also rent a rowing boat for 5€
- Giardino degli Aranci – amazing sunset views
- the ancient streets between Piazza Navona and River Tiber – full of delicious food (try I Supplì dei Coronari), local shops and just beautiful winding streets
More on Italy:
Hi, I'm Bell
My blog is here to show you that there isn’t one correct way to travel the world. Together, we can figure out what that means for you. Learn more about me here!
Latest from the blog:
Travel Off Script contains affiliate links to support the running of the blog. If you make a purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.
