How to spend 2 days in Rome: Full Itinerary

Having now been twice, I feel like Rome is one of those destinations that get better each time you visit it, much like London. It really isn’t the kind of place you can visit for 2 days and think that you’ve seen everything but it definitely is enough to see the top sights.

During our visit, we had just over 2 days in Rome to see everything we wanted. On my second visit, we had even less time than that and becuase I was with some people who had never been before I ended up doing a lot of the same sights over again. Trust me, the history in Rome is so amazing you wouldn’t be mad about visiting the same sights twice either.

When to visit Rome

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, traveling in the off-peak season is truly the best time to travel. I’ve now visited Rome in the month of May and the month of October. Both were fantastic times to visit. While it was crowded (let’s be honest it’s Rome, it’s always going to be busy), it wasn’t nearly as bad as it would be in the summer months.

The weather in May and October was also perfect. It was warm enough that we could walk around in shorts and T-shirts but in many cases, we were also comfortable walking around with a like jacket as well.

How to get around in Rome

Where I can, I try to walk everywhere I can in a new city. I sometimes find that my best photos are taken from those tiny alleyways that you only find when walking from place to place.

If walking isn’t really your thing, there are lots of cabs available around the area that you can grab. Take note that you can’t really hail a taxi the same way you can in places like Toronto or New York. There are designated spots that you need to station yourself at in order to get one. Uber says that it’s available but it didn’t really work for us. Instead, we downloaded and used the Free Now app – that definitely worked a lot better.

What to see in Rome

All of these sights we managed to see during our 2 days in Rome. It was a busy schedule that had us getting up pretty early in the mornings but it was definitely worth it!

Vatican City

You’ll definitely want to start your day here. The lines start at the Vatican and God only knows what time so if you have any chance of not waiting three hours or more in line it’s to get there as soon as you can.

There are quite a few people walking around telling you they can help you skip the line. Ignore them. Walk outside of the Vatican city walls to where you enter the museums. Around there you should be able to find some of the salespeople for a Hello Tours. Don’t get me wrong normally I’m not one for tours, nor am I one to be guided off the main streets, down some stairs to a random “shop” (a room with a desk and a coke machine), but this time it REALLY paid off.

Not only did it save us a ton of time but our tour guide was so incredibly knowledgeable. The cost per person was €50. The cost to get into the museums alone is around €26. If you have it in your budget I absolutely encourage you to do this tour.

What you’ll see:
Sistine Chapel
Vatican Museums
St. Peter’s Basilica

Piazza Navona

I can almost guarantee you’ll definitely be hungry after your tour of Vatican City. Our best suggestion is to make the 20-minute walk to Piazza Navona. I can’t imagine anyone complaining about wandering through the beautiful back streets of Rome, and this is your perfect excuse.

The Piazza Navona is a picturesque city square. There are restaurants lined on either side where you’ll be sure to enjoy great wine and pizza on a patio watching the world go by. It’s a great spot to also scout out which artwork you’re going to purchase to bring home. Don’t fall victim to the hosts at the restaurant trying to get you to eat at their restaurant – they will try anything to get you to sit down so take your time reading the menus before deciding!

Pantheon

Refreshed, relaxed and ready for more exploring you’ll next make your way to the Pantheon. One of the other famous sights in Rome, you definitely can’t miss it. The Pantheon is just as astonishing on the outside as it is on the interior.

The big columns lining the outside leave you in awe. Trust me when I say it’s nothing compared to what you’ll feel walking inside the incredibly amazing building. It’s hard not to solely stand there staring at the ceiling but force yourself to walk around the circular flooring and take in the amazing statues and artwork.

Spanish Steps

I have this weird love/hate for the Spanish steps. On the one hand, they are seemingly so ordinary and overcrowded. On the other, it’s the perfect spot for people watching and you’ll experience some of the most beautiful views of Rome.

While I was there the Piazza di Spagna was under construction so that dampered my experience a bit. Be careful of the men selling you all kinds of different things all over the steps. I can’t tell you how many times we were offered a selfie stick!

Trevi Fountain

The first time we visited the Trevi Fountain it was under construction which I was devastated about. The second time though it was something that just had to be on my list. We visited right at dusk and even though it was absoultely stunning it was so busy we could barely move.

After fighting the crowds we threw the coins over our shoulders before moving on. I can imagine visiting first thing in the morning would be a much better choice – if you’re looking for the perfect photo with no one in it, do not go for sunset!

Piazza Venezia

The Piazza Venezia is a much larger area than I had expected. It’s known as being the central hub of Rome, it’s certainly the busiest with all of the traffic. You can’t miss the giant white building that creeps up on you ever so slowly as you walk closer and closer to it.

I would suggest you walk up Via Del Teatro Di Marcello so you can get the full and spectacular view of the Piazza. It’s breathtaking. The whiteness of the building feels somewhat out of place among the ancient ruins of Rome but somehow it fits well. I did not have the time or chance to go into the Piazza but if you feel as if there’s time I would suggest venturing inside I’ve heard it’s worth it.

Capitoline Hill

As you walk up and around the Piazza Venezia, you will eventually find yourself along the steps of Capitoline Hill. Walk up these steps and take in the architecture and surroundings. The hill is one of 7 in Rome. It used to be known as Mons Saturnius which was of course, dedicated to the god of Saturn.

Roman Forum

I would probably say the Roman Forum was my favourite part of Rome. It’s the perfect combination of ruins with nature so you feel transported to another space and time. It is also eerily quiet as you walk around the area. We ventured to this spot later in the day so it was much quieter, and nicer to walk around.

It’s roughly €18 per person to get in. Take your time here. The Forum is incredible. While some restoration has been done to the area to keep the structures from completely crumbling, they’ve done a great job at it. You could easily spend hours wandering around here.

Colosseum

Keep your tickets from the Roman Forum because they can also grant you access the Colosseum. Walk through and around the Colosseum to admire it from all angles. Honestly, it’s different from everywhere you look. Half of the flooring is intact as to what it possibly looked like in ancient Rome and part of it is gone giving you a glimpse into the bottom “locker rooms”.

*Tip: When we visited the line for “ticket holders” was three times longer than the line for people to buy tickets. If you pretend like you don’t have a ticket you can sneak through once in there and skip the long line.

Trastevere

Trastevere is a great place to end your last day in Rome. Located just slightly on the outskirts of Rome and away from the tourist hotspots, you’ll find some amazing cocktail bars and restaurants. It’s easy enough to take a cab out this way and it’s definitely worth it.

I almost felt like a local walking around. Definitely head over before sunset so you have a chance to walk through the tiny streets a little bit before dark. The area is super laidback, a great spot to unwind.

Where to stay in Rome

During our first visit to Rome we stayed in an Airbnb a little further out of the city. I’ll be honest, I think this affected our first impression of Rome which wasn’t completely positive. Because it took us so much longer to get into the city and the place we were staying at wasn’t in the nicest of areas, I vowed not to go back to Rome.

However, two years later on our family trip to Italy, we found that Rome was the best place to end the trip. This time we stayed right near Piazza Navona and I honestly loved it. The area was gorgeous and was in such close proximity to a lot of the major sights. It definitely changed my mind on Rome!

*This post contains affiliate links which means we might make a small commission if you book through the links – don’t worry it’s at no extra cost to you!