Wondering how to spend 2 days in Rome, Italy? Look no further! As an avid traveler who has visited Rome multiple times, this is sure to be your guide to the eternal city.
Rome is one of the most captivating and historically rich locations in the world. It seems like such a magical place when learning about the history of Rome in school and university, and that’s because it is.
Rome was one of the first places I visited in Italy and I fell in love with every morsel of this city. From the art to the history to the food, there is so much to see, experience, and consume here. So far, I have been to Rome twice. Once in the dead of the summer (very hot), and once at the end of March, which was such a perfect time to go.
This is one of those locations that you could visit over and over and still not see everything. If you’re making a quick stop in Rome, my top recommendations are listed below. You likely won’t be able to hit everything, especially if you’re an art fanatic like me, but that just means you will have to make another visit!
If you’re not sure what to pack for this trip, I’ve included a basic guide HERE.
1. The Vatican Museums
When I first visited Rome, I was not overly excited to see the Vatican Museums compared to some of the other things that were on our itinerary. That opinion quickly changed as we wandered the endless halls of sculptures, paintings, medieval maps, and more.
For someone that likes to stop and read every sign and really take in what they are looking at, the Vatican Museums can take a full day. For the museum goers who casually stroll and are okay with missing a few things, this could potentially turn into a half-day trip.
Here is a link to my favorite Vatican and Sistine Chapel Guided Tour with TripAdvisor.
2. St. Peter’s Basilica
St. Peter’s Basilica lies in the center of the Vatican square.
3. The Colosseum
The Colosseum is for many, the main symbol of Rome. It’s the first thing that comes to mind for most people around the world and for good reason. The Colosseum is the largest ancient amphitheater in the world and the mixture of its architecture and history have captivated generations.
The time it takes to visit the Colosseum can vary for a few reasons. Depending on the time of day, there can be a long line out front to enter. If you have a scheduled tour with a guide, you will bypass this line. If you are planning to enter and walk around at your own leisure, the line can make or break your day. The summer months can be quite hectic, but in the spring and fall months you may not have much of a wait, if any.
Some of the tours can be a few hours or a half day, depending on how in-depth you want your tour to be. There are also small museum areas within the Colosseum that can be in the tour which adds time. If you plan to walk around on your own, this visit can take only an hour or two.
The tour of the Colosseum can be purchased in the same ticket as your Palatine Hill and Forum tour which is definitely the way to go if you are planning on seeing all of those major sites.
5. The Pantheon
Built between 25 and 27 B.C., the Pantheon is an architectural marvel in the heart of Rome. It is one of the biggest dome buildings in the world and was the first temple built for the public. The Pantheon stands tall in a stunning, yet quaint, plaza with a beautiful fountain and restaurants. Seeing this building and entering it for the first time can be overwhelming.
Visiting the Pantheon can be a quick stop in your day. If you are not on a guided tour, it can easily take only 30 minutes.
I’ve included a link HERE to a guided tour of the Pantheon. I did not personally take this tour, but there were a few TripAdvisor tours happening in the Pantheon while I was there and the guides were providing some really interesting information.
It’s hard to fully grasp the size of this building from the outside. Upon entering the building, the enormous dome and overtakes the building and makes you feel tiny. The opening at the top of the dome is the only avenue for light to enter. It does rain in the Pantheon as well due to this opening, and the floors you stand on are convex to send the water into a complex drainage system.
The Pantheon is an extremely fascinating site in Rome. It’s one of those landmarks that really takes you back in time and makes you wonder how the people built it and what life was like when they did.
6. The Forum & Palatine Hill
The Forum and Palatine Hill are directly across the road from the Colosseum. It’s recommended to group your Colosseum visit in with your Forum and Palatine hill visit. This area of Rome easily fills up an whole day but it entirely worth it.
This is one of the rare times that I recommend a guided tour. I have visited the Forum and Palatine hill both with a guide and without, and I feel very lost when I was without a guide and didn’t really know what I was looking at most of the time. The guided tours do take a long time but it is completely worth it. There is so much history here and so many significant historical moments happened on these grounds. The guides are able to tell you everything you need to know about all of the landmarks and statues in this area and I felt like I walked away with a much deeper understanding.
There are signs throughout the Forum and Palatine Hill, but there is not a sign for every stop on the way. You can definitely explore this area on your own, but I do think a lot of history and information would be lost.
In reality, a weekend is not nearly enough time to see even a portion of Rome, but any time in this magical city is time well spent.
Rome is an extremely fascinating, eye-opening, welcoming, beautiful place and I hope you all get to experience it in your lifetime. Please leave any of your own recommendations or feedback in the comments below!
Ciao for now! – Laura xx
