Ultimate 2 Days in Rome Itinerary
Rome is a can’t miss on most trips to Italy, especially if you’ve never visited before. I absolutely love the Italian capitol and have been lucky enough to spend a ton of time there. I recommend spending at least 2 days in Rome, although you could easily spend much more! 2 days gives you time to hit the main highlights.
Rome is a big city, and it’s hard to explore both the Colosseum area and the Vatican in one day, never mind the rest of the highlights! I’ve compiled my ultimate 2 days in Rome itinerary below!
Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!
Day 1: Colosseum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps & Trevi Fountain
Spend your first day exploring Ancient Rome and some of its nearby highlights!
Colosseum & Roman Forum
Start your day off visiting two of the most iconic sites in Rome – The Colosseum and Roman Forum, which are located right next to each other. You’ll need to buy a ticket ahead of time (they do sell out) The ticket will get you into the Roman Forum & Palantine Hill as well. Tickets can be purchased here.
If you’re interested in the history and understanding what you’re looing at (particularly in the Roman Forum) I recommend taking a guided tour, which will cover all three areas. The ancient ruins of the Forum are impressive, but without a guide it’s hard to know what you’re looking at, plus they offer tons of great insight in the Colosseum as well.
Tours can be found here (and include the cost of admission) I recommend skipping some of the upgrade options, like adding additional areas of the Colosseum, speaking from personal experience, the main entry tickets get you the best views.
While you’re in the area of the Colosseum, you can check out the Arch of Constantine, which sits right next to the Colosseum, and the Altar of the Fatherland, dedicated to the fist King to unify Italy.
Lunch at an Authentic Roman Spot
Italy has amazing food, like out of this world, but it is also highly touristy and there are tons of restaurants that are more catered towards tourists and aren’t a great representation of how food in Italy actually is. Rome, being the largest city in Italy, has tons of restaurants, some great and some not so great. So definitely do your research before just picking a place!
After leaving the Colosseum and Roman Forum, you’ll definitely be ready for lunch. Two of my favorite spots in that area are:
Pantheon
Next up, head to the infamous Pantheon – the former Roman Temple turned Catholic Church is best known for its large domed ceiling with an impressive oculus. The oculus is meant to be a representation of the connection between the temple and the gods above.
As of July 2023 you’ll have to pay 5 Euro to enter the Pantheon, which had historically been free. You can buy tickets online here, you’ll need to create an account to do this. You can also take your chances and buy in person, but Rome is crazy busy, so definitely bucket a large amount of time if you’re taking this approach, and don’t be surprised if tickets are sold out!
There’s several nice restaurants/patios with great Pantheon views that are a great place to grab an aperitivo and admire the views!
Spanish Steps
Next up, head to the Spanish Steps (if possible time this with sunset) the Spanish Steps and nearby Passeggiata del Pincio have some of the best sunset views in Rome. There are quite a few steps to climb, but the views over the Vatican are absolutely stunning. You can walk from the Spanish Steps to Passeggiata del Pincio to catch the views all along the passage!
Both the Spanish Steps & Passeggiata del Pincio are free to visit and don’t require tickets!
Dinner at Agrodolce
One of my favorite restaurants in the heart of Rome, Agrodolce, is a great place to grab dinner on your way to visiting the Trevi Fountain. This place gets super busy, so you’ll definitely need a reservation, they can be made on Open Table.
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is one of my absolute favorite parts of Rome! I should warn you ahead of time, it’s located in a crowded, small piazza, so it is almost always packed. I recommend going as late at night as you’re willing to venture out, because it will get less crowded as the night goes on. Also, it’s beyond stunning at night.
The Trevi Fountain is free to visit!
Rooftop Drinks at Relais Fontana Di Trevi
This small rooftop bar located in the Relais Fontana Di Trevi Hotel has a stunning view of (most) of the Trevi Fountain. The roof is small and gets crowded (it used to be a bit of a hidden gem, but has become more popular) If you call in advance you may be able to get reservations.
Day 2: Vatican, Trastevere, & Piazza Navona
Spend your second day in Rome on the other side of the Tiber river exploring the Vatican & Trastevere.
Vatican
Head to the Vatican bright and early to try to beat some of the crowds. The Vatican consists of several things worth seeing, like, St. Peter’s Square, St Peter’s Basilica, The Sistine Chapel (which is a part of the Vatican Museum complex)
Entrance to the Basilica is free, but you should beware that the lines will be long almost no matter which time of year you go! There are many tour options that offer guided tours + skip-the-line access to the Basilica, the Sistine Chapel & the Vatican Museums – I highly recommend this option to save you time and enhance your overall experience! Even if you don’t choose a guided tour, tickets are required for the Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museum, these can be purchased as a combo or individually.
Explore Trastevere
Trastevere is a neighborhood near the Vatican that is one of my favorite parts of Rome. The charming streets of Trastevere feel slightly less overrun with tourists and a bit more authentic than other parts of Rome. Trastevere has some of the absolute best restaurants in Rome.
There isn’t a ton of specific things to see in Trastevere, I mostly recommend just exploring the neighborhoods, although the Fontana dell’Acqua Paola is worth a visit! The Botanical Gardens of Rome are also in this neighborhood if you’d like to visit, you’ll need tickets.
Lunch at Nannarella
There are so, so many good restaurants in Trastevere, I swear I could just walk around eating all day. But my absolute favorite is Nannarella. This place has some of the best pasta I’ve ever had in my life. I recommend trying to get there right around the time they open for lunch – this place gets crazy busy and they don’t take reservations!
Panoramic Views from Janiculum Hill
Also known as Belvedere del Gianicolo, this popular hilltop terrace offers lovely panoramic views of Rome. It’s located near Trastevere and is a good post-lunch uphill walk to burn off some of that pizza and pasta.
Piazza Navona
As the sun begins to set head to one of my favorite areas of Rome, Piazza Navona. The large piazza features three impressive fountains and is lined by stunning buildings. The area is particularly beautiful during golden hour and as night falls and the fountains light up. This is a great place to relax after a long two days of exploring and grab some pre dinner drinks.
Dinner at Il Corallo
Wrap up your two days in Rome with dinner at one of my favorite spots near Piazza Navona, Il Corallo. This place has the best cacio e pepe (they serve it in an actual bowl of parmesan cheese) it’s unreal. Call for reservations in advance, they get very busy!
Where to Stay in Rome
I prefer to stay in the area around the Trevi Fountain or Piazza Navona. These neighborhoods have some of the best accommodations and restaurants, and are also accessible to Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trastevere and more.
Trevi Fountain/Pantheon Area
I love the area around the Trevi Fountain and most recently stayed at Relais Fontana di Trevi, located just steps from the fountain with a rooftop bar overlooking the Trevi Fountain. It was a great spot and I highly recommend.
Piazza Navona
On my most recent trip to Rome I stayed at the Navona Queen Rooftop Hotel. This charming hotel has an amazing rooftop bar with sunset views over the Vatican. This place was worth it just for the views!
For my full Rome Travel guide, head here!
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