Rome in 2 days: best things to do

What to see in Rome in 2 days? Probably the answer should be another, are 2 days enough to visit the town which was the center of the world several years ago? The correct answer is: it depends.

You have to focus on the main points of interest. In this way, through well-planned itineraries, you can enjoy the charm of Rome. Where the sacred and the profane mingle, giving rise to great beauty.

Walking through the Roman roads, you will notice the greatness of man — capable of creating monuments that are works of art — but also feel a certain romantic charm, which wraps what is around you. And so, the heart fills with poetry and you understand you have to enjoy every moment you  see this place.

Arriving in Rome: what do you feel?

If you decide to visit Rome in 2 days you will feel like a lucky traveler who has the opportunity to travel into history.

The words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe emphasize that: “Rome is the capital of the world. In this city is linked the entire history of the world, and I count on being born a second time, to be truly risen, the day I set foot in Rome. Its beauties have raised me gradually to their height”. Now, what do you think to discover what are the places to visit in Rome in 2 days? Here’s what to see absolutely.

Weekend breaks to Rome: your first day

Where to start your weekend break to Rome? What to see in your Roman holiday? The first day I recommend the route that will take you to discover the landmarks of the capital city: the Vatican City, Castel Sant’Angelo, Piazza Navona (Navona Square), the Pantheon, the Trevi fountain and Piazza di Spagna.

St. Peter’s Square

What to visit in the Vatican City? St. Peter’s Square and the Basilica of the same name. With the subway, you will arrive at your destination in a short time: get off at Ottaviano/San Pietro.

If your goal is to dive into Christianity to understand its history, I suggest you move early in the morning. The reason for such a rush? St. Peter’s Square is very crowded. You will be amazed by the immensity of this place and its colonnade, which will envelop you in a warm embrace.

St. Peter’s Church

Let you be surprised, then, by Saint Peter’s Church and its treasures. Among all, you can’t miss the 29 meters high bronze Canopy of the Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

St. Peter’s Church and Square

Also admire Michelangelo’s Pietà, a masterpiece exposed at the beginning of the right aisle. The work was sculpted by the artist when he was 25 and it is the only one that has his signature engraved. Take a look also at the Tomb of Pope Clement XIII by Canova and at the Giotto’s mosaic.

If you are not afraid of heights you can complete your tour on the roof of the Basilica. After 551 steps you will see a magnificent 360 degrees view of the “eternal city”: Rome. If you do not want to get tired too much there is also an elevator that will take you up to a certain point.

Vatican Museums

Once back in St. Peter’s Square, head to the Vatican Museums. These buildings house some of the most precious works of art in the world. A complete tour of these rooms would take a whole day.

Sistine Chapel

There are actually, at least in my opinion, some points of great interest: the picture gallery, the Geographical Maps Gallery, the Pio-Clementino Museum, the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo’s extraordinary frescoes. If you’re wondering, the answer is yes: in these places the lines are endless. The best solution? To book tickets online and skip the line.

Castel Sant’Angelo

Going along Via della Riconciliazione, behind St. Peter’s Church, you will reach Castel Sant’Angelo. It is up to you to decide whether to observe it from the outside and enjoy its magnificence or enter. Inside you can see frescoes, furnishings from the papal apartments and a collection of ancient weapons.

The famous Passetto, a secret passage that connected the Vatican City to the castle of Sant’Angelo, also runs through this building. This path in the sixteenth century was used by the vicars of Christ to escape from enemies. Here, also, do not forget to take a look at the Sant’Angelo’s roof.

Piazza Navona

When you have left the fortress, right in front of you there will be a bridge over the Tiber River: just cross it. It will drive you to Piazza Navona – one of the most famous squares in Rome – and an ideal place for a stop among souvenir shops, restaurants, pizzerias and taverns characterized by a warm atmosphere.

What to eat in Rome? Among the typical dishes of Roman cuisine, the best are Amatriciana and Carbonara. But you can try actually other famous dishes, such as bucatini cacio e pepe, abbacchio, trippa.

In Piazza Navona you can also enjoy the view of Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers and the Saint Agnese in Agone Church by the artist Francesco Borromini.

The Pantheon

From Piazza Navona, proceed to Corso Rinascimento and behind Palazzo Madama – the Italian Senate headquarters – and wander about the labyrinth of narrow streets until you come to Piazza della Rotonda which houses the Pantheon, the temple of all the gods.

The monument dates back to the Augustan period and was rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in 118-128 AD. In the 7th century, it was turned into a Christian basilica.

Pantheon

In addition to the marble interiors, what attracts the attention of millions of tourists is its concrete dome with a hole in the center. You will see a ray of light illuminating the interiors and radiating the place of magic. In the past, the dome was covered with golden shingles that glistened at the sun.

Trevi Fountain

It is time to leave the Pantheon and so, what to see in Rome in 2 days? The Trevi Fountain, of course. Take Via Pastini, go beyond the Temple of Hadrian, continue along Via Pietra, cross Via del Corso and Via delle Muratte. If you hear the pounding water, it means you have arrived.

Trevi fountain

The Trevi Fountain in Rome is the largest in the city, it was designed by Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini. Built in the Baroque Period, it was realized with marble, metals, plaster and travertine.

According to the legend, if you throw a coin into the water and express a wish, it will come true. But not only. You will definitely come back to the City. Are you in good company? You can visit the monument in the evening: the light of the moon illuminates its geometries and everything is painted with romanticism.

Piazza di Spagna

Are you still asking what to see in Rome in 2 days? Here is the last stop of this itinerary to complete your first day in Rome. I’m talking about the eighteenth-century Piazza di Spagna. How do you get there? Go through Via della Stamperia up to Via del Tritone, cross the road and go to Via dei 2 Macelli.

Piazza di Spagna is a square known for the Spanish Steps, a long flowery staircase (135 steps), and owes its name to the Spanish palace, headquarters of the Iberian embassy. You will notice that in the middle of the famous square there is the fountain of the Barcaccia, chiseled by Pietro Bernini in 1627 and by his son.

Piazza di Spagna

On the right of the staircase in the corner, moreover, stands the house of the English poet John Keats. The writer lived here and died in 1821. Today the residence is a museum that houses books and evidence of English Romanticism. How about starting the second itinerary to visit Rome in 2 days? Here we go.

Read more:  Italian ski resorts: top 7 destinations

Rome in 2 days: second day of your holiday

What to see in your weekend break in Rome if not the Colosseum? So I want to highlight the stops of this second Rome itinerary in 2 days. In the second part of the route, you will visit the Colosseum and Imperial Forums, Piazza Venezia and the Capitol.

The Colosseum and the Imperial Forums

Visiting the Colosseum and the Imperial Forums is a dip in ancient Rome. In front of the largest amphitheater in the world, you will have the feeling of going back in time and feeling the echoes of the battles that took place in the arena in front of the emperor. This monument, which represents the Capital in the world, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you want to skip the line, buy the ticket online on Roma Pass. On the right of the building, you can admire the Arch of Constantine, the most famous triumphal arch. A little further on, there is the Palatine. Entering via dei Fori Imperiali, you arrive at the Roman Forum, a lively center of the religious, public and political life of ancient Rome.

The site includes all the Forums built by the emperors between 42 BC and 112 AD. The history unfolds from the Via Alessandrina’s Forum up to the Trajan’s Column which tells of the struggles that Emperor Trajan fought against the Dacians.

Piazza Venezia

Among the places to visit in Rome in 2 days, you cannot miss Piazza Venezia. In this square, Benito Mussolini gave his speeches to the crowd during Fascism. The dictator brought to the balcony of this building, Palazzo Venezia indeed, and pronounced his monologues.

Piazza Venezia

Here you can see some monuments about Italy’s history: the tomb of the Unknown Soldier — built in 1885 to celebrate the unification of Italy — and the Altar of the Fatherland.

The Capitol

The last destination that marks the end of the itinerary of Rome in 2 days is the Capitol, the smallest of the seven hills of the “eternal city”. How to reach this dream place?

So, climb the Michelangelo’s staircase that takes you from Piazza d’Aracoeli to Piazza del Campidoglio. At the center of the floor, there is a famous twelve-pointed star. In the middle of the work, there is a man on horseback, a copy of the monument to the emperor Marcus Aurelius.

The open space houses Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo, headquarters of the Capitoline Museums. What will you find inside them? I anticipate only a few wonders, then I leave you the surprise.

In the Capitoline Museums, you will appreciate an art gallery with paintings by Tintoretto, Tiziano, Rubens, Van Dyck, the she-wolf of Rome, the Capitoline Venus and the dying Galata. In the square stands also Palazzo Senatorio where the mayor’s offices are located.

Rome in 2 days: your experience

In this article, I suggested you what to see in Rome in 2 days. It is a journey that develops between past and present: visiting Rome will become a memory that you will keep forever in your mind. The reason? It will teach you what beauty really is and what its many nuances are.

Are you in Rome with kids? You can make your tour easier with our luxury car rental service with private driver. You will spend a weekend break in Rome, surrounded by culture and comfort. What are you waiting for? Book your private driver in Rome. Now I’d like to know something about you in the comments. What to visit in Rome in 2 days? And how? With a private car?