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Rome > Two days in Rome

Although Rome is a destination that needs at least 3 or 4 days to enjoy, we should not forget those travellers that want to enjoy Rome fully in just one weekend. We can see a possible itinerary:

Day of arrival: Squares and fountains

After arriving and leaving the suitcases in the hotel, there will probably not be time to visit any monuments. What should you do? The best plan is to take a walk through the city centre and get to know its streets, squares and fountains.

The first thing that you should do is to catch the metro to the Piazza di Spagna (line A): its famous steps and the atmosphere of the square will be a great way to start the trip. From this point the journey continues on foot.

Take the Via dei Condotti (one of the most important high streets) until you arrive at the Via del Corso, where you turn left. Walking down this street you will cross the Piazza Colonna (where the Column of Marcus Aurelius is found) and two streets further on the left-hand side you can take the Via delle Muratte.

After a few metres you will see a sight that will stay in your memory forever: Trevi Fountain. A great place to stop for a few minutes and, if you believe in the legend, take advantage of the opportunity to throw a coin into the fountain.

Returning on the same route by the Via delle Muratte, cross the Via del Corso and continue along the Via di Pietra. In 5 minutes you will arrive at the Pantheon, the best preserved building from the Roman Empire. If you are already tired you can take a cappuccino in the terraces of the square.

Leaving the Pantheon via the Salita de Crescenzi street and following the signs you will arrive at the Piazza Navona, a good place to stop and admire the three fountains.

Exiting at the south part of the square (by the Fontana del Moro) you will arrive at the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, a wider street. If you travel along the street toward the left you will come to the Area Sacra, an excavation that grabs the attention when illuminated.

Continuing in the same direction you will see the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, an enormous building built in honour of Italy's first king after unification. If you have time to spare, you can walk over to see the Piazza del Campidoglio.

It will already be late by this time and after the walk you will want to have a rest. If you are still looking for more, after having dinner you can have a drink at the Campo dei Fiori, one of the most lively squares of the city.

First day: The Vatican City

If your trip is on the weekend and you want to visit the Vatican Museums, you should visit Vatican City on Saturday, since on Sundays the museums are closed (apart from the last Sunday of each month).

If you are only spending a couple of days in Rome we expect that you will have no problem getting up early. To take advantage of the day you should not arrive at the Vatican much later than 9 in the morning.

To arrive at the Vatican City you should take the metro to the Ottaviano stop. Upon leaving the station, take the street with the same name until you arrive at St. Peter's Square.

When you have gotten your breath back (it is an impressive sight) go to the line to enter St. Peter's Basilica, the most important temple in Catholicism.

If you want to enjoy some magnificent views, do not miss the ascent to the dome to see the whole of Rome from its height of 136 meters. The ascent is quite long (especially if you choose the stairs) and a little strenuous, which is part of its appeal.

When you descend from the dome you should leave St. Peter's Square and follow the signs to the Vatican Museums. If you are fortunate there will not be a long line and you will be able to enter more or less immediately. If you like museums, you could spend hours or days there, but remember that at the end is the masterpiece of Michelangelo, “Sistine Chapel.”

On finishing your visit to the Vatican you can take the Via della Conciliazione from St. Peter's Square. From this street you will arrive at the Castel Sant'Angelo and the bridge with the same name, without doubt one of the most beautiful ones in Rome. If you like castles you can go in to visit it.

Crossing the bridge and following the signs you will not have any problem arriving at the Piazza Navona and the Pantheon, where during the day you can go inside the building.

If there are still some hours of daylight and you want a little relaxation, you can go to the Villa Borghese to take a walk. If you travel with children they will appreciate it.

At night there is nothing better than to wander aimlessly and take in the wonders that can be found in any point in the city. You can finish by having a drink in the Campo dei Fiori.

Second day: Imperial Rome

If you enjoy history you will have left the best for the last day, since today is the visit to the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill and the Colosseum. If you do not want to walk you should take the metro to the Colosseo station.

As soon as you leave the station you will have the wonder of ancient Rome before your eyes: Colosseum. If you find a long line there (more than 15 minutes) you can first go to visit the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. The entrance ticket is combined and you will then be able to return to the Colosseum without worrying about lines.

After visiting these places you can approach the Capitoline Hill by the northern part of the forum. On arriving at the Piazza del Campidoglio, don't miss the statue of Romulus and Remus which is found before entering to the square and is not easy to see.

Descending the stairs of the square, take the Via del Teatro Marcello toward the left. In less than 10 minutes you will arrive at the Santa María in Cosmedin, where the Mouth of Truth is found.

Crossing the river Tiber you will arrive at the Trastevere, one of the favourite neighbourhoods for all travellers. The atmosphere is very authentic and the restaurants are good and have very affordable prices. You can finish by having an ice cream in the square of the Santa Maria in Trastevere.

If you still have some strength and there is some time left before you need to return to the airport, you can visit nearby places such as the ruins of the Circus Maximus or the Baths of Caracalla.

And if I have more time?

If you are going to spend more time in Rome and have followed our basic itinerary, you should not miss the museums or the catacombs. In Rome you can spend many days without getting bored.