Rome…where do we even begin? Like two days in Rome are definitely not enough time, if I had a month maybe it would be sufficient to really explore the city and every single ancient site there. But that’s all the days we had in Rome last November and the trip was short, but refreshing! So, if two days are all the time you have as well, here are some of the best things to see in Rome.
(Though it may seem there’s something to see every corner you turn, that’s how I felt every two minutes – “What is that?”)
As with many other popular cities at times Rome felt pretty overwhelming. It attracts SO many people, even when you’re not going during the summer. It was hard to take a picture without someone else in it, it was hard to even stop in the street without someone bumping into you. Nevertheless, it was beautiful and truly impressive and vibrant. If you get the chance, the Eternal city is definitely a must-see at least once in your life.
Now let’s get into some of the best things to see in Rome.
Day One Attractions
These are some of the more impressive things we explored on day one. We did over 20,000 steps that day, so it was a good day.
Colosseum
Almost two thousand years old, the Colosseum is the biggest amphitheater in the world and without a doubt one of the most popular sites to visit in Rome. If not the most popular. When you think of Rome you picture the Colosseum in your mind.
There are no gladiator fights currently, but if you want to explore it, you will need to get in line and get a ticket or go with a group for the fast lane.
Roman Forum
Just down the street from the Colosseum you will stumble upon the magnificent Roman Forum founded 2500 years ago. This was something like the public square in ancient Rome where people came for social events, elections, religious rituals etc. It also used to be an open-air market.
The forum is surrounded by multiple ancient ruins including The Temple of Saturn, Arch of Septimus Severus and the Temple of Vespasian and Titus.
Basilica of Saint Mary Major
Honestly, we visited this church mostly because it was close to our apartment, but like with most things in Rome – very nice. It’s among the four major basilicas in Rome and the largest church in the city dedicated to Virgin Mary.
Pantheon
One of the best preserved ancient Roman buildings, this incredible site used to be a temple where you could worship the Roman gods. However, more than thousand four hundred years ago it became a Catholic church, which you can still visit and attend mass every Sunday.
To enter you will need to buy a ticket, except if you’re there on the first Sunday of the month, when the entry is free.
Trevi Fountain
So this one was insanely busy. You could tell the Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous fountains in the world and is visited by over 7 million people every year.
In fact, I think they were all there when we were there.
The Baroque architecture is truly gorgeous and I could only imagine how incredible it would look with water in the “pool”. Well, I have to, because the fountain was under construction and there was no, well, water in the fountain.
However, it still was amazing to see and we even threw a few coins into a small dedicated pool for good luck.
More than that, the streets surrounding Trevi were worth a visit on their own. There were many interesting local shops and restaurants where you could see local products, often at an enhanced price.
And I did get a tiramisu and a cappuccino because we needed to go to the bathroom. At 4 pm, which I found out is something like a crime in Italy. If you don’t know, in Italy you should only order a cappuccino before noon. After that, you rely on espresso only for a good night’s sleep.
Piazza Navona
The last place we visited on our first day in Rome was Piazza Navona. It is, pretty much what you think it is – a public square and like everything else so far it’s very old.
Also, as with most sites we already saw in Rome – the highlight in the piazza – The Fountain of Four Rivers was under construction. Nevertheless, with all of the cafe’s, restaurants and music provided by the street musicians (opera singers!) the atmosphere was beautiful!
Second day Attractions
On our second day of our Rome visit, we took a bus to get to the river Tiber. The plan was – Vatican and then get back to the “city center” – wherever it is in Rome. So here are some of the highlights of the second day.
Castel Sant’Angelo
Currently a museum, this rotunda was planned as a mausoleum for a Roman emperor, at one point it was used as a prison and the popes used it as a fortress through a secret passage connected to the Vatican. Basically this building has lived a long and exciting life! It also used to be the tallest building in Rome in the past.
You can visit it on your way to the Vatican and don’t forget to take a moment and enjoy the beautiful views when you’re crossing one of the bridges.
Vatican
The country within the city of Rome. We’ve all seen the Pope wave from there and when in Rome you can do it too. At least from St. Peter’s Square.
Plan around half a day or even a whole day here, especially if you want to explore the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter Basilica. I had already done it years ago, so I didn’t want to stand in line again (it was huge!). So, make sure to get tickets ahead of time when you’re planning your trip.
Spanish Steps
From the Vatican, we walked all the way back to Piazza Navona across the river with the Spanish steps as our next (maybe even last) goal. We saw street musicians, amazing small shops on the way, stopped for coffee and tea and we made another 20 thousand steps. And finally, we reached our destination. Obviously, we weren’t the only ones!
In fact, I feel like Piazza di Spagna was one of the most crowded places I saw in Rome.
It was probably the time of the day, as we went there when the sun was almost setting. So, I think during the earlier hours it might not be as packed.
The Small Things
While walking through the streets of Rome, we stumbled upon street markets, parks and small churches that don’t necessarily make it onto the “best things to see” list, but I feel like they’re the ones that make a city like Rome even more wonderful. So I’m sharing some of these pictures below.
Rome Wishlist
I also made a mini wishlist of the things I’d like to experience next time we visit Rome:
- Visit Palatine Hill – we didn’t have time to get there, but I’d love to visit
- Enjoy a day in Trastevere – we didn’t make it to this part of the city at all; it would be great to do a culinary tour of some kind there;
- Take a cooking class – either pasta or pizza
Where To Stay
One of the best things we did on this trip was booking an apartment very close to the Colosseum.
It was super clean, warm and well-equipped, but most importantly – super central. You can find the apartment here.
How To Get Around
We did most of the exploration by walking, which was great because you get to see so much more and to stop wherever you wish. However, when we got really tired we also used public transportation or taxi. Public transport, and by that I mean – bus, was often very full and not necessarily faster than walking. But it was a good break for our legs.
I hope you enjoy your time in Rome!
