Rome Itinerary 2 Days: Tips for First-timers

Planning your first visit to Rome, Italy, can be overwhelming – especially if you only have 2 days there. There’s so much to see and do—where do you start? We’re here to help. After multiple trips to Rome, we’ve compiled our best Rome itinerary – 2 days full of exploring, discovering, eating, and enjoying!  Plus, we’ve included important Rome tips to help make your first visit to the Eternal City stress-free and spectacular.

Rome is a great first stop within a larger Italy (or European) vacation since many cities fly directly into Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport.

(If Venice is on your list of Italian travels, you’ll want to read this first: Is Venice Worth Visiting? Trip it or Skip it?)

Spending 2 days in Rome, you won’t see everything Rome has to offer, but you can experience history, adventure, art, religion, and ruins interspersed with modern buildings. Then after full days of exploration and intrigue, take the evenings to relax and wander Rome’s beautiful neighborhoods and vibrant piazzas. You’ll enjoy intimate restaurants, trendy cocktail bars, street performers, and beautiful fountains to sit next to soaking it all in.

To help you make the most of your time and capture the essence of Rome in 2 days, read our Rome itinerary below. First, we show you the day-by-day itinerary of visiting the must-see sites and attractions. Then, continue reading for a breakdown of those sites with explanations and important Rome tips. And if you’re heading to Italy with teenagers, you’ll want to check out this article: 10 Tips for a Family Trip to Italy with Teenagers

If you have any questions or comments about the itinerary, leave us a note at the bottom of the article.

Now, let’s start planning your epic 2 days in Rome!

* This post may contain affiliate links in which I receive a small commission if you use them at no extra cost to you.

Rome Itinerary: 2 days

DAY ONE

Arrive at Fiumicino Int’l Airport

Take a taxi to Centro Storico (Rome’s City Center)

Walk through Campo dei Fiori and around Piazza Navona

Grab lunch – So many great places to choose in this area

Taxi to Colosseum and explore

Wander through Capitol Hill and the Roman Forum

Gelato break – Gelateria Dolce Vita is nearby… just 1 ½ blocks down Via Cavour

Tour Mamertine Prison

Dinner and drinks in Ponte or Piazza Navona area

Important Takeaways from Day One:

• If possible, arrive in Rome in the morning to make the most of your 2 days.
• We recommend taking a taxi once in a while in order to save time. This is especially helpful if you’re visiting during the hot summer months.

DAY TWO

Walk to Vatican – start your visit by climbing up St. Peter’s Dome

Tour Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica

Have lunch in Ponte/Piazza Navona area – Rosa Mundo’s is a great option!

Visit the Pantheon

Stop in nearby churches – there are many… just pop on in and admire the beauty

Take a taxi to Trastevere for dinner – Tonnarello is a good choice!

After dinner, explore Trastevere eating gelato and watching street performers

Take a taxi to Colosseum to view at night

Walk to Trevi Fountain to view at night

Walk to Pantheon to view at night

Important Takeaways from Day Two:

• Get an early start. We can’t stress this enough. With a 2-day Rome itinerary, you’ll want to make use of every minute.
• Visit the Vatican before it gets busy. An early start means you won’t have to fight the crowds (as much).
• Climbing St. Peter’s Dome is great to do earlier in the day before it gets too hot. The views from the top are worth the 320 stairs you need to climb after taking an elevator part way up.

A note about your Rome accommodations

We recommend staying near the Pantheon in Ponte, just west of Piazza Navona. The area is convenient, walkable to many of Rome’s main attractions, and has a variety of restaurants and bars. We felt very safe strolling around here – even at night when we went out for a cocktail. During our time in Rome, we were always cautious and wary of pickpockets, but we didn’t have any problems and felt safe the entire time.

Click here for a list of hotels in the Pantheon area of Rome.

Finally, choose lodging with air conditioning. The heat in Italy is intense. After our long, hot days touring the city, we loved coming back to the refreshing burst of air as we walked through the door of our Rome accommodations. If you’re wondering how to dress for Italy’s hot summers, check out this clothing guide: What to Pack for Italy Family Vacation: A Summer Clothing Guide

Details and tips on Rome’s best attractions

Colosseum

The Colosseum is an iconic symbol of Rome and one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. This ancient Roman amphitheater is famous for hosting gladiator battles and animal fights. Construction of the Colosseum was completed in 80 AD and was built to hold 50,000+ spectators. Today, this must-see attraction boasts millions of visitors each year.

Colosseum Tickets Skip the Line:

Pre-order your tickets online to skip the ticket line. You’ll still have to go through security, but you’ll be able to skip the line for tickets which is a big time saver and very beneficial for a short 2-day Rome itinerary.  You can access regular entry and skip the line tickets here: Colosseum tickets.

Colosseum Tour:

Booking a guided Colosseum tour is another way to skip the line. A Colosseum tour can give you interesting and in-depth insights about the building and its history from a knowledgeable expert. Plus you can book a Colosseum tour that also includes the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

Colosseum at Night:

We highly recommend visiting the Colosseum at night. It’s not necessary to take a guided night tour, but it’s spectacular to walk by the structure and view it all lit up. If you do wish to embark on a guided night tour, you can get tickets here: Guided Colosseum Night Tour

Colosseum Hours of Operation:

The Colosseum is open year-round at 8:30 a.m. and closes one hour before sunset.

Roman Forum

Adjacent to the Colosseum is the Roman Forum. The Forum is the site of Rome’s ancient government and social hub. Today, the area is full of ruins—remains of arches, columns, and fragments of important buildings from centuries ago. Here, you’ll see the site of Julius Caesar’s final resting place and the impressive Arch of Constantine (commemorating Emperor Constantine’s victory in the civil war and the emergence of Christianity). The Roman Forum attracts more than 4.5 million visitors each year.

Roman Forum Tickets:

We suggest you book a combined Colosseum and Roman Forum “skip the line” ticket. You should do this online before you arrive. You can access them here: Colosseum and Roman Forum tickets

Roman Forum Entrance:

The main Roman Forum entrance is located off the Via dei Fori Imperiali west of the Colosseum. You can also visit the Roman Forum from the Palatine Hill entrance.

Mamertine Prison

Just northwest of the Roman Forum is Mamertine Prison. Housed underneath the Roman Catholic church, San Giuseppe dei Falegnami, this small prison holds much history and religious importance. In use until the 4th century, high-profile prisoners were lowered into a dark and cramped underground cell from a small opening as they awaited execution.

Peter and Paul Imprisonment:

The two most famous people said to have been imprisoned in Mamertine Prison are the apostles Peter and Paul. In fact, certain books of the Bible may have been written from this cell. While it doesn’t take long to tour this small attraction, its religious significance makes the short tour worth a visit.

Mamertine Prison Hours:

Mamertine Prison is open from 8:30-6:30 p.m. April – October, and 8:30-4:30 p.m. November through March. Access tickets here: Mamertine Prison tickets or for a combination ticket to include other Roman sights click here: Combo ticket (Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and Mamertine). The prison is an 11-minute walk from the Colosseum.

Vatican City

Vatican City is its own separate, independent country—the smallest in the world—located in the center of Rome. The Vatican is where the Pope resides and is definitely worth a visit when traveling to the Eternal City. Take time to explore the Vatican Museums—rooms and galleries filled with enormous collections of some of the world’s most famous art pieces. View Michelangelo’s masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Then visit St. Peter’s Basilica—the largest church in the world.

Vatican tickets:

If you purchase your Vatican Museum ticket online, you can get a Skip the Line ticket – a good option to save time as the lines can be very long. A Vatican Museum ticket allows entry into the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. Plan roughly 3 hours to tour the Vatican Museums

Creation of Adam painting:

Many people visit the Vatican to see the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling containing various scenes of Genesis and Michelangelo’s famous Creation of Adam. You are not allowed to take pictures in the Sistine Chapel (and not allowed to talk either), but a mental picture is all you need to carry this impressive sight with you forever.

Sistine Chapel dress code:

The Sistine Chapel enforces the same dress code as religious buildings in Italy – shoulders and knees must be covered for men and women. No low-cut garments or hats are allowed.

Vatican tours:

The enormous collection of art interspersed in hundreds of separate rooms in the Vatican can be overwhelming if you don’t know what you’re looking at or the significance behind it. Taking a Vatican guided tour is a good way to get the full experience. It also allows you to automatically “skip the line” to get in. Plus, if you’re planning to tour St. Peter’s Basilica, there is an exit from the Sistine Chapel which tour groups are allowed to use that takes a shortcut to St. Peter’s letting you skip the line into the Basilica.

St. Peter’s Basilica tickets:

It is free to enter St. Peter’s Basilica and no ticket is required, however the entrance line and security can be very long to get through.

St. Peter’s Basilica dome climb:

There is a charge if you want to climb up St. Peter’s Basilica’s dome—which we highly recommend doing. Designed by Michelangelo in 1546, this is a magnificent masterpiece not to be missed. At the top you also can take in incredible panoramic views of Rome. There are 551 steps up to the dome, but you can pay a little extra to take the elevator part way up and only have to climb 320 steps.

Pantheon

The Pantheon is a major tourist attraction known for its architectural design. This elaborate structure has a dome 142 feet in diameter with a large opening, or oculus, in the middle. Numerous buildings around the world have taken elements from the Pantheon and incorporated them into their own design. Now serving as a Christian church, it actually began as a pagan temple. Many important figures and monarchs are buried there, including Italian Renaissance painter, Raphael.

Pantheon Dress Code:

The Pantheon is a church so there are strict dress codes (as in all religious buildings in Italy). Shoulders and knees must be covered, with no bare midriffs.

Pantheon Hours:

The Pantheon is open from 8:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., except Sundays when the hours are 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. There is no fee to enter.

Trevi Fountain

Trevi Fountain, the largest and most photographed Roman fountain, stands 86 ft. tall and 161 ft. wide and has been featured in several movies. The beautiful fountain is worth a visit because of its grandeur and central location near the Pantheon but be aware that it gets insanely busy.

Trevi Fountain Wish:

You may decide to just stroll by, take a quick picture, and continue on if the crowds are unbearable. Or if you feel so inclined, you can throw a coin into the fountain and make a wish. Legend has it that if you turn around and face away from the fountain while throwing a coin over your right shoulder into the fountain you will return to Rome someday. This myth must be believable since roughly a million euros worth of coins are found in the fountain each year! The money is periodically collected and donated to charity.

Trevi Fountain at Night:

Trevi Fountain is glistening all lit up at night. Consider a night stroll to see the fountain’s shimmer.

Trevi Fountain Webcam:

Before heading out, check the Trevi Fountain webcam for a real-time look at how busy it is.

Three areas of Rome not to miss (even with a short 2-day Rome itinerary)

You’ll notice in our 2-day itinerary we mention visiting various neighborhoods and piazzas. These areas are beautiful places to explore, wander, and people-watch. We highly recommend taking a stroll through these three:

Trastevere:

Shopping, bars, and restaurants abound in this bustling and lively neighborhood.

Piazza Navona:

Piazza Navona is one of Rome’s most popular public squares, including the famous Fountain of the Four Rivers designed by Italian sculptor and architect, Bernini.

Check out the Piazza Navona webcam to see what’s going on there right now.

Piazza Campo dei Fiori:

Known for its morning market full of flowers and fresh fruit and vegetables, this square also has a variety of cafes and restaurants. Here’s a current look: Campo dei Fiori webcam

Have you been to Rome? What would you include in a Rome itinerary that’s only 2 days? Tell us in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!

Heading to the Cinque Terre after Rome? Check out these helpful articles:

Explore all 5 Towns of the Cinque Terre with this Short Itinerary

Cinque Terre Italy in Summer: Tips to survive heat and crowds