2-Day Rome and Vatican City Itinerary

(Last Updated On: August 25, 2019)

Rome has existed for over 14,000 years and has a detailed history. Once home to the most powerful empire in Europe, present-day, Rome is the capital city of Italy. Vatican City, the world’s smallest country, is surrounded by Rome. There is a multitude of historical and religious sites to see that will keep you busy for several days. If you only have 2 days, here is a plan to see the main sites.

Day 1

Visit the Colosseum

The Colosseum was built under Emperor Vespasian and was the site of Ancient Roman games. Your ticket to the Colosseum also gets you into the Roman Forum. Make sure to get there early, pre-order your tickets online, or join a guided tour to ensure a shorter wait.

Visit the Roman Forum

One of the oldest sites to see in Rome is the Roman Forum. Visitors can spend hours wandering through these Roman ruins. Make sure to climb up Palpatine Hill to get great views of the Forum. Your ticket to the Roman Forum also gets you into the Colosseum.

Get an afternoon snack at the Giolitti

Address: Via Degli Uffici del Vicario, 40, 00186 Roma RM

Take a break from all the walking around and grab a snack. Giolitti is one of the top gelato parlors in Rome and it also services other light eats and drinks.

Visit the interior of the Pantheon

During Ancient Roman times, the Pantheon served as a temple to the gods. It is the best-preserved Ancient Roman monument. The Pantheon’s most distinct feature is its giant, unsupported dome with a hole in the middle. It is free to enter, just make sure that knees and shoulders are covered.

Toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain

This massive fountain is 65 feet wide and 85 feet tall. Originally designed by Bernini, the plans fell apart and Nicola Salvi finished the designs. Make sure to throw a coin into the fountain. Legend claims that tossing your first coin into the Trevi Fountain guarantees your return to Rome. The second coin ensures romance, and the third coin ensures marriage.

Eat Dinner at Cul De Sac

Address: Piazza Pasquino, 73, 00186 Rome

This wine bar and restaurant will satisfy your wine and pasta craving! I tried their pesto pasta and it was delicious.

Take an evening stroll of the monuments

Rome looks even more beautiful at night, so it is important to check out the main sites after dark! The monuments are all easy to walk to between. Grab a bottle of wine and chill at each one for a while.

Day 2

Make sure to dress conservatively today. You may be turned away if your shoulders and knees are not covered.

Visit the Vatican Museum

Make sure to reserve your tickets ahead of time so you don’t waste your day standing in line. You can choose to take the long route or the short route to the Sistine Chapel. If you are an art lover and don’t mind spending a few hours in the museum, take the long route. If your main goal is to see the Sistine Chapel, take the short route.

Eat Lunch at Panificio Bonci

This small bakery and pizza parlor serves some Roman-style pizza. You choose how big of a slice of pizza you want, the workers weigh it, and you pay per the weight. They also have some unique flavors such as potato pizza. It was delicious! It is about a 10-minute walk from the Vatican Museum.

Take the Scavi Tour

One of my favorite tours in Rome is the Scavi Tour. This tour takes you underneath St. Peter’s Basilica to the Vatican Necropolis. This area used to be an open-air cemetery in Ancient Rome. Many mosaics are spread throughout this area. Towards the end of the tour, you get to visit St. Peter’s gravesite. The tour ends inside St. Peter’s Basilica. In order to take this unique tour, you must reserve this tour several months ahead of time. This tour costs 17€. Please note, no pictures and large bags are allowed on this tour.

Visit St. Peter’s Basilica

The Scavi Tour ends in the Basilica so you do not have to wait in line! Spend time wandering around the different nooks of the Basilica. Make sure to look both up and down. Everything is covered in art and very ornate. If you are feeling up to it, you can also climb to the top of the dome of the Basilica.

Stroll past the Castel Sant’Angelo

On your walk back to the city center, you will pass by The Castel Sant’Angelo. It was built as a mausoleum by Emperor Hadrian. After the Roman empire fell, it became a fortress for the popes. Now, it is a museum. Make sure to check out all of the ornate angel statues displayed across the castle.

Other Articles You May Enjoy

Wine Tasting in Tuscany

An Evening Stroll Through Rome

Share this lesson!

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
On Key

Related Posts

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x
Scroll to Top