Rome 2 days itinerary — How to spend 2 days in Rome & what to do in Rome in 2 days? [PART 1]

Hello my friends! I returned with this article to sharing my experience of traveling to Rome and visiting the Vatican City in 3 days 2 nights (actually, it’s only 2 days of visiting). Italy is also the last country on my 15-day trip to Europe. So, 2 days in Rome enough and what to do in Rome in 2 days? Let’s check it out our suggested Rome 2 days itinerary (Rome two days itinerary, Rome 3 days 2 nights itinerary) on how to spend 2 days in Rome including where to stay, things to do in Rome in 2 days (2 days in Rome must see, two days in Rome what to see)… to find out the answer!

Read more: Part 1 — The travel itinerary on Day 2 in Rome.

After half a day walking around Santorini Island, we took a Vueling Airlines flight at 5PM from Santorini to Rome. We landed at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO) at 6:10PM on the same day.

Rome 2 days itinerary (Rome two days itinerary): Getting from FCO airport to Roma Termini Station

Private Fiumicino Airport (FCO) Transfers for Downtown Rome

To getting to Rome city center, especially when landing at FCO airport, I bought a Leonardo Express train ticket from the airport to the central station of Roma Termini station (€14). You can buy tickets at the ticket vending machines as shown below. These ticket vending machines are located in many places at FCO airport. Even where you get your luggage, this ticket machine also is placed next to it.

In addition to the Express train, there are buses from the FCO airport to the Termini station. The prices of bus tickets are very cheap, only around €5 – €7/way depending on the bus and it takes about 45 minutes from the airport to the Termini station. However, the estimated traveling time about 45 minutes, but due to traffic situation, this traveling usually lasts much longer.

Shared Fiumicino Airport Transfers (FCO) for Rome by Terravision

Besides the bus, another option is to take the FL1 train (€8/ticket). FL1 train will stop at many stations. This is a good option if the station you want to go is located on the route of FL1 train. So, you won’t need to go to the Termini station anymore.

I highly recommend if you want to go to the Termini station, you should take Leonardo Express Train (takes about 30 minutes to get to the Termini station). Leonardo Express train runs every 30 minutes with a trip. The train operating hours from 6:23AM – 11:23PM daily.

Note: Before get on the train you need to validate your ticket by putting the ticket into the validation machine as shown below. After hearing the sound like the sound of a stapler, you have successfully validated.

Read more: Guide to rail transport in Italy — How to travel around Italy by train & best way travel within Italy by train.

2 days in Rome: Where to stay when traveling to Rome?

Before traveling to Rome, I had to text my friend who was studying in Italy and “go to Rome like going to the market” to know where to stay in Rome that the most convenient and safe.

According to her Rome travel experience, when you traveling to Rome, you should choose Airbnb or hotel near the train/tram station which is the most convenient, it’s easy to go anywhere. The Trastevere area is fun but crowded with tourist, so it is expensive and also not convenient. The San Lorenzo neighborhood near La sapienza university is also cheap and good. However, you should be avoided in the streets near the Termini station because of many social evils, homeless people …

I choose to stay in a small nice Airbnb house in the Pigneto area, about 3 minute walk from Prenestina/Giovenale tram stop, Line 14, 5, 9. (Book Airbnb via this link for a discount of up to $ 40 for the first booking). Probably, it is the cheapest apartment in Rome for only $59/night for 2-3 people. This Pigneto area is also quite secure, convenient and cheap.

You can find more, check rates, availability & book for Rome hotels on Agoda.com or Booking.com.

For those who want to stay in a hotel or hostel or guesthouse in Rome, I suggest some options such as: B&B Girasole VIII (Agoda.com or Booking.com), Hotel Italia (Agoda.com or Booking.com), Hotel Villa San Lorenzo Maria (Agoda.com or Booking.com).

Rome 2 days itinerary: Public transport in Rome

While in Rome, I mainly traveled by metro and tram. The metro system in Rome is very convenient, operating from 5:30 am to 11:30 pm Sunday to Thursday; and until 1:30 am on Fridays and Saturdays.

There are many types of metro tickets in Rome, depending on your needs: BIT ticket (single use – €1.5), Roma24 (valid within 24 hours, €7), Rome48 (2 days of use for €12.50), Roma72 (3 days of use for €18), CIS (7 days, €24), Rome Pass (3 days + free entrance tickets and skip-the-line tickets to the museums in Rome, excluding the Vatican, price: €38.50). See the details of tickets types at ATAC website.

I choose to buy Rome48 ticket for €12.50 with unlimited traveling for subway (metro), bus, tram in Rome within 48 hours. You can buy in advance via Klook here.

1 Roma Pass for 45+ Attractions

You can buy tickets in cash at any ticket vending machine at the train/tram stations as shown below.

And you have to remember one VERY IMPORTANT thing is to validate your ticket. Before get on the train, or tram you will have to validate your tickets at validation machines as shown below. With Day Pass (24h, 48h …) only need to be validated once.

One thing to note is when taking tram or bus, you need to know after how many stops to get to your stop. Because on tram and bus do not announce stops.

When traveling in Rome, especially in public areas such as tram stations, bus stops or crowded tourist areas, you need to pay attention to your handbags to avoid pickpocket in Rome. I almost got pickpocketed in Rome twice, both of them spotted it in time, so pickpocketers didn’t get anything.

Rome 2 days itinerary: What to do in Rome in 2 days? Places to visit in Rome in 2 days and top things to do in Rome in 2 days

Actually, the first day when I went to Rome, after finish check-in Airbnb was also nearly 9pm. We plan to visit Spanish Steps or Trevi fountain because we heard at that time it will be very beautiful when lights up and vibrant and bustling. However, because we were too tired, the two of us just showered, went out to the restaurant near Airbnb to eat pizza and then went back to sleep to spend tomorrow to explore Rome.

The second day in Rome, my itinerary includes: Vatican city (Vatican museum, St. Peter’s Basilica), Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Roman Forum, Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain.

The itinerary map of traveling like Google map I place below. I mainly walk except from Airbnb to the Vatican I take the metro line MA to Ottaviano station, this is the closest station to the Vatican.

Vatican City

For those of you who love Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons novel like me, I’m sure Vatican City is a very familiar name. I have always wished to once visit this place to feel the sacredness of the Vatican.

Referring to Rome, what first comes to my mind is: I definitely have to visit the Vatican! To buy tickets to visit you should buy tickets in advance online via Klook for €20. With this ticket, you will be able to access the private gate, not waiting in long queues. The only minus point of this ticket is when you book it, you have to choose the exact time to visit and must comply with this time frame. Arriving earlier than the specific time also will be not entered.

Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica Entrance Ticket in Rome

For those of you who want to meet with the Pope, you can check the time on the website http://www.museivaticani.va/ to know the time the Pope blesses on a specific day of the week.

Below are some artworks on display in the Vatican museum

When visiting the Vatican museum you remember to pay attention on its ceiling, the dome in the museum. You will have to say “wow” when you see the beautiful, spectacular, masterpieces paintings, murals with amazing decoration and construction details.

Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica Tour

Vatican Museums Fast Track Entry

Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum Early Access

Colosseum

The next destination after the Vatican is the Colosseum. This arena was built around 70 and 72 AD under the Vespasian emperor.

From the Vatican, I take the metro (line MB1) to Colosseo station, exit the station and you will see the Colosseum arena immediately. I bought a skip-the-line ticket to enter Colosseum without line up at a ticketing kiosk in the Ottaviano station. Or you can buy in advance via Klook.

Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Entrance Ticket in Rome

Ancient Rome Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill Walking Tour

Palatine Hill and Roman Forum

Next to the Colosseum is the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum.

Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill Tour

Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps, built in 1717 with 138 stone steps to create the easier access to the Trinita dei Monti church. This is an extremely crowded place with tourists and locals as well to gather to eat, drink, chill, watching people passby 😛 (like the lemon tea area around ​​Hanoi Cathedral).

In Rome there are many public taps like this. All are clean water can drink. Save quite a bit of money buying bottled water.

Trevi Fountain

Not far from Spanish Steps is the Trevi Fountain. At 26m high and 49m wide, this is the largest fountain of Rome and one of the most famous fountains in the World.

Legend has it that if you stand back and throw a coin into the fountain with your right hand over your left shoulder, you will definitely return to Rome. It is not known how the legend really true or not but everyone who comes to Rome will go to the Trevi Fountain and throw a coin down here. And I’m no exception, I even threw it twice.

Thanks to this legend, Rome earns more than € 3,000 a day to support the poor.

On the way from Spanish Steps to Trevi Fountain, I came across a very bustling artist street. I call it is artist street because there are a lot of stalls that sell paintings right on the spot, street bands..

At the beginning of the street, we saw a Chinese couple who painted with extremely beautiful paintings. He draws and performe right on the spot, so lots of people watched and bought paintings. Everyone must “wow” and admire his talent. We are no exception when buying to support him with a painting of the Colosseum.

We have talked to his wife and known that they have been here for more than 15 years. They came from Fujian province of China and I changed the away to speak with the dialect with her. She told me that at the beginning, there were only her and her husband painting here, and after seeing that it was crowded so people come and opened many stalls. Before we leaving, she told me to remember pay attention my bags carefully because there are countless pickpocketers around.

So, ended the second day traveling in Rome and exploring the Vatican. I would like to conclude part 1 of the 2 parts on sharing my travel experiences here.

In the next part 2 article, I will share some shopping tips in Rome, the last day Rome travel schedule, then return to Paris, France and tell how I almost lost luggage at CDG Paris airport.

Thank you for always watching my blog!

Read more: Part 1 — The travel itinerary on Day 2 in Rome.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in and from Rome you can refer to

• Private Fiumicino Airport (FCO) Transfers for Downtown Rome
• Shared Fiumicino Airport Transfers (FCO) for Rome by Terravision
• Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Tour
• [Buy 1 Get 1] Rome Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tours (Open-Top)
• Rome to Florence Day Tour
• Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Skip-the-Line Entrance Ticket in Rome
• 1 Roma Pass for 45+ Attractions
• OMNIA Vatican and Rome Card
• Vatican & Rome Combo Sightseeing Tour
• Venice Excursion Day Trip
• Day Trip to the Ruins of Pompeii
• Positano and Amalfi Coast Day Tour
• I Love Rome Hop On Hop Off Panoramic Bus Tour
• Rome Hop-On Hop-Off City Sightseeing Bus Tour

Are you looking for more top things to do in Rome: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Read more: Rome travel blog — The fullest Rome travel guide blog & suggested Rome 3 day itinerary on a budget. And top things to do in Rome here.