Rome – the Italian capital that is filled with pizza, pasta, gelato, and HISTORY. So. Much. History. Don’t get me wrong, the food is phenomenal and I’ve never eaten so many carbs in the span of 2 days, but what I remember most from my trip to Rome was how much history is embedded throughout the city. There are so many historical sites to see in Rome it can be easy to miss something if you don’t plan your trip wisely! Here is every tourist attraction I was able to see in Rome in 48 hours, and how much they cost.
- Colosseum & Roman Forum
Starting with the biggest and most obvious site to see, the Colosseum. This was where we decided to splurge on a guided tour because we wanted to learn as much as possible and see all the hidden gems around the Forum. I booked this tour for $50 a person through Airbnb and was so happy with our tour guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and allowed us to ask every question we had. This tour described it’s route with the following quote from the Airbnb listing “The Colosseum, the largest roman amphitheatre on earth, the Palatine Hill, where Rome was born and where the Emperors lived; the Roman Forum, city center of Ancient Rome, here decisions were made for the largest and most powerful empire on earth”.
- The Trevi Fountain
Arguably the most famous fountain in the world, this is a must see attraction when visiting Rome. The best part about the trevi fountain is that it’s free to see, other than the coin or two you may toss in to make a wish. It’s location took me by surprise because I thought it would be displayed in a large city center, but it is nestled in the corner of three narrow streets. Because of its location not being super spacious, the fountain gets SUPER crowded so be patient with those around you and if you wait a little bit then you can wiggle your way to the front for a good photo.
- The Pantheon
Not to be confused with the Parthenon in Greece, the Pantheon is a famous ancient Roman temple that now serves as a Catholic Church. It’s importance comes from how well it has been protected over the years, said to be the most well preserved piece of Roman history. The pantheon is free to visit because it is a public church, however reservations are required during the busiest times shown on their website. We opted to eat at a restaurant right outside of the Pantheon that had an amazing view of this wonderful piece of history.
https://www.pantheonroma.com/home-eng/
- Spanish Steps
Another easy attraction to visit in Rome is the Spanish Steps, the longest and widest steps in Europe that is home to many Italian traditions. In Italian, the proper name for the steps is “La Scalinata di Trinita dei Monti” so it is often referred to as La scalinata for short. The church that sits atop the steps is the Trinità dei Monti, a Roman Catholic late renaissance church initially constructed by the French. There is also a 45 foot tall ancient obelisk that was built 1,500 years before the steps which it sits at the top of today. This is obviously another free attraction and is easy to work into your Rome itinerary as it is very centrally located.
- The Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel
Vatican City is not actually a city, but it is the smallest country in the world, with a population of about 800 people all who contribute to the operations of the Vatican (along with the Swiss guards who protect the Pope). Here you will find the Sistine Chapel where the famous “Creation of Adam ” painting by Michelangelo can be seen on the middle of the ceiling. There is a dress code in the Sistine Chapel, so make sure your shoulders are covered (there is also a no photo policy). The Vatican has a very large museum that you can spend hours at, it is definitely worth the $17 entrance ticket. If you are really on a tight budget but still want to go to Vatican City, it is completely free to go to St.Peter’s Basilica. St.Peter’s Basilica is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and is one of the largest churches in the world (by interior measure). The line can be super long, so if you aren’t with a guided tour make sure to set aside about 2 hours to wait in line.
https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home/fromtag/1/1678950000000/Biglietti-Musei
Our airbnb in Rome was in the PERFECT location! Just a 3 minute walk to the train station, and less than a mile walk to the Colosseum, we were easily able to reach every tourist attraction. It was also such a warm and welcoming apartment with the cutest decor and even had rooftop access.
After our 2 days in Rome we decided to rent an Airbnb on the coast just 30 minutes outside of Rome in the town of Fiumicino- Isola Sacra. This is where the Rome airport is located and because of our extremely early flight back to the US we wanted to be as close as possible while still enjoying our last day in Italy. Because it was November this beach side town was very quiet and allowed us to decompress, eat more pizza, and relax before our long travel day home.
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