Hi everyone,
I have a trip to Italy planned for March, and we will be spending about 2.5 days in Rome. There is so much to see there, and I know it can't all be squeezed into this short amount of time, so I'd love to hear suggestions on what the top activities would be for a 2.5 day stay. We plan to revisit Rome in the future for a longer stay as well. We are big fans of history, so I am definitely looking forward to this destination!
Thank you!
go see st peters basilica and go inside.
go see the collisieum and go inside.
go eat and hangout in Trastevere.
walk the city from St Peters to the Spanish steps there are all kinds of squares and churches to visit between that distance including the Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, and full of tourists Trevi Fountain
Do RS walk of the historic center that includes Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. For gelato, Giolitti and Frigiderium are both great.
Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel
We saved Rome for the end of two trips to Italy.
The first was half a day the second was a day and a half.
Our favorite is Trastevere where we had lunch and wandered about. Stop in at the Santa Maria Basilica to see the beautiful mosaics.
View of Rome from the top of the National Monument to Victor Emmanuel or the wedding cake. Elevator in back.
In March you should be able to see the Trevi Fountain in late afternoon early evening though there will be lots of people it won’t be as bad as late April. Walk to the Pantheon it’s a nice walk. Have an ice cream on the way.
That was done in half a day.
On our second trip we saw the Vatican and St Peters, visited Popolo Piazza and returned to Trastevere for dinner in one day. I could have skipped Popolo Piazza, there are better views at the Victorio Emmanuel Monument.
I haven’t been inside the coleseum yet, I was happy with the views from the VE monument nearby.
You can always use cabs to shorten the time used.
Best coffee in town and we always stop here is Sant’Eustachio ll Cafe near the Pantheon. They had plenty of outdoor seating and it’s on the way to Piazza Navona.
I highly recommend the Borghese Gallery. The Bernini sculptures are unbelievable, not to be missed. The Gallery is set in a lovely park, in walking distance from the Via Veneto and other sights.
Do know that advance reservations are required, however.
And St Peter's is another jaw-dropping experience.
We have done Rome twice - once on our own and once for a few days prior to a RS tour. Total of around 2 weeks. We found the RS Rome Guidebook to be one of his best but note that he only covers the really big sites. There are more things to see than can be comprehended. Also check out his audio guides. Since you are history fans I can offer three solid recommendations:
Coliseum including Palatine hill and a walk through the Forum. If you have the time to arrange it there is an underground tour of the coliseum led by an archeologist that includes a climb to the top that is closed to the general public. Altogether this could take most of a day.
St Peters - but skip the Vatican museum and the Sistine Chapel. It is interesting but takes a lot of time. Save it for your next trip. Might take a couple of hours to do St Peters well. The guidebook is great.
The RS guidebook walk, "Night Walk Across Rome", which can be done in the daytime and from either direction. Probably best starting in mid-afternoon. Take your time and do some of the side trips such as Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. Note the hours for any churches you want to see. If you do this toward evening and want dinner there are a wealth of restaurants along this route but, being in tourist areas they can be expensive. A block off the main streets and the prices go down a lot and I suspect the food is better, too. On a Sat night this entire area is a big street party, Piazza Navona and Trevi especially.
Beyond this read the book and make your own choices. Do take your time with what you are seeing. You will be back! Use of taxis is generally worth it on a short stay. Bus's and subway rarely seem to go where you want to go and, again, eat up valuable time.
Enjoy, Robbie
First off, RS’s time-saving, crowd-beating tips will be critical for you to get the most out of a short time.
1) Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel: Get early morning tickets online, skip all the lines and enjoy it before it gets SUPER crowded. If you can, sneak into St. Peter’s from the Chapel. If you can’t, do St. Peter’s on the next trip.
2) See the Forum/Colosseum/Capitoline Hill: I would advise skipping the tour of the Colosseum. It’s best view is from the outside. Touring the inside takes time to negotiate, and perhaps controversially, I felt it was not worth it. If you’re feeling up to it, the Capitoline Museum is very good (and air-conditioned.)
3) Rick Steve’s “Heart of Rome” walk is the best. In between the crowds of tourists, you’ll find it's still a vibrant neighborhood of locals (maybe less so nearer the Trevi Fountain). Make extra time to go inside the magnificent churches along the way. This was perhaps my favorite day in Rome!
4) Borghese Gallery: It is second to none, and I can’t recommend it enough. You have to buy tickets well ahead of time, but this makes it something you can really plan your day around. The park itself is underwhelming. Taxi there and back.
In the evening, I’d suggest a food walking tour! I did one in both Trastevere and Testaccio. They were terrific introductions to Roman cuisine, the neighborhoods, and their unique histories. My only regret was not having another night or two to follow-up these places on my own (and with another stomach.) I’m looking forward to exploring both of these neighborhoods more next time.
Don’t know if you’re still checking this thread but I want to add on. If your an art lover thought I would note the Capitoline Museum.
If you go into the museum on Capitoline Hill, it’s right next to the Victorio Emmanuel Monument,
the statue of Marcus Aurelius on his horse is there. I went specifically to see that. It was a moving experience for me. Just a wonderful site.
There is a copy of it outside but the real one is inside and incredible to experience.
Oh... Rome, the eternal city! Haunting ruins, inspiring art and vibrant street life, what more to ask?
Loved it every time. I've been there 3 times.
So, here we go:
-the Colosseum and surrounding Forum
- Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Fountain can easily be combined within a few hours time
- eat at Piazza Navona when all the lights go up in the evening
- try some day trips (World Heritage villas at Tivoli, Tuscany for a wine tour, Naples, Pompeii etc.)
P.S. Get a pass for sightseeing, you'll get in faster and pay less.
Been to Rome on a fly-by for two nights in October 2010, then a leisurely 6-night apartment stay this past late February.
Obviously the latter is preferable, because Rome above all else is a hanging-about town, at least it is to me. As in, oh let's take the bus to Termini, then get on the Metro to St. Peter-in-Chains, but who cares what time we get there? And if we saw something else along the way--which happened often--we'd stop. So many hidden gems. But here are a few things for your short stay:
---St. Peter's Cathedral
---a morning walk along the Tiber River
---the Colosseo
---the Baths of Diocletian (near Termini)
---shopping the Campo de' Fiori fruit market
If your weather was like ours (cross your fingers!) it was 40's to 60's, little rain or wind and very pleasant. Enjoy your planning!
