Two Days in Rome: What We Did & Saw

Despite having been to Rome four months ago now, I still can’t quite believe I’ve been. Rome had been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, and my interest in visiting only grew as my love for ancient history and architecture developed.

We spent a weekend in Rome in mid-May 2025, arriving late on Friday evening and leaving on Sunday night. With only two days to explore, we wanted to see as much as possible, so we were up early both mornings and spent most of the weekend walking around the city, exploring ancient ruins, famous landmarks, museums and neighbourhoods.

I had also finally bought a digital camera shortly before the trip, as I’ve become increasingly interested in photography, so I was excited to have somewhere as photogenic as Rome to put it to use.

We happened to be visiting just a few weeks after the death of Pope Francis, during the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year, so Rome was particularly busy. Pope Francis died on 21 April 2025, and Pope Leo XIV was elected on 8 May. There were celebrations and preparations taking place throughout the city, and Pope Leo XIV was due to visit St Peter’s Basilica the day after we left.

To make the most of our time, we arrived in Rome late Friday night and got up early on Saturday morning.

The Spanish Steps

We started our first morning at the Spanish Steps, which, in all honesty, were a bit underwhelming. I think I was expecting them to be bigger and more grand, but they were just steps.

The Spanish Steps were built between 1723 and 1725 to connect Piazza di Spagna at the bottom with the Trinità dei Monti church at the top. Despite the name, they’re associated with the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, which was located in the square below.

The Trevi Fountain

From there, we headed towards the Trevi Fountain, which was already absolutely packed. We managed to squeeze our way to the front and met a lovely Australian couple who took our photo for us. Unfortunately, we didn’t have any coins to toss in and wish for our return to Rome, but it was still amazing to finally see the fountain in person.

The Trevi Fountain we see today was completed in 1762 and marks the terminal point of the Aqua Virgo, an ancient Roman aqueduct. At the centre is Oceanus, the Roman god of the sea, riding a shell-shaped chariot pulled by seahorses.

The Pantheon

Next, we made our way to the Pantheon. We had booked an audio guide but didn’t realise headphones weren’t provided, which was slightly awkward, but we still enjoyed exploring the building and taking in the sheer scale and intricacy of it.

The Pantheon is one of the best-preserved buildings from ancient Rome. Its enormous dome has a nine-metre-wide opening at its centre, known as the oculus, which allows natural light into the building. The original Pantheon was commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus, although the building that stands today was largely rebuilt under Emperor Hadrian in the second century.

The Pantheon is also the final resting place of several important figures, including the Renaissance artist and architect Raphael.

The Colosseum

After the Pantheon, we made our way towards the Colosseum, which was probably the place I was most excited to see.

Having studied Classical Studies in high school, it felt surreal to finally stand in front of it. It was also so much bigger than I expected. You can see photographs of the Colosseum a thousand times, but none of them really prepare you for how enormous it is when you’re standing underneath it.

Knowing that this was a place where thousands of people once gathered to watch gladiatorial contests, animal hunts and other public spectacles made it even more incredible. It is one of those places where the history you’ve read about suddenly feels much more real.

We booked a self-guided tour that included the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill as a combined ticket, which ended up taking up most of our day. If you’re visiting Rome for only two days, I’d definitely recommend allowing plenty of time for these three sites rather than trying to rush through them.

One of the things I found particularly fascinating was the engineering behind the Colosseum. It was designed to accommodate huge crowds, with an elaborate underground area beneath the arena where animals, gladiators and scenery could be prepared. The arena could also be adapted for different spectacles, including staged naval battles.

Walking through its arches and looking down into the arena was one of the highlights of the entire weekend. After years of learning about Ancient Rome, actually being there felt slightly surreal.

After the Colosseum, we headed to a nearby restaurant for lunch. I had the most amazing pasta called 5 Flavours Pasta, which I would definitely recommend to pasta lovers.

The Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

We then continued into the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

The Roman Forum was the centre of political, religious and public life in ancient Rome, and walking through it felt like stepping into a history book. There were ruined temples, columns, arches and fragments of buildings everywhere, and it was strange to think about how different the area would have looked when it was at the heart of Roman life.

Just uphill from the Forum, Palatine Hill offered some beautiful views across the ruins and the city. It is also traditionally associated with the founding of Rome.

According to Roman tradition, Rome was founded in 753 BCE by Romulus, who became its first king. The legend tells of twin brothers, Romulus and Remus, who were said to have been born to the Vestal Virgin Rhea Silvia and the god Mars. After being abandoned on the Tiber River, they were supposedly rescued and raised by a she-wolf.

As adults, the brothers decided to establish a city together, but a dispute over its location ended with Romulus killing Remus. Romulus then founded Rome and named the city after himself.

Whether or not you believe the legend, standing on Palatine Hill and looking across the ruins of ancient Rome was an incredible way to finish our first day.

Vatican City

The next morning, we got up at 6am to make the most of our final day. We started at Ponte Sant’Angelo before walking towards Vatican City.

We had booked a guided tour of the Vatican Museums, and even with a guide, the sheer scale of it all was overwhelming. Every inch of space — walls, ceilings, corridors — was adorned with centuries of art, from ancient sculptures to Renaissance masterpieces. Some ceilings were painted so masterfully they looked three-dimensional, as though carved from marble rather than brushstrokes — a true artistic illusion.

The area was already being prepared for the arrival of Pope Leo XIV, who was due to visit St Peter’s Basilica the following day. There were barriers and preparations throughout the area, which made it particularly interesting to see.

The Sistine Chapel

Eventually, we arrived at the Sistine Chapel, which felt like a completely different experience. Cameras weren’t allowed and the silence was strictly enforced, which made the moment feel even more significant.

Seeing Michelangelo’s ceiling with my own eyes, including The Creation of Adam, was surreal. The scale, detail and emotion in the artwork are incredible, and it is one of those things that photographs really don’t do justice. You have to stand beneath it to appreciate just how enormous it is.

St. Peter’s Basilica

Stepping into St Peter’s Basilica was unforgettable. Without a doubt, it was the most magnificent church I had ever seen. The scale is difficult to describe — the soaring ceilings, enormous columns and colossal sculptures made the whole place feel as though it had been built for giants.

Campo de’ Fiori Market

After leaving Vatican City, we wandered through the streets towards Campo de’ Fiori Market.

We were quickly convinced by a friendly vendor to buy a bottle of pistachio liqueur, which was a deliciously sweet souvenir that we couldn’t resist. The market itself was bustling and full of character, with stalls selling fresh produce, meats, cheeses, wines, liqueurs, handmade pasta, clothing and souvenirs.

After the grand buildings and museums we’d spent the morning exploring, it was nice to simply wander around and take in some of the everyday atmosphere of Rome.

Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary

From there, we visited the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary, tucked among the ancient ruins of Largo di Torre Argentina. This was one of those places we hadn’t specifically planned to visit, but I’m very glad we did.

The sanctuary cares for cats living among the ruins and supports the rescue, treatment and sterilisation of Rome’s stray and abandoned cats. Seeing cats wandering around ancient Roman ruins was certainly one of the more unexpected highlights of the weekend.

Altare della Patria

As we continued wandering through Rome, we passed the massive white monument with its towering columns and bronze statues — the Altare della Patria, or Altar of the Fatherland.

The monument was built in honour of Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of unified Italy, and also contains the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It is enormous and hard to miss as you walk through the centre of Rome.

The Baths of Caracalla

For our final evening in Rome, we headed towards Trastevere. Unbeknownst to us at the time, there was a major televised Jubilee celebration taking place, so it took us a while to make our way across the city because of the crowds gathering in the streets to watch the celebrations.

On the way, we stopped at the Baths of Caracalla, one of the most impressive ancient Roman ruins we saw during the weekend.

The baths were built between 212 and 216 CE during the reign of Emperor Caracalla. They weren’t simply somewhere for ancient Romans to bathe. The enormous complex also included exercise areas, gardens, libraries and other spaces for socialising and entertainment.

The engineering behind the baths was impressive too, with water brought into the complex through the Aqua Marcia aqueduct and furnaces used to heat the water and floors. The walls and interiors were once covered with marble, mosaics and sculptures, giving some idea of how extravagant the complex would have been at its height.

Standing among the enormous ruins today, it is difficult to imagine what the Baths of Caracalla would have looked like when they were in use. They were also much quieter than some of Rome’s more famous attractions, which made them a welcome change after spending so much of the weekend surrounded by crowds.

Trastevere

We eventually arrived in Trastevere and joined a street food tour, which turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip.

We tried a delicious variety of local food, from cured meats and cheeses to classic Roman pizza and Roman-style supplì. We finished with creamy gelato, which was a pretty good way to end our final evening in Rome.

Trastevere was one of my favourite areas of the city. The narrow streets, colourful buildings, restaurants and lively atmosphere felt very different from the grand monuments and ancient ruins we’d spent most of the weekend visiting.

I had wanted to visit Rome for years, so fitting so much into two days was always going to be a little ambitious. We barely stopped walking, but I’m glad we didn’t try to see absolutely everything. There was still plenty left for another trip.

For me, the ancient sites were the highlight. Having studied Classical Studies at school and been fascinated by Ancient Rome for years, actually standing in the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Baths of Caracalla was something I won’t forget.

Two days definitely isn’t enough to see everything Rome has to offer, but it was enough to get a taste of the city. We managed to see most of the places I had wanted to visit, eat a lot of very good pasta and gelato, and still have time to wander around without having every minute planned.

I’ve been fascinated by Ancient Rome since I was young, and studying it in classical studies during high school only deepened that interest. Finally walking through its ruins felt almost surreal — to stand where emperors, gladiators, and citizens once lived their daily lives. Beyond the history, the food, the atmosphere, and the rhythm of the city made it an unforgettable experience. There’s truly nothing like Rome, and I can’t wait to return one day.