Rome in 2 days: not only archeological sites

We suggest a two-day route. The first day  we will take you 2,000 years back in time, visiting Rome's four most famous archeological sites: the Pyramid of Cestius, the Circus Maximus, the Imperial Fora and the Colosseum. You will be taken aback discovering a pyramid in the center of Rome and you will not be able to helo but imagine yourself among gladiators fighting lons at the arena of the Colosseum.
The second day will be more relaxed and amusing: starting from Piazza Venezia you will discover the secrets and history of Il Vittoriano (a monument built in honour of Vicotr Emmanuel) carry on with your walk in pursuit of some shopping in Via del Corso. You will end up at one of Rome's most beautiful and well-known parks: Villa Borghese, full of monuments, art, gardens and events not to be missed.

ROMA PASS 48 HOURS

DISCOVER ALL THE TOURS ON ROME

FIRST DAY

1. Our journey into the discovery of Rome starts at an out of the ordinary place: Piramide metro stop (line B). As soon as you exit the metro station you will find at your left a huge pyramid. It was built as a tomb for Gaius Cestius, a Roman magistrate who stated on his will that he wanted a pyramid-shaped tomb. Built between the 18 and 12 BCE this is the only building of its kind in Rome. It is possible to visit it only on an educational tour or guided tour. For further information, prices, opening hours and visits read here.

At the back of the pyramid you will find an oasis of peace and quiet: the Protestant cemetery, place of burial of all the non catholic foreigners who lived and died in Rome. Enter and during your quick walk get astonished by the tombs of famous artists such as John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Goethe's son and Antonio Gramsci.

2. Start off with the Pyramid of Cestius and in less than a kilometer and a half you wll get to the Circus Maximus. Along the way you will find some bars where you can stop by to have a drink or eat something. Circus Maimus is Rome's oldest and most famous circus. Here, over 2,000 years ago the quadriga races took place. Today, the Circus Maximus is a great park where big events, concerts and parties are held. Take a walk inside and you will have the feeling of walking in living history.

3. Go now towards the river and before getting there you will very likely find a long queue at your right: you have arrived at the Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità), a man-like face carved from marble, well-known for Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck's film Roman Holiday and famous for a legend according to which the mouths bites the hand of whoever don't tell the truth.

It is placed inside the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin.
As you go out don't miss the magnificent square with the Fountain of the Tritons and the beautiful Temple of Hercules.

4. Continue your walk toward the city center: take Via Luigi Petroselli and pass by Theatre of Marcellus, another Rome's splendid site built by Augustus and well conserved to date. In less than a kilometer you will find  Piazza Venezia. Cross it -tomorrow you will start from here the second day of the tour- and go to via dei Fori Imperiali.

A walk through history that will take you aback.
Via dei Fori Imperiali

The Fora represent one of the most famous and charming archeological and historical sites in the world.

A walk through history that will take you aback.

But what are exactly the Imperial Fora? They are a number of squares and monuments built mainly by Roman emperors Cesar and Augustus in less than two centuries, in the center of Rome.

Further information about the Imperial Fora

5. Your walk will end up in from of the Colosseum, the biggest amphiteatre in the world, Rome and Italy's most famonus monument, an emblem abroad.
Walk around it or pay for the ticket to get inside. The ticket includes the visit to the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. For further information about the Colosseum.

DISCOVER THE TOURS OF THE COLOSSEUM 

SECOND DAY

The starting point on the second day of your visit to Rome is at Piazza del Popolo, easily accessible thanks to metro line A (stop Flaminio).

6. Get out of the metro station and enter Villa Borghese, one of Rome's most beautiful parks, loved by Romans and foreigners since it is located in the heart of Rome and it is easily accessible. But this 80-hectare park's beauty is due also to its huge cultural and artistic offer. Villa Borghese can be in fact defined as an authentic open air museum.

There are really so many activities to be done: visiting the Bioparco, Rome's zoological garden, highly recommended to families and children, or going to Galleria Borghese, where you can find works of Titian, Raphael and Caravaggio. There are facilities thought for pure leisure as well, games, sculptures, fountains, little lakes. Don't miss finally the view from the Pincian gardens. Take a break and relax in one of the many bars or restaurants that you will find inside the park. Visiting Villa Borghese will take you a whole morning at least.

DISCOVER ALL THE TOURS OF VILLA BORGHESE

7. Go back to Porta Pinciana, from where you entered earlier in the morning, and go towards Piazza del Popolo. This is one of the biggest squares in Roma, very enchanting and seat for relevant concerts and events during the warmest season.

Put your guides and your cameras aside: it's now time for shopping! Via del Corso is a one and a half kilometer-long street crammed not only with shops, souvenirs and pedlars, but also with churches, monuments, banks, organisations and important political institutions. 

It links Piazza del Popolo with Piazza Venezia. Via del Corso branches into an indefinite amount of alleys and tiny streets, all of them also full of interesting, beautiful and -more often than not- very expensive shops. That is the case of the well-known, especially among American and rich tourists, via dei Condotti. This is a street crammed with luxury brand boutiques, appealing and elegant, where to find the finest of Italian and international brands: Dolce&Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo, Louis Vuiton, Valentino, Laura Biagiotti, Prada, Gucci, Zagna, Tod’s. Via Condotti termina in Piazza di Spagna. Sit on the steps of the church of Trinità dei Monti  and have fun watching tourists and locals passing by.

8. Via del Corso ends at Piazza Venezia, one of the most busy and tourist squares in Rome's city center. This is due to both the proximity to archeological sites, like the Imperial Fora or the Colosseum, and the presence of the Altare della Patria, also known as Il Vittoriano or “the writing machine” as some Romans love to call it ironically and disdainfully. 

For both cultural and historical majesty and relevance, Piazza Venezia represents the last two centuries of Italiy and it is a symbol for Italy's union. Il Vittoriano is a work designed by Giuseppe Sacconi, built from corpse-white marble, full of monuments made by many artists over many years. Climb the stairs and admire the many sculptures and pieces of art. For a guided visit read here. Inside the monument there are exhibition spaces devoted to the history of the Vittoriano itself, the Sacrario delle bandiere (a museum of war flags) and the location of the Central Museum of the Risorgimento, that goes through the itinerary that lead to the Italian unification and holds often very interesting exhibitions.

The two-day tour around Rome ends here. Let us know if you liked it and if you found our advices useful. Leave your comments below and share this route with your friends.