Cities aren’t usually high on my list. I’m a mountain person. I’ve spent the last several years guiding hikers on remote mountains in Alaska. I tend to scoff at over-priced fashion stores and destinations where tourists wait in long lines to see things. And I don’t have a long enough attention span to visit museums for more than 2 hours.
I’ll be honest. My first impression of Rome was how dirty it was. When we arrived at the Roma Termini train station and walked (sweating, with our giant backpacks) to our modest bnb, I noticed garbage everywhere, crowds, and a smell that I wrote in my journal reminded me of “a muddy, dirty puddle of people.” During my first 20-minutes in Rome, I watched a guy pick a large carrot up out of a puddle and take a bite out of it. I suppose that’s no different than what you might see in New York - and I tend to live for those weird moments.
But, I’ll let you in on my little secret: I enjoyed Rome, and I’m glad I went. From the colosseum to the Vatican, the Italian capital lures in travelers of all types. It’s an ancient place: one that has layers and layers of history that you can see un-peeled like an onion right before your eyes. On one corner, you’ll stroll past crumbled 7th century Forum remains, and on the next corner, you’ll be drinking Negronis in a trendy 21st century-cocktail bar.
I believe that it’s a place that every human should visit once (the same way I feel about London or New York). It is a place that is so alive and so anciently lived in. It feels like the beginning of art and architecture, and it’s responsible for a lot of the modern innovations we have today.
I didn’t expect to feel WOW-ed by the Colosseum. Or to love the way the pinks of the sunset stick to the white marbled buildings at dusk. Or to become snobby about the way to cook pasta or stir your cappuccino.
But again, I’m glad I went.
The Roman Forum. November 2024.
Here are my top tips for spending 48 hours in Rome. If you’d like to read about our time in Tuscany and Umbria click here, or follow this link - to see our adventures into the Italian Dolomites (my favorite spot in Italy).
When to visit: We traveled to Rome at the end of November 2024, over Thanksgiving. We had dinner with an Italian Travel and Leisure writer who told us to wait to visit Rome until November or Early December. He said that these months are the best time of year to visit Rome because 1) it’s not hot, and 2) there aren’t as many people. Thanksgiving was the perfect time to be there - although we just missed the Christmas markets which opened on Dec 08. I truly can’t conceive of being there in the heat of the summer. I feel like I would melt away (or need constant gelato refills).
Where to stay in Rome: Having been “on the road” in Italy for two months, we were on a budget, and chose to stay at Room 115. It was a short (10-min) walk from the Roma Termini train station and fit our needs. The neighborhood wasn’t glamorous and the room was small and basic. But it had everything we needed and the owner was very kind. We also spent next to zero time in the room as we ended up walking about 14 miles a day, wandering around the city.
The Vatican City. November 2024.
What to do with 48 hours in Rome:
Walk everywhere. Consider it part of the experience. Just set out on foot in the morning and walk until you can’t walk anymore. You’ll learn more about the city than any guide book or blog can tell you.
Have dinner or grab a cocktail at Casa Dante - this place is so trendy and cool that we ate here twice. The thing to do in Italy is to have an aperitivo, between 4-7. An aperitivo is essentially a pre-dinner drink that you drink with friends to celebrate the end of the working day. Grab a Negroni or a Spritz here (two classic Italian options).
Visit the Colosseum - Rick Steves writes: “there are two I.Q.s of European travelers: those who wait in lines and those who don’t.” I mainly agree with this sentiment, but when it comes to the Colosseum, I disagree. The line is worth it. I was not expecting much from the Colosseum and only visited because I felt like I would have fomo if I didn’t. But it was incredible. Truly incredible. I still cannot fathom how our ancestors designed something so architecturally complex so long ago. The perfect arches, the magnitude of the whole thing, the elaborate early elevator systems. I’m mind-blown by how this one stadium has shaped gatherings around the world for generations and how the University of Michigan stadium that I grew up going to bears a resemblance to it. I was also of course fascinated by the gladiator fights and dark history. Kind of like Machu Picchu (but different) I can’t explain it, but you need to see it to understand. You have to book your tickets in advance for a designated time slot (we booked them the night before via the official website.) We wished we had downloaded an audio history, but still enjoyed it all. The tickets also give you 24-hour access to the Forum, which is another must.
Visit the Forum - After visiting the Colosseum, use your tickets to enter the Roman Forum. We spent about 2 hours walking around the Forum. Maybe more. It was unexpectedly cool. Ancient bath houses, markets, homes, law courts, and gardens all exist on top of eachother. All I could think about while I was here was how deeply lived in and human it was. How deeply human. How layered, and storied. The Forum is a must.
Marvel at the ceilings of Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major - If you want to see the interior of a truly STUNNING church without paying to enter, this is your place. It’s gorgeous and worth a stop on your itinerary.
Take a cooking class with Enjoycooking in the Jewish Quarter - For Nick’s Birthday, I booked us a Master the Art of Pasta and Tiramisu class. We cooked three types of pasta. Our instructor was phenomenal, it was in such a beautiful kitchen. There was also unlimited wine - which made the experience all the better.
Take in Cafe Culture - Nothing beats sipping a cappuccino or eating a tiny pizza in a cafe outside. Pop in to any place that looks good. They are all good. Rome was one of the only places we found in Italy that had “American Breakfasts” (basically eggs, toast, etc.), but we skipped those spots and opted for the classic Italian croissant and cappuccino breakfast.
Try the Gelato: Don’t leave Rome without trying a cup of gelato. We were excited that Rome had gelato shops open, because in the countryside where we spent most of our time, the gelato shops shut down for the winter.
Trevi Fountain: My mom’s first question when we told her we were going to Rome was whether we would visit the Trevi Fountain (to which, I responded ‘of course’ and then did some quick googling). Unfortunately, the fountain was under construction when we went there, but it looked beautiful. It’s in a pretty touristy part of town so if you go, plan to get your picture and keep moving.
Visit the Vatican: We wanted to cross another country off of our list (yes, the Vatican is technically its own country) so we walked to the Vatican City. It’s very beautiful, and to be honest, we may have failed here because we just walked around and didn’t go to any of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, or St. Peter’s Basilica, but there were HUGE massive hour-long lines and after months of traveling we were tired, and were ok skipping it.
Stroll through Villa Borghese: Villa Borghese is the Central Park of Italy. It’s a massive green space, also referred to as Rome’s Green Lung, that’s free to walk through and explore. We spent about 2 hours walking through here, and we wished we’d saved our lunch for the park - as there are a few cute outdoor cafes sprinkled throughout. The park is also home to Gallery Borghese, an art museum, that you can book tickets to. It is supposed to be very beautiful, but we didn’t have time to go.
Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major. November 2024.
That’s all! I hope that these suggestions and photos inspire you and that you get the opportunity to visit Rome. If you are interested in reading about my other travels in Italy, please check out my post about the Italian Alps / Dolomites and my post about Tuscany and Umbria.
If you are new to my blog, I also run a surface pattern design business! In November, I released a new alpine pattern, a new alpine trail running pattern, three olive branch color-ways, and a biking design. You can purchase these all in my Spoonflower Shop (as fabric, wallpaper, tea-towels, etc.) or show your support on Instagram (with a like, a comment, a referral or a follow). I appreciate every like, comment and follow!!!!