Should I spend 1 or 2 weeks in Rome?
Should you spend 1 or 2 weeks in Rome?
Many visitors spend three to seven days in Rome during their visit. If you're not sure how much time you might need here, we have the answers because there's so much to see and do. This city offers a number of attractions to explore, including the museums and landmarks, the big city activities, the restaurant scene, and the nightlife.
Rome is the capital city of Italy, and for many visitors it serves as the entry and departure point of their trip. Rome is filled with ancient ruins hidden next to modern development. It's a history enthusiasts dream. The city is also filled with cafes and Italian restaurants where you can sip wine and dine on Italian pasta dishes.
Do you have one or two weeks to visit Rome? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one week enough time in Rome?
One week provides ample opportunity to explore the entirety of Rome at your own pace to browse the museums, enjoy the city's energy, taste delicious cuisine, and dance the night away. Then you can use the city as a convenient base for venturing into nearby destinations where you'll discover exciting day trip options.
How to spend a week in Rome
When visiting Rome, you absolutely can't miss the Colosseum as it's one of the most famous places in the world. Make sure you allow yourself enough time to fully experience it.
The culinary scene in Rome is world famous, and draws visitors from around the globe. Make sure you spend time enjoying breakfast, lunch, and dinner at some of this city's best restaurants. And consider a food tour, too. Many are either a half day or just a few hours, so you can fit one into your schedule easily. Homemade pasta, fresh sauces, and fine wine all make the food scene among the best. Also make sure you try the gelato.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Exclusive cooking class in Roman countryside with local chef ($108)
- Spritz and Spaghetti: Small Group Tipsy Cooking Class ($86)
- Castel Gandolfo Kayak Tour with Wine and Food Tasting ($71)
Rome is a walkable city and easy to explore on foot. With only a day in the city, you'll have no trouble seeing the local sights. You'll find many of the most popular sights in a compact area that's easily explored on foot. Do watch out for traffic, which can be a bit chaotic at times.
Rome is famous for it's world-class attractions, museums, and landmarks. You'll want to spend at least a day exploring one or more that you're interested in the most. The historical sights around the city are among the most impressive in the world. Almost anywhere you look you'll find a notable landmark but some of the most famous include the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Vatican, and the Roman Forum.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Jewish Ghetto, Synagogues & Museum Tour with Jewish Guide 2 hours ($152)
- Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Small Group Tour ($125)
- VIP semi-private Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel Tour ($71)
The nightlife scene is very popular here. After dark, head out to one of the many venues around town. You'll find a huge concentration of bars and clubs in the Testaccio area. There are late night clubs with salsa dancing, merengue, and live DJ's spinning every type of music.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Tipsy Tour: Fun Bar Crawl In Rome With Local Guide ($53)
- Discover Rome's nightlife with a Local ($64)
The public transit in Rome is fast and efficient. Over the course of a few days, you should be able to explore the city quite easily and affordably. There's a metro system, trams, and a comprehensive bus system that goes around the city.
Since Rome is such a large city, you can spend at least a day exploring the many neighborhoods, attractions, and activities found around town. Break up visiting popular landmarks with the more authentic neighborhoods for shopping and dining. This is a big city with a busy atmosphere and historic vibe. Some of the most popular areas to visit include St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, and the neighborhood of Campo Marzio which is full of cafes and shops.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Full-Day Island of Ponza Cruise Trip from Anzio Including Lunch ($130)
- Private port transfer from cruise ship to FCO airport or Rome ($239)
- Mamertine Prison and Catacombs small group tour with driver ($79)
Rome is known to be such a beautiful destination, so just exploring and taking it all in should be one of the top things to do on your list. With its many beautiful landmarks and impressive architecture, this city has a lot of attractive places to visit. Don't miss Villa Borghese Park, Trastevere, Palazzo Madama, the Appian Way, and Piazza Navona.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Rome by Night Private Walking Tour ($120)
- Photo Walking Tour of Rome ($196)
- Rome by Night Walking Tour - Small group ($33)
Shopping in Rome is very popular, and it's easy to see why. Spend time exploring the many shops and boutiques to find the perfect gift, souvenir, or outfit. For the biggest brand names, head to Via del Corso, which is near the Spanish Steps. Popular items to buy include Italian ceramics, shoes, leather goods, and jewelry.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Farmers Market Shopping with Roman Full Course Class - (SHARED) ($180)
- Transfer from Termini Station to the Maximo Shopping Center ($15)
- Vatican Market Food Activity and Shopping ($53)
Live music is very popular in Rome, so make sure you spend the evening exploring some of the more popular venues. Popular music venues include Live Alcazar, Atlantico Live, and Beba do Samba.
A few tour suggestions include:
- The Three Tenors Concert in St. Paul's Within the Walls ($29)
After you've explored most of Rome, take a day trip to one of the many beautiful destinations nearby.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Beautiful day trip to Castelli Romani ($82)
- Pompeii and Naples Day Trip from Rome by High Speed Train ($249)
- Ponza Island Day Trip from Rome ($184)
Because the nightlife scene is so popular here, you'll want to take full advantage of it more than once. From the bars and pubs to the nightclubs, there's something for everyone. Or, get some tickets to another show at the theatre such as a ballet or opera.
Rome is such a huge city that you can easily spend another day in one of the neighborhoods that you haven't visited. Look for those hidden gems and local spots where most tourists don't go. Or, pick another neighborhood with local charm that you haven't fully explored yet.
As the live music scene is so popular in Rome, make sure you spend another evening finding more of the area's best places to take in a show. Often, many of the local venues are near one another, so you can hop from place to place.
Because this is a world-class shopping destination, you'll need yet another day to find the best deals. Each area of Rome offers a different vibe and atmosphere, and along with it, different styles of shops.
There are plenty of restaurants you haven't tried yet, so don't miss another amazing meal at local places for lunch and dinner. Try to go out of your way to find the small, locally owned places that offer the charm and ambiance that can only be found in Rome.
Is 2 weeks enough time in Rome?
With two weeks at your disposal, you'll have more than enough time to take in all that Rome has to offer, giving you the flexibility to unwind in your hotel or use Rome as a base for day trips to nearby destinations. You can relax while enjoying the museums and landmarks, the big city activities, and the restaurant scene at your own pace. We have some suggestions of things to do below, too.
The Spanish Steps, Rome, Italy
How to spend 2 weeks in Rome
With 2 weeks in Rome, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy everything the city has to offer at your own relaxed pace. You'll want to spend plenty of time perusing the musuems, experiencing the city's neighborhoods, dining at local restaurants, hopping around the bars and clubs, hanging at the music venues, and browsing the shops. You can also relax at your hotel, or casually explore this city looking for hidden gems. Also, consider taking some day trips to nearby destinations where you can explore more of the region.
A few trip suggestions:
- Beautiful day trip to Castelli Romani ($82)
- Pompeii and Naples Day Trip from Rome by High Speed Train ($249)
- Ponza Island Day Trip from Rome ($184)
- Ancient Ostia Antica Semi-Private Day Trip from Rome by Train with Guide ($64)
- Tuscany Guided Day Trip from Rome with Lunch & Wine Tasting ($119)
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Rome, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
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