48 hours in Rome

[mytittifersungtheirsong]

As the topic says, 48 hours in Rome (two full days excluding travel) with two friends, all in our 50s, two of us never been before so planning to do Sistine chapel and coliseum - what else could we fit in? Any tips on where to prebook tickets to avoid queues.
Also tips on nice cafes and restaurants, one night we would like to eat in a slightly smarter restaurant.

Going next months so if we need to book ahead then we can do it now. Accommodation all sorted and living centrally.

thanks Mumsnet

I took my son recently and wrote a blog post afterwards with details of our trip. You might find some of it helpful

affordacool.wordpress.com/2023/02/15/rome/

I’d do a tour of the ancient bits on one day and the Vatican the second day . Expedia usually have some good tours including private ones , which we’ve done in Lisbon and St Petersburg . The Lisbon one was particularly good and she took us to a restaurant for lunch that Portuguese people eat at as opposed to a touristy one .

Where, 'centrally' are you staying and how long can you walk for?

Pre-book everything. From the official sites.

Colosseum/Forum on the same day but on a different day to Vatican/Sistine/St. Peter's as they are in different areas.

You could do: Trevi/Navona/Spanish Steps/Pantheon in the morning, then go onto Colosseum and Forum in the afternoon (long days and lots of walking, but that's what Rome is) and the Vatican/St P the day after, having a mooch along the river and Trastevere afterwards.

Where are you staying?

If you want to eat well in Rome then you're looking for trattorie that offer typical Roman dishes: Carbonara, Amatriciana, Cacio e Pepe. It's very cheap to eat out to say it's a capital city, sometimes embarrassingly so. Arlu just outside the Vatican walls is fabulous. (small family run trattoria, check Trip Advisor)

Book a tour of the colloseum which includes roman forum. Eat in trastevere, get take away pizza from a shop that overlooks the site where caesar was assassinated, think it's called via Argentina or similar

I agree with booking everything before you go. This is one city where you can't wing it if you want to see stuff.

Food tour. They do evening ones too. Really interesting if you fit one in.

Just looked it up, street is largo Di torre Argentina.. Amazing pizza!

We did one of those and it was great.

Underground (below the arena) tickets for the Colosseum are great but almost impossible to get from the official site (think they're snapped up by ticket bots). We did a combined guided tour of the Colosseum and Forum with Liv Tours last year which covered the underground.

We also did the 8am official two hour guided tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel but it felt like it went on for ever (sorry for being a heathen, I know the art is beautiful).

Food recommendations from when we were there in January and make sure you book for the first two!!

Popi Popi, Via delle Fratte di Trastevere

Maccheroni, via delle Coppelle

Antico Forno Roscioli, via dei Chiavari - pizza slices in interesting varieties, but also the porchetta sandwich was the best I had anywhere - eat standing up outside or while walking

Hello, thanks for all the great responses, for poster who asked we are staying in Trastevere and yes all very fit and able to walk. Sounds like vatican and coliseum will be two separate trips that need to be prebooked. So vatican Saturday then as believe sistine is closed Sunday and coliseum on the Sunday (seemed to be open all days).

Thanks for the blog link, will definitely check that out, also the trattoria ideas.

Added popi popi to our list as we are staying in that area

The best money we spent was a guided tour of the Vatican, you need to go very early in the morning (7am) as the queues are insane, but otherwise you won't know what you're looking at or it's significance. It's worth every Penny.
Also, food is great out there but stay away from any main tourist sites as you'll pay a premium for nothing special. Head to Travestere which is very "Rome" and Campo Di Fiori where lots of locals eat x
If you have free time, Villa Borghese is a beautiful park in town x pantheon is free but try not to do it all as you could spend 5 days and not scratch the surface. Try and enjoy and take in what you can x
You'll love it, it's an amazing city!

Pre book your colesium they sell out days before book online. Also get tickets for the Vatican as queues are huge

Aaahh OP your going to have an absolute ball - can I tag along?!

Quick coffee here before sightseeing. It's opposite the Pantheon which is an incredible church you must see -
www.tazzadorocoffeeshop.com

Here for a splurge but amazing lunch. I'd definitely recommend booking as the queue is always pretty long.
www.salumeriaroscioli.com

Then a cheaper tea another night to even the budget here!
www.pizzeriabaffetto.it

Excellent negronis here -
Enteco I'll Piccolo

Ahhh I bloody ❤️ Rome

This looks really good London! Going to bookmark for when we return

Oooh nearly forgot. You absolutely have to go here for lunch or tea. Excellent but reasonably priced food. I got quite tipsy here on our last night

Pietro Al Pantheon

Don't miss St Peter's.
I'd actually rate it above the Vatican museums.
It's hard to go wrong with food, particularly in the Trastevere.

The secret tour of the Colosseum gives you access to the Forum too and you skip the queue. I’ve done it on several trips at 1pm and it takes about two hours start to finish going underneath and to the highest seating area.. I’d then taxi do St Peters Basilica in the Vatican ( go up to the top amazing). Walk to St Angelo ( ?) which I think the make up person got the look of Voldemort from. From there you can wander to the Piazza Navona ,Pantheon, Trevi foundation etc.
You need a tour of the Sistine Chapel. It’s mental busy.

Nothing to add. Am heading there later in the year having been many years before.
Piazza Navone and Pantheon are both fab. Don't rush them, take time to just soak in the atmosphere.

For a stunning view of the whole of Rome make sure you take the panoramic lift to the roof terrace at the Monument ii Vittorio Emmanuelle, also called Altare della Patria.

So many memorable meals, it's hard to choose but we had a very good 'splash out' meal at Baccano, close to the Trevi Fountain - lots of dishes we just didn't see at most other restaurants in Rome. On the other end of the scale a simple but delicious supper of pizza and a cheese plate at Antica Roma overlooking the hustle and bustle of Piazza Venezia, free canapes and shots of limoncello included!

For those with a sweet tooth be sure to visit Mr 100 Tiramisu, tucked away in a little lane around the corner from Piazza Navona, even if you do not like normal tiramisu you will find something delicious here with 100 different flavours!

@LondonMummer - that's AMAZING- THANK YOU ! x

Ahh thanks. Wonderful city. Have an amazing time. We certainly did.

If you are doing Vatican and Colosseum that is pretty much your 48 hours gone.

My tip is that the Forum is far far more interesting than the Colosseum. We loved the Forum and spent ages there, got to the Colosseum 'Oh it's big and round'

If you are staying in Trastevere then there are 4 interesting and beautiful churches in very easy walking distance from each other - you find the same people in each one as all of you are going from one to the next. Santa Maria in Trastevere - stunning mosaics, Santa Cecilia in Trastevere - has hidden ruins and crypt, Chiesa di San Francesco di Ripa Grande - amazing Bernini statue, Basilica San Crisogono - also has ruins of ancient church below it.

Thanks for all the amazing tips, I have now secured tickets for a guided tour at the Vatican (almost sold out) and booked one of the restaurants recommended. We have decided not to pack in too much as we want to walk and chill (and eat) but some lovely ideas here.