How to Spend a Weekend in Rome
The Eternal City overwhelms your senses in the best possible way. The scent of espresso drifts through Rome’s sunlit piazzas and lively chatter spills from trattorias. Centuries-old ruins draw your eye and provide a striking contrast to the bustling, modern streets.
With just a weekend to explore Rome, you won’t see everything, but you can experience the energy, history and flavours that define this city. The trick is to embrace the rhythm of Roman life – walking through its cobbled alleys, pausing for a leisurely meal and soaking up the atmosphere at every turn.
Colosseum and Roman Forum
When visiting Rome for a weekend away, start early on the main attractions, such as the Colosseum, before the crowds swell. Booking a guided tour of the Colosseum unlocks its brutal yet fascinating history, bringing to life the gladiators, emperors and 50,000 roaring spectators that filled the arena from 80AD.
From there, walk through the ruins of the Roman Forum, where political power and daily life intertwined in the ancient city. The remains of basilicas, temples and triumphal arches reveal the grandeur of an empire that still shapes 21st-century Western civilisation. Climbing Palatine Hill gives you a sweeping view over the ruins, making the scale of it all sink in.
The Heart of the Rome
Head towards Piazza Venezia and follow the lively streets to the Pantheon. Its awe-inspiring dome, punctuated by a single oculus, remains an architectural masterpiece nearly 2,000 years after construction. Nearby, Piazza Navona hums with energy as artists, street performers and café-goers gather around Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers. However, the city’s most famous and largest fountain waits just a short walk away. Tossing a coin into Trevi Fountain isn’t just a superstition – it’s a ritual, ensuring you’ll return to Rome one day. And you will!
Feast like a local in Trastevere
As evening approaches, cross the Tiber into Trastevere, where ivy-covered buildings and lantern-lit streets create an irresistible atmosphere. Joining a local food tour unlocks hidden gems – family-run trattorias, bustling bakeries and street stalls selling crispy supplì. Here is one of the locations not on the tourist trail.
You’ll taste rich cacio e pepe, savoury porchetta, and a scoop of gelato made the traditional way. /in this neighborhood you’ll find many of the must tastes on a trip to Italy. The night doesn’t end after dinner. Sit on a piazza or in a tucked-away wine bar, where Romans linger over drinks into the night.
Slow down before you say goodbye
Sunday morning offers a slower pace in Piazza di Spagna, where the Spanish Steps that lead up to the church of Trinità dei Monti beckon you to sit and watch the city go by. A final walk through Villa Borghese, the city’s ‘green lungs’, offers a moment of tranquillity before reality calls you home. You may be leaving, but Rome stays with you – woven into your senses, ready to welcome you back.
Yes, this is a great way to spend a fantastic weekend in Rome. Ciao!
