Two days in Rome: Budget Travel Itinerary (plus money saving tips)
- Jess Touhig
- Jan 17
- 7 min read
The best way to see the city when you're short on both time and cash!
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So, you're planning a trip to Rome but after booking flights and accommodation the budget is looking pretty small... don't worry, we've been there. The great news is, there are tonnes of free things to do in Rome, and the city is that large that there are lots of affordable food and drink options too. You just have to know where to look - and that's where we come in.
We offer a personalised travel planning service where we'll plan out your entire trip for you, based on your preferences, trip dates and budget, however we're aware that for budget travellers to Rome, this may not be an ideal option. So, we've come up with an alternative solution! Our Rome Travel Toolkit is a digital guide to the city that is extremely budget friendly and contains literally everything you could ever want to know about this city before you visit.
Not only that - it comes with access to our Ultimate Map of Rome, which has the main landmarks, hidden gems, and the best cafes, bars and restaurants across the city highlighted on it. This means no more spending hours researching, scanning through reviews, or scrolling for ages trying to find that one influencer-recommended spot you saved on your phone weeks ago. It's all in one place, and you can even see your own location so you know which spot is the closest.
Please consider supporting our small travel business and downloading a Rome Travel Toolkit! You can do so here:
Day one of your budget travel itinerary in Rome:
As soon as you arrive in Rome, we recommend taking just half an hour to get your bearings around your accommodation. This way, you know what's close to you, especially keeping an eye out for supermarkets to grab a quick refreshment when needed.
Our favourite activity to do in any new city is simply walking until we can’t walk anymore - and it’s completely free! You can wander around Rome to your heart’s content, or purchase a cheap public transport pass and take the public bus between the different sights you want to see. Rome does also have a metro which is efficient and easy to use, and just as cheap as the buses. But if you’re only there for a short time, the bus is better as you can see the city whilst you’re travelling.
For a relaxing stroll - go towards Villa Borghese, the largest public park in central Rome. There’s lots of statues, gardens and greenery, as well as kiosks and bars to stop for a drink if you like.
From here, you’re close to Piazza Popolo, which many people consider the main square of Rome. Here you’ll find huge obelisks and the city gate. Grab a quick bite for lunch, for example a slice of pinsa (Roman, rectangular shaped pizza) from a local bakery.
Next, you can visit the Spanish Steps and the small, but beautiful, Church of St Anthony of the Portuguese. The Spanish Steps are out in the open, free to visit and walk up and down for a good view of the local area. The church is also free and worth a visit!
Close by is the famous Trevi Fountain. This does get incredibly busy, so if you can’t get anywhere near, it may be worth revisiting early the next morning.
We’re aware this is a lot to fit into two days, and it’s tricky to plan the best route, and ensure you have time to fit in refreshments and breaks too. For ease and peace of mind, it’s worth taking a look at our Rome Travel Toolkit. It comes with an Ultimate Map of Rome with all of the points of interest saved to it. This means rather than following a strict itinerary, you can simply open your map, find the landmark or cafe closest to you at that point and head straight there! It will save you a fortune on transport, guided tours, and wasted money on tourist traps.
For your next stop, head to Piazza Navona - another picturesque square you have to see! Enjoy the architecture, fountains and sculptures, and maybe grab a coffee or gelato. We recommend walking a couple of streets out of the main squares for any refreshments, as it will save you a lot of money, for only a short distance out of your way.
Just a couple of streets away is The Pantheon. This is a key attraction in Rome, famous for its concrete domed ceiling. It’s a must see and tickets are only €5, available on the door or online. Make sure to buy direct, and not through any third party sites, as you can often get scammed or tourist trapped into paying more than you need to.
Head to the area of Trastevere when you are ready for a couple of drinks and / or some food. It’s the best neighbourhood in Rome for hospitality, known by locals and tourists for high quality food (and a lack of tourist traps). For a sit-down meal, Roma Sparita is a great, authentic restaurant in the area, where you can try typical Roman Cacio E Pepe!! Or head to a takeaway spot like Suppli Roma for some much more affordable options.
You can’t miss Bar San Calisto for a very affordable beer in a great atmosphere. They have beers for €2, and glasses of prosecco for €3! It’s definitely the cheapest and liveliest bar we’ve found in Rome, bustling with tourists, students and locals.
For a complete guide to bars and restaurants in Rome (which will save you a fortune on overpriced meals and drinks, or guided tours), have a read of our Rome Travel Toolkit. It also comes with a fully planned three day itinerary and a map of all the points of interest, and tried and tested bars and restaurants across the city, so you can find the closest one to you at any time!
Day two of your budget travel itinerary in Rome:
On day two, you get to visit a brand new country! The Vatican is the smallest country in the world - its area is only just over 100 acres. But, despite this, there’s a lot to be explored.
The main sight in The Vatican is St Peter’s Basilica. It’s free to enter, unless you want to go up into the dome, in which case there will be a charge of €8.
We recommend getting there pretty early to avoid having to wait in long queues. There’s a security check when you enter so don’t attempt to take very large bags or large umbrellas.
There are some rules for entry (which will apply to most of the churches in Rome).
Men can wear trousers and shirts
Women can wear long skirts or dresses
Knees and shoulders must be covered
Men must take off their hats before entering the Church
There's a full list of rules, customs and advice about Rome, as well as our bar and restaurant guide, attractions list, and local language cheat sheet, in our digital Rome Travel Toolkit.
The Sistine Chapel is another key attraction in the Vatican City. Tickets for this get booked quite far in advance so it’s best to plan ahead. You can get entrance to the Sistine Chapel included in a ticket to the Vatican Museums or the Vatican Gardens, but not on its own. If you book direct, the tickets are €20 per person (but with a steep €5 per person pre-sale fee added on too). It's definitely not the most budget-friendly attraction!
Nearby, you’ll find a highly rated sandwich bar - Bono Bottega Nostrana. It has a huge range of affordable, traditional Italian sandwiches and paninis - the perfect place for a snack! Or, if you don’t mind a walk or metro back into Rome’s city centre, head to our favourite quick bite spot in the city - Mangia Calabrese. It's an incredible deli with paninis, cheese and meat boards, and even freshly made pasta.
You can’t visit Rome without seeing its most famous sight of all - The Colosseum! Jump on a bus or metro from the Vatican City and head to the "Colosseo" stop.
For the colosseum, you can book tickets to enter online, and get a combination ticket which also includes entry to the Roman Forum & Palatine Hill, an archaeological site which truly makes you feel like you’ve been transported back to ancient Rome. The link to book tickets directly is here. Again, make sure you book directly through this website, as if not, you may be overcharged for fake “skip-the-line” or “VIP” tickets.
If this isn't enough to keep you busy, we have over 40 pages of advice and guidance including a full list of all the best free sightseeing spots in Rome in our Rome Travel Toolkit.
For your evening meal, head to one of the Pastaciutta restaurants (there are several in Rome city centre, so choose the one that is closest to you). They offer freshly made, delicious pasta meals to eat in or take away from only €6!!
Our money saving tips for Rome are pretty simple: Book through direct and trusted links only, enjoy quick bites in quieter neighbourhoods over restaurants close to major landmarks, and do plenty of research.
Planning ahead for a short city break to Rome is key. Of course, if you want to save hours of time on research, you could just download our Rome Travel Toolkit: your full digital guide to Rome full of advice about avoiding tourist traps, and including al the direct ticket links to book your attractions through, so you don't get scammed. Plus our full points of interest, food and drink and local language guides!
Either way, that sums up our budget travel, two-day itinerary for Rome, we truly hope it helps you out on your trip and allows you to save some money towards your next adventure!
You can find great budget-friendly accomodation for your 2 day trip to Rome on booking.com or Hostelworld!
Search for availability to suit your group size, dates and budget below:
Make sure to check out our Rome Travel Toolkit for the best advice and guidance about the city at your fingertips!
