VanitaG

Good morning,
Thank you in advance. We will be Rome for 2 days. After this trip we are planning a 10 day stay in each European country twice a year.
1.Is it better to get the ROMA Pass for 48 hours vs the Hop-on-Hop off bus.
2.What are the must-see points in Rome?
3.We will also be in Venice for 2 days.A must see itinerary will be appreciated a lot.
Kind Regards

Traveler_Nick

How are you going to do that? Even if it's just EU countries that's 540 days a year!

If you have two days don't bother with any pass. Even if you had more it's likely not a good value.

No idea in what you're interested in and how much time you really have. Two full days? 48 hours? Or are you arriving at noon and leaving the next day?

With two full days spend one day at/near the Vatican. The other near the Colosseum.

I don't think you really have time to take advantage of the museum. Likely better to wander into one of the various churches while strolling the city.

FTOttawa

In February? Don’t waste your time on a HOHO bus. Walk or take single-ticket bus or metro rides if you must. You will benefit from planning indoor time if the weather is February-like. Days will still be short.

The Galleria Borghese or Palazzo Colonna if you like Renaissance and Baroque paintings and sculpture. The Capitoline Museums or the National Museum (particularly fine mosaics) for classical art. St Peter’s Basilica?

Coffee and people-watching on any attractive square.

Jean

From your other posts, it seems your trip begins in Rome on Saturday... and you still don't have a sightseeing plan for either Rome or Venice. Have you not considered what your priorities are? Or do you just plan to "wing it" after you arrive?

HappyTrvlr

Get a good guide book or two, including Rick Steve’s’ books. Study it to find answers to your questions. Two days for either Rome or Venice is not even the minimum amount of time needed.

janisj

No time for that -- they arrive in Italy TWO days from now. If others are interested/curious here is the OP's other thread 6 days in Italy


You have no time to see or do much -- and the H-o-H-o bus isn't at all recommended. Just visit the few things you can squeeze in. You really won't 'see' Rome in the basically 1.5 days you have.

" After this trip we are planning a 10 day stay in each European country twice a year." I 'think' you mean you plan on taking two ten-day trips each year - each trip to a different country. That would take decades since there are 45 countries in Europe. 🙄

AJPeabody

Rome wasn't built in a day. Rome wasn't toured in two days. Or even 6.

J62

This is what I would do with those 2 days.

For simplicity, you can think of Rome as 3 main tourist areas.

1. The Vatican. With your limited time, don't bother with a tour, or even try to get into the Vatican Museums or Sistine Chapel. Go into St Peter's Basilica. First time visitors will benefit from a guide of somekind. I am sure you can find an audio guide online to download to your phone ahead of time - but I have not idea where that might be.... Go up to the roof of st peters. there may be a small fee for that. I don't recall. If you have time and are interested, visit the crypts. Do some research ahead of time to see if it intrests you. Many find it creepy, others are indifferent for various reasons. I don't rate the crypts as a must do. Spend some time outside in St. Peter's sq, (it's an ellipse, not square shaped...)

2. Historic Center - this includes Piazza Navonna, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon (tickets now required I believe), Campo Di Fiori (in the morning, when the market is open).
Walk between these sites and enjoy la dolce vita, get some gelato, do some window shopping, get some more gelato, dine outdoors in one of the piazze and enjoy people watching and soaking in the atmosphere, get tartufo (a form of gelato), stop again for a glass of wine..... did I mention gelato?

3. Ancient Rome. Colosseum & Forum. I find it interesting to go into both, at least once. If you don't have a guide of some kind (guide book, podcast/audio guide), it might look like a bunch of fallen down old bricks and walls and columns. When you learn more about the age and history, it's a lot easier to imaging the grandeur of the Roman Empire. Colosseum. Do NOT go at night. Useless. Some people find a guided tour helpful. Lines to get in are very long in the summer. I would not expect Feb to be a problem

You can walk from 2 to 3, or take a bus, or take a taxi. 1 is further away. We take a bus, but a taxi might be better for you with limited time. You can also take the metro, but it's somewhat roundabout. THe metro does not go near #2.

I believe what you are saying is that each year you plan to take a 10 day trip to a different European country. And I don't think it's your intent to try to hit each and every country.....Committing time to go back to a different place each year sounds like a lovely plan. You will find out if this trip style is the right style for you, or if more time in one place, not moving from city to city. Let us know how we can help you out on this trip. We don't need to give any more input into your overall plans....

Where is your hotel? If it's close to 1, 2, or 3 then you'll be able to stroll some of those areas earlier or later in the day close to your hotel, or even mid day if you can go back to your room for a rest.. If it's not near any of those, then you need to include time to/from your hotel.

VanitaG

Thank you for your kind reply. I appreciate the input. You have put everything together beautifully. I wrote about the 10-day trip because twice a year to the European countries. (not all of course) since I am aware 2 days is too short a time in any country. I have a clinic to get back too at present we do not have the luxury of taking long trips.
Kind Regards
Vanita

VanitaG

Thank you and Kind regards..

VanitaG

Thank you

VanitaG

The itinerary is planned already. Hence the request.We will be in Venice on the 19th and the 20th and in Rome on 21 and 22nd of February.Thank you for your kind remarks.

janisj

I'm obviously kicking a dead horse here but ^^^ the above means you have 1˝ days in each city. You won't have time to see very much in either place so just kick back and enjoy being there. Forget a list of sites to tick off a list.

Travel_Nerd

Unfortunately 2 threads have offered roughly the same advice and the OP is not listening. At this point, it's their trip and if they want to dash around ticking things off whatever list they have (or lack there of, it seems), it's on them. Hope you have fun, OP.

sassy27

I can do 2 days in Rome easy but I've also been twice spending a week each time. It really depends on your interests and if you need to go into things. I don't and museums bore me so I am now happy to just see outside things that really only take a couple of minutes like Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and the Colosseum (don't need to go in), Mouth of Truth but if there is no line. I am sure if you google Rome in two days you can get some suggested itineraries which you can tailor to what you like.

The Vatican is ok if you just want to walk through but getting in may be difficult depending on the time of day so not something I would do if only 2 days. However, a tip is to go very early right when St Peter's opens up as I was first in line and when I left, the line wrapped around a few times. The same goes for the Vatican Museum but if you book a guided tour, you can get into St Peter's another way. I honestly can't do the whole Colosseum and Roman Forum in a day, it's too much for me. I am sure you will pick and do things that you like with whatever limited time you have. Seeing just a thing or two is better than not seeing anything at all.

StuDudley

""I can do 2 days in Rome easy""

Great - but the OP only has 1 1/2 days. And much of each day will be in darkness. Plus getting to St Marks in Venice from/to the train station or airport will be very time consuming and confusing. Same thing in Rome. And what happens if they miss a flight or train due to weather (or something else) ??

On our first trip to Europe in 1977, I made the naive decisions the OP is heading into. Now we usually stay at a single destination for 2 weeks before we move to the next destination.

Stu Dudley

Jean

"After this trip we are planning a 10 day stay in each European country twice a year."

Italy... Check!

sassy27

I think what is missing here is that some people don’t have a lot of time. When they don’t, should they just throw in the towel or try and see one or two things of interest?

I have been to a lot of places with only 2 nights. I don’t regret them as I got to see a few highlights within that time. Yes during the winter when day light was limited and with a lot of snow as that was when I could afford to go. We all aren’t lucky to have unlimited time and money and why I said it is easy for me. Key word “me” as I also said, I have been a few times. It’s all about one’s expectations and I’ve learned to not worry so much about the what if’s. That is why there are suggested itineraries for 1, 2 or more days to places.

Traveler_Nick

I don't think anybody is suggesting throwing things out but if you only have six days trying to see a whole country means seeing little other than airports and train stations.

StuDudley

Precisely!!!

Feb 21. Stay somewhere near St Marks. Wake up at 7am. Shower, pack up, check out of the hotel. Drag your bags and walk 30-40 or so minutes to the train station (hopefully you purchase your tickets tomorrow) and catch the 10:26 train to Rome. Probably can't catch the 9:26 departure. Arrive in Rome at 2:30. Take a taxi to your hotel near the Pantheon. Arrive at 3:15. Check into your hotel & ready to go at 4PM. You have less than 2 1/2 hours of daylight left in the day. You have spent 10 hours in wasted travel time. You could shorten the travel time by staying close to the train station in Venice and also in Rome. These are not nice areas to spend time in. I bet you'll report back that you didn't like Venice because it is scrufty (it is scrufty near the train station!).

Stu Dudley