Italy · On a budget · 2 days · 12 stops
Rome on a budget: 2 days of free highlights
Many of Rome's finest places cost nothing: churches with works by Michelangelo and Caravaggio, squares, fountains and viewing terraces. This plan strings them together so you can walk almost everywhere. You only pay for food – best bought at markets and bakeries.
In short
- Length
- 2 days, 12 stops
- Highlights
- St Peter's Basilica, Santa Maria Maggiore, Piazza Navona, Sant'Ignazio, Trevi Fountain
- Where to stay
- Centro Storico, Monti
- Getting around
- The historic centre is easy to cover on foot.
- Best time to go
- April to June and September to October are the most pleasant.
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Plan created with AI support – please check opening hours, prices and routes before you go. YesTrip editorial team · Updated: .
Day 1
St Peter's, squares and the Pincio
St Peter's Basilica
The basilica is free to enter. Early on, the security queue is short – cover shoulders and knees.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): St Peter's Basilicaabout 25 min on foot
Piazza Navona
The way leads over Ponte Sant'Angelo with Bernini's angels. On the square itself: look at the fountains, skip the table service.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Piazza Navonaabout 5 min on foot
Campo de' Fiori
Fruit from the market, pizza bianca from one of the bakeries on the square and water from the drinking fountain.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Campo de' Fioriabout 10 min on foot
Sant'Ignazio
Free entry, a painted fake dome and a ceiling fresco that looks like an open sky.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Sant'Ignazioabout 5 min on foot
Trevi Fountain
Free to see; the coin is optional. The money from the fountain goes to charity.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Trevi Fountainabout 20 min on foot
Santa Maria del Popolo
Two Caravaggios hang in the chapel to the left of the altar, free to see. Then take the ramp up to the Pincio for sunset.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Santa Maria del Popolo
Day 2
Moses, the Capitol, the Aventine and Trastevere
Santa Maria Maggiore
One of the four major papal basilicas, free to enter. Mosaics from the 5th century glow in the nave.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Santa Maria Maggioreabout 10 min on foot
San Pietro in Vincoli
Michelangelo's Moses, no ticket needed. The chains the church is named after lie beneath the high altar.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): San Pietro in Vincoliabout 15 min on foot
Piazza del Campidoglio
Behind the town hall, the terraces give you a free view over the whole Roman Forum. You pass the Colosseum from outside on the way.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Piazza del Campidoglioabout 15 min on foot
Orange Garden on the Aventine
A free park overlooking the Tiber. Right next door is the Knights of Malta keyhole – often a queue, but free.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Orange Garden on the Aventineabout 15 min on foot
Testaccio Market
The neighbourhood market hall, with stalls for panini and street food. Plenty of Romans eat lunch here too.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Testaccio Marketabout 20 min on foot
Trastevere
Wander the lanes and finish by climbing up to the Janiculum – the sunset view costs nothing.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Trastevere
Good to know
Free water
The nasoni drinking fountains give fresh water all over the city. Carry a bottle instead of buying one at a kiosk.
Day ticket for bus and metro
If you take more than a few rides, get a 24-hour ticket. You can also tap a contactless card at the metro gates.
What is worth paying for
The Colosseum with the Forum and the Vatican Museums charge admission but are worth it. If you can only afford one: the Colosseum.
Coffee at the counter
Standing at the bar, an espresso costs much less than at a table. It is how Romans drink it anyway.
For the best time to go, public transport and where to stay, see the 3-day plan for Rome.
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Rome on a budget: frequently asked questions
What can you see for free in Rome?
St Peter's, almost every church, the squares and fountains, the views from the Capitol and the Aventine, Villa Borghese and many markets. The Pantheon has charged admission since 2023.
Are there free days at the Vatican Museums?
According to the Vatican, entry is free on the last Sunday of the month. It gets very busy – queue early and check the conditions on the official website first.
More plans for Rome
- One dayOne day in Rome – walk from Colosseum to PincioAncient Rome in the morning, a market for lunch, square after square in the afternoon and rooftops at dusk.
- WeekendA weekend in Rome: Vatican, ruins, TrastevereFountains and squares on Friday night, the Vatican and Trastevere on Saturday, ancient Rome on Sunday before you head home.
- 3 days3 days in Rome – a ready-made itineraryAncient Rome, the Vatican and Trastevere, plus fountains, steps and the Galleria Borghese.
- 5 days5 days in Rome with Ostia Antica and TivoliThree city days at an easy pace, plus Ostia Antica by the sea and the gardens of Tivoli.
- With kidsRome with kids: 2 days with zoo and ColosseumA green day with animals and a hands-on museum, an ancient day with gladiators, a stone mouth and fountains.
Plan created with AI support – please check opening hours, prices and routes before you go. Coordinates checked with Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap (Photon). Photo: FeaturedPics, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. More in Sources & licences. YesTrip is a trip planner, not a travel agency – nothing is booked.
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