← Pescara Marathon·2 nights

Rome: Two Nights on Flat Ground

The capital on a flat, walkable core, reached by a long train from an easy sea-level marathon. Two nights is enough for the centre.

Duration2 nights
TransitDirect train from Pescara Centrale to Rome, about 3 hours 20 minutes on the fastest service
DepartsPescara

After the Pescara Marathon: Rome

The Route: Pescara Centrale → Rome Tiburtina or Termini → Rome airport (FCO or CIA) Logistics: About 15 trains a day, with a fastest journey of about 3 hours 20 minutes and many slower. Check which Rome station your train uses. The centre is walkable and mostly flat apart from a few rises. Marathon Month: September Duration: 2 nights

Pescara Centrale ──(train, about 3h20 fastest)──> Rome Tiburtina / Termini
                                                         │
                                  metro, bus or walk to the historic centre

The train from Pescara crosses the Apennines to Rome, and the journey is long enough that the second night is worth the ticket. Sit by a window for the mountain section. Buy the ticket in advance at trenitalia.com, because prices rise closer to the day, and check the time of the last train back.

September in Rome: hot in the middle of the day, with the temperature easing in the evening, and a good month for the long walks the centre invites. The big sites are crowded. Many state museums close on Mondays, but the Colosseum and Forum have normally stayed open on Mondays; check the day before.

Night One: The ancient centre

From Termini, take the metro or a bus to the Colosseum, or walk about 1.5 km. The Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine Hill are on one ticket, and the ground is level on the Forum floor and steep on the Palatine. Book the entry slot ahead and check the current rules and prices at the official site. Walk to the Piazza Venezia and the Capitoline Hill for the view over the Forum.

Where to stay. Look near Termini for the rail connection, or in the area around the Pantheon for walking. Check the rate, the breakfast time and the distance to the station before booking.

Where to eat. Roman dishes include cacio e pepe, carbonara and supplì, fried rice balls. Book a table for the evening.

Day Two: Pantheon, Trevi and Trastevere

The Pantheon, the best-preserved building of ancient Rome, is in a square a short flat walk from the Piazza Navona. Check the entry rules, because a ticket system has been introduced. The Trevi Fountain is a short walk away and very crowded. Cross the Tiber to Trastevere, a quarter of narrow lanes and restaurants, for the evening.

The Vatican Museums are closed on Sundays and some other days, so check before planning them on tired legs, and book a time slot.

Getting back

For Pescara, take the direct train from Rome Tiburtina or Termini and check which station it leaves from. For Rome Fiumicino (FCO), take the airport train from Termini, and for Ciampino (CIA) take a bus; check the services and leave a margin.