I will be traveling in Rome

Other may have specific input, but while local crowds may be greater, keep in mind that you are also a bit off season, so the tourist crowds may be fewer. For transportation, you could easily buy a day or three day pass, or what ever works for you, otherwise, the buses and metro are cheap anyway. Also keep in mind that "all" may not mean All. Certainly the national and municipal attractions will be free, but private venues (maybe even the Vatican Museum and Dome) may not, unless they decide to extend the same offer.

I have no experience with cultural week in Rome. We did encounter culture week in the fall in northern Europe. Lines were long and the crowd huge because Europeans are just as interested in bargains as Americans. But the big advantage was the attractions that are only open during cultural week. We saw things that we never would have seen had it been any other time. The different cities would have a brochure of open places, hours, etc. We avoided the big sites and focused on those that were only open at that time of year. Don't know if that would hold true for Rome, but it was a terrific unplanned experience for us.

Not the Vatican Museums or anything else in the Holy See. It is a different country.

My husband and I booked Gray Line day tours to the Colliseum, the Vatican, the Forum, around Rome, etc. We got to skip most of the long lines at the Vatican, etc. The people at the Vatican were unbelievable in August, plus it was so terribly hot then.

Thank you everyone for your help. I already have a tour booked for the Vatican. I think i will just go with transportation pass and deal with the lies @ other venues!!