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Advance tickets to museums & churches + advice

We are traveling to Italy in September & will be visiting Pisa, Tuscany, Cinque Terra & Rome. What entrance tickets should we buy in advance so we don't have to fight the crowds? What do you recommend that we should not miss. It's our first time to all these towns. We've been to Florence so we won't be going there.

Here is our itinerary:
Flying into Pisa from JFK. Just stopping at the Leaning Tower & the sites right there then renting a car for the drive around Tuscany. Staying in San Gimignano for 2 nights then staying at the HGVC at Borgo Alle Vigne for 3 nights. So we have 5 nights in Tuscany. Then driving to Cinque Terre & staying in Vernazza for 2 nights & dropping off the car. We are then taking the train to Civitavecchia where we are boarding a ship for 10 days around the Greek Islands/Naples/Turkey. Once we get off the ship we are taking the train to Rome for 3 nights & flying home from there.

Also, what are some favorite towns we need to visit while in Tuscany?

Posted by
7280 posts

For Rome, definitely get Roma Passes (there's a 24 hour version and a 36-hour version). It provides free entry to your first two sights and discounts on your remaining sights (although none at the Vatican), and a dedicated entry gate at the Colosseum, plus it includes your bus/tram/metro transportation during that time. We walked into a Tabacchi store in Rome and bought them there.

For the Borghese Gallery, definitely reserve ahead (by phone or online), and arrive 30 minutes early to claim your entry tickets.

Posted by
33 posts

Another source for the city tourist passes is on the website www.italia.it. On that site you can buy passes for Rome, Milan, Venice and others. My question is: should I buy the city passes in advance or just buy them once we get to Rome, Milan, etc? Am I correct to assume that the "clock doesn't start" on these passes until they are validated at the first tourist site or on the first public transport?

Posted by
7280 posts

kentfast-at least for our Roma Passes 2 years ago, there was a magnetic strip on the back of the paper card, which must've recorded our first entry date/time, Free Sight #1, Free Sight #2, etc. Inserting the card into the Metro turnstile opened the gates, and the card was spit back to be recollected before proceeding to the subway train. Do not lose or misplace that Roma Pass while it's valid!

Posted by
11613 posts

Nancichris, there are so many towns to see in Tuscany. My favorites are Siena, Arezzo, Anghiari, Monteriggione, Pienza, Montalcino, Volterra.

You may want to get the Galleria Borghese and Vatican Museum tickets in advance. RomaPass can be purchased at the station when you arrive.

Posted by
20 posts

Thanks for all the advice. You have helped me so much~! This trip is going to be Epic~!

Posted by
15679 posts

Another comment on Tuscany? Are you planning to spend any time in Florence? If so, you should definitely pre-purchase tickets to its two most-visited museums (Uffizi and Accademia). And are you planning on just looking at the tower in Pisa or wishing to climb it? If the latter, you must pre-purchase tickets as the amount of visitors allowed to do that every day is limited:

http://www.opapisa.it/en/plan-your-visit/ticket-office.html

Pre-reservations to the Borghese in Rome are mandatory. The process for doing this varies depending on if you're using the Roma Pass (must be done by phone) or not (can be done online).

I usually recommend reserving your time slot at the Vatican Museums as well but those are really the only two which are a 'must', IMHO. Do be aware that the Roma Pass does not cover the Vatican Museums.

The ticket line at the Colosseum is very long so get around that by either pre-purchasing tickets (can be used on any day, any time) or buying them at the Forum or Palatine: one ticket covers all three. Of course if you're using the pass, you don't need to do either.

Posted by
4152 posts

Kent, there is no reason to buy the romapass before getting to Rome. There are no discounts for early purchase and you must still pick it up in Rome when you get there. I would suggest buying it at the first place you come to that sells it. Be sure to do the math to determine if the pass will be of benefit to you or not.

Donna