I'm very confused if we need to buy entrace fees to all the sights if we see most everyhting with a tour guide. Also, we will be in Rome for about one week, maybe going to Ostia Antica and Hadrian's Villa for a day trip. Should we buy the Roma Pass, the Archeologia Pass? I guess I will try to contact the individual tour companies. THanks, CAthy
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
7570 posts
Well, it all depends what you mean by a guide. If you arrange a tour with a formal guide type agency for a set fee, then usually, but not always, entrance fees are included. If you are just making arrangements with a personal guide (one on one so to speak) then entrance fees most likely will not be included, and you may need to pay for the guide. If you are planning on picking up a guide hawking their services at the site, then you pay the entrance fee. The Roma pass is probably worth the cost if you are hitting several sights in the two days or so it is valid, but plan on having to pay for some sights if you are hitting 4 or 5. As always, when dealing with tour companies, get the details of what you are getting (entrance fees, a meal?, transportation, extra compensation (tip) or expenses for the guide expected, etc.)
Posted by
Seattle, WA
1317 posts
Cathy, I'm curious--did you consider signing up for Rick's 7-day tour of Rome? It hits the key sites, with a guide, including Ostia Antica, and solves a lot of the transportation logistics, etc. for you. I think your other post said you were going in January, so it's probably too late to change plans, but I was just wondering if the idea had crossed your mind.
For the two cards, it depends on which sites you want to see and which are not covered by the tours you sign up to take.
We used the Roma Pass for free admission to the Colosseum/Palentine/Forum (one ticket) and the Borghese Gallery. We also made extensive use of the transportation pass, as our hotel was only a couple of blocks from a metro station.
Paul's advice is spot on. Figure out which tours you are taking first, and what they cover. Then you will know how many more entrance fees you need to cover and whether or not it makes sense to purchase a Roma Pass or other card.
Posted by
OP
fraser, colorado, usa
7 posts
Thanks Paul and Liz, I would love to take Rick Steves' tour of Rome, but unfortunately our dates are locked in for early to mid January becuase my daughter has to get back to college. THanks for the info. CAThy
Posted by
OP
fraser, colorado, usa
7 posts
Thanks Paul and Liz, I would love to take Rick Steves' tour of Rome, but unfortunately our dates are locked in for early to mid January becuase my daughter has to get back to college. THanks for the info. CAThy
Posted by
Renton, WA, USA
39 posts
Liz mentions something we really used--the transportation part of the Roma pass. We only used metro, but I think it covered buses (best double-check my poor memory before depending on it).
Had we had a couple extra days in Rome we probably would have picked up the Archeologia Pass as well.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
1317 posts
It does cover the buses. It does not cover trains, such as the one from the airport.
When you purchase the Roma Pass, you write your name and birthdate on the back of the transportation pass and validate it the first time you use it (metro or bus). It prints on the ticket how long it is good for--11:59pm of the third day from the day it is validated, not purchased.
You then insert it in the gateways each time you ride the metro to open the gates. For the bus, unless it is the first trip, no need to put it in the validation machine again. You may get checked by the transportation police--they were checking everyone coming out of the metro at Termini one day that we were there.