I'll be spending 3 days and 3 nights in Rome and plan to follow Rick Steves' 3 day itinerary from "Best of Italy" or a 3 day itinerary from redsitaly or Tripadvisor. I think they all seem pretty similar any ways.
I will be living in the Colosseum area for those 3 nights.
Is the 72 hour Roma pass the most cost efficient for me? I don't really understand how the "discounts" work.
Concerning the discounts, you have to check the individual museum/attraction websites for "concessions" or "reduced" ticketing. For instance, Musei Capitolini? The "Concessions and Free Admissions" page of their websites states:
"Concessionary fares (for which will be issued a concessionary ticket), are available for....
...Roma Pass holders, when visiting the third museums and/or archaeological sites onwards."
A "reduced" ticket - which I take to be "concession" price - looks to be just 2 euro less than a regularly priced ticket.
http://en.museicapitolini.org/informazioni_pratiche/biglietti_e_videoguide
It can take some digging around, it's not always spelled out clearly, and that's a personal annoyance about the Roma Pass website. We've not used the pass as the transport piece wasn't a big enough benefit for us.
Just to clarify. The discounts are not just for museums, but also for other attractions such as Colosseum, Sistine Chapel, Pantheon, Roman Forum (though some of these may be free)?
I doubt that the Sistine Chapel is included, it is run by a different administrative agency. There are at least three different agencies that run the sights in Roma: the Roman Catholic Church through Citta Vaticano; the State Museums and sights (Repubblica Italiana); and the city of Roma (Comune di Roma).
The discounts are not just for museums, but also for other attractions
such as Colosseum, Sistine Chapel, Pantheon, Roman Forum (though some
of these may be free)?
Yes, more than museums but that's why I said "You have to check the individual museum/attraction websites" in my previous post. The things that the Roma pass covers are listed on its website along with links to those museums/attractions own websites. But the pass doesn't cover anything at the Vatican, such as its museums or the Sistine Chapel, which is IN the museums. The Pantheon is still free as are most churches in Rome; it was consecrated as a Christian church in the early 7th century.
The Colosseum, Forum and Palatine are not free and count as a single attraction when using the pass or a ticket. At least one museum - the superb Galleria Borghese - requires a reservation even when using the pass. If you intend to use your pass for that one, you must make an advance reservation by phone: details are on both the Roma Pass and Borghese websites.
Let someone correct me, but as I understand it. the Roma Pass also give you unlimited use of the transit system (bus, tram & Metro) as well....some $$$ there!
It does, Karen, but as I mentioned in my first post, that wasn't a big benefit for us as we walked almost everywhere and enjoyed seeing Rome that way. It also doesn't apply to transport to/from the airports.
It's up to personal preference? If you intend to use public transport quite a bit, then it can be worth the investment.
Kathy. I don't think I will use public transportation often. I will live a 10min walk from ancient Rome. Does the Roma pass cover public transportation from ancient Rome area to Vatican? If so, then that would be one instance where I would use public transportation.
Is the pass not worth it if not using public transport?
I will live a 10min walk from ancient Rome
There isn't a firm definition of "ancient Rome" unless it's maybe inside the old Aurelian Walls so it would help to know more exactly where you're staying ? It's not unusual for us to walk 10-15 miles a day so it also depends on how much walking you're able to do?
I can walk however much, but if it comes to the point where it's taking too much time, then I would prefer something faster since I'm on a limited time visit.
I'm about 1.5km North of the Colosseum.
If it's a time issue then maybe you'd use transport more often than we've needed to. In some instances, you can cover ground on foot quicker than on buses which may be slowed by heavy traffic.
