Hello! New to the board. We are leaving for a two week trip to Italy and visiting Rome and Florence among other spots. I am looking at buying the Roma Pass and the Firenze Cards. What I like to know is do I buy them for my kids or do they get in at a discount. If they get in at a discount, do I loose the ability to skip the lines by having wait and buy their discounted tickets. Do they sell these cards for tens and children?
Thanks
The romapass won't be of value for anyone under 18. They will get into state run sites for free with proof of age (carry passports as proof). The only site covered by the pass that will have a long line will be the colosseum. There is a special line for romapass holders. Just show your pass to the guard at the gate. He will direct you to the counter where you can pick up the free tickets that you need for the kids. At other sites, just go to the ticket booth to get the free/discounted tickets for you and the kids.
Donna
If your children are under age 18 they don't need the passes for Italian state museums. Some other attractions covered by the passes may require a small fee for children; have their passports along for proof of age. No, you do not lose your skip-the-line privileges but everyone, pass or not, has to go through security check queues and that one has been reported to be lengthy during busy times at the Colosseum.
"Free" does not apply to all public transit benefits provided with the Roma pass, though. Children under 10 travel public transit for free in Rome but you would need to purchase tickets for older children. Florence is small so you don't need to buy the Firenze card with the additional transport option. Neither Roma or Firenze pass covers you for transit to/from airports.
The Roma pass does not cover the Vatican, and you have to make reservations for your children (as well as yourself) at the Borghese even if they are young enough to be admitted for free.
Thank you all for your advice.n will save us some money! Been reading the guide and the input here is very helpful. I bought the tickets for the Vatican online and will be calling the Borghese in the morning to reserve our tickets.
I am hoping the sites will accept a copy of the passports rather than the actual documents so we can leave those back in the apartment and not take them around with us.
Thanks
You are required by law to carry your passports with you. With the heightened security in Italy it makes no sense to take a chance of not having your official government issued I.D. with you. Just carry them in a secure bag or in a money belt. Ask yourself, if you were stopped by the police and asked for I.D. in your home town would they accept a copy of your drivers license? For museums and galleries you can use your drivers license as I.D. but a passport must be carried.
Donna
Thank you, makes sense. Will carry them in my money belt.
