My friend and I are going to Rome in August and looking into the most cost and time efficient way to see some of the large sites such as the Colosseum and the Vatican. My first question is about the Roma Pass; is it worth getting? It states for 72 hours and 38,50 euros you get 2 museums free, metro/bus/train, and discounted tickets to other museums however the Vatican is not included. With the metro pass itself and the general admission Colosseum tickets we would already be spending around 30 euro however since the pass does not include the Vatican or a tour of the Colosseum is it worth it? I guess my question is, do you recommend getting a tour of the Colosseum or is it ok to just get the general ticket and would the Roma Pass be worth it?
Also, is Palatine Hill part of the Roman Forum? Sorry for the long winded question! Thank you for any input.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16726 posts
Hi Megan -
First off, how long are you going to be in Rome? What time do you arrive and when do you depart? And what do you want to see besides the Colosseum (an entry ticket also includes the Palatine and Forum) and the Vatican? All of this makes a difference where passes versus individual tickets are concerned.
The Palatine and Forum are actually two separate sites BUT they are connected to each other - you pass from one to the other inside the security barriers - so are considered a single attraction, and both must be visited at the same time on a ticket or pass.
There are inexpensive tours of the colosseum which can be booked over the phone and only cost 5 euro. To eliminate a lot of re-typing, I covered some of the inexpensive tour/self-tour options for the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine and Vatican in this thread; scroll down about 3/4 of the way through:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/traveling-to-italy-oct-2016-travel-suggestions
Where are your accommodations located? That may determine how much you'd use public transport (passes don't apply to trains/buses to/from the airports).
Posted by
San Jose, CA
95 posts
We were just there and used the Rick Steves audio guide app for the Colosseum and it was great. And free. Depends if you want to spend the money to be able to interact with a person. The Colosseum ticket also includes the Forum, so it's actually a pretty good deal, especially paired with the RS audio guide!
If you are there on a Friday, DEFINITELY book the Friday night Vatican museum tour (again, we did self-guided with our RS audio guide app and it was awesome.) The museum was practically empty and we walked straight in with our reservations.
I think you could probably just add up the cost of the sights you want to visit and compare it to the cost of the pass. We didn't get it because we had our 2 teens with us and decided to use taxi instead of bus.
Buon Viaggio!
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Most religious sites are not included in the RomaPass, as far as I know.
For a first visit to Roma, it might be worth it, but you have to calculate the individual costs to be sure.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
34294 posts
Remember that the Pass only covers the first two museums that you use the pass with, and then a discount on all the rest of the covered ones during the life of the pass. That means that you want to get the most expensive ones "free", so it dictates the order that you have to see them. It generally pays off (just) if you go to the two biggies, the Galleria Borghese and the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine (joint) first. If you use it first for smaller attractions it is unlikely to pay off.
Having bus travel "tossed in" sounds great, but Rome is a lovely city to walk around in once you are settled in, and you may find that you use the bus (and tram and Metro and trains) much less than you think you will. And daily bus passes, 3 day bus passes, and individual tickets are really quite cheap.
The transportation part of the Roma Pass now starts at the same time as the museums part so as soon as you use it on the first bus or at the first museum the clock starts on both parts. It used to be simpler because the two parts were independent but now it has been "improved" and "modernized".
Posted by
1068 posts
I would recommend the pass. As it relates to the Colosseum, I don't know how much a tour really benefits you. I got the audio guide and overall it was surprisingly kind of a dud. I mean, you've seen it on tv, in pictures, it's pretty ruined. There's not much to point to, and if you read RS guidebook's synopsis then you kind of got it. I dunno, just my humble opinion.
More to the point, the advantage of the pass is as much convenience and time as it is savings. For instance, at the Colosseum there were plenty of people waiting in line to tickets and tours, and I just walked right to the front. It's also comforting to know that you can just hop on a bus, train or tram and not have to worry about stocking up on and then digging through your pockets for tickets. It's an easier decision to take transport vs walking when you don't have that per ride price tag in your head, and as much as I enjoy walking, Rome is a big place. If you're planning on a lot of sightseeing inside those 72hrs, this is a real tool to help you accomplish it all.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16726 posts
It generally pays off (just) if you go to the two biggies, the
Galleria Borghese and the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine (joint) first.
Just to add, if you intend to use the pass for the Borghese, you must still make advance reservations, and those can only be made by phone. From the Roma Pass website:
"For the Borghese Gallery and Palazzo Valentini (Domus Romane), booking is required also for Roma Pass 72 Hours and/or Roma Pass 48 Hours holders. Reservations are not required for any other museums, though it is highly recommended that school or tourist groups make reservations, in order to facilitate entry to museums.
For reservations to the Borghese Gallery and/or Domus Romane/Palazzo Valentini, please call +39 06 32810 (open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm – Saturdays, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm). Bookings can be made directly from the visitor’s home country, even before purchasing the card. Please note: it is not possible to make an online reservation without prepaying the ticket. If you intend to visit the museum / site with your Roma Pass 72 Hours or Roma Pass 48 Hours, you must make your reservation on the phone, by calling +39 0632810.