We will be arriving in Rome on Friday, May 8th, for 5 nights, at the end of our 3 week trip in Italy. I have booked the Walks of Italy VIP tour of the Colosseum for Saturday afternoon, and the Pristine Sistine for Monday morning. I went to book tickets to the Borghese gallery for Sunday morning today, and they asked if I'd be using the Roma Pass. I put off booking to figure it out. We definitely want to see the major sights and have several covered, but don't feel compelled to see everything on this-our first trip. We want some time to wander or relax, as we see fit. We are staying near the Plaza Navona, which I think is a good location for walking to many sights. I think that many museums are closed on Mondays, also. Would we be shortsighted to not get at least the 2 day pass for Sunday and Monday (no plans for Tuesday yet so maybe the 3 day pass,) or should we just pay-as-we-go for what strikes our fancy? Thanks.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
If you buy the pass, will you feel obligated to use it even though you might rather do something (or nothing) else? The Colosseum is covered by your tour, what do you plan to see on the pass besides the Galleria Borghese? The bus/metro part is convenient but will you use it often enough?
It sounds like you may not get enough out of the pass, unless you visit several other museums.
Posted by
Green Bay, WI, UAS
43 posts
I have been to Italy 5 times with Rome included in 4 of those trips. There is much to see and do there. Your hotel location is great. The Piaza Navona is a wonderful place for dinner in the evening and people watching. I have often used it as a meeting place for friends. I think it would be wise to skip the Roma Pass. If there is something you especially want to see, then just go. You can book a tour there if you wish. I find it refreshing to wander in an art gallery without a guide, though, and view the paintings myself. I once fell asleep in the Museum of Modern Art and took a very long nap! (I hope I didn't snore!) Be sure to visit the Pantheon. It is one of those places that will leave you speechless. The Trevi Fountain is packed all the time, but it is such fun to wander, come around a corner and stumble across a wonderful site! Using the local busses is an adventure. Just wear your money belt, and only keep a few coins in your pocket. I am going to Italy again next month, but am leaving Rome immediately upon arrival and not returning until early May for about 5 days. Have a great trip!!!
Posted by
17 posts
But don't you want the ROMA pass to avoid the lines to buy tickets at the sites? per RS book?
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
greatrefund, va from va can buy tickets online and avoid lines at the sights by showing the voucher at the short line for people with advance tickets.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
The main sites that have lines are the three that you are already reserving. And the pass only fully covers the first two sites you use it for (might be Borghese and one other), giving discounts on the rest. I would not get the Roma Pass for this plan.
Posted by
OP
Alexandria, VA
771 posts
Thank you all for your replies. I'm leaning to not get it--my natural inclination would then be to "get every penny out of it," and I'm not sure we'd want to be that rushed at the end of our trip. I do intend to make a list of included museums that would be open on a Monday, and see if there would be some must-sees for us, and their cost, but I suspect we could just pay as we visit and save.
Posted by
693 posts
Trevi fountain is not that exciting at the moment. Under a pile of scaffolding.
Posted by
Toledo, Ohio, US
11613 posts
Re: Trevi fountain: on the other hand, you can get closer to the facade via catwalk than is possible when the fountain is working. You can look at skylinewebcams.com to see how the work is going.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
15810 posts
I do intend to make a list of included museums that would be open on a Monday, and see if there would be some must-sees for us, and their cost, but I suspect we could just pay as we visit and save.
Here's another idea? I don't know what sorts of museums you're looking for but if it's art, many of the churches in Rome contain priceless works which can be seen for free- although I usually recommend a small contribution to the alms box for the privilege. The architecture can be impressive as well. A few to recommend:
Santa Maria in Maggiore - the Borghese/Paolina Chapel alone is worth the peek: glorious church!
Santa Maria Del Popolo: a Raphael-designed chapel, Caravaggio paintings, Bernini sculptures, Pinturicchio frescoes
Santa Maria della Vittoria: Bernini's St. Theresa
Sant'Andrea Delle Fratte - Bernini angels originally carved for the Ponte (bridge) Sant'Angelo: walk that bridge on the way to-or-from the Vatican to see the others.
San Pietro in Vincoli: Michelangelo's Moses
Gesù: one heck of a ceiling!
Pantheon - a must-do
Too many more to list… :O)
The ruins of Portico d' Ottavia/Teatro Marcello and Area Sacra-Largo Argentina (where Julius Caesar was assassinated) are interesting, have signs in English to tell you what you're looking at, and are free. The garden of the Baths of Diocletian (Terme di Diocleziano) at the National Roman Museum is full of antiquities - sculptures, sarcophagi, monuments, etc. - which may be browsed for free as well.
So my point is that you don't have to pay for a pass to see all SORTS of treasures in Rome, and the strolls between them are just as fun. I will mention that the Capitoline Museums are now going to be open on Mondays as of the end of this month, as well as Markets of Trajan-Museo dei Fori Imperiali and Museo dell'Ara Pacis.