Which tickets for Rome sights?

The Vatican isn't covered by the Roma card anyway, since it's a separate country.

The Roma card probably makes sense, since it will get you into 2 museums, plus it covers public transportation (buses and metro). I believe the colosseum and forum/palatine hill are considered as one entrance. Then you could use it for something else as well, such as the borghese gallery (be sure to call and get a reservation in advance), or the capitoline museum, or several others. And I believe any place after the 2 free entrances you get in with a discount.

Thanks, Angela.

The Capitoline museum is one of the other attractions we plan on visiting and since those tickets are already 10 EUR, may as well get the pass since in the worst case scenario it'll be a wash + we'll get free transportation.

One other question -- how long should we plan to spend at the Capitoline museum (on average)?

I believe the Capitoline is 12 Euros- closed on Monday - so be sure you check schedules. RS book recommends allowing 2 hours there- although you can certainly spend more or less depending on your interests.

Vatican is closed on Sun- but I imagine if your TA booked you there it must not be on Sun!

I've never gotten out of the Capitoline Museum area in less than 2 hours - the museum itself, the piazza, the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, plus the view of the "back" of the Forum, i would allow three hours for this area. The museum only, over two hours unless you know what you want to see and go straight to those pieces. It's a great museum to just wander in.

The Roma Pass doesn't cover the Vatican or the churches in Rome, these are overseen by the Catholic Church. An exception would be a church that functions only as a museum.

Thank you for all the helpful replies.

Does it make sense to do both the Colosseum / Forum area and Capitolini museum on a Sunday? Or is that too much to pack in one day since we won't be out of the hotel before ~11AM?

Reason for asking is Monday is our Vatican day and Tuesday is actually a day trip to Naples before leaving for Florence on Wednesday morning. So we actually have only 2 days in Rome.

It should be easy enough, since they are all very close to one another. The colosseum is on one side of the forum, and capitoline museum is on the other.

Since the Vatican isn't part of the Roma Pass you won't need to worry about paying twice. The Roma Pass is a great option but if you are only planning to see the Colosseum, Forum and Palentine Hill there is a combo ticket (12 Euros) that covers all three. If you are planning to visit those and more sites then the Roma Pass pays for itself pretty quickly. It also lets you skip many lines at some sites so even that addition can make it worth getting. You can find more tricks on how to use the Roma Pass in both Rick's Rome and Italy guidebooks along with all the sites covered by the pass.

We have two unused (unactivated) Roma Passes from 2012, due to a miscommunication with friends. I would be happy to send them to you, or someone else, to try to use. We won't ever use them. The website says they're good until activated unless the price or services changes. These were 30 euros each and the current price is 36 euros. They may not work....but they may. :-) Someone want to give them a try? Let me know.

We are very happy to try out your unused Euro passes.We are a family of 4 coming from Australia- and to be honest this trip is costing our life savings .Any help would be amazing

Thanks

Michelle

The passes probably won't work because of the price change. They also may not work because they now use a different system so it will probably be a waste of time to send them.

If you're traveling with kids under 18 they will enter state run sites for free. They will also get a discount at the Vatican museums.

Donna

A note about visiting these attractions on a Sunday? As of July 1, 2014 all Italian state museums will observe a free day on the first Sunday of every month. This would include the Forum, Palatine and Colosseum but curiously, Musei Capitolini doesn't seem to appear on the list of state museums in Rome. Odd, that.

Anyway, if your trip just happens to fall on a first Sunday, the Roma pass allows you to skip the waiting line but expect these attractions to be mobbed. Reference this previous thread:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/colosseum-free-sunday-skip-the-line

If your Sunday is during another week of the month, and decide against the Roma pass, you may also preorder skip the line tickets for Colosseum/Palatine/Forum here:

http://www.coopculture.it/en/colosseo-e-shop.cfm

A ticket does indeed cover all three attractions, and yes, you can fit them all plus the Capitoline museums into one day: we've done so. Just be in line first thing in the morning!

If you use your romapass on free Sunday it still counts as a free entry off the pass and you'll only have one remaining. I contacted the romapass people specifically about this and that's what they said. You can use the pass and bypass the lines but the entry still counts on the card. If you're fine with losing a free entry then you should do it but I would suggest not wasting it when the crowds are going to be crazy anyway.

Here is what the official email said:

*the first Sunday of each month is free admission to state museums (and
therefore also to the Colosseum).
If you want to enter by skiping the line having dedicated access to the
dedicated card holders, you must use the Roma Pass "consuming" an entry. No
problem.
Best regards.*

In other words, you can bypass the long lines on free Sunday using the romapass but it will cost you a free entry on the card, so it won't* be free.

Donna