How to buy tickets to Rome top attractions: official booking sites, reliable ticket sellers and booking resources to help you secure your visit to Rome’s most famous sites.
Many of Rome’s most famous attractions have ticketed entrance and securing tickets in advance of your visit is paramount to getting a spot and avoid long hours queuing.
In the past, it was possible to get to Rome with no plans and enter sites at leisure: some where even free!
Nowadays, however, the number of tourists in Rome is so high (red here how to escape crowds) that some planning is needed, or disappointment is almost guaranteed. This may come in the form of a long line or worse: standing in line for hours to the get to the ticket window to discover tickets for the day have run out.
Thankfully, the web has made it possible to secure tickets before you trip, often at a very reasonable price. I am from Rome and I love sightseeing in my own town, so I am in the perfect position to know and share the best ways to do so!
On this page, I share links and info you need to secure tickets to Rome’s top attractions.
These recources include:
Links to the OFFICIAL attraction sites, so you can buy direct from the source and avoid intermediary fees
Links to third party, reliable ticket sellers – they tend to cost a little more than going direct but they often have tickets after the official site has run out (thanks to special agreements with the site administration) and / or offer a more streamlined booking experience, thanks to easy to use website.
Reliable tour providers that include entrance fees. Good to know! Some tours of the Vatican include the option of entering the basilica from the museum, an opportunity only available to some tour guides. This is an excellent opportunity if you want avoid the security line at the basilica, since you’ll have already cleared security when entering the museum. Not all tours allow this (see below)
I hope you find this list useful!
Need to know! All Rome top attractions now have skip the line tickets by default – you do not need to pay more for the privilege! To make access to the attraction more manageable, tickets are now timed, which means you book for a specific entrance time and go straight to the entrance gate, skipping the ticket office which is where the line is. The only lines you still encounter are 1) at the ticket office if you do not buy ahead 2) security lines – these cannot be skipped.
Please note: this post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase through them, I might make a small commission.
What Rome attractions do you need tickets for
In terms of popularity, Rome’s top attractions are: Colosseum, Sistine Chapel, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Borghese Gallery, Roman Forum, Pantheon.
Among these, at present the most famous attractions that require a ticket are:
- The Colosseum (includes Roman Forum and Palatine Hill)
- The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel (one ticket: the chapel is inside the museums and entrance cannot be purchased separately.
- St Peter’s Dome
- Pantheon
- Borghese Gallery
At present, no tickets are required for Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and any of Rome’s main piazzas. Also, you do not need a ticket to visit St Peter’s Basilica nor to enter St Peter’s Square.
Rome ticket providers: attractions sites vs third parties
The most budget friendly way to secure tickets to Rome top attractions is to buy tickets from the attraction itself aka from their official site.
This approach allows you to go straight to the source, eliminates intermediary fees and it means you know once the ticket is in your hand you have a spot.
I am a fan of buying ticket this way, but it is not always a completely stress free thing to do.
First of all, you often can only buy tickets very close to the time if your visit.
The Colosseum for instance only releases tickets 30 days ahead and, for some areas, 7 days ahead – which I know is a recipe for great stress for all of us who love to have a plan! If you need a longer planning time, then a reliable tour operator (see below) is the way to go.
The other issue is that often the website are not easy to use.
Since the are all different from one another, there is an element of a learning curve as the design is not necessarily straightforward. In this sense, it is often convenient to rely on third party platforms you’re already familiar with, such as GetYourGuide or Tiqets – this is also handy if you are booking many attractions in other destinations, as it means you can have all your confirmations in one app.
Last but not least, official sites tend to offer ticket with little or no flexibility, while third parties cost a little more but often allow for some changes and cancellations.
In light of all this, there is no best way when it comes to buying direct vs via a third party, so I recommend you consider carefully what solution may work best for you, in terms of budget and ease.
List of the official attraction sites
Colosseum
Colosseum official site (includes Roman Forum and Palatine Hill): ticketing.colosseo.it
General entrance tickets come out for sale from 30 days ahead, there are discount for kids and specific categories + the option of buying tickets to restricted access areas such as the underground and the attic (top tier). The site is not the easiest to use but I can help!
Find here >>> my guide to buying Colosseum tickets from the official website. The site offers tickets and guides tours aimed at the general public (no special tours for kids or special interest tours available from this source).
Need to know: The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are part of the same archaeologic park as the Colosseum ‘Parco Colosseo’ and entrance to the Forum is included in your Colosseum ticket. At present, there is no option of buying access to the Forum/ Palatine only.
Vatican Museum / Sistine Chapel
Vatican Museums Official Site https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html
The official Vatican Museum website sells entrance tickets to the Museums / Sistine chapel and the option to book tours aimed at the general public(no special tours for kids or special interest tours available from this source).
Due to the increase demands brought by the Jubilee year, the museums are now releasing tickets on an ongoing basis, up to the day of your visit.
Need to know! There is no website to purchase tickets to climb the dome direct. Tickets for the dome climb are only available on the spot or as part as guides tours (see below)
Borghese Gallery
The official site of the Borghese Gallery is https://galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it/en/ The Gallery limits the number of visitors in the museum at any given time and has implemented a strict and efficient times entrance ticketing system to allow for a pleasant visit.
Tickets are sold on the official website via a platform called TicketOne/Tosc and come in the form of entrance tickets or guided tours aimed at a general audience.
Rome Pantheon
Rome’s Pantheon joined the list of tickets attractions in 2023 and its official ticketing site is this: https://portale.museiitaliani.it/b2c/buyTicketless/33f77159-0acd-40c4-8524-701f33aae108
The websites has gone through several iterations in terms of design and it is now reasonably straightforward to use; however, this is a step by step guide to guide you through the process.
Other reliable ticket providers
Other reliable ticket providers for Rome are:
Tiqets
Tiqets – Click here for Website Discount Code you can use (5%): MAMALOVESITALY Tiqets is a ticketing platform I use extensively in Rome and abroad. They are a third party and therefore has prices thet are higher than going direct, but it comes with some advantages:
1. it is a very easy to use app, with very clear an intuitive interface
2. It offers in app discounts for subsequent purchases, so if you buy one attractions, you may save on others
3. It covers destinations well beyond Rome, so if you are traveling around Europe for instance or even locally when back home, you can use one app for everything!
Tickets to Rome attractions are at the following links:
Colosseum Roman Forum and Palatine Hill reserved entry
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Entry Ticket
Borghese Gallery Entrance tickets
GetYourGuide
GetYourGuide – click here for Website GetYourGuide is, despite the name, a booking platforms for entrance tickets, as well as guided tours and a good one for Rome attractions. I use it regularly because it has:
- An intuitive, easy to use app
- Great cancellation options on many (not all) tickets and tours
- They have many destinations, so you can keep all your bookings in one place.
Good tickets to get are:
Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
Borghese Gallery entrance tickets
Getting tickets from reliable tour operator (as part of a guided tour)
Last but not least, you can secure entrance tickets to Rome’s top attractions by joining a guided tour which includes entrance fee.
Excellent tours I recommend are:
Colosseum Tour Group Tour via The Tour Guy – general audience, perfect for all visitors who want to get an understanding of the Colosseum. No history or art knowledge required
Semi Private Colosseum Tour by LivTours – small group tour for up to 6 people only, suitable to general audience, perfect for all visitors who want to get an understanding of the Colosseum. No history or art knowledge required
Private Tour of the Colosseum by LivTours – private tour you can customise to your needs and interests
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel Group Tour – general audience, perfect for all visitors who want to get an understanding of the Colosseum. No history or art knowledge required. With special direct entrance to the Basilica. Or also this one, with dome climb.
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel small group tour by LivTours (morning) – small group tour for up to 6 people only, suitable to general audience, perfect for all visitors who want to get an understanding of the Museums and their extensive collection. No history or art knowledge required. If you prefer an evening time, then this other one is the one for you.
Express (short) Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel small group tour by LivTours – small group tour for up to 6 people only, suitable to general audience, perfect for all visitors who want to get an understanding of the Museums’ most significant pieces. No history or art knowledge required
Express early morning Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel private tour – private tour you can customise to your needs and interests
Best Tours of Rome’s main attractions for kids
I am a mama of two and this website is all about visiting Rome with kids so of course I have special attention and recommendations about tours for kids!
The best of the best ones are:
Colosseum:
- Colosseum Tour for kids by @MariaclaudiaTours https://mariaclaudiatours.com Tell her Marta from MamaLovesRome sent you!
- Colosseum Tour for kids by LivTours
Vatican:
- Colosseum Tour for kids by @MariaclaudiaTours https://mariaclaudiatours.com Tell her Marta from MamaLovesRome sent you!
- Family Tour of the Vatican by LivTours (Private)
Safe travels!
Rome attraction tickets: pin this!
