Rome Tickets: Where to Buy, What to Pay & How to Skip the Line

Tickets for Rome Attractions:

It could all be so simple: You pick the attractions in Rome you want to see, buy your ticket on-site or online, and enjoy them.

Well, it could be …

So What's the Problem?

In Rome, everything is a bit more complicated than in other cities. Many attractions are so crowded that you end up waiting in the ticket line for hours.

OK, that’s not necessarily a dealbreaker. You can always just buy tickets online.

Sounds simple, but Rome has a few pitfalls there too.

The problem: You can buy tickets online on the official websites of the attractions, but they’re often sold out weeks in advance.

The attractions sell large ticket allotments to third-party vendors, and that’s where things get interesting.

If tickets are gone on the official website but you don’t want to spend forever in line, you’ll have to turn to these vendors.

They offer tickets on various online platforms like Get Your Guide or Tiqets — at prices that are, of course, significantly higher than the official price.

If you want to buy tickets last-minute or you’re visiting Rome during peak season, you’ll have to bite the bullet and pay those higher prices.

This can be really frustrating, because the market is extremely confusing and opaque.

That’s why we wrote this article. We give you a clear overview so you can easily find the best prices — with links to all the official ticket shops and the best deals when official tickets are sold out. That way, your city trip to Rome will be a complete success.

Tickets for the Colosseum

The Colosseum is the most complicated attraction of all, because there are many different ticket options.

Heads up: Two tables follow showing all your ticket options. Don’t worry — we’ll walk you through exactly what to do afterward.

Official Prices and Tickets for the Colosseum

Colosseum Prices and Tickets from Third-Party Providers

Buying Colosseum Tickets: The Best Way to Go About It

When you’re planning your city trip and want to visit the Colosseum, check the official website first to see if tickets are still available. Availability is fairly good outside of peak travel times.

If tickets are already sold out in the official Colosseum ticket shop, you’ll need to turn to third-party deals.

Since there are many providers selling Rome skip-the-line tickets for the Colosseum, prices and offers vary widely.

In the table, we’ve linked to the best deals. We’ve personally booked through all the ticket platforms linked here on multiple occasions and can recommend them in good conscience.

For detailed information on the individual areas and ticket types for the Colosseum, check out our in-depth article on Colosseum tickets.

Ticket Recommendation from Our Italy Expert Rebecca

Book the guided tour with priority entry. Why?

With a Colosseum ticket, you’re visiting the entire Colosseum Archaeological Park — including the excavation sites at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

Especially at the Roman Forum and on the Palatine, you’ll often find yourself standing in front of a pile of rocks that’s nearly impossible to interpret on your own.

A guide, on the other hand, will explain exactly what you’re looking at — and bring the whole place to life.

You’ll also save a ton of time: the tour takes about three hours. On your own, you could easily spend an entire day on the grounds.

Tickets for the Vatican Museums

There’s no admission fee for Vatican City itself — you simply stroll across the border.

But if you want to see anything inside the Vatican, such as the Sistine Chapel, you’ll need a ticket for the Vatican Museums.

Official Prices and Tickets for the Vatican Museums

Vatican Museums Prices and Tickets from Third-Party Providers

Buying Vatican Tickets: The Best Way to Go About It

We recommend checking the official ticket shop first to see if tickets are still available for your travel dates — it’s the most affordable option. Unfortunately, availability is often poor and the shop is fairly hard to navigate.

Through third-party providers, Vatican Museums tickets are also often sold out well in advance. On top of that, prices can be up to four times higher than the official price, depending on availability.

On-site, you can always get tickets at the regular price. However, wait times of more than two hours are not uncommon. That’s why it’s worth buying Vatican Museums tickets well in advance on the official website.

Ticket Recommendation from Our Italy Expert Rebecca

During peak season, make sure to get Vatican Museums tickets on the official website at least two weeks in advance.

Also be sure to book an audio guide for 7 euros. The Vatican Museums house an incredible number of treasures from human history, and the information panels aren’t particularly detailed. You can add an audio guide directly when purchasing your tickets.

Tickets for St. Peter's Basilica

Official Prices and Tickets for St. Peter's Basilica

St. Peter's Basilica Prices and Tickets from Third-Party Providers

Buying St. Peter's Basilica Tickets: The Best Way to Go About It

Visiting St. Peter’s Basilica is free of charge. Only the dome and the Treasury require admission.

The line at St. Peter’s Basilica is always long, and wait times can be around two hours depending on the season.

We recommend arriving as early in the morning as possible. The lines are shorter then, since most tourists are still having breakfast at their hotel in Rome.

Recommendation from Our Italy Expert Rebecca

With a ticket for the dome or a guided tour, you can skip the line at St. Peter’s Basilica. That’s the only way to get in faster.

Tickets for Castel Sant'Angelo

Prices and Tickets

The Best Way to Go About It

Finally, an attraction in Rome without complicated ticket options. There’s only one single ticket for Castel Sant’Angelo.

We recommend booking online. The lines aren’t as long as at the absolute top highlights, but they do exist.

On the official website, ticket availability at the regular price is often good, even last-minute. Alternatively, you can pick up your ticket on Get Your Guide for a slightly higher price.

Tickets for the Pantheon

Prices and Tickets

The Best Way to Go About It

The Pantheon also has just one single ticket. You can always buy tickets on-site, but during peak travel times it gets busy there too.

We recommend buying from the official ticket shop, where admission is only 5 euros and your ticket is sent directly to your email. This lets you skip the line.

Alternatively, there are plenty of ticket offers from third-party providers, which often charge triple the price. If you go with one of these, be aware that you’ll still need to pick up your ticket and can’t walk straight into the Pantheon.

The pick-up locations are sometimes quite far from the Pantheon. In our table, we’ve linked to an offer where you can pick up your ticket right next to the Pantheon.

Tickets for the Galleria Borghese

Prices and Tickets

The Best Way to Go About It

For the Galleria Borghese, ticket availability on the official website varies greatly depending on the time of year. During peak season, things can get tight — only 180 people are allowed inside the museum at a time.

If tickets are no longer available on the official site, you can get them through third-party providers. When you book, you’ll receive a voucher. Right outside the Galleria Borghese, representatives of the vendors will be on hand to exchange your voucher for a regular admission ticket.

Tickets for the Capitoline Museums

Prices and Tickets

The Best Way to Go About It

The Capitoline Museums are one of the most popular museums in Rome, alongside the Galleria Borghese. That’s why it’s worth buying tickets in advance so you don’t have to wait in line.

For the Capitoline Museums, we’d advise against using the official ticket shop.

Unfortunately, the shop is only partially in English — parts of the purchasing process are entirely in Italian. You also have to register first and can’t simply buy a ticket without an account. Very cumbersome.

On Tiqets, the ticket for the Capitoline Museums costs 1 euro more, but it’s money well spent. Your ticket arrives directly by email and you can head straight into the museum.

Is a City Pass Worth It for Rome Instead of Individual Tickets?

If you’ve been researching Rome attraction tickets, you’ve probably already come across the many city pass offers.

With a city pass, you get access to numerous attractions without having to buy individual tickets for each one.

In many cities, this can save you money — but in Rome, the savings are minimal.

Unfortunately, using city passes in Rome isn’t as straightforward as in other cities. For many attractions, you still have to make a separate reservation or pick up your tickets somewhere in advance, even with a city pass.

That’s why we can only give a conditional recommendation for a city pass in Rome. In individual cases, it may be worth it. Check out our detailed city pass comparison for Rome for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions About Buying Tickets in Rome