TO KNOW
For most museums it is necessary to book and buy tickets online.
Access to churches remains free except for the Pantheon, which you must book in advance
OPENING HOURS AND RESERVATIONS
Opening hours of museums and archaeological sites vary according to the season. It is always advisable to check the website.
Currently, for most museums it is necessary to book your ticket online, specifying the date and time of your visit. We recommend that you book the Borghese Gallery, Vatican Museums, Colosseum and any exhibitions well enough in advance to avoid disappointment.
Churches are usually open to visitors from 9 am to 12:30 pm and 3 pm to 6 pm; keep in mind that they are closed for lunch. The major basilicas are an exception to this rule. Saint Peter, Saint John of Lateran, Saint Paul outside the Walls, Saint Mary Major and Saint Ignatius (though not a patriarchal basilica like the others) are open all day from 9 am to 6 pm.
To access the Pantheon or the Basilica of Santa Maria ad Martyrs in Piazza della Rotonda, the hours are the same as the patriarchal basilicas (mentioned above), however current legislation requires that tickets be booked at least one day in advance for visits on weekends and public holidays. Bookings are free of charge and can be made online at the following site
https://pantheon.eventim-inhouse.de/webshop/webticket/timeslot
Access to churches is always free, however leaving an offering is a welcome gesture.
ACCESSIBILITY
Not all places of culture are easily accessible to people with walking difficulties. Some museums have specially designed routes and in this case you will find an indication on the museum’s website, or accessibility signs around the archaeological site. There are places which, because of their history, present inherent difficulties to those requiring wheelchair access.
DO YOU LIVE IN ROME OR VISIT OFTEN THE CITY?
You must have seen the long lines of tourists – come rain or shine – diligently queuing to enter the Roman Forum and Colosseum.
Did you know that you can buy PARCO – the membership card – and benefit from unlimited entry for 12 months to the PALATINE, ROMAN FORUM and COLOSSEUM?
If you like to run in the morning, you will have the unique privilege of being able to run in the park of the Palace of the Roman Emperors. https://www.coopculture.it/it/prodotti/parco-membership/
Reminder: Holders of a PARCO membership card must always RESERVE access to the COLOSSEUM.
The National Roman Museum’s annual MNR card https://www.coopculture.it/it/prodotti/mnr-card-2021/ will allow you unlimited access to the Palazzo Altemps, Terme di Diocleziano, Palazzo Massimo.
The immense collection of sculptures, mosaics and paintings from the Roman period is so large that it requires four museums, however these are “only” the collections of the Italian State – there are many others.
The famous Boncompagni Ludovisi collection of ancient art is on display in the 16th-century Altemps Palace, beautifully recreating the extraordinary cultural Cénacle of the Renaissance.
In the monumental Diocletian Baths you will find the epigraphic collection, objects and works of art that bear witness to daily life from the founding of Rome – in the 8th century BC – until the end of the Republic in the 1st century BC.
At Palazzo Massimo, a former Jesuit college, works of art from the emperors’ residences are exhibited: paintings, sculptures and mosaics that show the essence of refinement and luxury.
Reminder: it is always mandatory to book the tour. For holders of the MNR card, the reservation is free.
My Appia Card is an annual card that allows you to supplement your walks along the Appian Way with unlimited entry to the Appia Antica Archaeological Park and to the enduring monuments that mark its route: Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, Villa dei Quintili-Santa Maria Nova, Antiquarium of Lucrezia Romana, Capo di Bove Complex, Tombs in Via Latina, and Villa di Sette Bassi.
For more information and to buy My Appia Card https://www.coopculture.it/it/prodotti/la-mia-appia-card/
Roma Pass gives you the option of using public transport and entry to one or two museums. The duration of the Roma Pass can be 48 hours or 72 hours.
Access to museums must always be reserved in advance. If you have chosen to stay in the city center you don’t really need it because you can always go on foot.
For more information and to buy Roma Pass https://www.romapass.it/it/home/
