Things to Do in Rome Cost Calculator
Open the Menu

24 guides, prices checked 25 October 2026

The best things to do in Rome

The Colosseum and Roman Forum, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. Here is what to book ahead and what is free, with honest advice on long lines at the big sights, whether a tour is worth the price and getting your money back if plans change.

See the best things to do
The Colosseum in Rome at sunset, seen from the old stone paving in front of it
Short answer

The best things to do in Rome are the Colosseum and Roman Forum, the Vatican Museums and the Pantheon. Book the Colosseum ahead: tickets go on sale 30 days before your visit. St. Peter's Basilica is free, and the Trevi Fountain basin costs €2.

Our top 10

Top 10 things to do in Rome

The big sights first, then two day trips. Each comes with the official price and, where it helps, the tour or ticket we would book.

  1. The Colosseum in Rome under a blue sky with white clouds

    The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

    One 24-hour ticket covers all three for €18 on the official site. Tickets go on sale 30 days ahead, with a set time for the Colosseum.

    Our pick: Colosseum, Forum and Palatine guided tour, from €49 per person

  2. The spiral staircase of the Vatican Museums seen from above

    The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

    A ticket costs €20 at the door or €25 booked online. The museums close on Sundays, except the last Sunday of the month.

    Our pick: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and Basilica tour, from €64 per person

  3. The dome of St. Peter's Basilica against a pink and grey evening sky

    St. Peter's Basilica

    Entry to the church is free. The dome costs €17 by the stairs or €22 with the lift.

    Our pick: St. Peter's, dome climb and papal tombs tour, from €17 per person

  4. The columns and inscription on the front porch of the Pantheon in Rome

    The Pantheon

    A ticket costs €7, and under-18s go free. You go in by order of arrival.

    Our pick: Pantheon ticket with audio guide app, from €7 per person

  5. The Trevi Fountain in Rome with its statues and pale blue water

    The Trevi Fountain

    Since February 2026, the area by the basin costs €2 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Buy at fontanaditrevi.roma.it or at the entrance, by card only.

    No tour needed: buy the ticket on the official site or at the entrance.

  6. The Borghese Gallery building in its park in Rome

    The Borghese Gallery

    Every ticket must be booked ahead, even the free ones. The gallery is closed on Mondays.

    Our pick: Borghese Gallery guided tour, from €95 per person

  7. Castel Sant'Angelo and its bridge over the Tiber at sunset

    Castel Sant'Angelo

    A ticket costs €18, and under-18s go free. The castle is closed on Mondays.

    Our pick: Castel Sant'Angelo ticket with audio guide, from €18 per person

  8. The old Appian Way, a stone road lined with grass and pine trees

    The catacombs on the Appian Way

    You can only go in with a guide. San Sebastiano and Domitilla each cost €10 at the door.

    Our pick: Capuchin Crypt and catacombs tour, from €49 per person

  9. The long pools and gardens of Villa d'Este in Tivoli

    A day trip to Tivoli

    Villa d'Este and its fountain gardens cost €15. Trains leave from Termini or Tiburtina.

    Our pick: Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa day tour, from €65 per person

  10. Columns of the forum in Pompeii with Mount Vesuvius behind them

    A day trip to Pompeii

    The fast train to Naples takes a little over an hour. A Pompeii Express ticket costs €20.

    Our pick: Pompeii, Amalfi Coast and Positano day trip, from €109 per person

Our 8 picks for the big sights

Guided tours and tickets for the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Pantheon. All are on GetYourGuide, and each card says what you get.

Every Rome guide

Each guide compares the tours and tickets for one sight, activity or day trip, with official prices first.

Colosseum, Vatican & ancient Rome

Sights, tours & food

Day trips & planning

Rome tours and tickets compared

Rome tours and tickets compared
Tour or ticketFromDurationFree cancellationWho it suitsWhy we picked it
Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill guided tour 4.8 (93,507)€49
per person		2 h 30 minYesA first visit, with the story toldThe best rated of our picks: 4.8 from 93,507 reviews.
Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and Basilica tour 4.7 (19,204)€64
per person		2–4 hoursYesArt lovers who want the storyA guide and headsets, rated 4.7 from 19,204 reviews.
Colosseum arena floor, Forum and Palatine tour 4.5 (29,538)€39
per person		2.5–3 hoursYesVisitors who want the arena floorThe cheapest guided Colosseum tour in our picks, from €39.
Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's tour 4.3 (86,404)€59
per person		2–3 hoursYesVisitors who want to pick their group sizeThree group sizes, rated 4.3 from 86,404 reviews.
Forum and Palatine entry with optional Colosseum 4.2 (31,726)€33
per person		1–3 hoursYesGoing at your own paceAn app instead of a guide, from €33.
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel fast-track ticket 4.4 (18,760)€49
per person		2.5–3 hoursYesVisitors happy to go aloneFast-track entry with free cancellation, rated 4.4 from 18,760 reviews.
Pantheon ticket with self-guided audio tour 4.5 (595)€7
per person		Not statedYesA quick stop between other sightsThe same €7 as the official ticket, with an audio guide added.
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel entrance ticket 4.5 (159,306)€33
per person		2–5 hoursNo, non-refundableBudget visitors with fixed datesThe cheapest Vatican ticket in our picks, rated 4.5 from 159,306 reviews.
  • Small groups: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's tour (small-group option for up to 10 people); Forum and Palatine entry with optional Colosseum (up to 10 people).
  • None of the 8 includes hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point.
  • Private option: Colosseum arena floor, Forum and Palatine tour.
  • Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.

Must-see sights in Rome and what they cost

Most must-see sights in Rome cost €7 to €25 on their official sites, and St. Peter's Basilica is free. A tour costs more because it adds a guide, a host or a set time.

The table puts the official price next to our lowest tour or ticket price.

Official prices and our picks (read on 25 October 2026)
SightOfficial priceWhere to buyOur pick
Colosseum, Forum and Palatine€18 (24-hour ticket)ticketing.colosseo.itfrom €49 with a guide
Vatican Museums€20 at the door, €25 onlinetickets.museivaticani.vafrom €33, non-refundable
Pantheon€7Museiitaliani portal or app, or on sitefrom €7 with an audio guide
Castel Sant'Angelo€18See cultura.gov.itfrom €18 with an audio guide
St. Peter's BasilicaFree (dome €17 or €22)No ticket for the churchNot needed
Trevi Fountain basin€2fontanaditrevi.roma.it or the entranceNot needed
  • Colosseum: the €49 tour adds a licensed guide and headsets to the €18 ticket.
  • Vatican Museums: the €33 ticket adds an optional audio guide; the €64 tour adds a guide.
  • Pantheon: the €7 ticket costs the same as the official one and adds an audio guide.

Rome attractions that need a ticket or a booking

The Colosseum and the Borghese Gallery need a booking with a set time. Book the Vatican Museums on their own site, too.

  • Colosseum: book on ticketing.colosseo.it. You pick a Colosseum time when you book, and you can't change it later.
  • Borghese Gallery: every ticket must be booked, even the free ones for under-18s. Visits run in 2-hour slots.
  • Vatican Museums: tickets.museivaticani.va is the only official site. Tickets are good only on their day and are not refundable.
  • Pantheon: buy on the Museiitaliani portal or app, or at the desks and machines on site. Entry is by order of arrival.
  • Trevi Fountain: the €2 basin ticket is sold at fontanaditrevi.roma.it or at the entrance, by card only.
  • St. Peter's Basilica: no ticket is needed. Join the security line on the right side of St. Peter's Square.

Things to see in Rome for free

St. Peter's Basilica is always free to enter, and many big sights are free on the first Sunday of the month.

  • St. Peter's Basilica: entry is free; only the dome costs extra.
  • First Sunday of the month: the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Ostia Antica, Villa d'Este in Tivoli and Pompeii are free.
  • Last Sunday of the month: the Vatican Museums are free from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Last entry is 12:30 p.m.
  • The Pantheon during Mass: entry is free for worship at 5 p.m. on Saturdays and at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays and holidays.
  • Under-18s: they go free at the Pantheon and Castel Sant'Angelo.
  • The Trevi Fountain: press reports say you can still see it from the square for free. The €2 fee is only for the basin area.

Popular things to do in Rome beyond the big sights

Beyond the big sights, Rome is good for food tours, cooking classes, night walks and day trips. Each one has its own guide in our list of Rome guides above.

  • Food tours: taste street food, pasta and wine with a local guide, often in Trastevere.
  • Cooking classes: make pasta, pizza or tiramisu, then eat what you made.
  • Golf cart, Vespa and bike tours: see more of the city with less walking.
  • Night walks: see the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain lit up after dark.
  • Hop-on hop-off buses: ride a loop past the big sights with recorded commentary.
  • A photoshoot: your own photographer at the Colosseum or the Trevi Fountain.
  • Day trips: Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Tivoli and Ostia Antica all fit in a day.

What to do in Rome when it rains

When it rains in Rome, go indoors: the Vatican Museums, the Borghese Gallery, the Pantheon and Castel Sant'Angelo.

  • Vatican Museums: open Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Last entry is 6 p.m.
  • Borghese Gallery: open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Book before you go.
  • Pantheon: open daily, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Last entry is 6:30 p.m.
  • Castel Sant'Angelo: open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
  • The catacombs: guided visits below ground. San Sebastiano is closed on Mondays and Domitilla on Tuesdays.

Booking tips for Rome

  1. Book the Colosseum when sales open

    Tickets go on sale 30 days before your visit, and you pick a Colosseum time when you book. That time can't be changed, and the site asks you to arrive 15 minutes early.

  2. Bring ID

    Colosseum tickets carry your name, and you show ID with them at the gates. Tours ask for each person’s full name when you book.

  3. What "skip the line" means

    Listings say "skip-the-ticket-line": you skip the line to buy tickets. Everyone still goes through a security check.

  4. Dress for the Vatican

    No sleeveless or low-cut tops, no shorts above the knee and no hats. The same rules apply in St. Peter's Basilica.

  5. Watch the closing days

    The Vatican Museums close on Sundays, except the last one. The Borghese Gallery and Castel Sant'Angelo close on Mondays.

  6. If your plans change

    Most of our picks offer free cancellation; the table shows which. Official Vatican tickets and our €33 Vatican ticket cannot be refunded.

Questions people ask about Rome

What are the best things to do in Rome?
The best things to do in Rome are the Colosseum with the Roman Forum, the Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica and the Pantheon. Add the Trevi Fountain, the Borghese Gallery and a day trip to Tivoli or Pompeii.

What can you do in Rome when it rains?
Go indoors to the Vatican Museums, the Borghese Gallery, the Pantheon or Castel Sant'Angelo. The catacombs are another dry choice, with a guide. Book the Borghese first: every ticket needs a booking.

What are some fun things to do in Rome?
Try a food tour, a pasta class or a night walk past the lit-up Colosseum and Trevi Fountain. A golf cart, Vespa or bike tour covers more ground with less walking.

Which attractions in Rome need tickets?
The Colosseum, the Vatican Museums, the Pantheon, the Borghese Gallery and Castel Sant'Angelo all charge for entry. The Trevi Fountain basin costs €2. St. Peter's Basilica is free; only its dome needs a ticket.

Where can you buy tickets for Rome attractions?
Buy on the official sites: ticketing.colosseo.it for the Colosseum and tickets.museivaticani.va for the Vatican Museums. The Pantheon sells tickets on the Museiitaliani portal or app and on site. The Trevi basin ticket is sold at fontanaditrevi.roma.it. The Borghese Gallery takes bookings online or by phone. GetYourGuide sells tickets and tours with a guide or a host.

Where should I stay in Rome on a first visit?
Stay in the Centro Storico, near the Pantheon, so you can walk to most sights. Our guide Where to stay in Rome compares six areas.

More things to do in Rome

More things to do in Rome with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.

See every Rome tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.

Browse all on GetYourGuide

Browse all of them on GetYourGuide

Sources (22), facts checked on 25 October 2026

Written by the Things to Do in Rome editorial team.