Is the Roma Pass worth it for visiting the Borghese Gallery ? 2024 Review

Are you looking for a Roma Pass review ? Do you want to know if the Roma Pass worth it to visit the Borghese Gallery?

If you're planning on visiting to Rome soon, you'll inevitably find yourself asking these questions!

To help you, I've prepared a comprehensive review of the Roma Pass. In addition, you'll also find a comparison with other Rome passes to determine the best choice among the different Rome City Cards.

Is the Rome Pass worth it in 2024 ?

Yes, Roma Pass worth it in 2024.

If the Borghese Gallery is one of the attractions you want to visit whilst in Rome, it’s definitely worth buying a Roma Pass (check last price here). The Gallery is located in the Villa Borghese, so a Roma Pass will make the journey there hassle-free.

But more importantly, a Borghese Gallery Roma Pass could save your money and time at the gallery.

When you buy a Roma pass, you’ll need to decide which one or two attractions you want to visit for free. The Borghese Gallery is the most expensive tourist site out of the six attractions you could visit for free.

A standard Borghese Gallery ticket costs €13 plus a €2 reservation fee. By using a Roma Pass for free entry, you’ll be saving €15 in total.

Roma Pass vs Borghese Gallery discounted tickets

However, the Borghese Gallery offers free and discounted tickets.

Children under 5 completely free of charge, and children under 18 only have to pay €4 reservation fee.

If you or anyone in your party qualifies for these discounted tickets, it’s worth saving your Roma Pass free visit for another attraction (like the Colosseum).

What is Roma Pass ?

Let's continue our Roma Pass review by exploring what the Roma Pass includes.

It combines attraction passes with travel cards.

This Rome City Pass gives you 48 or 72 hours to make the most of Rome.

The 48 hours pass gives you 1 free attraction visit, whilst the 72 hours Roma Pass gives you 2 free attractions.

But even after you’ve used your free visits, you can use your pass to get discounted entry to several other attractions, exhibitions and events.

The Roma Pass can be used to get discounted entry at over 45 attractions (more details on this page), and free entry to 1 or 2 attractions from a list of 6.

But if you want to get the most bang for your buck, we’d recommend using your free visits on the Colosseum and/or the Borghese Gallery.

Both Roma Passes also include a travel card, which makes traveling to different attractions as easy as can be.

You’ll have unlimited use of Rome’s public transport for 48 or 72 hours. Just use your pass to hop on the metro, the local buses or trams.

Roma Pass price 2024

There are 2 Roma Pass prices (check last price here) :

• Roma Pass 48 hours costs €33
• Roma Pass 72 hours cost €53

If you’re spending more than 2 days in Rome, the 72 hours Roma Pass is the better option.

The 3 days Roma Pass only costs €20 more than the 2 days City pass, but you’ll have a whole extra day to enjoy the card’s benefits. And by having an extra free attraction, you’ll get more for your money.

Where to buy Roma Pass?

If you’ve decided the Roma Pass is the city card for you, you’ll be wondering where to buy Roma Pass.

The easiest place to purchase your card is online (like on this official website).

You can buy both 48 hours and 72 hours passes online, which you’ll be able to pick up from any tourist InfoPoint in Rome.

You can also buy Roma Passes in person from any participating museums and tourist sites, and at tourist InfoPoints.

However, we recommend booking in advance online (on this page). This way, you’ll just need to pick up your passes when you arrive in Rome.

Which attractions are included in the Roma Pass?

Here's the list of top attractions included in the Roma Pass :

• Colosseum
• Palatine Hill and Roman Forum
• The Imperial Fora
• Borghese Gallery
• Castel Saint Angelo
• Musei Capitolini
• The Baths of Caracalla
• Museo Dell'Ara Pacis
• National Gallery of Modern Art
• Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica
• Mercati di Traiano
• Parco Archeologico di Ostia Antica
• Accademia Nazionale di San Luca
• Galleria Spada
• Museums of Villa Torlonia
• Museum of Roman Civilization
• Museum of Casal de' Pazzi
• National Museum of Palazzo Venezia
• Balbi Crypt
• Palazzo Altemps
• Palazzo Massimo
• The Baths of Diocletian
• Circo Maximo Experience
• Full list on this page

Why use a city pass to visit Rome?

If you plan on packing your visit to Rome with as many attraction visits as possible, the Roma Pass is going to save you time and money. Think of the Rome city pass as your key to the city.

You’ll be able to skip the line at attractions, rather than wasting the day in a ticket queue. And the time you save can be spent exploring more of Rome, or using discounted entry to other tourist sites.

The Roma Pass will also work out much cheaper than buying individual attraction tickets and travel cards.

However, if you only plan on visiting one or two attractions, and you won’t be using public transport, it may not be worth it. The Roma Pass worth it for those who want to visit as many attractions as possible during a few days in the city.

Do you need a Roma Pass for visiting Villa Borghese ?

The Villa Borghese is one of the most beautiful spots in Rome. The gardens are an oasis of green in the city, and there are several different attractions around the park.

But the Villa is a little out of the way, so you’ll need to use public transport to get there. This is where the Roma Pass comes in.

The Roma Pass gives you free access to all forms of public transport in Rome. You’ll be able to take the bus from the city centre without the hassle of buying a ticket.

Once you’re in the Villa Borghese, you won’t need the Roma Pass unless you plan on visiting the Borghese Gallery. The gardens aren’t ticketed, and are open to the public 24 hours a day.

But if you want to visit the Borghese Gallery, which is one of Rome’s top attractions, you can use your Roma Pass for free or discounted entry.

How to book Borghese Gallery with Roma Pass ?

Even if you have a Roma Pass, you must book a time slot to visit the Borghese Gallery. The Borghese Gallery limits entry to 360 people at once.

Visitors are allowed in for 2 hours at a time, starting from 9 am and typically closing at 7 pm, though hours may extend occasionally.

While you might get in without booking during the off-season, it's best to reserve your spot ahead of time, regardless of the season.

Roma Pass holders can book Borghese Gallery for free either by email (romapass@tosc.it) or phone (+39 06 32810).

How to reserve Colosseum with Roma Pass ?

Since this year, the Colosseum limits daily visitors, affecting even Roma Pass holders.

You must reserve a specific date and time for your Colosseum visit, or you risk being denied entry, especially during peak season.

Can you use the Roma Pass for the Colosseum? Yes, but you must secure your slot online, ideally 2 weeks before your visit.

If you purchase the Roma Pass online before your trip, you'll choose a visit date, guaranteeing your Colosseum entry slot (like on this website).

If you have the paper version of the Roma Pass you will need to book your Colosseum time slot here.

Roma Pass review – Comparison with other Rome City Pass

The Roma Pass is the most affordable Rome city pass, starting from just €33 for 48 hours. If you’re hoping to visit attractions like the Colosseum and the Borghese Gallery, it’s definitely one of the best choices.

It’s a great way to skip the line at top attractions, saving you hours that might otherwise be spent in a ticket queue. And if you use it to visit multiple attractions, and make the most of the Rome travel pass, you’ll save money on sightseeing.

However, if you plan on visiting the Vatican museums, the Roma Pass isn’t the best option. This is because you can’t use the Roma Pass for free or discounted entry to these museums.

If you want to visit the Vatican City attractions as well as the Rome attractions, the Omnia Vatican and Rome Pass might be a better choice (see here in details).

Omnia Vatican and Rome Pass (Omnia Card)

The Omnia Card includes the 72 hours Roma Pass, so it’s not necessarily a case of the Omnia vs the Roma Pass.

Instead, it’s just a question of whether or not the Roma Pass covers everything you want to do in Rome.

The Omnia Vatican & Rome Pass has all the benefits of the Roma Pass. It offers free entry to 2 Roman attractions, discounted entry to other sights, and a 72 hours travel card.

But it also includes free, fast-track entry to the Vatican Museums, St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.

You can also use Rome’s hop-on-hop-off city bus for free.

The fast track entry could save you up to 4 hours at the Vatican attractions and the Colosseum.

That being said the Roma Pass only costs €33 or €53 while the Omnia Pass is significantly more expensive at €149.

Rome Tourist Card

The Rome Tourist Card (check last price here) is a good alternative to the Roma Pass, ranking higher in our reviews due to its recent updates.

This Rome City Card will guarantee availability for your preferred visit time to the Colosseum.

The Rome Tourist Card is also ideal for stays in Rome exceeding 3 days.

This card is 100% digital, allowing for easy scanning at all participating locations without needing a physical card.

Additionally, it offers the option to include Vatican Museums at a cost lower than the Omnia Rome and Vatican Card.

The only drawback is the lack of free public transportation.

How to use the Roma Pass ?

You’ll be able to pick up your Roma Pass 24 hours after you purchased it online, and then you’ll have 8 months to use it. Your 48- or 72-hour period won’t start until you visit your first attraction.

Your first attraction (and second, with the 72-hour pass) will be free, so you should plan to visit the most expensive attractions first. The Borghese Gallery is a good attraction to start with.

Think of the Roma Pass like a contactless card. To use public transport, get free entries to attractions and purchase discounted tickets, you just tap your Roma card on the reader. For example, on buses, you just place your card on the yellow reader.

For some attractions, such as the Borghese Gallery, you’ll still need to reserve a ticket in advance. Even if you’re using your free entry, you may need to reserve an entrance time. To make sure you’re not disappointed, it’s always best to call the attraction and check.

How to make the most of the Roma Pass ?

Here are some tips to help you make the most of your Rome city pass, so you can save time and money during your trip.

See as many attractions as you can

The Roma Pass is only going to be worthwhile if you fill your 48 or 72 hours with attractions.

Fit in your one/two free attraction visits, travel the city using public transport, and make use of the Roma Pass discounts. The more you use your pass, the more value you’ll get for your money.

Use the public transport

Using Rome’s public transport is an adventure in itself, and it’s the perfect way to travel between Rome’s top attractions.

The Roma Pass includes unlimited travel on the city buses, trams and the metro, so why not try out all three?

Using the pass for travel is going to save you money that you might have spent on several different tickets. It’s also a much more affordable way to see Rome than by private taxi.

Check to see what events are on

The Roma Pass also entitles you to discounted event entry, so you might want to see what’s on.

If there’s a certain event you’re interested in, you can plan your visit for those dates. Or if you’ve already booked your trip, you might find it coincides with an exciting exhibition.

Visit expensive attractions first

Your one/two free visits have to be the first attractions you visit, so keep in mind to start with the most expensive attractions.

We’d recommend using one of your free visits for the Borghese Gallery. Out of the six attractions you can visit for free, the Borghese Gallery has the most expensive ticket price. So you’ll save more money with a Borghese Gallery Roma Pass visit!

Plan your visit in advance

Once you arrive in Rome, you’ll be caught up in a whirlwind of excitement. You’ll be keen to get out and sight-see, and you’ll be blow away by your first impression of the city.

The last thing you want to do when you arrive, is stop and plan an itinerary for your trip. So it’s best to do this before you set off for Rome.

This way, you can plan exactly what attractions you want to see. You’ll have time to think about what attractions you want to visit for free. And you can plan bus routes or metro journeys through the city.

So once your Roma Pass has been activated, you’ll already have a plan to make the most of it.

Conclusion on if Roma Pass worth it ?

Bottom line of this Roma Pass review ?

The Roma Pass is still worth it in 2024.

With the Roma Pass, you'll enjoy free visits to attractions, unlimited public transport use, and discounted tickets.

It's your key to Rome, perfect for a 2 or 3-day visit. You just need to choose between the 48 and 72-hour pass.

However, if you're planning to visit Vatican attractions, consider the Omnia Vatican and Rome Pass. This city pass includes the Roma Pass and offers free entry to Vatican sites.

As for purchasing the Roma Pass, you can easily buy it online and pick it up upon arrival in Rome. Then, you'll be set to explore Rome, saving both money and time with the pass!