I am going to buy a Roma pass and will definitely use one of my free vists for the Colosseum, but am trying to figure out which site to use for the second one. I had been planning on using it for the Borghese museum (8.50 euro regular price) but it looks like Castel Sant'Angelo has more than doubled its price, so I'm wondering if I should chose the castle for my second free site. In guide books it's listed as 5 euro, but on the pierreci.it website, it says 10 euro. Has anybody been this year and if so, how much did you pay? I'm a budget traveller and want to maximize the pass.

Another question regarding the Roma pass: it says that the colosseum and Palatine Hill are counted as one visit. Do you have to do anything special to be sure you aren't marked as two visits for these sites? I don't want to show up at my second free site and have them say, sorry, you've already gotten in free to two sites.

I was there a couple weeks ago. I don't remember the exact price, but I really don't think it was 10 euros. I think it was somewhere around 4-6 Euros? That might have been with the Roma Pass discount. I just checked my ticket and for some odd reason, it is marked as 0,00 euros.

For your second question, I went to the Borghese one day. Then the second day, I went to the Colosseum and right after the Colosseum, I went to Palatine Hill/Roman Forum. Didn't have to do anything special and was able to walk right in after my pass was scanned.

Keith and I were just there a few weeks ago, too.

I am almost positive a ticket was 10 euros because I remember thinking how exensive that was considering that some of the rooms of the castle were closed because they were setting up for an exhibit.

The view from the top terrace is probably the best in Rome.

Thin

Thanks, I'll plan on it being 10.

According to the price list (2009 prices)on the Roma Pass website it is 5€. With the pass you would pay 2.50€. The most economical use of the pass is for the Colosseum/Palantine/Forum 9€ (often 11€ because of extra exhibition fee) and the Borghese 8.50€ (which includes a 2€ supplement).
http://www.romapass.it/doc/sitiAdere...lietti_eng.pdf

I think Pierreci has their booking fee built in to their ticket prices.

If you are traveling after the first of the year, there might be price increases for both entrances and the Roma Pass (it increased 3€ last time).

kybourbon, but the price for the colosseum/forum is priced the same on your roma pass link and the pierreci site, so I'm thinking something else it up. I'll be going next month.

We were in Rome last week. Right now, the Coloseum / Palatine Hill / Forum price is 12 Euros; the original 9E plus a mandatory 3E for a show being held in the Forum. You just keep your ticket, and show it both at your first location, then at your second. You can make the two visits over a consecutive 2-day period.

We ended up not having time to go to Castel Sant'Angelo, but if you're there when the current show is still there, and you like art, definitely consider it. I can't remember what the show is, but it includes Raphael's "The Mute," which is usually at the Palazzo Urbino in Urbino. I'm guessing the usual price for Castel Sant'Angelo has been increased for this show.

I'm really glad I got such a cheap airfare because Rome will definitely trump all other European cities I've ever visited as far as prices for museums, monuments, booking fees, etc. I know it will be worth it, but it still hurts!

The Castel's website says 5€ unless there is a special event.
http://www.castelsantangelo.com/info.asp

Their website also lists Ticketeria.it as their booking agent, but when you try to book it lists the price as 10€. Perhaps there is an exhibit that tacks on the extra 5€.
http://www.ticketeria.it/castel-sant...formazioni.asp

It was free when I went last year so didn't need to use my Roma Pass that day (Heritage weekend - usually the last weekend in Sept with all state museums free).

Lexma, how was your trip? Was Rome pretty crowded with tourists? Bourbon, I saw that castel website too. This isn't the first museum/attraction in Rome for which I can't find a consistent answer as to price or tour times, etc. I guess it will be a go with the flow kind of trip.

Many sites have special exhibits and they tack on that fee. The exhibits can run for months and add anywhere from 2-5€ on to the price of the ticket. You can e-mail them and ask about the exhibit at [email protected] (that was the official website listed by the Rome Tourist Board).

The trip was great (of course). I've only been to Rome in the late Sept. - early Oct. time frame (including this last trip), so I don't have any other time period to compare it to, but yes, there were many tourists in Rome. But the reason I love Rome is that, to me, the tourists are more absorbed into the real life of the city than in, for example, Florence or Venice.

We had a 9 am reservation at the Vatican Museum on a Saturday morning. Saturday is supposed to be one of the busier days, but at that time of day, it wasn't bad. As we passed the ticket office (which is inside the museum, up several floors from where you pick up pre-purchased tickets), I noticed they weren't selling tickets yet, so it's possible pre-purchased tickets get admitted earlier than those who still need to acquire tickets.

It's quite easy to get out of the tourist main drag and go to restaurants that don't have any or many other people speaking English.

We love sitting at cafes and people-watching, and found that Campo d'Fiori seemed to have fewer tourists than Piazza Navona or the piazza where the Pantheon is located.

Enjoy!

Well, aren't you lucky that I took my Hermes diary to Rome with me!!

I was just checking an appointment and out fell my ticket to Castel Sant'Angelo dated 10 settembre, 2009 and the price was 6.50 euros!!!

Thin

Thin, that's interesting that it was 6.50!! Haven't seen that number referenced in any book or website. I guess it will be a surprise. I'll report back next month what I end up paying! Thanks everybody for the feedback!

Also a head's up. I remember they had a sign posted at the ticket booth requesting that you pay the exact amount because they can sometimes run out of change to hand back to you.

Thanks bouradly.

Yes, that is true about the sign. That is why I thought the ticket was 10 euros. I paid with a tenner and thought the cashier was going to yell at me because I did not have the correct change, but she did give me change back.

The cashier argued with two ladies in front of us. She spoke Italian, of course, so I couldn't understand what she was saying but I got the jist that she was telling the ladies to pay with exact money.

Keith paid for his ticket with the exact amount now that I remember.

Thin

We went to Castel Sant'Angelo on 9/30/09 and we were shocked to find it is 10 E each to get in. In Rick Steves' Rome 2009 he lists the price as 5 E. It is a strenuous walk to the top & there was very little to see inside. There is a great view of the city from the top & a cafe on the floor below.

Thanks for the update bainso.