Squares and fountains: an open-air museum
The great squares of the historic centre are open day and night, with no ticket. Piazza Navona has three fountains, including Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers, facing Borromini's church of Sant'Agnese in Agone. The Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna, Piazza del Popolo and its twin churches, Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio and Campo de' Fiori can all be explored freely.
The Trevi Fountain can still be viewed for free from the square. However, since 2 February 2026, stepping down into the inner area, by the basin, costs €2. Access is controlled on Monday and Friday from 11:30 to 22:00, and on other days from 9:00 to 22:00. After 22:00, entry is free again for everyone. Entry remains free for residents of Rome and its metropolitan area, children under 6, and people with disabilities and their companion.
Churches: Caravaggio, Michelangelo and mosaics without a ticket
Entry to Rome's churches is free, and several hold major works. Respect services and wear clothing that covers shoulders and knees.
- St Peter's Basilica: entry is free, daily from 7:00 to 20:00 according to the basilica's official website. Only the climb to the dome is paid. Details in our St Peter's Basilica page.
- San Luigi dei Francesi: the French national church, a short walk from Piazza Navona, holds three Caravaggio canvases devoted to Saint Matthew in the Contarelli Chapel, including The Calling of Saint Matthew.
- Santa Maria del Popolo: on Piazza del Popolo, the Cerasi Chapel displays two more Caravaggios, The Conversion of Saint Paul and The Crucifixion of Saint Peter.
- San Pietro in Vincoli: Michelangelo's Moses, carved for the tomb of Pope Julius II.
- Santa Maria Maggiore: one of Rome's four major basilicas, with 5th-century mosaics and a coffered ceiling.
The Pantheon: paid, but free on certain days
The Pantheon has charged admission since July 2023. The ticket rose from €5 to €7 on 1 July 2026; it costs €2 for 18 to 25-year-olds and remains free for under-18s and residents of the City of Rome. The monument is open daily from 9:00 to 19:00 (last entry 18:30).
Three ways to get in without paying:
- on the first Sunday of the month, with free tickets collected directly at the ticket desks, without booking, subject to capacity;
- during Saturday Mass at 17:00 and on the eve of holy days;
- during Mass on Sundays and holy days at 10:30.
Mass is a religious service, not a visit: stay until the end and do not walk around during the celebration.
Free museum Sundays
The calendar of free days is the best tool for visiting Rome on a budget. Three schemes run side by side.
First Sunday of the month: state museums and sites
Under the Ministry of Culture's "Domenica al museo" scheme, state sites are free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month. In Rome, this includes the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine, the Pantheon, Palazzo Barberini and the sites of the National Roman Museum, such as Palazzo Massimo.
At the Colosseum, these free tickets cannot be booked: they are collected on the day at the ticket offices, notably in Piazza del Colosseo (the Largo della Salara Vecchia one has been closed for works since February 2026), subject to availability. The arena, the underground, the upper levels and the panoramic lift stay closed on those days, and the Domus Aurea is not included. The Colosseum Archaeological Park is also free on 25 April, 2 June and 4 November.
First Sunday of the month: City of Rome museums
On the same Sunday, the municipal museums are free for everyone, not just Romans: the Capitoline Museums, the Ara Pacis Museum, Trajan's Markets, Centrale Montemartini, the Museum of Rome at Palazzo Braschi, the Villa Torlonia museums, among others. Several of the City's archaeological sites are added: the Circus Maximus, the Largo Argentina sacred area and the Imperial Fora. Entry is free subject to capacity; only groups must book. Residents of Rome and its metropolitan area get into these museums free all year round.
Last Sunday of the month: the Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums, closed on Sundays, open free of charge on the last Sunday of each month, from 9:00 to 14:00 (last entry 12:30), Sistine Chapel included. Exception: when that Sunday falls on Easter, 29 June, or 25, 26 or 31 December, there is no free opening. Expect a long queue: arrive well before opening time.
| Site | Standard price | When it is free |
|---|---|---|
| Squares, fountains, outside Trevi | Free | Always |
| Trevi basin edge | €2 | After 22:00; under 6s |
| St Peter's Basilica | Free | Daily, 7:00-20:00 |
| Churches (Caravaggio, Moses, mosaics) | Free | Outside services |
| Pantheon | €7 (€2 for 18-25s) | 1st Sunday of the month; Saturday 17:00 and Sunday 10:30 Masses; under 18s |
| Colosseum, Forum, Palatine | Paid, booking required | 1st Sunday of the month, 25 April, 2 June, 4 November |
| City of Rome museums | Paid | 1st Sunday of the month, for everyone |
| Vatican Museums | Paid | Last Sunday of the month, 9:00-14:00 |
| Villa Borghese, Pincio, Orange Garden | Free | Always |
| Appian Way, Aqueduct Park | Free | Always |
Prices as observed in October 2026.
Parks and viewpoints
Villa Borghese is the large park in the centre, with free access. Only its museums, including the Galleria Borghese, charge admission. At its western end, the Pincio terrace overlooks Piazza del Popolo and offers one of the finest views of the city's domes, especially at sunset.
On the Aventine, the Orange Garden opens its terrace onto the Tiber and the dome of St Peter's. A few minutes' walk away, on Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta, the keyhole in the gate of the Priory of the Order of Malta frames the dome at the end of a leafy avenue. Looking through the keyhole is free; only the queue counts, shorter early in the morning.
The Appian Way and the Aqueduct Park
The Appia Antica Regional Park, about 4,580 hectares, is open and free to enter. The Appian Way can be explored on foot or by bike among tombs and umbrella pines. On Sundays and public holidays, the road is closed to motor vehicles from 9:00 to 16:00 (18:00 in summer time), the best time to discover it. Getting there: buses 118 and 218 to Porta San Sebastiano, or metro C to Porta Metronia. Some monuments in the park, such as the catacombs, still charge admission.
Further south-east, the Aqueduct Park lines up the arches of the Aqua Claudia and the Aqua Marcia in the middle of a meadow. Free access from Via Lemonia, a 10 to 15-minute walk from the Giulio Agricola and Subaugusta stations on metro A.
The nasoni: free drinking water everywhere
There is no need to buy bottled water. According to Acea, the company that runs Rome's water supply, the city has more than 3,000 drinking water points, including more than 200 "nasoni" in the historic centre: small cast-iron columns with water running constantly. To drink without bending over, block the end of the spout with your finger: water spurts out of the small hole on top. Acea's Acquea app locates the nearest water point. Bring a reusable bottle, especially in summer.
Further reading
To plan the whole trip on a small budget, from accommodation to transport, read our guide Rome on a budget. If you are aiming for a first Sunday of the month, combine the Pantheon and Piazza Navona in the morning, then the Capitoline Museums or the Colosseum in the afternoon. And on a last Sunday of the month, start early with the Vatican Museums before heading to St Peter's Basilica, which is free too.
