Colosseum
€18–24 combo (with Forum & Palatine)
≈ $20–26 USD
2–3 hoursGoogle Maps
Tickets are timed and sell out days ahead ~ book only on the official site (colosseo.it); resellers charge double. The combo covers the Forum next door.
Rome splits neatly into two budgets: the Colosseum and Vatican eat most of your ticket money, while the Pantheon, Trevi, and half the city's masterpieces cost a few euros or nothing at all. Book the big two online, always.
Bring $55–75
This covers the Colosseum combo, Vatican Museums, and Pantheon ~ add €10–15 if you climb St. Peter's dome.
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
€20–25 (+€5 online booking)
≈ $22–33 USD
3–4 hoursGoogle Maps
The €5 online booking fee is the best money you'll spend in Rome ~ walk-up queues run 2+ hours. Free on the last Sunday monthly, but the crowds are brutal.
St. Peter's Basilica
Free · dome climb €10–15
1–2 hoursGoogle Maps
Entry is free but the security line is real ~ go at 7 am opening. The dome climb (551 steps, or elevator partway) is the best view in Rome.
Pantheon
€5
≈ $5.50 USD
30–60 minGoogle Maps
2,000 years old and still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. The €5 ticket (introduced 2023) keeps queues short ~ Raphael is buried inside.
Trevi Fountain
Free (bring a coin)
15–30 minGoogle Maps
One coin over your left shoulder means you'll return to Rome. Visit before 7 am or after 11 pm ~ midday it's shoulder-to-shoulder selfie sticks.
Roman Forum & Palatine Hill
Included in Colosseum combo
Included USD
2–3 hoursGoogle Maps
The same ticket as the Colosseum ~ don't skip it. Enter via Palatine Hill (Via di San Gregorio) where the queue is a fraction of the Forum gate.
Prices are approximate (as of 2026), based on our visits and official rates, and can change with seasons and exchange rates. Always double-check official websites before you go.
Photos are free-license images from Wikimedia Commons ~ tap the credit on any photo for its author and license.