Rome on a Budget: How Expensive Are the Top Attractions Really?
Visiting Rome can quickly feel like a very expensive endeavour, with endless paid tours and entry fees. And while it is one of the more pricy cities in Europe, you can actually see the top attractions in a budget-friendly way. Here’s how!
When I first visited Rome, it felt like an endless money-grabbing pit. However, the more tour groups I take through the Italian capital, the more I realise that the city can actually be visited on a budget.
From affordable accommodation options to free things to do, Rome has options for any budget.
That being said, you will likely want to see the main attractions like the Colosseum and Vatican, no matter what. Don’t worry, I’ve got you! Here are the absolute most affordable ways to see them all.
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How to get to Rome?
Rome actually has two airports, Fiumicino Airport (often called Leonardo da Vinci Airport and the largest in Italy) and Ciampino Airport which has mostly budget airlines.
Alternatively, you can reach Rome by train (Trenitalia) or bus (Flixbus or Itabus) from either within Italy or many surrounding countries.
Where to stay in Rome?
Rome is pretty big, and knowing where to book your hotel can be tricky. Check out my full guide on the best areas here.
Best accommodation for any budget:
$ The RomeHello
$$ Saint Peter Loft
$$$ Maalot Roma
Must-do activities
How to See Rome’s Top Attractions on a Budget
The Colosseum and Roman Forum
The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are a one-in-all attraction, which is great as you only pay entry once and get to visit all 3. For the Colosseum, you need to book in advance to score tickets on the official website (beware, there are Scam websites that look identical but charge triple).
A simple Colosseum ticket without a tour but access to all three attractions should be 18€! That’s the cheapest way to see the Colosseum.
Aim to book at least 2 weeks in advance, ideally around 4 weeks. With this ticket, you get timed entry to the Colosseum, but can actually visit the Forum within 24 hours of that time, meaning you have more flexibility in your schedule.
While a tour is very interesting, you can get actually get a FREE audio guide from the official app: My Colosseum app.
The Colosseum offers a guided tour too for just 26€, called the Colosseum Educational Tour. It sells out super quick, but is well worth it if you’re into history.
Alternatively, there are countless tour operators who offer longer, more in-depth tours. Some affordable ones are below:
The Vatican and St. Peter’s Cathedral
Visiting the Vatican can seem overwhelming and expensive, and you’ve probably heard about the huge queues. It isn’t nearly as bad as it seems though.
The Vatican grounds and St. Peter’s Basilica are actually free to visit, just expect long queues for the Basilica (during peak season). A little trick is to get the audio guide to the Basilica for 7€, which gives you timed entry and lets you skip the line.
Heads up: When I say skip-the-line for any part of the Vatican, it doesn’t include security. No matter what tour or ticket you have, you can expect to queue there for a bit, but usually nothing dramatic.
The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel cost 20€ (+ 5€ reservation fee), make sure to book well in advance here. This gives you timed entry and hence automatic “skip-the-line”. Be aware that you may have to queue a bit for the Sistine Chapel as they have strict crowd control measures. An early morning ticket is best for this.
So you can technically see the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel AND St. Peter’s Basilica for just 25€ if you’re happy to queue, or 32€ with the Basilica hack.
There are some more affordable tours with experienced guides if you don’t want the hassle of doing it yourself, I’ve linked some below:
The Pantheon
Seeing the Pantheon from outside is completely free and impressive in itself.
To enter, it’s just 5€. The highlights are the massive unreinforced concrete dome, which relies on smart engineering, as well as the Oculus (hole at the top).
It’s 100% worth visiting as it’s the best preserved ancient monument in Rome, dating back to the year 125.
They also have an audio guide ticket for 17€, if you’re interested in the history.
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain used to be completely free up to this year, now it’s 2€ during the day to get close enough to throw your coins. You can still see it from the main area for free though.
They also stop charging from 10pm to 9am. I’d recommend going there in the early morning anyway, as it’s extremely busy otherwise.
Food Tour of Trastevere
A food tour of Trastevere is an amazing activity to do while in Rome, but it can quickly get very expensive. You can actually do it yourself though, with some planning, for much less.
Key things to try would be:
- counter-serve pizza (a Roman street food, expect focaccia texture in pizza form)
- Suppli (fried rice balls in the typical roman pasta flavours, Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe and amatriciana)
- Real Gelato (should be served in covered metal containers)
- Roman Pasta, such as Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe and amatriciana (found at Trattorias like La Trattoria de Gli Amici or Tonnarello)
- Maritozzo (sweet yeast buns filled with cream, found at any bakery)
- Carciofi Alla Giudea (fried artichokes, amazing!)
Some affordable tour operators are available as well (all under 50€):
Can you see Rome in 2 days?
Yes, you can see the main sights of Rome in just 2 or 3 days. I would recommend adding more time if you can to allow for time to wander and explore less touristy neighbourhoods, but the highlights can be done in just 2 days.
Check out my full guide on how to make the most of Rome in 2 days.
How much should you budget for Rome per day?
Here is my realistic price breakdown of a day in Rome on a budget during peak season:
- The minimum for accommodation is around 40€ per night per person, if travelling alone that would be in a dorm shared room. For 2 people, you can find hotels for around 90-100€.
- Food-wise, Rome actually has affordable street food like counter-serve Pizza and suppli. I’d calculate about 30€ per day for food, with a cheap-ish breakfast, street food for lunch and a local restaurant for dinner.
- Activities, as described a bit further down, can actually be affordable or even free. If you want to see the highlights, you will likely still spend at least 20-30€ per day.
- Transport I’d calculate 3€-8€ per day, depending where you stay. Look into 24 hour passes too.
From my personal experience and leading backpacker groups through Rome, you can expect to spend around 100€ per day. There is the possibility to cut down on food with supermarket meals and spend less on activities, but to really see Rome and experience the amazing local foods, that would be your budget.
More on Italy:
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