Totally Rome
Free things to do in Rome
Rome is expensive to sleep in and eat near — but an astonishing amount of it is free.
Free ancient monuments
The exterior of the Colosseum, the Circus Maximus, the Pantheon's piazza (not the interior), the Largo di Torre Argentina ruins viewed from street level, the Pyramid of Cestius, and every fountain in the city — including the Trevi — are all free to stand at, photograph, and absorb.
Free churches
Rome has around 900 churches and nearly all are free to enter. San Luigi dei Francesi has three Caravaggios. Santa Maria sopra Minerva has a Michelangelo. Santa Maria in Trastevere has 12th-century mosaics. San Clemente costs a small fee for the underground, but the main church is free. All of these would be major museums in any other city.
Free museums (first Sunday of the month)
Italian state museums — including the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Borghese Gallery, and all four Museo Nazionale Romano sites — offer free entry on the first Sunday of each month. The trade-off is significant crowds at the Colosseum and Forum; less so at less-famous sites.
Free viewpoints
The Gianicolo, Aventine Hill (Giardino degli Aranci), Piazzale Garibaldi, and the Pincian Hill terrace above Piazza del Popolo are all free. The Vittoriano terrace is free on its lower levels.
