Rome Explorer Pass Review 2024: Is It a Good Value?

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In this Go City: Rome Explorer Pass review, we cover how the pass works, what’s included, how much it costs, and how it can save you money.

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Rome is one of the most iconic and history-rich destinations in the world.

Majestic churches. Ancient ruins. World-renowned museums and monuments. Incredible Italian food. Not to mention, Vatican City.

I firmly believe that everyone should visit Rome at least once.

If Rome is on your travel bucket list, you might be concerned about the expense. True, there are some amazing free things to do in Rome, but many “must see” experiences come with hefty price tags.

If you’re looking to do more for less, sightseeing and attractions passes can be an excellent way to maximize your travel experience without breaking the bank.

Allow me to introduce Go City’s Rome Explorer Pass. It includes sightseeing, guided tours, concerts, and dining – a little bit of everything.

Do I have your attention yet? Let’s take a closer look to see what this pass has to offer!

What Is the Rome Explorer Pass?

The Rome Explorer Pass by Go City grants single entry to over 40 of Rome’s top sites and experiences at a discounted price. You save money on admission, get to skip the lines at select attractions, and enjoy the convenience of a mobile pass.

So, how does it work?

Simply buy the pass online and choose the number of attractions you want to visit. You can choose 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 attractions, depending on your interests and the length of your trip. Even better, you don’t have to choose the exact attractions you want to visit when buying the pass. You can wait to make your final decisions until later.

When you get to Rome and are ready to start soaking up the sights, head to any of the included attractions with your Go City: Rome Explorer Pass in hand (advanced reservations required in some cases). Your pass is activated when the staff scans it for the first time. From there, it’s valid for 60 days, meaning you have about two months to visit all of the attractions you paid for.

Attractions on the Rome Explorer Pass

Of course, you can’t decide if Go City’s Rome Explorer Pass is a good fit you until you know what kind of options you’re looking at. Here’s a sample of the tours and experiences included on the pass, along with their regular adult admission prices:

• Colosseum, Palatine Hill, & Roman Forum (Audio Tour & Hosted Entry Included) – €38
• Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel (Reserved Entry) – €37
• Papal Audience – €35
• Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour – €33
• Pantheon Guided Tour – €25
• Rome Catacombs Tour – €42
• Julius Caesar and Roman Emperors Tour – €30
• Italian Cooking Class – €56
• The Three Tenors in Concert with Ballet (St. Paul’s Church) – €35
• HiBike and Circo Massimo Experience (3 hrs.) – €42
• Wine Tasting by Colosseum – €30
• …and more!!!
• Full list of attractions included here

*Prices current as of April 21, 2023

Editor’s Note: Please note that some attractions may require reservations. Additionally, some attractions may be unavailable, have limited hours, or have limited capacity at this time.

Go City: Rome Explorer Pass Pricing

Now for the next critical piece of information: the price. You can’t judge the value you’ll get from Go City’s Rome Explorer Pass until you know how much it costs. Here are the adult and child prices for each option, again in U.S. dollars.

Passes	Adult (ages 16+)	Child (ages 5-15)
2 Choices	€69	€44
3 Choices	€89	€59
4 Choices	€109	€69
5 Choices	€129	€79
6 Choices	€149	€94
7 Choices	€169	€104
*Prices current as of April 21, 2023

Now for the fun part – it’s time to crunch some numbers!

Let’s say you buy the 5-choice pass (the most popular option). You should buy it on sale if you can, but let’s pretend you pay full price: €129. How easy will it be to get your money’s worth?

Let’s start with one of the more expensive attractions on the pass – the Catacombs tour. That comes in at €42, which means that to save money, you have to choose 4 other attractions whose value adds up to just €77. Challenge accepted!

The Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill Tour is an obvious choice. Its regular admission is €38, which is on par with premium attraction pricing. Now you’re about halfway to the €77.

Throw in the Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel, Hop-on Hop-off bus tour, and a Three Tenors show, and you’ve got a total of €185 worth of activities. Remember, the pass costs only €129, so you’d save €56 with this itinerary, which is about 30%. You can save even more by choosing the most expensive options.

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Reasons to Get the Go Rome Explorer Pass

Save Money

As I demonstrated above, it’s easy to save money with Go City’s Rome Explorer Pass. My example itinerary includes a realistic variety and results in €56 of savings per adult.

If you wanted to max out the value of the pass, you could choose your attractions based on regular price and only go with the most expensive. Grab the pass on sale and really notch up your savings.

Save Time at Rome’s Busiest Sites

Saving money is king but saving time is valuable too – especially when you’re traveling. Some of the best places to visit in Rome are super busy, and the Rome Explorer Pass by Go City lets you skip the line and enjoy fast-track entry for the following must-see sites:

• Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum
• Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
• Capitolini Museum
• Castel Sant’Angelo
• …and more

If you’re thinking a ticket line isn’t a big deal, think again. We’re talking about sites that draw thousands of tourists from all over the world each day. The lines are long. As in, you could be waiting for hours long. I don’t know about you, but I can think of better ways to spend my time, especially when I’m on vacation.

Tours, Tours, Tours

Speaking of tours, the Go City: Rome Explorer Pass includes several. You’ve got tours of the Pantheon, Rome Catacombs, the Jewish Ghetto and more!

Needless to say, if you enjoy the guided tour experience, you’ll appreciate the selection on the Rome Explorer Pass.

Food, Drinks, and Shows

It’s important to acknowledge that Go City’s Rome Explorer Pass isn’t all tours. You’ll find some interesting variety in the mix.

There is the wine tasting by the Colosseum and the Spritz and Salad menu by the Vatican. Plus, Go City’s Rome Explorer Pass also includes several shows – like the Three Tenors performance and the “Vivialdi Meets Bach” concert. Travelers looking for a classy night out might gravitate toward these experiences.

Other Benefits of the Rome Explorer Pass

• Mobile Pass – The Go City: Rome Explorer Pass can be printed, but the mobile pass is more convenient. Just download the free Go City app to use your pass on your smartphone. It’s one less thing to carry, and you’re much less likely to lose your phone than a piece of paper.
• Skip the Line Privileges – As we mentioned before, you can skip the line at several of Rome’s busiest tourist sites. This is huge because I’ve personally witnessed lines as long as 4 hours. That will eat up so much of your time that you may not maximize the value of your pass!

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Where the Pass Falls Short

The Go City Rome Explorer Pass offers several guided tours and some fun experiences, but one of the most popular sights actually got cut from the list – the St. Peter’s Basilica and Dome tour. No, you don’t necessarily need a guide to enjoy this massive building, but adding a tour back to the pass could bring back a lot of value.

Although the pass still includes skip the line access to the Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel, the guided tour was eliminated. Honestly, I think it is better to experience these places without a guide. However, for those who really want a guided tour of these sights, adding it back to the pass could be important.

Keep in mind that many of the tours and activities, including the historical sights, require advanced reservations. While this has become very common, it does make the pass a little less flexible.

Who Should Buy the Rome Explorer Pass?

Sightseers Who Like to Take Their Time – Go City’s Rome Explorer Pass is valid for 60 days, meaning there’s no rush. Sometimes with all-inclusive passes, travelers feel pressured to visit as many attractions as they can. Those who find that exhausting will appreciate the more relaxed pace you can set with this pass.

Travelers Who Love Guided Tours – This pass includes several guided tours at some of Rome’s most popular sites. A good tour guide can enrich your experience by bringing the history of a place to life. If you enjoy that style of sightseeing, you’ll get value from the Go City: Rome Explorer Pass.

Visitors Who Want a Nice Night (or Several) Out – The Rome Explorer Pass by Go City isn’t just sightseeing. It includes concerts, dining, and cocktails. Travelers who enjoy a nice evening out will appreciate the opportunity to save with the pass.

Who Should Skip the Pass?

Power Sightseers – Rome is a sightseer’s dream, with myriad museums, churches, and ancient ruins. While the Rome Explorer Pass includes entry to some of them, you get access to a maximum of seven attractions. For someone who’s set on seeing as much of Rome as they can, that won’t be enough. You may want to try the Rome & Vatican Pass instead.

Getting the Most from the Your Pass

• Buy It on Sale – These passes go on sale pretty regularly. If you know you’re considering the pass, start watching for sales a few months in advance.
• Be Mindful of Reservation Requirements – As I mentioned before, many of the tours and activities on Go City’s Rome Explorer Pass require advanced reservations. In the case of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum, you need to book well in advance. These sites are massively popular and waiting until the last minute could mean you won’t get a time slot during your trip. Some planning is definitely required. It’s best not to schedule these tours for your first day in town, just in case your flights are delayed.
• Choose the More Expensive Attractions – You’ll get the most value from the pass by choosing the more expensive options, obviously. Most of the attractions have regular admission prices of more than €25, so it isn’t hard to save money. Still, make sure you throw in some pricier options to get the most value.

How to Buy the Go City Rome Explorer Pass

You can buy the Go City: Rome Explorer Pass here.

Once your purchase is complete, you’ll receive your pass digitally via email. You can print it at home if you prefer a hard copy, or you can download the free Go City app to keep it on your smartphone. I prefer the digital option because I enjoy the convenience of having everything I can on my phone. It’s just less to carry and helps me feel more organized – but you do you!

The Go City: Rome Explorer Pass is backed by a 90-day risk-free guarantee. That means if you buy the pass but change your mind before you activate it, you can get a full refund within 90 days of purchase. If you don’t change your mind, you have a two years to activate your pass; after that, it expires.

Rome Explorer Pass Review: Is It Worth It?

The Rome Explorer Pass by Go City is best for someone who wants to do a little of everything: some key sightseeing, a classy evening at the opera, and maybe some dining or nightlife experiences.

When it comes to solid savings, Go City’s Rome Explorer pass delivers. It’s pretty easy to save money, as long as you’re smart about choosing your attractions.

Including the major sites, like the Colosseum/Roman Forum and the Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel, in your selections usually means you’ll get your money’s worth. So, in terms of dollars and cents, the pass is worth it.

I hope this review clarified how the pass works and helped you decide if it’s the right fit for you. If you decide to buy it for your trip to Rome, let us know what you think!

Have you been to Rome? Tell us your favorite attraction in the comments!

Save Money in Rome – Wanna save big bucks on world-class attractions in Rome? Go City’s Rome Explorer Pass provides access to premium attractions, fast-track entry, and can save you money regular admission prices! Get your Rome Explorer Pass here.