Rome is one of Europe’s most popular destinations, and visiting the Eternal City is a bucket list dream for many.
But if you plan to visit Rome at least once in your lifetime, then 2025 is the perfect time to pick.
A unique, once-in-a-quarter-century celebration will take place in Rome in 2025, and the city will be sparkling as a result.
Fountains have been cleaned, palaces refurbished, and 4 papal basilicas, usually closed to the public, will open their doors as Rome prepares to celebrate its Jubilee year.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is The Jubilee Year In Rome?
The Jubilee is the name given to a Catholic holy year, and it takes place in Rome every 25 years. The last Jubilee was in the year 2000.
This is an important celebration for catholic pilgrims who visit the holy sites in Rome and ask for forgiveness for their sins.
But it’s also an incredible time of year to visit Rome as a tourist.
Not only has the city never looked better, but during the Jubilee year the 4 papal basilicas in Rome open their Holy Doors and the public are welcomed in.
The four papal basilicas that you can visit via the Holy Door in 2025 (that you won’t be able to visit again until 2050) are Saint Peter’s Basilica, San Giovanni in Laterano, Santa Mari Maggiore, and San Paolo Fuori le Mura.
You don’t have to be catholic to appreciate the incredible spectacle of the holy city bursting into life and celebration. In fact, this event is so highly anticipated by travelers that Time Out named it the best thing in the world to do next year.
Admission to the main basilicas is free, but you may need tickets for some of their features. For example, it’s free to visit St. Peter’s Basilica, but you’ll need a ticket if you want to visit its dome. A ticket to climb to the top of the dome via the staircase is 17 euros ($18).
If you’re planning to visit Rome during the Jubilee year, then I recommend getting yourself a Pilgrim’s Card.
This is a free digital pass bearing the name of the holder, and you’ll need this to take part in the main Jubilee events as well as to organize a pilgrimage to the Holy Door.
This card is only valid (and only needed) for visits in the Jubilee year.
Visiting Rome In 2025
Of course, because the Jubilee Year is so highly anticipated, Rome is likely to be busier than usual, especially during the high season and during religious holidays like Easter.
Traveling at the beginning of the year (January-March) and in the shoulder season (September-November) will be the best way to beat the queues. I’m visiting at the end of February for this reason.
To avoid disappointment, you should also book your tickets to experience some of Rome’s biggest attractions in advance. Officials are expecting many to completely sell out.
I’ve already booked my tickets to enter the Colosseum. I booked these from the official website, and they were priced at 18 euros (18.77) per person.
Visiting the Vatican City is free (a must-visit attraction during this Jubilee Year). You can enter Vatican City for free and walk around St. Peter’s Square without paying. But if you want to see the Sistine Chapel or visit the Vatican museums, then you’ll need a ticket.
A full entry ticket for the Vatican museums will cost € 20.00 ($20.86).
The Trevi Fountain
If you’ve visited Rome before, then you may even find that you need tickets to visit attractions that were previously free and open to everyone.
The most significant of these is the Trevi Fountain.
The fountain has been closed for the past 2 months so it could be cleaned in anticipation of the Jubilee Year.
Now it’s reopened, the local council is introducing a ticketing system to visit the fountain for the first time in its history.
The monument will be limited to 400 visitors at a time, and you’ll need a ticket to visit.
This is to combat anticipated overcrowding.
Visitors will be required to book online and pay 2 euros ($2.20) to enter during the peak season, but for now, a cordon has been put in place with the fountains administrators managing visitor numbers and creating queues for when visitors exceed 400 people at a time.
↓ Elevate Your Travel↓
Sign Up Now For Travel Off Path Premium! No ads, VIP Content, Personal Travel Concierge, Huge Savings, Daily Deals, Members Forum & More!
✈️Join Our Travel Off Path Community Forum: Where travelers unite, ask questions, share experiences and even find like-minded travel buddies!
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS
Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
0 Comment