6 Tips & Tricks You Need to Beat the Lines in Rome

The other day I was in Rome, Italy, for a conference. It is the motherland of adventure tourism, and being in a place of such historical significance seems to always draw crowds of eager sightseers who show up to soak up the sights and admire the ancient buildings.

However, once you start walking around, there are lines everywhere! Lines at attractions that people ask you if you want photos taken in front of. Lines at restaurants where you cannot just walk into without waiting in line. Lines everywhere! There are even outdoor lines, parks, and monuments like the Colosseum or the Forum.

I thought to myself, "This is crazy!" And then I realised that I was not alone. It seems that many people feel a little overwhelmed by the extreme popularity of Rome in recent years and would like to know what it takes to beat the massive crowds.

Below are a few simple tips to help you beat the lines and get the most out of your time in Rome.

1. How to Avoid the Lines

To avoid the lines in Rome, you should try to plan, come earlier in the day, and avoid peak times. For example, if you are visiting Vatican City, you should visit early in the morning (before 10 am). Many of Rome's museums and attractions are open from 9 am-6 pm, so be sure to arrive around opening time (it can vary depending on the attraction, but I've seen 9:30 am recommended for major museums).

For the Colosseum and Forum, early bird visitors see their wait times drop to around 20 minutes. Depending on when you visit, you should be able to get into most monuments by 10:00 am or 11:00 am.

2. How to Get Through the Lines Fast

There are three ways to do this: go early, prepare, and go online.

A. Go Early

I can't stress this enough. If you go early enough, you will have the best chance of beating the lines while avoiding crowds of tourists. This is because, sometimes, people wait in line for a couple of hours to get tickets but then leave once they have their tickets because they don't want to stand in another line for the actual attraction.

If you get there right when it opens, you have a good chance of saving time and avoiding many people. Also, you are not stuck behind the many other people who will inevitably show up after you do.

B. Prepare Beforehand

I know this sounds like common sense, but it is amazing how often I meet people who don't do this. For example, if you miss the bus and have to take a cab, then check your route online beforehand so that you don't miss it. If you don't know how to get somewhere, you risk getting lost and wasting time.

C. Go Online

The most successful way I have discovered when it comes to beating the lines in Rome is to read reviews beforehand on TripAdvisor and go online to see the best times to visit certain attractions. For example, if you want to avoid the Colosseum lines, do not show up at 10:00 am like everyone else; apart from this, you can also book your Colosseum Tour in advance, which will also help you to fast access entry.

Instead, check online to see what time other people recommend coming to avoid the lines and then do that. It is also helpful to check online for things like weather forecasts and see if you have better chances of getting into a monument on a certain day than another.

3. Know Where the Lines Start

I've learned this great insider tip over time and thought I'd share it with you. You may find that some of your favourite attractions have lines leading away from them, and when you get there, you see nothing but a building. However, this does not mean there are no lines. The lines start outside before you even get to the attraction.

For example, at the Colosseum in Rome, the line starts around the corner and down another street before you even reach it. The Vatican City line starts behind some buildings near the Vatican Museums at St. Peter's Square.

If you are wondering where to find the lines, I will encourage you to research online or ask someone. Asking a local can be especially helpful because they know exactly where it is and can help guide you in the right direction. Also, they can point out interesting things happening nearby or things that are not normally on your radar and, therefore, won't be part of your itinerary.

4. Go During Off-Peak Times

This is similar to going early, but it is not just a matter of going when the gates open; instead, you want to avoid peak times. Most monuments will see their lines build up around 11:00 am and then slowly taper off around 2:00 pm or 3:00 pm. If you can visit during these times, then you should be able to avoid most lines.

5. Beat the Lines with a Tour

If you have always wanted to visit Rome but have been put off by the long lines, I highly recommend you take a tour of the sights. This is especially true if your time in Italy is limited and you try to experience as much as possible. The tours will allow you to skip the lines and get right into all the main attractions without wasting time wandering around looking for them on your own.

6. Get a Rome Card

The Rome Card is an incredibly useful tourist card that can help you skip most of the lines in Rome and save you money. The card provides free admission to 70+ attractions and discounts to restaurants, bars, and transportation throughout the city. You can purchase the card here for €39 (~ $49), and it is a great deal!

You can also pay half the price per ticket to any other attraction in the city once you purchase your Rome Card.

These are just a few tips and tricks to beat the lines in Rome. Honestly, I wish there were more practical resources out there because it is difficult to find comprehensive information on this subject. You can also take Colosseum Underground Tour if you want.

I've tried to collect as much useful information as possible in this post, and I sincerely hope you find it useful. As always, please leave your feedback in the comment section below.