Is the Rome Go City Explorer Pass Worth It? An Honest Verdict and How to Get the Most Out of It
Is it worth it?
- Worth itYes if Colosseum and Vatican booking stress is the problem you're paying to solve. Rome's named, timed tickets sell out, and Go City's concierge reserves the slots for you.
- Skip itNo as a money-saver on Rome's big two. The €18 Colosseum ticket and the €20-25 Vatican ticket total €38-43 bought on the official sites.
- Skip itNo if you plan to ride the metro and buses. The Roma Pass includes them; this doesn't.
- From €89
- Pick 2-7
- 30 days to use it
What is The Rome Go City Explorer Pass?
Rome's Explorer Pass is a pick-list: buy 2 to 7 choices up front, then take them from Go City's list of 30+ Roman sights and tours over 30 days. The Colosseum and Vatican still need timed slots, and the concierge books them through the app.
In Rome its selling point is booking help: Go City's concierge reserves your Colosseum and Vatican slots, which sell out in busy months.
The seller advertises savings of up to 50% compared with buying each ticket separately. With just the Colosseum and Vatican, buying directly is cheaper; add tours to make it pay.
- Attractions
- Pick 2-7 of 30+
- Price
- From €89
- Time to use
- 30 days
- Transport
- Not included
How to get the most value out of The Rome Go City Explorer Pass
The Colosseum and Vatican are cheap on their own, so the value comes from tours and extras you add on top.
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Pick only the Colosseum and Vatican | Those two are about €38-43 bought directly. Add guided tours or pricier extras to make the pass pay. |
| Spend a pick on St Peter's Basilica | The basilica is free to walk into. Only the dome climb costs money: €10 by stairs or €15 with the lift at the door. |
| Do the Forum on a different day from the Colosseum | The €18 Colosseum ticket already covers the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, and it's valid for 24 hours. Do them together. |
| Wait to book the Colosseum | Ask the concierge as soon as you buy; slots go weeks ahead in spring and autumn. |
| Do the Forum after the Colosseum in the midday heat | Do the Palatine and Forum first thing, then the Colosseum. |
| Head to the Colosseum without checking how busy it is | Check the Colosseum's live crowd level on beatthecrowd.co first. If it's busy, do another Rome sight on your pass and come back later. |
Before you set off for the Colosseum, check how busy it is right now on beatthecrowd.co. An hour in a queue is an hour of your pass gone.
Check live crowds in Rome →Who The Rome Go City Explorer Pass is for
Good fit
- First Rome trip and you don't want to chase Colosseum and Vatican slots yourself
- A slow week or two, with time between the big sights
- You'd book a guided Rome tour anyway
Skip it if
- You're happy to book the Colosseum and Vatican on their official sites
- You'll ride the metro and buses every day: look at the Roma Pass
- From €89
- Pick 2-7
- 30 days to use it
What the pass covers
Choose 2 to 7 attractions from 30+. These are the Roman sights that decide whether it pays.
- The Colosseum ticket is three sights in one. The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill come with it, so one pick covers ancient Rome.
- The Sistine Chapel is inside the Vatican Museums. It isn't a separate ticket or a separate pick.
- St Peter's Basilica is free, so don't count it as value from the pass.
The big sights
- With audio tour; €18 on its own.
- Roman ForumIncludedOn the same ticket as the Colosseum.
- Vatican MuseumsBook a slotReserved entry; €20-25 on its own.
- Sistine ChapelBook a slotSeen at the end of the Vatican Museums visit.
- Castel Sant'AngeloIncludedHosted, skip-the-line entry with an audio guide; up to €37 without a pass. Book ahead.
- St Peter's BasilicaNot includedFree to enter; dome €10-15 at the door.
- From €89
- Pick 2-7
- 30 days to use it
Pass vs individual tickets
The Colosseum (€18) and the Vatican (€20-25) bought directly come to €38-43. The pass only pays off when you add pricier extras.
The two big ones on their own
| Attraction | Adult ticket bought separately |
|---|---|
| Colosseum, Forum & Palatine (24h ticket) | €18 |
| Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel | €20 at the desk, €25 online |
| Together | €38-43 |
| Rome Explorer Pass | From €89 (check the 2-attraction price) |
- From €89
- Pick 2-7
- 30 days to use it
Fine print
- Activation
- Starts at your first attraction.
- Time to use
- 30 days.
- Entry
- Scan your pass in the Go City app.
- Refunds
- Full refund within 90 days of purchase if not activated.
Is it safe? Where people lose money
- Reassuring: The Rome Explorer Pass is Go City's, sold through GetYourGuide.
- Reassuring: Refunds: Full refund within 90 days of purchase if not activated.
- Watch out: No public transport, unlike the Roma Pass and OMNIA.
Where people lose money
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Pick only the big two | They're about €38-43 directly. Add tours or extras to beat the pass price. |
| Forget transport | It isn't included; budget for the metro. |
| Queue at the Colosseum at peak time | Check beatthecrowd.co for the Colosseum's quiet hours before you go. |
Queuing is the easiest way to lose value in Rome. Check which sights are quiet right now on beatthecrowd.co, starting with the Colosseum.
Check live crowds in Rome →- From €89
- Pick 2-7
- 30 days to use it
Alternatives
Planning your order and avoiding queues is the simplest way to get full value: see how busy Rome’s attractions are right now →
- From €89
- Pick 2-7
- 30 days to use it
FAQs
Is the Rome Explorer Pass worth it?
+
For the Colosseum and Vatican alone, no: they're about €38-43 directly. It's worth it with pricier extras and the booking help.
Does it include the Vatican?
+
Yes, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with reserved entry.
Does the Rome Explorer Pass include public transport?
+
No. If you want the metro and buses on the same card, the Roma Pass (€38 for 48 hours, €62.90 for 72) includes them.
Do I still need to book the Colosseum with the pass?
+
Yes. The Colosseum and Vatican run on timed entry, so reserve your slot through Go City before you go.