By the BeatTheCrowd team · Updated 20 October 2026 · 4 min read
Quick answer
The Pantheon has charged for entry since 2023, and you need a timed, named ticket booked on the official Musei Italiani portal. Book a few days ahead (at least 24 hours for weekends), arrive at the 9 am opening or after 5 pm, and cover your shoulders and knees, because it's still a working church.
At a glance
Ticket
€5, with a rise to €7 announced. Check the portal for today's price
Book on
The official Musei Italiani portal. Weekends must be booked at least 24 hours ahead
Free
Under-18s and first Sundays (no booking, long queue)
Best time
9 am opening, or after 5 pm
Busiest time
Late morning to mid-afternoon, weekends and first Sundays
Bring
Photo ID matching your ticket, covered shoulders and knees
Time to allow
30-45 minutes
How long is the line at the Pantheon?
Most Rome visitors still remember the Pantheon as free and walk-in. That changed in 2023: entry is now ticketed and timed, and on busy days you can't just buy at the door. With a booking, your wait is usually short. Without one, you may not get in at all.
The exception is the free first Sunday of the month, when there's no online booking and everyone queues for a free ticket on the spot. Those queues have been reported at up to two hours.
🔑 The free skip-the-line hack
Before you book a time, check how busy the Pantheon is expected to be. BeatTheCrowd shows the live crowd level and an hourly forecast for any date, adjusted for holidays, school breaks and weather, so you can pick the calmest slot.
Use the official Musei Italiani portal or app. That's where official Pantheon tickets are sold. Third-party sites sell timed entry with an audio guide at a higher price, which is handy only if official slots are gone.
Book in the right window. Slots are released for the current month, so if you're travelling early in a month, check back once it opens.
Weekends need 24 hours' notice. Saturday and Sunday slots must be booked at least a day ahead.
Use the name on your passport. Tickets are named and staff check ID at the door.
Who
Price
Adults
€5, rising to €7 (check the portal)
EU residents aged 18-25
Reduced, around €2-3
Under 18, Rome residents, disabled visitors + one companion
Free
First Sunday of the month
Free for everyone, no booking
Best (and worst) times to go
At 9 am opening: before the tour groups arrive. Get there 15 minutes early.
After 5 pm: the crowds thin out, and the late light through the oculus is lovely. Last entry is 6:30 pm.
Lunchtime: visitors often report shorter lines around 1-2 pm.
Worst: late morning at the weekend, and free first Sundays.
Season: busy all year, but quietest in winter.
Want to see it for free?
Worshippers can attend Mass for free (Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning services, plus short morning services on some weekdays). This is for worship, not sightseeing, so come to pray or listen, not to take photos. Check the times locally, as they can change.
🔑 The free skip-the-line hack
Our hourly forecast for the Pantheon shows the expected crowd level for every hour of the date you choose, so you can grab the quietest slot when you book.
Dress for a church. Shoulders and knees must be covered, and sleeveless tops aren't allowed for anyone. Bring a light scarf in summer.
Check the Mass times. Ticket sales pause before weekend services, so the visiting window is shorter on Saturdays and Sundays.
Look up, then look down. The oculus is the star, but the original Roman marble floor has small drain holes for when it rains through the roof.
Find Raphael. The painter's tomb is inside, and most people walk right past it.
Practical info
Where
Piazza della Rotonda, in the historic centre. A short walk from Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain.
Hours
Usually 9 am to 7 pm, last entry 6:30 pm. Closed 1 January, 15 August and 25 December.
How long to allow
30-45 minutes inside.
Dress code
Covered shoulders and knees.
Getting there
No metro stop right outside. Barberini and Spagna (line A) are about a 15-minute walk, or take a bus to Largo di Torre Argentina.
Mistakes that cost you an hour
Assuming it's still free and walk-in.
Trying to book a Saturday slot on Friday evening, after the 24-hour cutoff.
Turning up on a first Sunday expecting a quick visit.
Arriving in a vest top and being turned away.
Booking under a nickname that doesn't match your ID.
Is skip-the-line worth paying extra for?
Not usually. The official ticket is cheap and timed, so it already is the skip-the-line ticket. A third-party ticket with an audio guide is only worth it when official slots have gone for your date.
How we research: every guide is written by the BeatTheCrowd team from official sources and recent traveller reports, cross-checked against each other, and dated so you know how fresh it is. Last checked 20 October 2026. Prices and rules change, so always confirm on the official site before you book.
Yes. It's a consecrated church, so cover your shoulders and knees. Sleeveless tops aren't allowed.
