The Crowds Within Major Attractions
Since the conclusion of the worldwide pandemic of Covid-19, tourism is at an all time high. This leads many to wonder if the world famous landmarks within their travel itinerary will be filled with shoulder to shoulder foot traffic. In addition to this, you wonder if the specific season in which you are traveling will make an impact.
To answer the question of if Rome is Crowded right now, the answer is a resounding yes. Which is surprising seeing as we went during November, the end of high tourism season. At some points during our trip we would actually become claustrophobic. This is coming from two travelers who have been to India and Vietnam. Luckily this was only true within the most famous areas of Rome.
As a rule of thumb, one should always expect world famous attractions like the Colosseum to have somewhat of a horde. At the same time there are certain measures one can take to raise their chances of peace and quiet.
Don’t let this worry you or make you think to cancel travel plans. As a whole we absolutely loved our time in Rome. One can still easily find areas within the city that retain that romantic charm. During our travels we found local restaurants on cobblestone streets draped with vegetation where we could quietly enjoy wine and pizza. Venturing out to much lesser known landmarks like the Domus Aurea can give one a break from the massive crowds as well.
Hallway in the Vatican
Is Vatican City Packed?
I chose to start this list with the king of all busy areas, the Vatican. We pretty much knew what we were getting in to as soon as we saw the massive line to get in. The wait time to buy a ticket in person is very long so I highly recommend buying a ticket in advance.
While walking the hallways filled with absolutely breathtaking art, I was consistently bumping into people mere inches away from me on all sides. It would be so confined that you could never stop walking as people behind you would run into you. It would sometimes be difficult to enjoy the art as you would have to pay more attention to dodging people. This is the area in which we would both get claustrophobic.
The art exhibits were not as bad as the hallways, but you still would have to be on constant watch to not run into people. The Sistine Chapel was the grand finale. It consisted of a large room filled to the brim with people secretly trying to take pictures and the security guards yelling at them not to.
Unfortunately there isn’t much one can do to avoid this here. Your best bet would be to book the absolute earliest time slot to get into and make sure it is booked on an early week day. The low tourism season which runs January-March is coming up soon as well.
Trevi Fountain under construction
Busy Trevi Fountain
Second on the list is Trevi Fountain. This comes second only because its outdoors and the claustrophobia aspect is lessened. I could at least breathe fresh air as I weaved in and out of all the people. It honestly felt as if I were in a concert but no music was playing.
Another important thing to remember is as of right now the fountain is under construction. In preparation for the Jubilee of 2025, many sites are under construction in the city. Unfortunately the water was not running to the fountain and they had kiddie pool set up to throw coins in.
It is difficult to avoid crowding in the area as its in a very busy part of the city. I read a review that its the same during all hours of the day even early in the morning.
Us in front of the Colosseum
The Colosseum
Thankfully this landmark wasn’t as bad as the rest. It can get really congested during the later parts of the day so make sure you book as early as possible. The shear size of the area can make it easier to get away from the hordes.
If you would like a chance to be completely alone here for a little bit, it is possible. First and foremost try to book the 8:30 timeslot. After entrance you will have your identification checked multiple times. Afterwards you will get a sticker and be instructed to walk left to the floor view. Quickly take your pictures and leave to the upper area of the Colosseum. Don’t stop and walk to the opposite end of the upper view area. If done correctly everyone will still be in the floor view and you can enjoy some serenity for at least a little while.
I really enjoyed it here and the history of it all. The craziest part of it was that Emperor Titus would flood the floor with water. This was to reenact naval battles between Athens and Syracuse.
The Pantheon
The Pantheon Congestion
The amount of people in front of the Pantheon was just as bad as the Trevi Fountain, unfortunately. The area was filled with people from all corners of the streets despite the fact that went earlier in the morning. The walk to the fountain from here was also unbelievably busy. We would actually have to avoid some streets as massive tour groups would take up the entire area.
To view it from the inside you must first wait in line at a kiosk that sells tickets. If you pay with cash you can avoid this. There is a second line to actually get in with the wait times varying greatly.
The fountain in front was also under construction. The whole area was sectioned off with scaffolding and we were unable to see inside.
The Roman Forum
Spacious Roman Forum
This section of our trip was actually a very nice break from the busy areas. The attraction was very spacious and provided plenty of room were you could walk in peace. There were many places within the gardens and statues that had no people whatsoever.
There is also a spot in the Forum to get a really nice picture in front of the Colosseum. Its has a very nice view where you can sit and rest while looking at one of histories wonders. Surprisingly there was almost no one here. We had to wait and find someone to take our picture. To get here go towards the sign that says Palatine Hill and keep walking towards the Colosseum and you will see a raised area on the left with a great view.
Long Line at St. Peters Basilica
Getting here confused us as we originally thought it was part of the Vatican. You must exit and then walk a couple of kilometers away. The amount of time we searched inside was actually hilarious.
The lines to St. Peters Basilica is the largest we came across our entire trip. Wait times can vary between 30 minutes to over 2 hours during peak times. Avoid meeting days with the Pope as these days are the busiest possible. These are always on Wednesday.
I would suggest doing this a separate day you visit the Vatican. By the time you get here there will already be a massive gathering formed. Instead wake up early and arrive at 7am. This will reduce your wait time drastically and make for a better experience while inside.
Getting Away from the Groups
The saving grace is that it is entirely possible to find yourself completely alone in many parts of this great city. If you find yourself in a very dense area, you can easily walk a few streets in the opposite direction of famous attractions and find yourself completely alone. There you will be able to take in the relaxing atmosphere of the old buildings with vines cascading down the sides of them. Sipping wine enjoying the authentic homemade Italian cuisines.
Look for lesser known hidden gems within the city. Search for random churches and if the door is open you are more than welcome to walk inside. Some of our favorite parts of our trip were walking inside these old buildings and being in complete silence surrounded by the beautiful artwork all around us. Look for the writing, “Basilica” on structures. This means old places of worship within the city. Part of the fun for us on our trip was the random exploring of unknown places. And with a destination like this its easy to find places to escape the crowds.