Is The Pantheon Free In 2024? (Rome)
Wondering whether the Pantheon is free to visit?
You’ve come to the right article because I’ve visited Rome and I’m a budget travel expert, so I know all about saving money where possible.
Visiting the Pantheon used to be one of the best things to do on a budget in Rome because it was completely free to visit, but unfortunately, this is no longer the case.
There is now an entry fee to the Pantheon, and I’ll go into more detail now.
Is The Pantheon Free?
No, the Pantheon in Rome is not free to visit. There is an entry fee to go inside the ancient Roman temple.
You can still see the Pantheon’s outside for free, so it remains a good thing to do on a budget in Rome, but it costs to go inside the Pantheon.
Until July 2023, it used to be completely free to go inside the Pantheon, but this is no longer the case.
As of 3rd July 2023, it costs €5 for a ticket for the Pantheon.
Or if you want a cheeky trick, if you visit Rome on the first Sunday of the month, you can get entry to the Pantheon for free. This applies to the Colosseum and Roman Forum too!
On the last Sunday of the month, you can get entry into the Vatican Museums for free. If you plan your trip right, you can dodge a lot of the ticket prices.
There have been ongoing talks about adding an entry fee to visiting the Pantheon, and it was even announced in 2017 that there would be an entry fee, but the idea ended up being shelved by the Italian Government.
The reason as to why the fee has finally been introduced, to quote the Ministry of Culture, it’s “good sense”.
The Culture Ministry receive 70% of the funds for maintenance, cleaning costs, repairs, etc. and the remaining 30% goes towards the Rome diocese which is a fancy word for the churches of Rome.
But to summarise, the answer to “Is the Pantheon free?” is unfortunately now “no”.
How Much Are Pantheon Tickets?
Tickets to the Pantheon in Rome cost €5 for a ticket to the inside of the temple.
This is the price for an adult ticket and you need one ticket per person.
You can buy tickets online or in person at the Pantheon. If you choose to buy them online, make sure you use the official site, as there are lots of unofficial sites which come up when you Google “pantheon tickets” and they are massively overcharging.
There are also discounted tickets for anyone aged 18-25 costing €2 per person. Most places in Rome will offer discounts for young people. Note that ID will be checked.
Anyone under the age of 18 still needs a ticket, but it is free and doesn’t cost a penny.
Do You Need To Book The Pantheon?
You do not need to book a ticket to the Pantheon. It’s possible to buy a ticket at the entrance to the temple.
However, there can be large queues, especially in the popular summer months.
I recommend booking online. You do have to select a time though, which depending on whether you like having an itinerary or not, may be an inconvenience if you don’t like having to be somewhere at a certain time.
When you book online, you skip the queue and simply collect your tickets and you can go straight into the Pantheon.
As I said earlier though, make sure you book through the legit site, as there are others on Google charging as much as €15 for a single entry ticket!
Is The Pantheon Rome Worth Visiting?
Yes, the Pantheon in Rome is 100% worth visiting, even with the newly introduced ticket prices.
It’s one of the best things to do in Rome for sure, and even though it now costs to go inside, I think it’s very reasonably priced and is well worth the value.
Rome is average-ly expensive, so it’s pretty in line with the prices in the rest of the city.
The outside of the Pantheon is nice and impressive to look at, but in my opinion, the inside is even better.
It’s one of the best rotundas I have ever seen (and I have seen a lot such as the Capitol in Washington DC). The tiled floors combined with all of the artwork combined with the statues and the church aspect, are all stunning.
Not to mention the circular hole in the middle of the roof which really caught me off guard.
So is it worth paying for a ticket to the Pantheon? Yes, it sure is.
Other Free Things To Do In Rome
Since the Pantheon is no longer free to visit, you might be interested in some other free things to do in Rome.
One of the main attractions to Rome is that a lot of the best things to do involve sightseeing, so you can get a real feel of Rome without splashing the cash. And that’s still true, even with the Pantheon charging an entry fee.
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is one of the most popular fountains in the world and for good reason, it’s absolutely stunning. I still can’t believe how big it is – it really took me aback.
It’s completely free to visit unless you want to make a wish and throw a coin over your shoulder while facing away from your fountain. It’s the only fountain in Rome where making a wish actually works according to locals.
Spanish Steps
Another popular free attraction in Rome are the Spanish Steps. To be honest, I’m not really sure how or why this is an attraction as I found them to be quite underwhelming, but nonetheless, you might have a different opinion.
The area is quite nice with a pretty fountain at the bottom and a nice church at the top of the steps, but the steps themself, they’re just steps. Still, worth checking out if you’re looking for something free.
St. Peter’s Basilica
While it’s no longer free to visit the Pantheon, it is still free to step inside St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world.
It’s the staple of Vatican City and it’s just as beautiful inside as it is outside. Even though it’s not free, I would recommend paying to go to the top of the basilica dome. The views are breathtaking.
Piazza Navona
The Piazza Navona is one of the most famous squares in Rome, and after going myself, I can see why. It has 3 stunning fountains, lots of beautiful buildings and always has a good atmosphere about it. If you visit Rome in December, there are Christmas markets too.
My favourite fountain in the square is the Fountain of the Four Rivers which represents what the world was thought to be at the time it was made.
See the Colosseum
While it’s not free to go inside the Colosseum, it’s free to look at it and take a walk around its perimeter. It’s genuinely indescribable.
Seeing the Colosseum in real life is surreal. Looking at pictures is incomparable, it doesn’t even come close to seeing it for yourself.
If you can work it into your schedule, definitely try to spend some time at the Colosseum at night. When it’s dark and the arches glow from the yellow lights, it will give you goosebumps I promise you of that.
FAQ
Below are some questions related to “Is the Pantheon free?” along with my answers to each question.
Yes, it costs to go into the Pantheon in Rome. As of July 2023, you need a ticket to enter the Pantheon. It costs €5 for a ticket, with a reduced price of €2 for 18-25-year-olds. Under 18s still require a ticket but it is free of charge.
You can visit the Pantheon for free on the first Sunday of each month. You used to be able to visit the Pantheon for free all of the time, but as of July 2023, you need to pay for a ticket to enter the Pantheon, except on the first Sunday of each month.
Buying Pantheon tickets allows you to skip the queue to buy tickets at the entrance, which can get pretty long in the summer months. You do have to select a time slot though. Make sure to use the official site as there are unofficial sites which overcharge.
If you book a ticket online for the Pantheon, you do need to book a time slot. It’s better to book in advance to avoid standing in a big queue to buy tickets at the entrance to the temple.
Wrap Up
And there you have it, a complete answer and guide to “Is the Pantheon free?“
Unfortunately, the Pantheon used to be free, but this is no longer the case.
You can still see the outside for free, and if you visit Rome on the first Sunday of the month, you can enter for free too.
Now that you know it costs money to go inside the Pantheon, you might be interested in going inside another of Rome’s iconic historical sites. Have you booked your Colosseum tour yet?
Read more about Rome:
- Is Rome Worth Visiting? Things To Do & Reasons To Visit
- Is Rome Safe To Visit? Rome Safety Tips
- How Many Days In Rome Is Enough?
- How To Get Around Rome: 10 Modes Of Transport
- 15 Incredible Rome Hotels Near The Colosseum
- Do you tip in Rome? Rome’s Tipping Culture
- Is Rome The Capital Of Italy? Italy’s Capital City
