omnia card rome st peters basilica

Omnia Card Rome : Top attractions you can do for free

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At a big price (€113 for the 72 hour ticket per adult) it is important you work out just what you want to see when in Rome and the Vatican City when purchasing the Rome Omnia Card (also known as the Omnia Pass and Vatican Card).

Plan your trip carefully, and this pass is definitely worth the money. But if you don’t work the free attractions included within the pass to the max, you may not get the best bang for your buck. Read on for our tips on the top attraction you can do for free when using the Rome Omnia Card!

How to optimize your Vatican visit ?

To start – let’s be honest here. If you are in Rome for a really short time – like on a cruise stopover of a layover at the airport, then the Rome Omnia Card is not for you. To optimise your visit to the Vatican if it’s your only stop to see on your time in Rome, then simply book a skip the line entry ticket online and head to the Vatican yourself. This really is the best value for money if your time is extremely limited.

For others, the Omnia Rome and Vatican Card will help you optimise your visit immensely. With your pass in hand you will have free access to the public transport network to get you to the Vatican. You will also have free skip the line VIP entry to the Vatican Museums, with much more!

omnia card rome Vatican Museum
Vatican_Museum_Rome

Here’s a summary of what is available FREE at the Vatican if you purchase the Omnia Pass and Vatican Card.

  • Skip the line entry to bypass the queues
  • Tickets to the extensive Vatican Museums and its’ wonderful attractions, including the Spiral Staircase, Gallery of Maps and the Raphael Rooms
  • Sistine Chapel Access
  • Free access to the Cloister at St Paul’s Outside the Walls (usually €5), Picture Gallery and Chapel of Relics. This stunning Basilica is not within the Vatican walls but is part of the Vatican estate and well worth a visit for the stunning mosaics alone. The pass also includes a free audio guide
  • Free audio guide worth €10 for St John Lateran (also an off-site Vatican City attraction)

Should I buy Omnia Card or Tickets Ahead ?

So, do you book the Omnia Card or just get your tickets separately ahead of time? Well, it depends.

Are you just looking to visit the Vatican Museums, the Vatican’s beautiful “outside the walls” attractions and a whole host of other free attractions? Then the Omnia Rome and Vatican Card is the choice for you. You’ll get all the benefits of skip the line entry that you would get if you just booked tickets ahead of time yourself, and much more.

This includes free access on Rome’s extensive public transport network, Hop on Hop off Bus tours, audio guides and access to a number of great attractions beyond the Vatican.

omnia card rome
omnia_card

Are you only in Rome for a short time? Do you just want to hit maybe just one or two attractions or simply see the Vatican and wander around Rome’s beautiful streets without an itinerary?

Then perhaps the best option is to book Vatican City skip the line tickets ahead of your visit – the Omnia Card’s plethora of advantages may not extend to you in this instance.

Other Top attractions for free with the Omnia Pass and Vatican Card

We’ve covered the extensive Vatican City attractions available with the Omnia Card above. These include the great museums and the added benefit of fast-track entry, Sistine Chapel and Audio Guides. On top of that there is free entry to lesser known attractions such as the Cloister at St Paul’s Outside the Walls.

But what else does the Omnia Rome and Vatican Card include? Read on to find out….

omnia card rome Castel Sant Angelo
Castel_Sant_Angelo

Pick from 2 out of the following 6 attractions and visit with free entry

(The Coliseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill, Capitolini Museums and National Museum of Castel Sant'Angelo)

Why should you visit ?

These are the other big-hitting attractions in Rome outside of the Vatican – the Coliseum is renowned worldwide for its ‘gladiator history, and the Omnia Card includes a standard access*.

*Update 2020: But this is not as interessant as it was since the Colosseum reduced it standard ticket entrance in November 2019. This means that with your regular ticket, it is possible that you won't have availability to visit the monument. Why? Because there is a lot of people getting that standard ticket, so if you're visiting Rome during high season this is not a good idea. The solution to this problem is to opt for the Rome Tourist Card. The travel pass offers either an audio guide ticket or a guided tour for the Colosseum. It is the only pass proposing that alternative and this will guarantees your visit of the magnificent Colosseum. You can also check the one that includes Sistine Chapel here.

And the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum are another top attraction, steeped in history and architecture.

The Borghese Gallery is stuffed with art such as Botticelli, Raphael and Caravaggio. It's another visit that worth it but unfortunately, the Omnia Card include again (since 19th February 2020) Gallery entrance.

Is the Omnia Card worth it in this case ?

If you intend to hit two of these attractions in the peak season on top of the Vatican and like the convenience the Omnia Card offers then yes – get booking now!

Free Hop on Hop off Bus tour of Rome

Why should you use this ?

Perfect for those who want to get their bearings in the city – sit back and listen to the audio guide as you get an overview of the city attractions. Then, disembark at the attraction of your choice.

Is the Omnia Pass worth it ?

With Hop on Hop Off bus passes (available here) for Rome starting at €35 for a 3 day pass you can save plenty of money here and get a great overview of the main attractions. You can then sit back and relax as the running commentary takes you through the history and main sights in Rome.

omnia card rome hop on and off bus
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Unlimited access to Rome’s extensive public transport network for the duration of the pass

Why is it important to use this ?

Bus, Tram, Underground, Trains. It’s all included in the 72hr Roma travel card. You can even get from Campiano Airport by using the bus and underground network if you fancy it.

Want to make your travel in Rome a breeze? Online Travel Card is featuring a private airport transfer and the availability of a three-day public transportation card – secure your travel card now for a relaxed and hassle-free experience!

Is the Omnia Card worth it ?

The 72 hour travel card included in the Omnia Card is worth €18 alone!

Discounted access to over 30 other Rome attractions including galleries, museums and other state attractions.

Why is it matter ?

If you have time to fit in a few more of your favourite attractions then there are saving to be had by using the card

Is the Omnia Card worth the price ?

Only if you are able to get from A-B quickly and want to cover a wider range of attractions in little details

Discount and skip the line entry with Omnia Card

Are you able to get from A-B quickly and want to cover a wider range of attractions at a top level?

Then the discount entry across over 30 attractions may be something you wish to utilise with the Omnia Card. Museums, galleries and other state attractions galore feature on this part of the card, with some attractions offering as much as 50% off the pay at the gate fare.

omnia card rome Roman forum
Roman_forum_rome

Choose your attractions you want to do

In the summer months and other peak periods the Omnia Card claims to save up to 4 hours of queuing with skip the line entry at the most popular attractions, including:

  • The Vatican Museums
  • The Borghese Gallery
  • The Roman Forum

As mentioned before, we do not recommend picking the Colosseum ticket anymore with your Omnia Card. You better choose the Rome Tourist Card if this is a must for you.

Once you have picked your two main attractions that offer free entry and seen the Vatican Museum, those with time to spare can access many many more attractions at discounted rates including:

  • Museums such as Museo di Scultura Antica Giovanni Barracco, Museo dell'Ara Pacis and Museo delle Mura
  • Amazing Art Galleries, like Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica in Palazzo Barberini and the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica in Palazzo Corsini

Vatican City travel tips Tips to make your Omnia card Rome profitable

If you purchase an Omnia Card (check on this website) and use it loosely, you will likely not even break even on your outlay.

A Vatican City Museum ticket for example can be purchased for as little as 17€, and a transport pass for 72hrs is 18€. Even if you jump on the hop-on-hop-off bus tour worth €32 you still wouldn’t have recouped your costs.

No, the Omnia Card is only for those who fully intend to take advantage of all of the excellent benefits available. Here’s how:

Visit Vatican City St Peter's Basilica tickets queue
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Omnia Card Cost  = €113

  • Audio Guide (St-John Lateran) €10
  • St Paul’s Outside the Walls Cloister €5
  • Audio Guide (St Peter’s Basilica) with fast pass €15
  • Vatican Entry (skip the line / fast pass) €30
  • Entry to 2 of 7 top attractions (in this example, the Borghese Gallery (€15) and the National Museum of Castel San Angelo (€15)
  • Hop on Hop off Bus tour €32
  • 72Hr travel pass €18

The above experiences total €140 – therefore more than breaking even. That’s before you begin to take in any of the additional attractions on which you receive discounted entry with the Omnia Card – such as the wonderful museums and many art galleries featured as part of the package.

Best way to purchase your Omnia Card

omnia card rome audio guide vatican
audio_guide_vatican

The best way to purchase your Omnia Card is in advance (on this website) so you can get planning and exploring!

It doesn’t just include the benefits highlighted above. There is also a free guidebook and map, not to mention the convenience of booking all your tickets with just one click.

The price of your time alone may be worth €20 alone – you don’t need to visit the Vatican website or queue for the Coliseum to buy tickets. You’ll also not need to stand in line at a kiosk at the metro station to buy your travel card.

For those with small children or a very busy itinerary, purchasing the Omnia Card in advance will take away all the hassle that multiple bookings involves.

Conclusion

If you have the ability to organise your itinerary and take advantage of all of the attractions highlighted above, the Omnia Card is the city pass for you. It Incorporates the major tourist sights not only in the Vatican but also across Rome.

The Omnia Pass will take you from A to B free of charge, with free access to 3 major sites. One of these is the extensive Vatican complex, and multiple other sites.

The Hop on Hop Off Bus option is an added bonus, and allows those on an extended stay to really get their bearings in the city. Plus, the free audio guides offer greater depth to any visit of any attraction.

It’s time to get booking, so if you fit the criteria above don’t waste any time and book your Omnia Rome and Vatican Card today!

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