There are essentially 5 types of free tours in the Eternal City, and we let you know about your options, provide schedules, and explain what you will see on each tour.
- Overview + Schedule
- Ancient Rome
- Rome City Centre
- Trastevere
- Vatican
- Rome Food Tours
- Night + Ghost Tours
There are 5 types of free tours in Rome, Italy, one of ancient Rome, another of Rome's centre, the Vatican museums, and St. Peter's Basilica, one that covers the Trastevere neighborhood, as well as free food tours.
This model of free tours is that they are technically free to take and there is no obligation to pay anything at the end.
However, they are popularly understood as pay-what-you-like tours. How much you pay is dependent on you.
You can pay what you think your walk was worth or what you could afford at the tour’s end.
The tours listed below are run through us. Our Rome Partners open bookings 2 months in advance. More tours are available in the following sections.
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Here is a calendar with more of the best free walking tours in Rome.
According to online reviews, most participants contribute between €10 to €20 per adult to the tour guide when they felt the tour was good.
Just about all of the companies have local guides who grew up in Rome or nearby, with larger outfits such as Sandemans absent from the market.
There are a variety of different free walking tours in Rome. While some focus on the ancient history of the area, some provide a closer look at the city centre.
Alternatively, if you want to learn more about the Trastevere neighborhood or the Jewish Ghetto, some tours cover these locations as well.
In addition to these sites, you can also take a free tour of the Vatican Museums and one of Saint Peter's Basilica.
Finally, there is at least one free food tour you might want to consider if you’re looking for the best eats in Rome.
We also offer tours throughout Italy including:
ANCIENT ROME FREE WALKING TOURS
These free walking tours cover notable historic sites which, in some cases, date back more than two millennia.
If you’re interested in learning why Rome is called the Eternal City, these tours will give you plenty of information about how this city became home to one of the most remarkable empires in the history of the world.
Learn about the emperors who ruled over the Roman Empire and the gladiators who entertained the masses.
Here are a few of the ancient sites you can expect to see on these tours:
- Roman Forum
- Palatine Hill
- Colosseum
- Capitoline Hill
- Circus Maximus
- And more!
You will also see not-so-ancient sights such as Piazza Venezia and the Campidoglio.
This walk is an abridged version of our Ancient Rome audio tour. Listen to a sample of the tour.
There is no schedule (take our tours anytime you wish). We also have an audio tour of Central Rome.
- Purchase this audio tour from our Booking Page (scroll down to Rome).
- You’ll receive a confirmation email with a .pdf, Google Map link, and audio tour.
- Enjoy the tour(s).
For more information, check out our self-guided tour of the Roman Fori.
The free tours will not include admission to any of the attractions listed above and cover them from viewing platforms.
You can purchase tickets for them either before or after your free tour.
However, the free tours cover areas not usually covered on the paid tours, including the Imperial Roman fora.
The paid tours, on the other hand, all include tickets to the Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill.
Reservations are required for all tours.
New Rome Free Tour
Discover the history of the Roman Republic and Imperial Rome on this 2-hour free walking tour of the most ancient locations in the city.
This company has an overall rating of 4 ½ out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor, and reviewers suggest that they provide tips to help you get inside popular landmarks quickly, efficiently, and affordably.
Their team is filled with local guides from Rome, who really know the hidden gems.
You can take this pay-what-you-wish tour every day at 11 am, and they also offer a tour of the city centre at 17:00 (5 pm) on the same day!
Meeting point: Foro Traiano (Trajan's Column)
View the calendar above. Reservations are required.
Paid Ancient Rome Tours
If you’re looking for a tour that offers small group sizes, there are several paid tours you can take that you might want to consider.
In contrast to the free tours, all of these tours include admission to the Colosseum, the Forum, and Palatine Hill.
Ticket prices range from €20-€80 and last for 2-4 hours on average.
Check this list of paid ancient Rome tours to find an outing that fits your itinerary.
FREE CENTRAL ROME TOURS
These free walking tours focus on the centre of Rome, such as the baroque squares and fountains and Renaissance architecture, rather than ancient Rome.
While some of the sites you’ll see are very old, this type of tour is about both helping first-time visitors become more familiar with the city and covering some of the history of Rome.
If you’re looking for an introductory tour that provides a look at a wide variety of attractions and historical landmarks, central Rome tours are an excellent option.
Here are a few of the sites you can expect to see on these outings:
- Piazza Navona
- Bernini's 'Fountain of the Four Rivers
- The Pantheon
- Trevi Fountain
- Spanish Steps
- Venice Square
- Campo de' Fiori
- And more!
A few tours even cover Villa Borghese from the outside.
Discover what you can see with our self-guided tour of Central Rome.
To learn more about these locations and get help finding your way around the Eternal City, consider one of the free walking tours listed below.
New Rome Free Tour
This company offers a free guided tour of the city centre which covers some of the most notable or historic architecture and the artwork you’ll find throughout Rome.
Their local guides will also point out some hidden gems and share anecdotes.
With an overall rating of 4 ½ out of 5 stars, this is one of the best-reviewed tour services in the entire city, and reviewers indicate that they also provide tips on the best places to eat!
Their 2-hour city centre tour is available daily at 17:00 (5 pm), which means you can enjoy both this outing and their Ancient Rome tour on the same day!
They also offer a Rome at Dusk Tour that has a similar route as the previously mentioned tour but starts at 20:30 (8:30 pm).
Reservations are required. View the calendar above.
GPS-Led Audio Tour
Before we list the live guide tours, if you are looking to explore on your own in this age of social distancing, then we recommend taking a look at the following resource.
We offer a GPS-led audio tour of Rome’s City Centre researched, written, and recorded by one of our very own tour guides.
Our tour begins at the Spanish Steps and visits some of Rome’s top sights, including most of the locations listed above in the intro.
Here's a sample.
There is no schedule (take our tours anytime you wish). We also have an audio tour of the Roman Forum.
- Purchase this audio tour from our Booking Page (scroll down to Rome) ($2.99/download).
- You’ll receive a confirmation email with a .pdf, Google Map link, and audio tour.
- Enjoy the tour(s).
TRASTEVERE + THE OLD JEWISH GHETTO
Discover a side of Rome that you might not otherwise visit on a tour of neighbourhoods you usually won’t visit on other tours.
Trastevere is the area across the River Tiber. In addition to visiting this location, you’ll also make a stop on Tiberine Island to see the area once known as the Old Jewish Ghetto.
You can expect to visit the following locations while taking one of these free walking tours:
- Trastevere
- Vicolo dell’Atleta
- Isola Tiberina
- Portico d’Ottavia
- Jewish Ghetto
- And more!
If you want to learn more and see these neighbourhoods for yourself, consider taking one of the tours listed below.
We also have our self-guided walk of the Old Jewish Ghetto.
New Rome Free Tours
We offer a food tour of Trastevere on both Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 am.
The tour includes several different food tastings! Taste one of the best pizzas in town, and savor the greatest salumi and porchetta and cheeses like Pecorino Romano.
While you walk from one food stop to another, you will be shown the best highlights of this unique area of Rome.
Reservations are required. View the calendar above.
Paid Tours of Trastevere & Jewish Ghetto
There are a variety of paid services that cover the Trastevere and Jewish neighbourhoods.
Whether you want to learn more about the area on foot, by bike, or by segway, there are several different tours to choose from.
In addition to these options, there are also some food tours in each location you might want to consider.
Ticket prices tend to range from €60-€100 or more, and many of these tours are also limited to smaller groups or are entirely private, allowing you to decide who joins you on the outing.
Check this list of paid Trastevere and Jewish Ghetto tours to learn more and find a service that fits your itinerary.
Rick Steves’ Audio Tours
If you want to discover these neighbourhoods at your own pace, Rick Steves offers two audio tours, one of Trastevere and one of the Old Jewish Ghetto.
You can use your smartphone to either download the Rick Steves app and listen to the audio tour with their service or you can download the audio file and listen to it that way.
There is also a map you can download with each tour which will help you to find your way around the city.
FREE VATICAN TOURS
Although the Vatican Museums do require a ticket for admission, there are some audio tours you can use for free after entering the building.
There is also at least one audio tour that covers St. Peter’s Basilica as well (which is free to enter).
You can expect to visit the following locations while taking one of these free walking tours:
- Castel Sant'Angelo
- Ponte Sant'Angelo
- St. Peter's Basilica
- St. Peter's Square
- Via della Conciliazione
- Vatican Museums
- Passetto di Borgo
- And more!
We do not offer our own free walking tours anywhere in Vatican City, but there are usually a few options to choose from here.
There are also several audio tours to choose from.
Paid Vatican Tours
There are several paid tours for visitors who are looking for a guided tour or a different kind of experience at the Vatican.
Some of these outings offer reserved entrance, others cover both the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica, and there are even early morning priority access tours you may want to consider.
Ticket prices range from €20 - €60 on average. Some tours are either private or limited in size, so if you want to be part of a small tour group, these tours may be right for you.
Look at this list of paid Vatican tours to find the right service for your needs.
Rick Steves’ Audio Tours
If you’re planning to visit either the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, or St. Peter’s Basilica, this company offers an audio tour of each location which is available either to download or via their app.
In addition to Rick’s audio tours, some maps will help you find all the best pieces of art and historical sites within each building.
FREE ROME FOOD TOURS
Currently, there is only one company offering free food tours in Rome, and they focus on three neighbourhoods in the city: the Jewish Ghetto, Trastevere, and Monti.
Each of these outings includes at least 3-4 stops at great restaurants and food shops where you’ll find some of the best dishes in the city.
The foods you will try on these tours vary quite a bit depending on which neighbourhood they cover, but most outings will cover some of the following options:
- Pizza
- Gelato
- Pastries
- Prosciutto
- Parmigiano Reggiano
- And more!
Although you don’t have to pay for the tour, you will have to pay for any food you might purchase along the way, and you should expect to spend around €10-€15 on average.
The nice thing is that even if you tip them another €10-€15 for the tour, you’ll still spend significantly less on this than you typically would on a paid Rome food tour.
New Rome Free Tours
In addition to their free walking tours, this company also provides 2-hour pay-what-you-wish food tours which allow you to pick and choose the dishes you will try.
Their Trastevere food tour is offered on both Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 am.
You can also take their Old Jewish Ghetto food tour on both Wednesdays and Fridays at 11 am.
Alternatively, you may also want to consider their Monti food tour on Mondays through Thursdays + Saturdays at 16:00 (4 pm). It also sometimes runs on Mondays at 11:00 am.
Reservations are required. View the calendar above.
Paid Rome Food Tours
If you’re looking for a different kind of food tour or one that covers another area of the city, there are several paid options to choose from.
While some outings cover specific types of dishes such as street food, others provide a look at the best places to grab a bite in the city centre, Testaccio, and many other locations in Rome.
Ticket prices range from €40-€100 and some services offer small or private tour groups so that you’ll get the full attention of your guide.
Take a look at this list of paid Rome food tours to find one you like.
If you’re looking for another option, consider our self-guided Rome food tour.
ROME NIGHT AND GHOST TOURS
Rome is wonderful at all hours but Rome at dusk and by night is magical.
There are a few free night tours available most evenings as well as several ticketed tours, including tours of the Colosseum and the Vatican.
New Rome Free Tour
When daylight starts to fade, our passionate guides will show you the most authentic heart of Rome when it starts to emerge: the crowds thin, the locals come out and the monuments seem to exhale as they see off the last visitors and dress up in nighttime lighting.
This night tour runs daily at 20:30 (8:30 pm).
Reservations are required. View the calendar above.
Ghost and Mystery Tours
There are usually a couple of pay-what-you-wish ghost or mystery/dark Rome tours available multiple times a week, if not daily.
We offer a daily ghost tour on weekdays @ 21:00 (9 pm). You can book this tour here.
Click here for even more options.
FREE TOURS WITH TOURIST PASSES
A tourist pass (or city pass) bundles together several tours and attractions into one discounted ticket or gives you discounted entry.
If you are considering purchasing a tourist pass, keep in mind that some might come with free walking tours already included.
Read our post on these passes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that many people want answers to when visiting Rome.
Do any major attractions offer free tours?
These attractions are free to visit on Domenica al Museo, which takes place on the first Sunday of every month.
- Colosseum
- Roman Forum
- Palatine Hill
- Castel Sant’Angelo
- Baths of Caracalla
- Borghese Gallery
- Castel Sant'Angelo
- Capitoline Museums
- Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella
On the last Sunday of every month, the Vatican Museums open their doors to the public for free.
Is Rome a walkable city?
Rome was made for walking! Much of the city consists of narrow alleys and lanes which tourist buses cannot travel on. There is more to see than just the major attractions.
The magic of Rome is turning a corner and stumbling upon a small courtyard with an old church or finding a charming local cafe to sit at and have an espresso.
Is it easier to explore Rome with a tour guide?
For those who are visiting Rome for the first time, it may be wise to take a guided tour of Rome to get your bearings straight.
Once you have seen some of the city with someone who is an expert, exploring Rome on your own, or with a self-guided tour, will be easier.
Is it safe to walk around Rome at night?
Most people do not encounter any problems walking around Rome at night. Compared to other popular cities around the world, Rome is relatively safe at night.
One rule of thumb when walking at night is to ignore anyone who tries to approach you or ask you a question.
While this may seem rude to you, by keeping your distance you can prevent the possibility of having something stolen from you.
Read more about safety at night in Rome as well as things to do at night here.
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