Rome Bus Tour

Termini and the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

The main route starts at Piazza dei Cinquecento, beside Roma Termini, the city's largest railway station, which makes the bus easy to reach from most central hotels. Near the start you pass the Baths of Diocletian, once the largest public baths in the Roman Empire, and the Piazza della Repubblica with its fountain of nymphs.

The first great church on the route is Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome's four papal basilicas, founded in the 5th century and famous for its original mosaics and gilded coffered ceiling. It is a good first stop if you begin your Rome bus tour early, as the basilica opens in the morning and is rarely crowded at that hour.

The Colosseum, Circus Maximus and Piazza Venezia

From Termini the bus heads down to the Colosseum, the great amphitheatre inaugurated in 80 AD that could hold around 50,000 spectators. Hop off here to visit it with the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill; these sites need timed tickets, which are not included in the bus pass, so book them in advance.

The route continues past the Circus Maximus, the long grassy valley where chariot races once drew huge crowds, and on to Piazza Venezia, dominated by the white marble Vittoriano monument. Its terrace offers one of the best free viewpoints over the Forum. This stretch alone shows why the hop-on hop-off bus in Rome is so useful: the ancient sites are spread out and the streets are steep.

Vatican City and St Peter's Basilica

Across the Tiber, the bus stops close to Vatican City, the world's smallest independent state. From here it is a short walk along Via della Conciliazione to St Peter's Square, framed by Bernini's curving colonnades, and to St Peter's Basilica, whose dome designed by Michelangelo rises 136 metres above the square.

The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel are nearby but have their own entrance, so plan at least half a day and book tickets ahead. Many travellers use this stop to reach Castel Sant'Angelo, the round fortress built as the tomb of Emperor Hadrian, which stands on the riverbank a few minutes away.

Villa Borghese, Piazza Barberini and the Spanish Steps

The northern part of the route passes Villa Borghese, Rome's best-known park, where the Borghese Gallery holds sculptures by Bernini and paintings by Caravaggio (advance booking essential). Families can also visit the zoo, the Bioparco, inside the park. The bus then descends to Piazza Barberini and Bernini's Triton Fountain.

From Piazza Barberini it is an easy walk to the Trevi Fountain, where tradition says a coin thrown over your shoulder means you will return to Rome, and to the Spanish Steps and the shopping streets around Via del Corso. The Blue and Orange routes add quieter corners such as Testaccio and the modern art museums of the Flaminio district.