Rome Open-Top Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour 24, 48 or 72 Hours

Termini Station and Santa Maria Maggiore

The route starts at Stop 1 beside Termini, Rome's largest railway station and the hub for the airport trains and both metro lines. Right next to it stand the Baths of Diocletian and the National Roman Museum at Palazzo Massimo, so even your first minutes are full of history. Starting here also makes this Rome sightseeing bus easy to combine with an arrival by train.

A few minutes later the bus passes the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the four papal basilicas of Rome. Founded in the fifth century, it keeps glittering mosaics from that era, a coffered ceiling covered in early gold, and the tallest bell tower in the city. Hop off for half an hour to step inside; entry to the church is open to all and modest dress is expected.

The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Circus Maximus

The Colosseum, inaugurated in AD 80, could hold some fifty thousand spectators for games and shows, and it is still the symbol of the city. The bus passes right beside it, giving a superb upper-deck view of its arches. Boarding at the Colosseum stop itself is currently suspended, so for how to get to the Colosseum, hop off at the Circus Maximus, a ten-minute walk, or at Piazza Venezia beside the Roman Forum.

The Circus Maximus was ancient Rome's great chariot-racing track, a long grassy valley below the ruins of the imperial palaces on the Palatine Hill. From here you can also climb the Aventine Hill for its orange garden and views. Colosseum tickets are not part of this bus ticket and should be reserved in advance, especially from April to October.

Piazza Venezia and the Capitoline Hill

Piazza Venezia is the busy crossroads at the heart of Rome, dominated by the Vittoriano, the vast white marble monument to Italian unification, whose terraces offer one of the best free viewpoints over the Forum and the domes of the centre. Behind it rises the Capitoline Hill, with its elegant square and museums.

This stop is the best place to start a walk into the historic heart: the Roman Forum is less than ten minutes away, the Pantheon about fifteen, and the Trevi Fountain about twenty along lively streets. If you have only one day, many travellers spend the morning here and use the bus in the afternoon to reach the Vatican. The audio commentary on board explains the layers of ancient, papal and modern Rome you see from the bridge of the bus.

Vatican City and St Peter's Basilica

The Vatican stop puts you a short walk from St Peter's Square, framed by its curved colonnade, and from St Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the world, whose dome dominates the skyline. Entry to the basilica is open, but expect a security line that is shortest early in the morning.

From the same stop you can walk to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, about fifteen minutes along the Vatican walls; their tickets are not included and should be booked ahead. Castel Sant'Angelo, the round fortress on the Tiber that began as a Roman emperor's mausoleum, is also within walking distance. Using the bus to reach the Vatican saves a long walk across the centre, especially in the summer heat, which is one reason many travellers find the Rome hop-on hop-off worth it.

The Spanish Steps and Piazza Barberini

The Spanish Steps, built in the 1720s, climb from Piazza di Spagna and the boat-shaped Barcaccia fountain to the twin towers of the Trinità dei Monti church. At the top a balcony looks over the rooftops towards St Peter's dome. Sitting on the steps is not allowed, but you can walk them and explore the elegant shopping streets below.

The next stop, Piazza Barberini, sits at the foot of the Quirinal Hill with the Triton Fountain in its centre and the National Gallery of Ancient Art in the nearby Barberini Palace. From here the Trevi Fountain is about ten minutes on foot. The bus then returns to Termini to complete the loop, which takes roughly an hour and a half without stops, depending on traffic.

The night tour of Rome lit up

With the 72-hour ticket you also join a panoramic night tour, offered from April to November. As the sun sets, the bus follows the great monuments as their floodlights come on: the Colosseum glowing gold, the white Vittoriano, the Tiber bridges and the dome of St Peter's.

The night tour is a single sightseeing loop rather than a hop-on hop-off service, so you stay on board from start to finish and enjoy the commentary and the evening breeze on the open deck. It is a relaxed way to end a day of walking, and a favourite with families, couples and photographers. Check the departure point and time on the tracking app or with the staff at Stop 1 when you activate your ticket.