To hop on hop off in Rome? (2024)

The hoho buses can only travel limited routes due to Rome's many narrow streets so walks to attractions from the stops can be longer than visitors prefer. They also tend to get stuck in traffic, and other common complaints have included delays and/or buses too full to pick up additional passengers causing long waits at the stops, difficult-to-find stops, broken equipment, surly staff, etc.

So the short answer is no, they're not a great choice for this particular city. The many narrow old streets where the sightseeing buses can't go are usually (we think) more interesting anyway than the thoroughfares wide enough to handle them. It's a city best seen on foot whenever possible. Public transit (buses and somewhat limited metro) is available for longer hops if necessary.

Also, if you have tours or timed-entry tickets booked for attractions which pretty much require them to get in (e.g. Vatican Museums, Colosseum, Galleria Borghese) I sure wouldn't trust a hoho bus to get me to the closest stops to them on time unless allowing a very wide margin for error.

Ack. We did that on our first look-see of Rome, a two-day meh-fest in October 2010. Saw the Vatican, saw the Colosseum, ate gelato, and not much else. I didn't want to go back.

Contrast that with a week at an apartment overlooking Campo de' Fiori in February 2017. Glorious, chill, in tune, neighborhood-y...all those intangible things that make a vacation great, we experienced. I didn't want to go home.

And that's when we fell in love with Rome. HOHO buses are il diavolo...

Rome is not a good city for the HoHo bus. You can walk to most of the city sites and use the subway for others.

The main sites to start with are the ancient Roman (Coliseum, Forum, Palatine hill, Capitoline Hill museum, Trajan's Forum/Column, Pantheon, Hadriain's Toomb and more) as well as the Vatican (St. Peter's, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum).

2.5 days is not enough to see all this, but you can do one day at the Coliseum, Forum, Palatine Hill, then another day at the Vatican. You can see some of the other sites in the remaining half day.

Hi j,

This 10-minute video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2VcEkPaeF4 will give you some insight into the usual travel/touring areas.

Rome is a lively, exciting, interesting, crazy-fun city. It is an outside walking museum with a surprise around every corner or down every little out-of-the-way alley. Architecture, facades are beautiful.

Even though you'll be seeing it for a short stay, perhaps you will want to return. It can be fun to get lost a bit and come upon new discoveries. Off-the-beaten path finds are the ones enjoyed and remembered fondly. Of course, that is not to discount the major attractions and Churches that many flock to every year.

Also, here are the Lazio region sky cams. https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/italia/lazio/roma.html They give the viewer a taste of Rome and its surrounding neighborhoods / districts. You can see at different times of the day / night the crowding and so forth. Attractions such as Fontana di Trevi, Piazza Navona, Piazza di Spagna, and Campo de Fiori are magical when lit up; especially The Trevi.

Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano ~ St. Peter's Basilica is gorgeous and mesmerizing once dusk arrives and the lights come on. When you look up at the saints on The Colonnade, it appears as if they are standing guard but are also welcoming.

The cathedral of the Pope as Bishop of Rome is in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran.

Have fun.

Yep, that brings up another point: if your time in Rome is short, spend the early mornings and later evening hours, when most attractions are closed, seeing the free outdoor stuff: the piazzas, fountains, etc. Versus making them destinations, arrange your walks to/from the ticketed attractions to pass by some of them along the way. Do the same with after-dinner strolls, as Rome is very safe + lovely to experience after dark. Taking in the freebies at night is a good way to stretch your sightseeing time.

Another thought: Would you happen to be visiting Rome on a Friday? The Vatican Museums (not the basilica) offer late openings on Fridays during the warmer months; another way to stretch your time.

http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/visita-i-musei/scegli-la-visita/musei-e-collezioni/musei-vaticani-e-cappella-sistina/-i-aperture-notturne--i---visita-libera-musei-e-cappella-sistina.html

It's also possible to pre-book evening tours of the Colosseum (Mondays through Saturdays; mid April - October), when they become available again. Keep an eye on the site? Those tickets do not include visits to the Palatine or Forum, last I knew, but is one more way to expand the sightseeing hours for Rome's most-visited attraction. Tickets on the coopculture will disappear VERY quickly once they become available and, as an alternative, independent companies offer night visits as well, albeit for more $.

https://ecm.coopculture.it/index.php?option=com_snapp&view=products&catalogid=CECA657E-662B-FAB4-7013-0167A823FA81&snappTemplate=template3&lang=en

Taxis are inexpensive in Rome. Using them to get from say, the Vatican area to the Colosseum
Will run 12-15€. Key is you need to get them at a taxi stand. No flagging down in Rome. You can call for one, but there's an additional charge.

Taxi stands in Rome map.

https://m.tuttocitta.it/taxi/roma