Rome and the 2025 Jubilee: Everything you Need to Know

Are you planning on visiting Rome soon?

If you didn’t know, 2025 marks the beginning of a Jubilee, a holy year celebrated by the Catholic Church during which believers from all over the world journey to Rome to visit the Vatican and receive absolution from their sins.

It’s a unique event that usually happens every 25 years, and is expected to draw anywhere from 30 to 40 million additional tourists to Italy’s capital.

This massive increase in visitors will have a big impact on the goings on of the city.

If Rome is on your itinerary for this year you should stick around, there’s a lot you should know and consider before your upcoming trip!

Let’s get started.

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Queues for tourist sights and eateries will be long

Being one of the most visited cities in the world, one should always expect long lines when visiting Rome. With that said, queues during the Jubilee are going to be even worse than usual.

You can expect Rome’s most famous tourists sights such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Vatican to be the most difficult locations to access during 2025, and even locations outside of the city centre are going to be packed.

To avoid spending your holiday waiting in line, be sure to book all of your entry tickets in advance, but keep in mind that you won’t be the only one doing so; tickets might sell out for the day, or you might simply find yourself waiting in a different queue.

Don’t forget that many tickets require you to choose a specific time zone for your visit, so show up on time and plan accordingly!

A spot to sit at top-rated restaurants and eateries will also be difficult to get without a booking. That’s why you shouldn’t hesitate to rely on street food to satisfy your cravings: With classic pizza al taglio, cheesy supplì croquettes, trapizzini, sandwiches and even pasta bowls, Rome has no shortage of incredibly yummy dishes that is made to be enjoyed on the go!

Walking might be better than using public transportation

Rome has always had a harder time than most large European cities when it comes to public transport. Due in part to the size of the city, really poor urban planning and the fact that the works are generally slow due to the sheer number of ancient ruins both above and under ground. The result is a public transport system that just sort of holds it together, and often simply doesn’t.

Since metro, trams and busses will be pushed beyond capacity during the Jubilee, you should bring a pair of comfortable shoes and book a central stay that allows you to be within walking distance of the city’s best sights. Sure, it will cost a little more, but you’ll at least avoid being stuffed in a hot bus or stuck in a chaotic metro station.

Everything will be a little bit more expensive

The more tourists there are the more expensive things become, and Rome during the Jubilee will be no exception. Hotels, hostels and AirBnbs will see the highest cost increase, while tourist sights and restaurants will likely also increase slightly in price.

The "tassa di soggiorno” (tourist tax) that visitors need to pay per night during their stay is also expected to increase in 2025. The tax varies depending on the location and the type of your accommodation, but is overall expected to go up by at least 2 euros per night in addition to the price of your booking.

Choose the right time to visit Rome

Timing will be everything in 2025.

The Jubilee is the Catholic holy year, so you should avoid booking your holiday for the Easter and Christmas holidays. You should also avoid travelling to Rome from early June to the beginning of September, since you’ll have to deal with even more overcrowding and the terrible summer heat.

We find that the best times to visit Rome during the Jubilee are in March and early May, as well as from mid September to the end of November. During these months the weather is more mild and the crowds should be smaller-ish, which should give you more freedom to move around and experience all the wonderful things the city has to offer!

Also, don’t forget to check out the official Jubilee Calendar to see which events are planned for the year.

“Attenzione, pickpocket!”

While Rome is a very safe city to visit, it does unfortunately have a little bit of a pickpocket problem. Since it’s only bound to get worse during the Jubilee, here are a few precautions you can take to ensure thieves don’t ruin your trip:

• Use a sling bag instead of a backpack when you’re out sightseeing. This is a great way to keep your belongings close while also allowing you to blend in with the locals.

• Lock the zippers of your bag with a simple steel carabineer. Even a skilled pickpocket will have a hard time accessing your valuables!

• Mind your surroundings whenever you find yourself in very crowded locations, such as around tourist sights, public transports and metro stations. Pay extra attention in the city centre, as well as in and around the Termini train station.

Con-artists and scammers are also common in Rome. Here are a few ways to avoid falling for their tricks:

• When covering long distances you should take a train or other public transports and avoid taxis if you can, since drivers have been known to sometimes scam tourists by not turning on their meter or by intentionally taking a longer route to increase the cost of the ride. You can also take an Uber, just keep in mind that the service in Italy is very limited and a lot more expensive than what you’ll find in other countries.

• Never accept gifts from street vendors. They’ll have you believe you’re getting a free souvenir, only to try and make you pay for it anyway after you’ve taken it. They can sometimes become aggressive, so walk away and only answer with a simple “no, grazie” (no, thank you).

• Don’t fall for the offer of cheap tickets for tours and sights sold on the street, they are either fake or overpriced. You should only buy your tickets at the location or from certified online vendors.

The Jubilee won’t affect Rome alone

Even if you’re travelling elsewhere in Italy, watch out.

The millions of tourists expected in 2025 won’t be limited to Rome alone: The capital is a central connection hub for the rest of the country, meaning that, though probably to a smaller extent, major destinations such as Milan, Venice, Florence and Naples will also experience longer queues at tourist sights, jam-packed transports and booked out stays.

The city will look better than ever (eventually)

The Italian government has launched a massive project aimed at preparing the city for the Jubilee, overhauling public transport lines, cleaning the streets and renovating monuments and sights. While works haven’t yet wrapped up around various locations, the scaffoldings should be gone in the first few months of 2025 and Rome should soon look more beautiful than ever!

Should you still visit Rome in 2025?

While the Jubilee is a huge event, it will also bring huge overcrowding, as well as make Rome more expensive and difficult to navigate. In truth, if you’re not planning on visiting the city especially for the Jubilee, you might want to consider travelling in 2026 instead.

Then again, you might have your trip already planned and booked, or simply don’t want to wait another year. If that’s the case, just remember that you’ll have to be patient and plan ahead to make the most out of your visit. You’ll also have to deal with unreliable public transports, as well as higher accommodation costs and more expensive tickets and restaurants.

It will be a bit of a mess, but if you can embrace the chaos we guarantee you’ll love Rome!

And, while you’re at it, don’t forget to check out our top 13 mistakes you’ll want to avoid while in Rome!

So, what do you think, are you going to Rome during the Jubilee or would you rather skip this year?

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