Page last updated: 06 August 2024
Rome is a popular tourist destination full of art. The Roman Forum’s monuments and ruins, the Catacombs, churches, palaces, and buildings are some of the best places to visit.
How many people visit Rome each year?
Over 35 million tourists visited Rome in 2023, exceeding both previous and pre-pandemic years.
- In 2019, 19.45 million tourists visited Rome, accounting for 46.54 million overnight stays.1
- Rome welcomed 35 million tourists in 2023, surpassing 2022 with 32 million overnight stays. 2
How many tourists visited Rome in 2023?
- Rome welcomed approximately 35 million tourists in 2023, marking a 9% increase from the previous year.
- In 2023, almost 2 million arrivals were recorded at the airport during the summer season.
Where do visitors to Rome come from?
- In 2023, the majority of the tourists visiting Rome were from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and other European countries.
- In 2022, the largest number of visitors to Rome was from Europe with 2.8 million, followed by American tourists with 1.7 million arrivals. South-East Asia contributed 540,000 arrivals and Central-South America with 390,000.
Italy Travel Resources
Where do visitors to Rome spend their money?
- Visitors to Rome spend 26.5% of their budget on hotels, 17.2% on restaurants and bars, 20.2% on clothing stores, and about 12% at museums, galleries, movies, and shows.
How long do tourists stay in Rome?
- Most visitors to Rome stayed for an average of 2.39 days.
How popular is Rome as a tourist destination?
- Rome ranks as the #4 most popular city among European capitals for tourism
- The Colosseum, Pantheon, and Trevi Fountain are among the top attractions that draw millions of visitors each year. The Pantheon alone receives about 8 million visitors annually, while the Trevi Fountain attracts around 3.5 million.
What do tourists dislike about Rome?
Approximately 14% of visitors expressed dissatisfaction due to the numerous street vendors who incessantly try to sell their products to them.
- About 13% of visitors expressed dissatisfaction with the large number of vehicles on Rome’s streets.
- Ineffective public transport and dirty streets were cited as negative factors by 12.2% and 11.5% of visitors, respectively.3
Tourist Tips When Visiting Rome
What is a “Roma pass” card?
A Roma pass card is a helpful card for tourists which makes visitors’ stays in Rome more comfortable and cheaper. The card is valid for 3 days and includes:
- Free access to the first two museums or archaeological sites.
- Reduced prices for tickets to other museums.
- Free public transportation on the territory of the community of Rome. This includes buses, metro, trams, trolleybuses, and regional trains like Roma-Lido, Roma Flaminio Piazza del Popolo-Viterbo, Roma-Giardinetti.
- Discounted admission for several other tourism services as well as exhibition tickets.
- A Roma pass card can be purchased online for €34.
What is the best way to travel to Rome?
Trains and aeroplanes are the most often used modes of transportation for visitors from overseas. The majority of tourists fly into Rome via:
- Rome-Fiumicino International Airport: Located close to the coast, 30 kilometres southwest of the capital city of Italy. This airport serves the majority of foreign visitors to Rome. The airport and city are connected by the Leonardo Express train.
- Some European local visitors travel to Rome by rail. Rome’s main train station is Termini. The train station usually receives trains from Munich, Geneva, Vienna, and many other Italian towns.
- Rome Cruise Terminal is located around 80 kilometres from Rome in the Port of Civitavecchia.
What do you need to do as a tourist in Rome?
- Visit a museum: Rome’s museums have unique exhibits.
- Take a look at famous sights: Some of the most well-known sights in Rome include St. Peter’s Cathedral, the Trevi Fountain, the Capitoline Hill, and the Colosseum.
- Experience Italian cuisine: Enjoy Italian cuisine at neighbourhood cafés and restaurants. Italy has some of the best food, wine, cheese, and pizza in the world.
- Shop on the Via del Corso: Visitors can purchase the newest styles of footwear and clothing on the Via del Corso and the surrounding streets.
Are there any important events upcoming in Rome?
2025 Vatican Jubilee
- An estimated 35 million tourists are anticipated to visit the Eternal City for the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, according to the Vatican and the city of Rome. The jubilee, which marks a special year of grace, will run for a whole year, starting right before Christmas and ending on the Epiphany of the following year.4
Coronavirus Pandemic Impact – Rome Tourism Statistics
- Tourism decline: After the travel restrictions and impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Rome suffered from a loss of tourism, with an estimated 10 million tourists cancelling their visits.
- Economic impact: This resulted in business income dropping by 70%.5
Top Attractions in Rome
- The Colosseum: The most well-known landmark in Rome welcoming 4 million annually and all of Italy. It is also known as the Flavian Amphitheater.
- Trevi Fountain is the destination of choice for most visitors to Rome, attracting millions of tourists from around the world.
- The Pantheon: One of Rome’s most popular attractions and one of the best-preserved structures is the Pantheon. It served as an army barracks at the end of Greece’s war.
- Piazza di Spagna: Also known as the “Square of Spain,” it is one of the most well-known squares in Rome because of its famous staircase and its reputation as a gathering place. 82% of tourists visit here each year.
- St. Peter’s Basilica: The 2,000-year-old basilica is home to most of the Catholic Church’s crucial ceremonies and is a classic symbol of Vatican City.
