Tours and Tickets to Experience Piazza della Bocca della Verità

There are plenty of ways to experience the Piazza della Bocca della Verità. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Rome Highlights by Golf Cart Private Tour
• Rome on a Golf Cart Semi-Private Tour Max 6 with Private Option
• Rome Highlights by E-Bicycle
• Rome: Golf Cart Tour of the Eternal City
• Rome Vespa Tour with Professional Photographer

Visiting Piazza della Bocca della Verità is free, as it’s a public square home to the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin (Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin) and its famous Bocca della Verità—also known as the Mouth of Truth. The attraction doesn’t charge an entrance fee, but you’ll have to wait in line to see the Mouth of Truth up close, which is kept beneath the church’s portico.

You can see the Bocca della Verità up close when the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin is open. This is typically from 9:30am to 6pm daily, but be sure to check the church’s website as hours are subject to change. Visit close to opening or closing times to avoid the biggest crowds.

The Bocca della Verità is an ancient Roman drain cover that is carved to look like a face. It earned its nickname—the Mouth of Truth—in the 15th century, when it was said that the open mouth would bite the hand of anyone who approached it and lied. Its cameo in the 1953 film Roman Holiday made it a top tourist attraction.

In the Piazza della Bocca della Verità you can see the Mouth of Truth and the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, known for its Romanesque bell tower and inlaid marble floors. Close by is the Forum Boarium (Foro Boario) and its ancient Temple of Hercules Victor, the oldest preserved marble building in the city.

How long you spend visiting Piazza della Bocca della Verità depends on what you plan to do. Allocate 30 minutes to wait in line to take a photo with the Mouth of Truth, but you may spend closer to an hour in the square if you also visit the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin and the temples at the Forum Boarium.