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Rome: Big Bus Hop-on, Hop-off Open-Top Sightseeing Tour

Rome, Italy
Very popular!
10+ bookings in the past 6 hours.
  • 1 hour 40 minutes (approx.)
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Skip the hassle of navigating Rome’s busy streets and piecing together transport with a flexible sightseeing pass that brings top landmarks like Vatican City, the Colosseum, and the Pantheon into one easy route. With the freedom to explore at your own pace and onboard insights to add context, this experience removes planning stress while helping you make the most of your time.
  • Multilingual audio commentary with included headphones
  • Hop off at Colosseum, Vatican, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain
  • Flexible 1- to 72-hour tickets, plus night tour option
  • Free Wi-Fi and VOX digital walking tour included

What's Included

  • 1-day or 24-, 48- or 72-hour hop-on hop-off bus tour (depending on option selected)
  • Digital commentary in multiple languages
  • Free Wi-Fi on Board
  • Free VOX digital self-guided tour download
  • Night tour (72-hour ticket option 10th April-2 Oct only)
  • Free Gelato from "The Gelatist" OR Glass of Prosecco with selected products
  • Big Bus Tours app (ticket storage, live tracking and ticket activation)
  • Hotel Pick-up & Drop-off

Meeting and Pickup

Operating hours

Select your preferred tour option to see hours.
View tour option

Departure Point

  • You may start this tour at any of the stops listed.

Ticket Redemption Point

Via delle Terme di Diocleziano, 34, 00184 Roma RM, Italy

Itinerary

Board the bus for your hop-on, hop-off tour at any of the stops along the route. Exchange your voucher for a ticket that is valid for three, 24, 48, or 72 hours, depending on your schedule and preferences.

Disembark at any point to explore areas that interest you. Spend as much time as you like at any one stop, or skip those that don't interest you. Climb down to explore Vatican City and learn about the history of the Catholic Church, or throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, which legend has it ensures you return to Rome. Sit on the Spanish Steps and sample a local gelato or explore the Pantheon. Disembark to learn about the times of Roman gladiators in the Colosseum or stroll through the ancient Roman Forum.

While on the bus, listen to recorded audio commentary in nine languages through the provided headphones. The recorded narrative gives a comprehensive history of Rome and details its current role as a thriving Italian metropolis.

Each ticket option includes a VOX digital walking tour. Please see the Itinerary section for a full list of stops.
Red Route

8 Stops

22 Points of Interest

Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes

Operating Schedule: The Hop-on, Hop-off tour runs daily from 9 AM to 6 PM, with buses every 15 minutes and a full loop lasting approx. 1 hour and 45 minutes. Download the Big Bus Tours app to track buses in real time, and board easily using your mobile ticket.

1

Rome Termini station

2

Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major

3

Colosseum

4

Circus Maximus

5

Piazza Venezia

6

Vatican Museums

7

Spanish Steps

8

Piazza Barberini

Points of interest passed by on this route

Trevi Fountain

Piazza Venezia

Vatican Museums

Piazza Barberini

Big Bus Tours

Campo De' Fiori

Piazza Navona

Vatican City

National Roman Museum - The Baths of Diocletian

Piazza del Campidoglio

Piazza Venezia / Ancient City

St. Peter's Basilica

Castel Sant'Angelo

Basilica di San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

Circo Massimo

Roman Forum

Navona / Pantheon / Campo de’ Fiori

Vatican Museums

Vatican City

St. Peter's Basilica

Spanish Steps

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Luggage is not permitted on board for security reasons
  • The 72-hour ticket includes a panoramic Night Tour (May to October only), which is not hop-on, hop-off
  • Download the Big Bus Tours app to access and activate your ticket, track buses in real time, and board easily using your mobile pass.

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

3.4
based on 2,811 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Sort by: Most insightful

Terrible experience

Jemma_D, Jul 2026
Really disappointed with this ‘tour’. Wasn’t told about or given the earphones which has a voiceover as your drive round. The bus doesn’t go to any of the sites, but rather stops around the city and you have to walk into the city. Spent an hour on the bus going round the city not seeing or hearing anything! Would not recommend.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Hi there! Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear that the tour did not meet your expectations. We understand how disappointing it must have been not to receive the earphones or onboard commentary, as this is an important part of the sightseeing experience. We also appreciate your comments regarding the route and stop locations. Our tours are designed to provide access to key areas of the city, but we understand that the experience was not what you anticipated and that this affected your enjoyment of the tour. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Your feedback will be shared with the relevant team for review. Alexandra@BigBusTours

The night tours are very...

David_I, Jul 2026
The night tours are very popular, get your tickets early, confirm date and time, arrive at least 30 minutes early if you plan on sitting on the top of the bus. We had an issue while in Rome , but was rectified and handled wonderfully by Asif ,very understanding and helpful. Thank you Asif.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the Night Tour and that Asif was able to resolve the issue you experienced in Rome with such understanding and professionalism. We'll be sure to share your kind words with him, and we truly appreciate your helpful tips for future guests. We hope to welcome you on board again soon. Best regards, Denis @BigBusTours

Great way to familiarise yourself on city breaks

Michelle_W, Jul 2026
We love a city bus tour. It’s a great way to familiarise yourself on a city break. Saw a few main attractions along the way. Really like the individual commentary, you choose if you want to listen. I like the commentary as you find out more. Love the map & the fact you can get off. Recommended.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Thank you for your fantastic feedback! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed exploring the city with us and found the hop-on, hop-off experience, onboard commentary, and route map helpful for discovering the main attractions at your own pace. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you on board again on your next city adventure. Best regards, Denis @BigBusTours

Great option to see Rome!

Ashley_W, Jul 2026
Easy to find meeting spot and jump on and off throughout the day. I do wish the driver would announce the stop numbers or maybe he did but only those inside the bus could hear.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Hi, Ashley! Thank you for your feedback! We are glad you found our meeting spots easy to locate and enjoyed the convenience of the hop-on hop-off service. We appreciate your note about the stop announcements. Clear communication is very important to us, and we are working to ensure that our drivers' announcements are perfectly audible for everyone, both inside and on the top deck. Thank you for helping us improve, and we hope to welcome you back soon! Best regards, Mihaela@BigBusToursTeam

Beware of what is advertised on the Hop on Hop off !

Kathie_L, Jul 2026
The Ad said we would stop at 4 more locations then we got to stop at! Very disappointing as we were looking forward to stopping at the Spanish Steps and Fountain of Trevi location etc. Wish we would have taken other Bus service who did stop at the important locations!!

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Hi, We're sorry to hear that the tour did not meet your expectations and that you were disappointed by the stops included on the route. We understand how frustrating it must have been when you were looking forward to visiting locations such as the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. If you'd like us to review your experience further, please contact us via live chat or email with your booking details, and we'll be happy to assist. Daiana@BigBusTours

So not use them .

adriana_h, Jun 2026
Very few stops. Have to walk a lot to go to places. The buss drivers appeared not to wanted to work, the stops were way to long. In two stops we waited 15 minutes . While other big busses were passing us by. Do not use this company . Use other , there are many other options

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hello! Thank you for your honest feedback. We are very sorry to hear about the stops problem you had and we will ensure this will be improved. You can contact us via chat or email so we can offer you compensation and solutions. Razvan@BigBusTours

On time, but Greenline buses seemed better!

Nicola_O, Jun 2026
It's a tricky one this as there were some big plus points; the buses were very regular and the commentary ,although taped, was actually very good and timed well. We did the tour on two days and each day it did a different route. This may be because of traffic but one day it completely missed out going round the Colosseum which I think would be the main thing anyone would get the bus for! The other day it seemed to spend quite a while going around the same bit near the station which was not great as we were using the buses to get to places so it just added extra time. Also, there were many things that it wasn't very near so you would have had a walk to the Trevi Fountain, Spanish steps and Pantheon. But I think this is because of the layout of the Roman roads and how many of them are pedestrianised. There is another bus tour, Greenline, which appeared to have more stops and also stopped closer to Vatican City whereas Big Bus stopped on the other side of the river. The buses also never had the roofs on despite it being 37c and very very sunny so people o the top den were roasted like tomatoes. Again, Greenline buses had their top canopies on.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hello! Thank you for your honest feedback. We will take into account the things you have encountered and we will ensure they will be improved as soon as possible. We are also happy for the time you enjoyed with us and the good things you highlighted. Razvan@BigBusTours

Waste of time, disappointing

Ken_S, Jun 2026
Sound system was faulty. Narration was uninteresting. Didn't stop in some places to get off. Very disappointing. Not a good use of limited time in Rome.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hi, Ken! Thank you for your feedback, and I am very sorry to hear that your experience in Rome was so disappointing. A faulty sound system and missed stops are certainly not the standard of service we aim to provide, especially when your time in the city is limited. We would like to look into this further and make things right for you. Could you please reach out to our dedicated team directly through our Rome Contact Us Page? Please include your booking details or ticket reference so we can assist you right away. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and we hope to hear from you soon. Alina@BigBusTours

Horrible

Linda_C, Jun 2026
We could not go back to stop 2 had to get off at stop 1 at the bus terminal and waited for 1 hour and 45 minutes for a taxi to take us back to our hotel.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hello. Thank you for your feedback. We are very sorry to hear that you did not get to enjoy your tour. You can contact us via chat or email so we can find the best solution for your situation. Razvan@BigBusTours

This is a typical big bus...

Bob_D, Jun 2026
This is a typical big bus tour. We've done these before and they can be helpful getting you to places with no metro stop. The audio is not great, but suffices. The day we took it was ridiculously hot in Rome, and the downstairs seats are the only ones air conditioned and they're at a premium. There's plenty of busses running all day and our wait was at most 3 minutes.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hello, Thank you so much for your review and for sharing your experience with us in Rome! We are glad to hear that you found our routes helpful for reaching areas without metro stops and that our high frequency kept your wait times under 3 minutes. We appreciate your feedback regarding the audio quality and the heat. Rome's summer temperatures can indeed be very intense, making our air-conditioned lower deck highly popular. We constantly monitor our onboard systems to ensure the audio and cooling are working as efficiently as possible for our guests' comfort. Thank you for choosing Big Bus Tours again, and we look forward to welcoming you on board for a much cooler ride in the future! Best regards, Melisa@BigBusToursTeam

More music than...

ANTOINETTE_Z, Jun 2026
More music than narration. Not a lot of explanation. We passed the Coliseum and not one word. By the time we got to another location, the narration started too late. And long waiting times at each srop.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hello, Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear that your experience did not meet expectations due to the audio timing issues and the long wait times at our stops. What you described regarding the narration passing major landmarks like the Colosseum without any commentary is definitely not our standard. This usually indicates a temporary technical glitch with the GPS synchronization on that specific bus. We have immediately shared your comments with our local maintenance and roadside management teams to inspect the onboard audio systems and address the service delays. We appreciate your patience and hope you will give us another chance in the future to provide you with the accurate, informative tour you expected. Best regards, Melisa@BigBusToursTeam

This is a review for viator probably, didnt get to do it

Andrea_B, Jun 2026
Our booking number never worked in the big bus app, and viator never gave us enough information to use it. Now its hard to contact anyone to get help

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for your feedback. We’re very sorry to hear about the difficulties you experienced with your booking not working in the app and the lack of clear information provided. We understand how frustrating it can be when you’re unable to access your ticket or get the support you need while planning your visit. This is certainly not the experience we aim to deliver, and your comments have been shared with our team to help improve both our app functionality and communication with booking partners. We recommend contacting our Customer Support team with your booking reference so we can assist you further and resolve this for you. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Ciprian @ Big Bus Tours

Very nice

ALAA_S, Jun 2026
Very nice and affordable to cover most city locations and locations are clear would highly recommend it

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hello! Thank you for the wonderful review! We are thrilled to hear that you found our tour affordable, clear, and a great way to cover most of the city's locations. We truly appreciate your high recommendation! Best regards, Melisa@BigBusToursTeam

Not worth it.

Mary_W, Jun 2026
The nearest stop to our accommodation was closed. Very little information available to help. When we did find a stop after a significant walk, we weren’t given ear phones so didn’t access the commentary. We basically sat in a traffic jam for an hour. Not a good experience.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hello! Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are truly sorry for the experience you had, especially regarding the closed stop, the lack of communication, and not receiving your earphones. Your comments about the service and the lack of information have been passed on to our team to ensure we handle route closures and passenger care much better in the future. Best regards, Melisa@BigBusToursTeam

Paid for 3 days, it said...

Edward_S, Jun 2026
Paid for 3 days, it said complete after 1 day. Couldn't get on the bus, tickets disappeared! Paid 50.00 to get on a different bus!

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hello! Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We are sorry to hear about the technical issue with your 3-day ticket and the extra expense you had to incur. Please reach out to our customer support team directly with your booking reference and receipts so we can investigate this error and resolve it for you as quickly as possible. Best regards, Melisa@BigBusToursTeam

The way to go when the feet say STOP.

Michael_A, Jun 2026
What a great way to get around. A hat is a must for the up top seats. Great air conditioning and videos inside the bus!

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hi Michael_A. We appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback! It brings us great joy to know that you enjoyed our bus tour, and we look forward to welcoming you aboard again in the future. Best regards, Razvan @BigBusTours

2026 European family trip.

Ernest_C, Jun 2026
We were 7 people. I bought the tickets for 48 hours for the family. We had issues getting 7 different tickets. We had to take the bus boarding together and was not able to give each family member to travel independently. Not so clear on the instructions. I was told it was too late to print independent 7 tickets.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hello Ernest_C. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you have enjoyed our bus tour and we hope to welcome you on board again in the future. Best regards, Razvan @BigBusTours

Setting Rome's sites was easier by bus

Matthew_C, Jun 2026
This made setting the main sites of Rome so much easier. I did walk between some stops and that made finding the next place to get back on the bus rather challenging.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hi Matthew_C. We sincerely appreciate your feedback! It is delightful to hear that you had a positive experience on our bus tour, and we look forward to welcoming you again in the future. Best regards, Razvan @BigBusTours

Skip Hop On Hop Off in Rome

Jenica_C, Jun 2026
Colleseum stop is closed making the next closest stop a long walk. Rome is too heavily trafficked to make this a useful tour. It is faster to walk to each stop and most of the time in the bus is spent not really moving. I have liked the hop on hop off in cities like Edinburgh, London or Dublin. I like the high level information while also getting the lay of the land. Unfortunately, Rome didnt really give me this experience. Skip in Rome unless you are staying right by a stop and even then I would rethink.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hi Jenica! Thank you for your review. We're sorry that the wait times impacted your trip. As we tend to operate in big cities, occasionally traffic can let us down. We recommend using the Live Tracking feature on our app to help plan your route on the day. We hope to see you on a Big Bus Tour again soon! Ana from Big Bus Tours.

Locations hard to find! Not friendly

Margie_G, Jun 2026
Big bus- hop on hop off doesn’t have street signs to find pickup places. Took me 1/2 hour to find a pick up station. Staff was abrupt and not friendly. Would not recommend. Did see other options while driving. I would suggest looking into them

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that you found the stops difficult to locate and that your interaction with staff did not meet expectations. We understand how this can impact your overall experience. If you’d like to share more details with us directly, please reach out via: https://www.bigbustours.com/contact-us We appreciate you bringing this to our attention. Andrei@BigBusTours

It was an easy taxi around the city

sarah_l, Jun 2026
To be fair Rome was not what we expected. We have travelled to several large cities in Europe and felt this one just had no organization of how to find things. We were hoping the bus tour would help us with that. Instead the stops were just in the general area of something so you got off at the Vatican and had to walk 20 mins or more to actually get to the city. You ride the bus so you don't have to necessarily stop but can see the sites. We didn't even go near the trevi fountain which was disappointing. I would recommend as a way to get around the city but would not recommend if you expect to see any of the highlights from the bus.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate you sharing your experience and understand your expectations regarding stop locations and visibility of key landmarks. Your comments about accessibility and route coverage are helpful and will be reviewed. If you’d like to share more details with us directly, please reach out via: https://www.bigbustours.com/contact-us Thank you again for your comments. Andrei@BigBusTours

Hot Red Bus

Iciar_M, Jun 2026
It was a very very hot bus .There were no fans or shaded areas, no AC . He inside of the bus did not have AC either . IT was dangerously hot in Rome . Water or fans should have been provided for customers .

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hi Iciar! We're really sorry to hear that your time in Rome didn't meet your expectations because the bus didn't have AC. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! We know how hot it can get in the summer. While some of our buses do have air conditioning on the lower decks, we recommend dressing appropriately for the heat and bringing along hand-held fans and bottled water to keep cool. We can't wait to see you again soon! Alexandra I. @ Big Bus Tours

Rome trip

Dario_D, Jun 2026
Really nice experience with Viator! Would recommend it to everyone! Everything was nicely organized and easy to access

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you so much for your kind feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you had such a positive experience and found everything well organized and easy to access. Your recommendation truly means a lot to us. We hope to welcome you again on another tour in the future!

Confusing

Christine_R, Jun 2026
Could not find where to be picked up or the route The app is not helpful so we haven’t done the tour yet. We lost a whole day in our 3 day package

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for your feedback, and we’re very sorry to hear about your experience. We understand how frustrating it must have been not being able to locate the pickup point or route, especially when relying on the app. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this caused and for the impact it had on your plans, particularly as you were unable to make use of one day of your 3-day package. Your comments regarding the clarity of information and the usability of the app are very important to us, and they will be shared with the relevant team so improvements can be made. We truly regret that your experience did not meet expectations and appreciate you bringing this to our attention.

Quick overview of city

Angela_M, Jun 2026
Great way to get an overview of the city! This takes you to all the highlights without having to navigate on your own!

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for your great feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the experience and found it to be an easy way to explore the city’s highlights without the need to navigate on your own. We hope to welcome you on board again in the future!

Choose another tour operator.

Jon_B, Jun 2026
Much better options available. 9 minute schedule more like 39. Half full buses simply drove past stops. When a bus finally came it was standing room only. Chaos boarding, no one checking tickets. Waste of time.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for your feedback! We truly appreciate you bringing these matters to our attention, and we are very sorry to hear about your experience. We understand how frustrating it must have been to encounter delays, overcrowded buses, and difficulties with boarding, as well as buses not stopping as expected. This is not the level of service we aim to provide. Your comments regarding scheduling, capacity, and boarding procedures are extremely valuable, and they will be shared with the relevant teams. We are committed to learning from this and will work to improve these aspects of our service.

Not as Good as Other Hop On Hop Off Bus Cities

Amanda_H, Jun 2026
This big bus tour was not the same as other big bus tours I've taken in Paris, London and New York. First off, the guide was not doing anything live, everything was prerecorded. Also, the bus stops around 6 or 7 PM I believe, but the sun doesn't even set till 8:45 PM during the summer months when we were there. It felt like it ended very early. There was a night time one, but with only two time options and no hop on or hop off options. The app itself was helpful and nice to learn about the area. The pre-recorded guide wasn't great though, and I'd just use the app as it had all the pre-recorded info and more.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. We really appreciate your perspective, especially given your experience with our tours in other cities. We understand that every city can feel a little different, and we’re sorry to hear that this experience didn’t quite match your expectations. In some locations, we use pre-recorded commentary to ensure consistent storytelling across multiple languages, but we appreciate that this can feel less engaging compared to a live guide. Your comments about operating hours are also valuable. Schedules can vary depending on local conditions, demand, and seasonal factors, though we understand how summer daylight hours can make an earlier finish feel limiting. We also note your feedback on the nighttime tour format and flexibility. On a positive note, we’re pleased to hear that you found the app useful. It’s great to know it added value and helped you explore further. Thank you again for your honest feedback. It’s very helpful as we continue to review and improve the overall experience. Alex@BigBusTours

Waste of money

Lisa_P, Jun 2026
The map is very vague so finding the sign is a game of where’s Waldo. One of the stops was closed and we were not informed. Spent most of the time walking in heat. Only hopped on once due to bad information.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for your feedback, and we’re sorry to hear about your experience. We understand how frustrating it must have been finding stops and dealing with closures without clear information, especially in the heat. Your comments are very important to us and will help us improve our signage and communication. Raul@BigBusTours

Horrible. Do not book

Stephen_S, Jun 2026
Absolutely horrible. Worst experience with Viator ever. Bus was constantly late, employees were incredibly rude. Multiple stops were closed without warning. #1 stop is where night bus goes from and you have to get there and back (not central to most of Rome). Really bad experience. Book with another vendor and don’t use Viator because they will do nothing to refund you. Do NOT use Big Bus in Rome.

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Thank you for your feedback, and we’re very sorry to hear about your experience in Rome. This is not the standard we strive for, and we understand how frustrating the delays, changes, and service issues must have been. We truly appreciate you bringing this to our attention as it helps us improve. Raul@BigBusTours

Fun way to get around and see the main sights.

Kris_B, Jun 2026
be sure to get the headphones as you enter. The tour is audio recorded in multiple languages We also recommend the night tour

Response from Host, Jun 2026

Hi Kris, Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed exploring Rome with us and found the audio commentary helpful. Thank you as well for sharing your tip about the headphones and for recommending the Night Tour. We appreciate you travelling with us and hope to welcome you on board again for another fantastic adventure in the future! Madalina@BigBusTours

From $22.79

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

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On average, this is booked 39 days in advance.

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