Visiting the Pantheon in Rome in 2023: new rules, new website!

As you surely know if you’ve been reading the news about Rome, as of July 1, the Pantheon is no longer free to visit: travelers will have to pay a 5 EUR ticket to enter the famous temple-turned-church.

This new regulation essentially makes this old blog post obsolete: the website that could be used to book your free tickets over the weekends has been discontinued, and another online system to purchase your access to the Pantheon has been set up, leaving foreign visitors confused. This new post addresses their concerns and offers some workarounds for a successful, stress-free visit!

The official site for Pantheon tickets

First of all, general information about tickets for the Pantheon will always be posted at this address. Keep this in your bookmarks, as any changes to the actual ticketing website will be posted here (and don’t worry, this page has an English version). Next, check out the website linked from this page, which is currently museiitaliani.it: here. The site is slow and you’ll be tempted to refresh the page – quite normal given that it’s visited by millions of people every week.

As with many other similar platforms, you will be asked to register as a new user; once you have done so, you will need to confirm your details by clicking on a link sent to your email address.

How to book your Pantheon tickets online

Once this is done, you will be able to book your tickets, but only 30 days in advance. After choosing the correct number of tickets you want, you’ll proceed to checkout, but you’ll be asked to click on a blue button that says “Entra con SPID” – this is Italy’s digital ID system and obviously doesn’t apply to a tourist from abroad, so skip it by clicking on “Entra con la tua email“, where you’ll enter the credentials you registered at the start.

Now here’s the tricky part: as we write this, the system will not accept an overwhelming number of non-Italian debit or credit cards. The transaction simply won’t go through.

The first workaround we can recommend, if you have a PayPal account, is to click where you see “altri metodi di pagamento”: this will allow you to complete your purchase by bypassing the card issue entirely. The second workaround is to use the virtual debit card option offered by Wise. Registering your account with this well-known payment provider is free, and you will be able to use their virtual card as you would a regular one on any website, not just the Pantheon’s. With this method, you can go back and choose to pay with a credit card, using the details on your newly created virtual card.

When you finally manage to buy your tickets, know that you don’t have to print them out – the staff at the Pantheon will only need to scan the QR code attached to them, which can be done if you have the tickets on your phone or tablet.

Queuing outside the Pantheon: not a terrible idea!

Frustrated with the online process? It’s actually possible to buy your tickets in person and on the day, even if you have to wait in line. Unlike the Colosseum or the Vatican Museums, the queues at the Pantheon are not exhaustingly long if you get there before opening time (9am), so we recommend that you queue up at least 30 minutes in advance for a smoother experience. Keep in mind that the Pantheon may occasionally be closed for special events or functions!

At this point, you’ll be faced with a choice, as there are three different lines to choose from: the one on the left is for cash payments only, the one in the middle is for tickets purchased online, and the last one is for credit card payments only. Choose wisely… and enjoy this incredible building!