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What to do in Roma when it rains

Rain does not cancel Rome, because so many of its masterpieces are indoors. The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, the Galleria Borghese, the Capitoline Museums and the churches with their Caravaggios do not need the sun, and the Pantheon with rain falling through the oculus is a sight of its own.

Below is an indoor route that fills a whole day, and further down every indoor place, sorted by how far it is from you. In the planner you can choose "Indoors only": the outdoor stops drop out and the walks between stops stay short.

An indoor route

  1. Musei Vaticani e Cappella Sistina

    A rainy day is the right one for the Vatican Museums: miles of covered galleries, the Raphael Rooms and, at the end, the Sistine Chapel. Book your entry and allow at least three hours.

  2. Basilica di San Pietro

    The largest church in Christendom, a few minutes from the Vatican Museums. Inside are Michelangelo's Pietà and Bernini's baldachin; in the rain the security queue in the square is shorter.

  3. Pantheon

    In the rain, water falls straight through the oculus and drains away through holes in the ancient floor, a sight you never get in the sun. The visit takes twenty minutes.

  4. San Luigi dei Francesi

    Between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, three Caravaggios of the life of St Matthew in the Contarelli Chapel. A quarter-hour refuge worth as much as a museum.

  5. Galleria Doria Pamphilj

    A private collection on Via del Corso, with Velázquez's portrait of Innocent X and a hall of mirrors. Usually less crowded than the big museums, and visited with an audio guide.

  6. Musei Capitolini

    On the Capitol, two palaces linked by an underground gallery with a view over the Roman Forum. The She-Wolf, Marcus Aurelius and the great portraits of the emperors, all indoors.

  7. Basilica di San Clemente

    You go underground through three eras: a medieval basilica, a 4th-century church and Roman houses with a temple of Mithras. Perfect in the rain, near the Colosseum.

In the form, choose "Indoors only": outdoor stops drop out and the walks between stops stay short.

Plan an indoor walk

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Every indoor place in Roma

Frequently asked questions

What is there to see in Rome when it rains?

The Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel, St Peter's, the Galleria Borghese, the Capitoline Museums, Palazzo Barberini and the churches of the centre with their Caravaggios. The Pantheon in the rain is worth seeing.

Can you visit the Colosseum and the Forum in the rain?

Yes, but the Forum and the Palatine are outdoors with no shelter, and the paths get slippery. In heavy rain, do the Colosseum on its own and save the Forum for another day.

And with children?

Castel Sant'Angelo, with its ramps and partly covered terrace, and the Capitoline Museums work for younger children too. More ideas are on the page about what to do in Rome with children.

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