More crowds than usual are expected this year in the Eternal City. We explain what the Jubilee is, how to navigate the crowds, and what to see and do while there.
A trip to Rome is an exhilarating experience at any time. But with the Catholic Church’s Jubilee currently hitting its stride, 2025 is gearing up to be an even bigger year than usual.
The Jubilee is expected to draw more than 30 million visitors to the Eternal City, which has spent billions of euros cleaning up its monuments and upgrading its transport networks in preparation for the event. People are already starting to trickle in, so if you’re planning to come later in the year, be prepared for crowds at key sites and a festive atmosphere in the city’s cobbled lanes and baroque piazzas.
Here’s what you need to know to navigate Jubilee 2025.
The Jubilee, also known as a Holy Year, is one of the Catholic Church’s major global events. Traditionally held every 25 years, it’s a period of prayer, reflection, and penance, during which pilgrims who travel to Rome and visit certain designated churches can secure a plenary indulgence (remission of their sins).
The tradition dates back to 1300 when Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed the first holy year. It was an immediate hit, attracting an estimated two million pilgrims, including the artist Giotto and possibly Dante, who alluded to it in The Divine Comedy.
Proceedings officially kicked off Christmas Eve 2024. In a ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis opened the basilica’s holy door — which is usually kept closed — and launched the year-long celebration, which is scheduled to finish on January 6, 2026.
Religious and cultural events are planned throughout the whole year, but peak times will be spring (May to June) and autumn (September to October).
The Jubilee will be felt across the whole city, but center stage will be the Vatican, the tiny papal state on the northwest bank of the Tiber River. Most people who visit for the Jubilee will want to go to St. Peter’s Basilica in St. Peter’s Square, while museum-goers will want to marvel at the masterpieces on display in the nearby Vatican Museums.
Elsewhere, action will focus on Rome’s other three papal basilicas: San Giovanni in Laterano, Rome’s official cathedral in the San Giovanni district; Santa Maria Maggiore on the Esquiline Hill; and San Paolo Fuori le Mura in the city’s southern suburbs.
Top of the bucket list for many pilgrims will be to walk through a holy door at one of the papal basilicas. This can only be done in a Jubilee year, as the sacred portals are kept shut at all other times. To Catholics, the act of passing through a holy door symbolizes the passage from sin to grace, a central requirement for the obtaining of an indulgence.
Attendees can continue their spiritual journey, while also sightseeing, by walking a designated pilgrimage route. The most famous of these is the Seven Churches walk, a punishing 15.5-mile hike (25 kilometers) that takes in seven important basilicas, as well as Rome's catacombs.
If urban hiking is not your thing, there are plenty of planned Jubilee events, including exhibitions, concerts, open-air masses, and papal audiences.
Away from the main pilgrimage sites, Rome is home to a dazzling array of artistic and architectural treasures. These range from ancient monuments such as the Colosseum and Pantheon to Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and Caravaggio's paintings in the Church of St. Louis of the French.
But with so many people in town, the top attractions will be extremely busy. For a more relaxing experience, visit some lesser-known sites that are still extraordinary. The Baths of Caracalla, for example, offer magnificent Roman ruins without the crowds, while the Cimitero Acattolico is a soothing spot to recharge your batteries, especially if prefaced by a classic trattoria lunch in the nearby Testaccio district. To the south of the city, Via Appia Antica (the ancient Appian Way) is ideal for exploring by bike.
(Related: A hiking tour along Rome's Appian Way)
To get the most out of Rome’s ancient sites, which can be confusing, a tour can make a real difference. Silvia Prosperi and her team at A Friend in Rome offer excellent, tailor-made visits as well as city excursions ranging from Vespa rides to street food walks.
(Related: 10 of the best hotels in Rome)
Walking is the best way to explore the center of Rome. Distances between popular attractions are not far and the labyrinthine lanes are made for leisurely strolling. Just make sure to bring some comfortable walking shoes — Rome’s sampietrini (cobbles) can be very unforgiving.
For longer distances, there are buses, trams, and a three-line metro system. Public transportation is cheap but the system will be under enormous pressure from the crowds, so be prepared for the odd delay and packed carriages.
Taxis can be booked via apps such as itTaxi or ChiamaTaxi 060609.
To get to and from Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport, taxis cost about $60 (€55), or a train to the central Termini station costs about $15 (€14). From the smaller Ciampino Airport, you can take a taxi (for around $43, or €40) or a shuttle bus (one-way from $6.50, or €6).
(Related: How to dine like a local in Italy)
Visitors who want to participate in official Jubilee events and join a pilgrimage to a holy door need a Pilgrim’s Card. This is a free digital pass that you can register for on the Jubilee website or the IUBILAEUM25 app. Once in Rome, there’s also an information point near St. Peter’s at Via della Conciliazione 7, open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Tickets to main attractions like the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, and Galleria Borghese will be in high demand so try to book these as early as possible. Similarly, if there are any popular restaurants you want to try, reserve in advance.
Rome’s main tourist website is a good source for sightseeing suggestions and up-coming events.
