Is Tiqets Worth It? - My Experience With The Rome Tourist Card
How My Trip Changed From Paris To Rome
Paris has been on my bucket list for quite some time. I have wanted to go there since I was a child. During the difficult times of 2020, I devised a detailed itinerary for a week in the City of Light. I thoroughly researched hotels, airlines, restaurants, and iconic places to visit. I even studied the city map so that, hopefully, when the world regained normalcy, I could venture overseas for the first time and experience everything this city offers. Finally, in October 2022, I was able to make that happen. I booked my flights, hotel, and city pass, and even purchased my tickets to Disneyland Paris. Everything was going according to plan until one evening, just six days before I was due to fly out.
travel.state.gov
If you are an American traveling internationally, it's essential that you sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Although I had seen some information about the protests on social media, I didn't have a clear picture of what was happening. Six days before my departure to Paris, I received an email from STEP warning me about the mass protests and airport-related strikes and advising me to avoid the protest areas and that navigating the city would be difficult due to transit strikes.
Although I respect the right to protest, traveling can be pretty expensive. It is not ideal to find out that the destination you planned to visit is experiencing some unrest, which may jeopardize your safety and limit your opportunities to do much. During my trip, I discovered that many of the attractions we had planned to visit, such as the Loruve, had closed due to the unrest. Moreover, being in such an environment and not being fluent in the native language concerned me, so I contacted Delta. After spending two anxiety-inducing hours on the phone and spending hundreds of dollars (I ended up breaking even with my Disneyland Paris ticket refund), I changed my travel plans from the City of Light to the Eternal City.
If you have done any research on travel, or even if you have read some of my posts here on my website, you have come across the advice that buying tickets in advance is crucial. However, during my recent visit to Rome and Florence, I did not have the luxury of planning in advance and bought all my attraction tickets just three days before my flight. I used Tiqets for most of my bookings, and fortunately, because I was there during the off-season, I didn't face any issues with purchasing tickets. I was able to see everything I wanted to see.
about tiqets
Tiqets was founded in 2014 and aims to make it easier for travelers to experience the best museums and attractions worldwide. They work with thousands of renowned museums, thrilling attractions, and hidden gems to offer travelers unforgettable experiences.
I liked the value of Tiqets. It was cheaper than buying all the experiences separately, and everything was viewable in their app.
The Rome Tourist Card
The Rome Tourist Card included a priority entry ticket to The Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill, Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Skip The Line with Optional Audio Guide, St. Peter’s Basilica Guided Tour, a City Audio Guide App, and a 10% discount on other attractions in Rome.
We did not utilize this Tourist Card's Roman Forum and Palatine Hill portion because we had trouble finding the ticket pickup location. It took us a long time to locate it, and by the time we did, the museum was about to close. Consequently, we had to hurry to the Colosseum to make our entry time.
They also have a Florence Pass
Getting tickets to other museums and sites was easy, but Accademia Gallery tickets were sold out. At that moment, I had flashbacks to when I purchased Taylor Swift and BTS concert tickets. The idea of buying from scalpers was making my wallet ache.
I panicked at the thought of being unable to see the Statue of David, so I decided to check Tiqets for tickets. Luckily, they had plenty of tickets available, so we purchased them through Tiqets without any issues.
As I write this post, I see they have a Florence Pass, which includes the Uffizi and Accademia Gallery, the Brunelleschi Dome, and Florence Cathedral. If I ever go back to Florence, I would consider getting this card if there is a significant savings.
The St. Peter’s Basilica tour that never happened
Our last day was spent traveling to Vatican City to take a guided tour of St Peter’s Basilica, but unfortunately, we did not do this due to an interesting purchasing mistake on our part.
When we purchased the Tiqets Rome Tourist Card, my friend and I booked our tickets separately, as most people would. But, with Tiqets, that is not how you are supposed to book your tickets if you want to be in the same tour group as your travel companions.
When we arrived at St. Peter's Square, we received unclear instructions regarding where to meet our tour guide. When we finally found them and checked in, we were informed that we would not be in the same tour group. If we had known this at the time of purchase, we would have purchased St. Peter’s Basilica tickets through another company.
As female travelers and for other reasons, we were uncomfortable being separated on this tour and decided not to go. We decided to save it for the next time we ever found ourselves in Italy, along with visiting the Tower of Pisa.
Would I Use Tiqets Again?
Would I use Tiqets again?
Yes. The value is worth it.
We saved so much money and frustration by using Tiqets and having all our bookings available in the app. It just made such an unexpected trip easier.
With everything I know now, I would book tickets through a different company to enter St. Peter’s Basilica, but I would still use Tiqets again If I ever go back to Rome or Florence.
I recommend the Rome Tourist Card to anyone wondering if the card is worth it or if Tiqets is legit.
I didn’t know if it was legit and was pleasantly surprised by the value of the Rome Tourist Card.
I'm Andrea, a travel content creator from NYC. If you are considering visiting the world's most sought-after travel destinations, need tips and recommendations, or are looking for the latest film reviews, you are in the right place. Join me as I share my passion for cinema and exploration.