Rome Has Transformed: What to Expect in Rome in 2026

There have been lots of additions and new developments in the Eternal City that are here to stay. Find out what to expect from Rome in 2026 with all our latest news.

New for Rome in 2026

Rome didn’t just prepare for the 2025 Jubilee. It used it as a catalyst to fix long-standing problems and permanently change how the city works.

If you postponed your trip and are now planning for 2026, my guide walks you through what actually changed, what stayed after the Jubilee, and how those changes affect your visit today.

This is not a list of temporary events or speculation, it focuses on infrastructure,
access, and visitor experience improvements that are already in place, including:

• Rome after the Jubilee
• Passeggiata del Gelsomino
• Petros Enì
• St. Peter’s Basilica booking system
• Colosseum: Corridor of Commodus
• New Metro stations
• Mausoleum of Augustus & Augusto Caffè
• Via di San Gregorio
• Horrea Piperataria
• The Celio Archeological Park Cafè
• Piazza della Repubblica
• Oltre il Pantheon
• Trevi Fountain fee
• Transport & Tap-and-Go
• Looking ahead

The Big Picture: Rome After the Jubilee

The Jubilee ended in 2025, but its impact did not.

Many travelers delayed their trips and are now targeting 2026, which means Rome is not suddenly quiet. What is different is the city’s ability to handle crowds. Pedestrian space, transportation, and access systems are better organized than they were even a few years ago.

Passeggiata del Gelsomino (The Jasmine Walk)

Opened in May 2025, the Passeggiata del Gelsomino is a one kilometer pedestrian path built along a former Vatican railway line. It runs from the San Pietro station area toward the Vatican.

It is not inside the Vatican and not an official access route. The walkway is simply a calmer, greener way to move through this part of Rome. In spring, jasmine lines the path, and there are open views toward St. Peter’s Basilica.

Petros Enì Inside St. Peter’s Basilica

Petros Enì is a permanent immersive experience that opened in late 2024 and became more accessible during 2025.

The experience is housed inside the Octagonal Halls. These are spaces located within a supporting pillar of St. Peter’s Basilica, beneath a smaller internal dome that most visitors never notice.

The Petros Enì focuses on the life of Saint Peter, and the construction history of the Basilica.

It meaningfully changes how some visitors experience St. Peter’s, especially those interested in context rather than just scale.

New Online Booking System at St. Peter’s

A major post-Jubilee change is the Vatican’s new online booking system for St. Peter’s Basilica. It remains free to enter, but in order to reduce security wait times, there is now an option for visitors to reserve a time slot online for a fee of 7€.

This reservation comes with access to a dedicated, usually shorter security line and includes a self-guided audio guide for the basilica.

The same booking system also has options for:

• booking the dome climb 
• booking the Petros Enì experience
• submitting your request to visit Saint Peter’s tomb and the Vatican necropolis

Visitors can still enter the basilica without booking, but the system adds predictability for those who prefer to plan ahead.

The Corridor of Commodus at the Colosseum

One of the most important changes at the Colosseum is the opening of the Corridor of Commodus.

This is not simply a new route. It is the result of a major archeological excavation that revealed a passage connecting the Imperial box where emperors would watch the displays in the arena with the outside. Emperors and high-ranking members of ancient Roman society used the passage, which has been carefully restored. 

The Colosseum experience now includes more archaeology, not just expanded access. To see the corridor, the specific Full Experience ticket including a guided visit must be selected when booking.

New Line C Metro Station

Rome’s public transportation system saw a major shift with the opening of new Line C metro stations, including the Colosseo-Fori Imperiali stop.

Line C now connects directly with Line B at the Colosseum, providing easier links to San Giovanni.

The new station took years to complete and have been designed with archeological displays integrated into the station spaces themselves.

The Mausoleum of Augustus: A Reconnected Monument

The Mausoleum of Augustus is still under restoration and expected to reopen in late 2026, but the surrounding area has already been transformed.

New travertine ramps bring visitors gradually from modern street level down to the ancient level, resolving decades of awkward elevation changes. Ancient remains are intentionally left visible rather than concealed.

For the first time in decades, the Mausoleum feels integrated into the city again.

Augusto Caffè

In early 2026, Augusto Caffè opened directly on Piazza Augusto Imperatore.

The café faces the Mausoleum and the redesigned square. It is open daily from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and serves breakfast, lunch, and snacks. The menu is simple; the value is the setting.

The same space also functions as an information point, bookshop, and ticket office for Rome’s civic museums. Once the Mausoleum reopens, this will be one of the best places in Rome to sit with the monument and understand its scale.

Via di San Gregorio: A Calmer Approach to the Colosseum

Along Via di San Gregorio, between the Palatine Hill and the Colosseum, pedestrian space was dramatically expanded in 2025.

Traffic lanes were reduced, tour bus parking was relocated, and greenery and shaded walking areas were added. What was once a stressful sidewalk is now one of the most pleasant approaches to the Colosseum.

Horrea Piperataria - Now a Standard SUPER Site

The Horrea Piperataria opened in late 2024 in the Roman Forum/Palatine Hill area, allowing us access to ancient warehouses built by Emperor Domitian. In 2025, it became a standard SUPER site.

This means that a guided tour is no longer required, and access is included with any of the tickets that include those SUPER sites.

The Celio Archeological Park

Inside the Parco Archeologico del Celio, the Casina del Salvi reopened in April 2025, close to the Forma Urbis museum.

It now functions as a city-run café, that has outdoor seating with Colosseum views, and a study and work space with free WiFi and charging points.

It changes how people actually use archeological parks, not just how they pass through them.

Piazza della Repubblica and the Baths of Diocletian Area

Piazza della Repubblica and the surrounding area underwent significant upgrades in 2025.

The Fountain of the Naiads was fully restored, and the spaces around the Baths of Diocletian were redesigned. Right outside Termini station, this area now feels calmer, greener, and more coherent.

Oltre il Pantheon: New Access Behind the Pantheon

For years, access to the spaces behind the Pantheon (particularly the remains of the Basilica of Neptune) was limited to occasional special visits. 

These areas have now been restored and opened as a regular, bookable guided experience known as Oltre il Pantheon. The visit lasts approximately 45 minutes and includes guided access to the Basilica of Neptune spaces, along with entry to the Pantheon.

This experience is not about revisiting the Pantheon itself, but about understanding the surrounding structures that supported and contextualized it in ancient Rome.

The Trevi Fountain Fee System

In 2026, a new fee system was introduced for access to the Trevi Fountain basin area.

The square remains open but the fee regulates access to the basin itself, with the goals of crowd management, safety, and long-term conservation.

This follows the same logic used for the Pantheon entry fee introduced in 2023.

Everyday Transport Improvements

Rome’s public transport has improved in practical ways.

Many ATAC buses are newer and quieter. Bus stops that were once nothing more than poles often now include shelters, seating, and real-time arrival screens.

Tap & Go on Public Transport

All public transportation in Rome now supports tap & go payments. Visitors can tap a contactless card or phone to ride without purchasing individual tickets, unless they prefer a pass (for a day or week).

One thing to remember is that the same physical credit card cannot be used more than once, so each member of your group (including children) will need their own payment method.

You can use the same card if it is saved on individual phones however, as each phone tap is classed as a separate transaction.

Looking Ahead

Rome plans in decades, not seasons. There is an extraordinary Jubilee planned for 2033, which helps explain why many of these changes are structural rather than temporary.

Repeat visitors will notice things like widened sidewalks in key areas, expanded pedestrian zones, modernized metro stations, and improved trash and recycling systems.

You may not remember exactly where these changes occurred, but you will feel them as you move through the city.

Rome in 2026 is still ancient, layered, and imperfect, but it is also more walkable, more legible, and easier to navigate than it has been in a long time.

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