The Domus Aurea in Rome: an underground palace near the Colosseum
At this point, it is no secret that Rome is filled with amazing monuments. In fact, there is so much worth seeing that it is easy to become a victim of choice overload. Last week, though, I visited a monument close to the Colosseum that I completely fell in love with, so it only makes sense to share it on my blog. I am talking about the Domus Aurea in Rome, or “Golden House”, built by Emperor Nero. This archaeological site was completely buried, and visiting this underground palace is truly a unique experience.
Free Museums in Rome: What’s Still Free and What Changed in 2026
After all those day trips, I was starting to miss my lovely Rome, so I decided to leave my room and venture back into the city. The rainy winter days are slowly making way for spring, and on a sunny Saturday I felt like doing a little free museum hop. Full of anticipation and excitement, imagine my surprise when I found out that museums that used to be free, like the Museo di Scultura Antica Giovanni Barracco, are not free anymore.
In this blog post, I will tell you all about this change and, of course, how you can still visit museums for free in Rome.
My Favourite Small Museums in Rome for a Low-Effort Visit
It won’t be a secret to anyone reading this that Rome is full of amazing museums. With over 100 to choose from, you’d probably need a lifetime to visit them all. Even after living here for over a year, I’ve barely made a dent!
Of course, there are the super famous ones, like the Vatican Museums, but this post is all about the lesser-known gems. Personally, I love small, low-effort museums—the kind that don’t overwhelm you with endless information but instead fit perfectly into your day for a quick, inspiring visit.
So, in this blog post, I’ll share some of my favourite small museums in Rome that are perfect for a low-effort, yet totally worthwhile, visit.