JUBILEE YEAR IN ROME
Yes yes yes, 2025 is Jubilee year in Rome. What does it mean, why do they do it, and what can you expect when you travel there in 2025?
What the heck is Jubilee?
The Jubilee year is declared by the Pope every 25 years. It’s a year-long celebration where Catholic pilgrims are welcomed into the city and into the Vatican for something called “plenary indulgence,” or kind of a blanket forgiveness of sins. Pope Boniface VIII declared the first Jubilee all the way back in the 14th century, and it’s been a thing every 33 or 25 years since. The idea dates back to the Bible and for Catholics, it represents a time of spiritual renewal.
What are some key things that happen during Jubilee year?
One of the coolest things to expect is the traditional opening of the Holy Doors. This happens at the churches of Saint Peter's Basilica, San Giovanni in Laterano, Santa Maria Maggiore, and San Paolo Fuori le Mura. These are special doors that are only opened on Jubilee years, expressly for the admittance of the faithful.
I’m traveling to Rome in 2025. What does it mean for me?
Well what it means is, in addition to the like 40 million visitors that usually descend on Rome, you can expect an additional approx. 35 million to flock to the city in search of enlightenment and forgiveness… or just spectacle. This means the major sites will be filled to capacity, restaurants will be short of reservations, tours will be to capacity, and short-term rentals and hotels will be maxed out. The places that do have availability will be priced accordingly. When looking for a hotel room for early April, I watched one room literally more than double its price half way through the week and on throughout the rest of the year.
Well shoot. What should I do?
If you haven’t already booked your flights and your accommodation, I would honestly postpone your trip until 2026, or choose other spots in Italy to visit that aren’t Rome… though honestly Florence and Venice will probably be more packed than normal with folks traveling there before or after Rome for Jubilee.
If you have already booked, seriously prepare and pace yourself. Get to “free” sites like the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps at sunrise, and plan those walking food or cocktail or golf cart tours for as late in the evening as you can.
Do not plan to do more than one major site a day. The crowds will be merciless, as will the heat. If you’re doing the Colosseum, save the Vatican Museums (and only if you can get there right at opening or snag the very last tickets of the day… do NOT go at any other time unless you like conditions so crowded that it’s unsafe) for a different day, save the Pantheon for still a different day, etc.
Make your dinner reservations as early as humanly possible. During Jubilee year, it will become extremely difficult to just “walk into a place that looks cute.” Figure out where you want to go and make those reservations now.
Deep breaths and siestas. The Italians and the Spanish perfected the siesta, and during this Jubilee year, I suggest you do as they do. From around 1 or 2pm to around 5 or 6pm, retreat to your hotel or apartment. This is the absolute height of the insanity around the city, so get yourself well away from the crush. Read a book, take a nap, have a cool drink… whatever you can do to remove yourself.
And take lots of deep breaths. Don’t rush, give yourself plenty of time to get from point A to point B, and Rome will be as welcoming as ever.
