All Guides/culture
culture · 4 min read
Baths of Caracalla: Hours, Tickets & What to See
Rome's best-preserved ancient baths complex, built under Emperor Caracalla between 212 and 216 AD. Opening hours, closing day, accessibility, and what's inside, including the city's largest Mithraeum.
By Todo Rome · Updated 2026-11-02
What the Baths of Caracalla Are
The Baths of Caracalla (Terme di Caracalla) are a public bathing complex built on the Piccolo Aventino by order of Emperor Caracalla between 212 and 216 AD. They are one of the largest and best-preserved thermal complexes to survive from antiquity. The site sits near the start of the Via Appia, a short walk south of the Circus Maximus.
The complex was built for more than bathing. Alongside the bathing halls it included space for sport and body care, and it also functioned as a place of study. Below ground, it holds the largest Mithraeum found anywhere in Rome, an underground sanctuary dedicated to the god Mithras.
The baths stopped functioning in 537 AD, when the Ostrogoths cut the aqueducts supplying the city during the siege of Rome.
When to Go
The site is closed on Mondays.
Opening hours change through the year:
| Period | Hours | Last entry |
|---|---|---|
| 1–28 March | 9:00–17:30 | 16:30 |
| 29 March–31 August | 9:00–19:15 | 18:00 |
| 1–30 September | 9:00–19:00 | 18:00 |
| 1–25 October | 9:00–18:30 | 17:30 |
| 26 October–28 February | 9:00–16:30 | 15:30 |
Hours are set by the site's own management and can change for holidays or special events, so check the official page before you travel.
Getting There
The nearest metro stop is Circo Massimo on Line B. From there it's a walk south along Viale Aventino toward Viale delle Terme di Caracalla.
Tickets
Entry is ticketed. We could not confirm a current price from an official source at the time of writing, so we are not stating one here. Ticketing for the site runs through the Ministry of Culture's Musei Italiani portal. Check that portal, or the site's own page, for the current price before you go.
Accessibility
The site is listed as accessible to visitors with disabilities, with accessible restrooms on site. An audio guide is available.
The Scale of the Bathing Halls
What strikes most visitors first is the size. The surviving brick walls still rise high enough to suggest how large the vaulted bathing halls once were, even with their marble floors, mosaics and statuary long since removed to museums and private collections across Europe. Walking the length of the complex, from the cold room at one end to the hot room at the other, gives a better sense of Roman engineering ambition than almost any other ruin in the city.
The baths were fed by their own dedicated aqueduct branch, the Aqua Antoniniana, which ran off the Aqua Marcia and crossed the Via Appia on the Arco di Druso. Supplying a complex this size with running water was itself a serious piece of infrastructure, separate from the city's main aqueduct network.
The Mithraeum
Beneath the baths lies the largest Mithraeum ever found in Rome, an underground sanctuary built for the cult of Mithras. It is not open during normal visiting hours. Access is limited to organised events and special tours, so check the official page in advance if seeing it specifically is the reason for your visit. Most visitors who come for a standard ticket will not see it on the same trip.
FAQ
Is the Baths of Caracalla free to visit? No. Entry is ticketed. We could not confirm the current price from an official source; check the Musei Italiani portal or the site's own page before you go.
What day is it closed? Monday.
Can I visit the Mithraeum underneath the baths? Not on a standard visit. The Mithraeum is only accessible during organised events and special tours.
How do I get to the Baths of Caracalla by metro? Take Line B to Circo Massimo, then walk south toward Viale delle Terme di Caracalla.
Nearby
The Circus Maximus is a short walk north, on the same metro stop. The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are a few minutes further by metro on the same Line B. For a sense of what else is included or costs extra across Rome's major ancient sites, see our guide to what Rome costs.