"As long as the Colosseum stands, Rome will stand. When the Coliseum falls, Rome will fall. When Rome falls, the world will fall." The quote by the Benedictine monk Bede the Venerable sufficiently captures the importance of the Colosseum and Rome itself.

The Colosseum ( Colosseo in Italian) is one of the most iconic buildings in the world. The largest amphitheatre of the Roman Empire, it was opened in 80 AD and was used primarily for gladiatorial matches, public festivals, fights with wild animals, executions and theatrical events.

The auditorium for more than 50,000 people still captivates crowds today, as does the relatively well-preserved façade.

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Admission price: is it possible to buy tickets on the spot?

The Colosseum is one of the monuments that suffers greatly from overtourism, so only a limited number of tickets are allowed inside.

Entry at the exact time

Tickets are always sold with the exact time of entry into the Colosseum.

Online Booking

Booking online will offer a much wider choice of dates, but I recommend booking at least 1-2 weeks in advance to ensure sufficient slots are available .

• 💡 my experience: i tried booking 2 days in advance and there were only a few slots available and they disappeared very quickly. I recommend booking rather at night or in the morning (European time), when the official website is not so crowded
• online booking is done through the official website ticketing.colosseo.it

Tickets on site

They can only ever be bought for the day, with the time slot being allocated to you (it is not possible to choose). So you may have to wait for 5 hours for free entry (but you can visit the neighbouring Forum Romanum or other sights in between).

The ticket office is located opposite the Colosseum under the wall of the Forum Romana.

• 💡 my experience: i wanted to buy a ticket on the spot in the afternoon and there were no slots available for that day

Ticket prices

There is a large variety of tickets to choose from.

Here are the most common options.

• 18 eur - 24H Colosseum + Forum Romanum + Palatine
  • 1 entry to the Colosseum galleries (not to the arena where the gladiatorial fights took place and not to the underground)
    • exact time
    • unlimited length of visit
  • 1 entry to the Forum Romana and the Palatine
    • any time during the 24 hours
• 18 eur - Arena Only
  • 1 entry to the arena (not to the galleries and not to the underground)
    • exact time
    • maximum visit lengths of 20 minutes
  • 1 entry to the Forum Romana and the Palatine
    • any time during 24 hours
• 24 eur - Full Experience
  • 1 entry to the Colosseum galleries
  • 1 entrance to the arena
  • 1 entrance to the underground part of the Colosseum (maximum 30 minutes)
  • 1 entrance to the Forum Romana + Palatine

Tickets for children under 18 years of age

Children and young people under 18 years of age are admitted free of charge.

Free admission for all - 1st Sunday of the month

On the 1st Sunday of every month, entry to the Colosseum + other sights is free for all.

• 👉 Tickets cannot be booked online
• 👉 Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis
• 👉 queues on site 1-3 hours
• 👉 I recommend joining the queue very early in the morning (ideally before 7:30am)
• In the afternoon (after 14:00) there will probably be no more tickets available

My recommendation

I have visited the Colosseum several times and for myself, this is what I would recommend:

• 📅 Book your tickets online as soon as you know your visit date
• 🕙 The official website is most easily accessible at night when you have the best chance of snagging a ticket
• 🏛️ The Colosseum is so unique that I would recommend a Full Experience Ticket with the option to visit all parts of the arena

💬 Do you have a different experience? Let us know in the comments below the article, thanks!

Opening Hours

Opening hours are daily (except Jan 1 and Dec 25) from 8:30am, closing times vary according to the season, more on the official website.

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How does the visit work?

After purchasing your tickets (online or on site), ideally arrive at the Colosseum at least 15 minutes before the time indicated on your ticket.

The only entrance is on the west side - see map for exact location.

1. There is a poorly organized queue of about 10-15 minutes to check the ticket
2. You will then proceed to the security checkpoint (we recommend taking only a small backpack as there is no luggage storage on site)
3. After the security check you can move around the Colosseum within the area you have purchased (the galleries, the arena, the underground or all together)

History and attractions of the Colosseum

The Colosseum's main glory days were in Ancient Rome, when Emperor Nero began its construction as a gladiatorial arena in 70-72 AD.

It was also the venue for hunts and hunts for exotic wild animals, as well as many other mass cultural events. The last gladiatorial fights or animal hunts are recorded around 520 AD.

From the 6th century onwards, the Colosseum underwent a radical change, when part of the Colosseum was converted into a cemetery, a small church or various workshops were built there, and later it even served as a quarry.

In its history, the Colosseum has been seriously damaged by earthquakes many times.

Today's appearance

About a third of the Colosseum's original form survives today. Partly due to earthquakes, partly due to the age of the building. Nevertheless, it is still a monumental building with many well-preserved details, especially in the underground part of the Colosseum.

Today the Colosseum is one of the most visited monuments in the world and in 2007 it was voted one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.

Where are the best views of the Colosseum?

I've been inside the Colosseum several times, so I dedicated my last visit to Rome to finding the best views of the Colosseum from the outside.

It's a cliché, but the best views are also the most famous.

• The square in front of the Colosseum - the most classic and, for me, the best view of the arena
  • 📍 location on the map
  • ☀️ best in the afternoon or early evening
  • 💶 Free entry 24/7

• Monte Oppio Garden - a very famous "instagram" tip, where you can see the Colosseum from a little bit higher up. The public park is just a 2-minute walk from the Colosseum
  • 📍 location on the map
  • ☀️ best during summer all day (in winter more around noon)
  • 💶 Free entry 24/7

• Forum Romanum - one of the most famous views is from the neighbouring Forum Romanum
  • Location on the map
  • ☀️ best in the afternoon or early evening
  • 💶 admission for 18 eur

• Via di San Giovanni di Laterano - an unconventional view of the Colosseum, ideal for portrait photos with local traffic
  • 📍 location on the map
  • ☀️ best in the morning and morning
  • 💶 Free entry 24/7

Hotels near the Colosseum

If you want to absolutely minimize the travel time from your accommodation to the centre of Rome, the area around the Colosseum, with its great access to the main monuments, the metro and many bus lines, will be the ideal choice.

The nearest hotels near the Colosseum in Rome:

• B&B Colosseo Panoramic Rooms - a guest house with very clean and modern rooms with a view directly over the Colosseum.
• Maison Imperiale - a small guesthouse in an apartment building just 100 metres from the Colosseum and right next to the metro station with good prices even under 150 eur per night
• HT Residence Maximus - one of the cheapest accommodation close to the Colosseum with prices around 120 eur and very good ratings

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How to get there

The Colosseum is in the centre of Rome and is easily accessible by public transport and on foot.

Metro

• Colosseo station, where two lines stop
• Line C 🟦
  • direction Termini railway station, Tiburtina railway station, Ostiense railway station (transfer to Roma-Lido train to the sea)
  • direct connection to the sights: St. Paul's Basilica outside the walls, EUR, Caracalla Baths, Piramide
• Line B 🟩
  • direction eastern suburbs of Rome (no tourist attractions)
  • in the future also direction to the historical centre

Buses

Several tourist bus lines stop right in front of the Colosseum:

• 51 - direction Circus Maximus, Mouth of Truth
• 85 and 87 - direction Piazza Venezia ( Vittorio Emanuele II Monument), historical centre of Rome
• 118 - direction Caracalla Baths, Catacombs, Via Appia

How I got around Rome and how much tickets cost is described more in the article Transport in Rome.

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