5 Tips to Visit the Colosseum in Rome

1. Visit the Colosseum… and more!

Although the Colosseum is a solid reason to visit Rome by itself, it is just a small portion of all the city’s glorious past. Rome was the biggest city of the ancient world and, at its peak moments, it reached an impressive one million habitants at a time when cities in general had only a few thousands.

Although much of it has disappeared, a fair amount of remains of ancient Rome have made it to our era and we can visit them very close to the Colosseum. Usually, the big icon of Rome goes together with two other areas that we can visit on a combined morning or afternoon plan: the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. Let’s make an overview of the three:

The Colosseum

Almost two-thousand years ago, it took only 9 years to raise such a colossal building, 52 meters high, at the heart of Rome. Over 2.500 people worked in raising the foundations only, and a special road had to be built to bring the travertine blocks from Tivoli. This gives us an idea of the outstanding engineering skills the Romans were capable of.

The Colosseum was an amphitheater with capacity for about 70.000 people, similar to many modern football stadiums in Europe. Inside, the Romans found entertainment in spectacles that involved mostly battles featuring wild beasts and gladiators. It was certainly the jewel of the crown of ancient Rome, a legacy that has survived and still stands to impress every visitor to the city.

The Roman Forum

If the Colosseum was meant for entertainment, the Roman Forum was the place where economic, institutional and religious activity developed. Located in a valley surrounded by Rome’s seven hills, the first buildings raised in this area were temples dedicated to the multiple gods the Romans worshiped.

With time, the Forum became the place where senators, consuls, emperors and other figures decided the fates of the almost 50 million souls the Roman Empire was home to. The view of the Roman Forum is nowadays a breathtaking testament to the eternal city’s history and splendor, and it is as mandatory a visit as the Colosseum.

The Palatine Hill

Finally, the Palatine Hill relates to the very roots of the city, as it is here that Rome was founded by Romulus around 750 b.C. It is near this hill that a she-wolf found him and his brother Remo, and fed them until they became grown-up warriors ready to raise a city that would conquer all the Mediterranean.

With time, the Palatine Hill was the place that Rome’s emperors chose to settle. The majestic palaces that they raised on this hill allowed them to rule over the city acquiring the status of semi-gods. The remains of these palaces can still be seen and they offer outstanding views over the Forum and the Colosseum.

How to combine the visit to the three areas

Visiting the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill takes time and energy, as they cover a very extensive area of the city. Our activity Colosseum Tour, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill offers a convenient way to visit the three areas combining a guided tour of the amphitheater with a more independent visit to the Forum and the Palatine. You will find more details about this visit later on the post.

If you want to visit the three areas on your own, we recommend saving a full day for it. Our recommendation would be to start early in the morning with the Palatine Hill and the Forum, which can take around 4 hours. After a lunch break, visiting the Colosseum in the afternoon is a good way to complete the day and it will take another 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the type of ticket you choose (see next section).

2. The interior of the building: different options to visit the Colosseum

Regular Ticket: Levels 1 and 2 of the Colosseum

The basic ticket to visit the Colosseum allows to have a general idea of everything you need to see at the Colosseum. It allows access to the first and second levels of the building. From the second level, you will have panoramic views of the Arena and the underground areas, although you cannot step on them.

Arena Ticket: Arena of the Colosseum

The Arena ticket replaces levels 1 and 2 with the Arena. The Arena is an area with very limited capacity, so this is a good option if you’d like to step onto the floor where gladiators battled to death. But, mind that you won’t be able to walk under the arches on the first level. This is a very convenient ticket for seniors or visitors with limited mobility, as it offers great panoramic views of the interior of the Colosseum without having to climb the steep steps that take to the second level.

Full Experience Ticket: Levels 1, 2 and Arena of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

If you want to see both levels 1 and 2, as well as the Arena, this combined ticket allows to access the three areas.

Full Experience & Underground Ticket: Levels 1, 2, Arena and Underground areas of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Finally, the most complete version of the ticket is also the scarcest one in terms of availability. This very coveted entry ticket allows access to the underground areas of the Colosseum. The corridors are narrow and the steps steep, so only a few visitors a day are allowed to explore them. Make sure to book well in advance if you’d like to visit this part of the Colosseum.

It is worth noting that all the tickets mentioned above include access to the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. Upon booking, you need to specify the day and the time when you’d like to visit the Colosseum, and then you can access the other areas before or after, within 24 hours.

3. Where to buy tickets to visit the Colosseum

If you want to visit the Colosseum in Rome, the best tip we can give you is to buy your tickets in advance. As we mentioned at the beginning of the post, the Colosseum is one of the most visited attractions in Europe and it often runs out of availability. 

If you don’t have tickets in advance, you may end up not seeing the inside, which is just jaw-dropping. Therefore, make sure to book your tickets and have them ready to visit at your selected day and time!

If you want to get a real understanding of the amphitheater and to make the most out of your visit, our best tip is to take a tour with a guide. We offer tours in English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean that include guaranteed admission the the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. You will get an understanding of the Colosseum and the history of Rome and, at the end of the tour, you will be able to explore the Forum and the Palatine at your own pace, within 24 hours.

You can book our activity Colosseum Tour, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill for 69€ with tickets included, or you can have the more complete version with a Private Tour including the underground areas, which is a more exclusive experience.

Of course, you can also buy tickets on the Colosseum’s official website. There are also some platforms that offer interesting deals if you want to visit the Colosseum alongside some other Rome attractions. One of our favorite is Tiqets. Here you have some options that will help you save money, like the Rome Pass which includes:

-Colosseum
-Vatican Museums
-St. Peter’s Basilica

4. Best season and time to visit the Colosseum

Although Rome is a city that can be visited all year round, temperatures can get really high during summer and impact your experience negatively. So if possible, we recommend avoiding July and August. If you have no option but to face the Roman summer, visiting the Colosseum early in the morning (first visits start at 8.30am) or in the late afternoon (around 5.30 or 6pm) will help you avoid the warmest hours of the day.

Next to the temperatures, the second biggest foe is the crowds. Unfortunately, with over 7 million yearly visitors, there is really no quiet time to visit the Colosseum. So you can follow the same time tips of the previous paragraph and try to schedule an early morning or late afternoon visit.

5. How to get to the Colosseum

The final question you may be asking when planning to discover a city highlight is: how can I get there? If you want to visit the Colosseum, it’s very well connected by public transportation and you can reach it within 30 minutes from almost anywhere in the city.

1 – By Metro
Let’s say that Rome is not famous for its very efficient public transportation system… But, in the case of the Colosseum, it is the most convenient option. You can take line B (the blue line) and stop at the station Colosseo. Your jaw will drop as soon as you step out of the station, as the amphitheater casts its shadow right on the main access.

2 – By Bus
The Bus is another option, although it may be a bit inconvenient because buses are usually slower and get often stuck in traffic. Lines 38 and 75 depart from the northern regions of Rome. From the south, buses 175 and 271 take you to the Colosseum.

3 – On foot
That’s right! “On foot” is always an option in the beautiful Rome! If you’re at the city center, you can walk down Via del Corso and then continue on Via dei Fori Imperiali for a scenic stroll towards the Colosseum, passing by the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill.

🐼 Top tips 🐼

🌟 Don’t miss out!

The Colosseum is usually fully booked several days in advance. Book early to secure your spot. There are no ticket desks on site, so all tickets must be purchased online.

🌟 Take a tour

Rome’s most visited monument deserves some extra time. With a guided tour, you will have a better understanding of the significance of the Colosseum.

🌟 Don’t overlook the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill

Although sometimes unknown to the general public, these two areas are archaeological treasures and they will impress you as much as (if not more than) the Colosseum.

👉🏼 Click here to find tickets, or

👉🏼 Click here and use the coupon PANDABLOG to book our tour with 10% discount

We hope you found this post with tips to visit the Colosseum interesting. If you’re still missing some information or if you have questions, leave us a comment. We’d love to hear from you and we’re happy to help you with more tips and advice! Also, we invite you to check our posts to discover other monuments like the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. They’re full of ideas to tailor the perfect plan to discover the city!