The Colosseum, the Amphitheatrum Flavium, is the most visited museum in Italy. Here you will find all information about tickets and guided tours for the Colosseum.
Colosseum entry
For visiting the Colosseum, you must arrive on time at the reserved entry time. At the security check, your body temperature may be measured. It must be below 37.5° C / 99,5° F. You are not allowed to bring any dangerous objects, alcohol, glass containers, aerosol cans or luggage into the Colosseum. There is no luggage storage at the Colosseum.
Opening hours
The Colosseum and the Archaeological Park of the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill open at 9 a.m.
The closure is based on the sunset and is
- from late March to late August at 7:15 p.m.,
- in September at 7:00 p.m. and
- until the end of the legal time at the end of October at 6:30 p.m.
- in winter time the closing time is at 4:30 p.m. until the end of February and
- until the time change at the end of March at 5:30 p.m.
Our VIP Service
The Colosseum only allows booking for a few weeks in advance and tickets sell out quickly. With Tiqets VIP service you will be informed as soon as the tickets for your desired date can be booked. You choose your desired date and tickets on our site and you will receive an e-mail as soon as the reservations for your desired date are available.
Tickets
Full Experience Ticket, valid for 2 days for one visit to the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum as well as for one visit to the Colosseum at the reserved entry time. Visit of the arena, the 1st and 2nd levels of the Colosseum including the exhibitions on the 2nd level. An elevator to the 2nd level is available for people with disabilities. Possibility of visits according to the current opening times and capacities of: 2nd floor of the Palatine Museum, House of Augustus (from outside), Santa Maria Antiqua and Rampa domizianea (in groups of a maximum of 20 people), Curia Iulia, Tempio di Romolo.
Ticket with video guide, valid for 24 hours for a visit to the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum as well as for a visit to the Colosseum at the reserved entry time. Visit of the 1st and 2nd levels of the Colosseum including the exhibitions on the 2nd level. There is a lift to the 2nd level for people with disabilities. The video guide is for the Colosseum.
Standard ticket, valid 24 hours for a visit to the Palatine and Roman Forum and for a visit to the Colosseum at the reserved entry time. Includes the visit of the 1st and 2nd levels of the Colosseum including the exhibitions on the 2nd level. There is an elevator to the 2nd level for people with disabilities.
Rome Tourist Pass including tickets and reservation for the Vatican Museums, guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pantheon audio guide and reserved Colosseum standard ticket.
Guided tours
Accompanied tour of the arena and the underground of the Colosseum, which housed the stage equipment that allowed wild animals and gladiators to appear anywhere in the arena. Visit to the Colosseum. Guided tour of the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum.
With this ticket you have the exclusive opportunity to visit the underground of the Colosseum.
Guided tour of the Colosseum with Roman Forum. You can then visit the Palatine Hill on your own.
Exclusive guided tour at night
Guided tour of the Colosseum with visit to the Arena and the Underground. Admission to the Palatine and Roman Forum are not included.
How much time you need for the Colosseum
It takes around an hour to visit the Colosseum. There are often queues at security, so you should be at the Colosseum 30 minutes before the reserved time. You can visit the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill also before the Colosseum. The shortest route from Via dei Fori Imperiali is through the Via Sacra to the Colosseum and takes about an hour. If you also want to visit the Palatine Hill, you may need up to three hours.
How to get to the Colosseum
The Colosseum is easy to reach by public transport. The hop on hop off buses also have a stop at the Colosseum. Info about the hop on hop off buses
At the Colosseum is the stop of Metro Line B “Colosseo”. Line B crosses three important train stations:
- Termini Central Station, junction for the connections to the airports and transfer station to Metro Line A, which leads through the center to the Vatican.
- Ostiense train station, from which you can go to the port of Civitavecchia and further north to Pisa and Genoa. The railway line to Ostia Lido also begins at Ostiense.
- Tiburtina station, which handles high-speed trains between Milan and Naples on the north-south axis. Many connections to the Apennines also begin here.
Tram line 3 also passes the Colosseum. The tram is slow, but the route is picturesque. Coming from Trastevere, it leads past the pyramid and the Colosseum and continues to the Basilica of St. John, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme and San Lorenzo and to the zoo.
From Piazza Navona you can take buses 81 and 87 to the Colosseum, from Via del Corso take buses 51 or 85.
Of course, the Colosseum is also very easy to reach on foot. From Piazza Venezia you take Via dei Fori Imperiali, from Circus Maximus Via di San Gregorio.
How the Colosseum worked
The Colosseum is the largest amphitheater in the world. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the seven new world wonders.
The Colosseum could hold between 60,000 and 80,000 spectators. Thanks to the efficient organization of the entrances, the auditorium could be filled and emptied faster than in some modern stadiums.
It was originally possible to flood the arena and naval battles were organized. Later, a more complex stage technology with lifts was installed. Wild animals and people could appear out of nowhere anywhere in the arena and stage sets could be set up in a few minutes.
Rome showed all its might and glory in the Colosseum. Animals from all over the world were shown and hunted in the Colosseum, there were executions and gladiator fights. The animal hunts took place in the mornings, at noon convicts fought against wild animals and in the afternoon the gladiatorial fights took place.
Read more about archaeological research in the Colosseum
History of the Colosseum
After the death of Emperor Nero in 68, his magnificent villa, the Domus Aurea, was filled up. In the area of the Colosseum there was an artificial lake that belonged to the villa. The Flavian dynasty, the new rulers of Rome, built the mighty Colosseum. It is therefore called Amphitheatrum Flavium. Construction began in 72 under Emperor Vespasian. He died in 79 and never saw completion. The inauguration took place in 80 under Titus. The inauguration celebrations lasted 100 days. The construction was financed with the treasures looted in the temple of Jerusalem.
Under Domitian, who ruled from 81, the basement was expanded with supply rooms, elevators and stage technology.
Major restoration work was necessary in 217, probably after a lightning strike. They lasted 5 years. In 250 more works were necessary after a fire caused by lightning.
After the Visigoths sacked Rome in 410, gladiator games were banned and only hunts were held. Restoration work occurred after the earthquakes in 470, 484 and 508.
In the 6th century, the Colosseum served as a burial site and later as a castle. There was major damage from an earthquake in 847 and in 1349 the southern outer wall collapsed after an earthquake. The material was used to build palaces in today’s city center. Apartments and stables were built in the Colosseum.
In 1675 the Colosseum was declared a holy place to commemorate the martyrs and in 1744 a way of the cross was built. In 1749, the Colosseum was dedicated to Christ and the martyrs.
Another earthquake occurred in 1806 and major urgent work was required. Raffaele Stern hastily erected retaining walls. On the side facing the forums, Giuseppe Valadier carried out support measures in 1823.
Further works and excavations took place in the 20th century and renovation work is also currently being carried out. The upper floors are therefore currently not accessible.