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Visiting The Colosseum and Roman Forum
Practical Information For The Visitor Including Admission / Entrance Prices


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The Roman Forum and in particular a visit to the Colosseum is very high on most people's priorities when visiting Rome for the first time.

There are three separate areas, all adjacent to each other and all covered by a single admission ticket lasting two days - so you can take your time.

The three distinct attractions are the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
Colosseum Rome Exterior
Colosseum
The Colosseum is the honeypot for visitors and there is always a crowd here. Its a good tactic to buy your admission tickets elsewhere.
Palatine Hill
The Palatine Hill is one of the seven Hills of Rome and is one of the most ancient parts of the city. It stands above the Roman Forum. The entrance is just south of the Colosseum on the on Via di San Gregorio.
The whole hill is a large open air museum and you can descend directly down into the Roman Forum.
The Palatine is the spot on which the first settlers built their huts, under the direction of Romulus. In later years, the hill became a residential district attracting the nobility. In time, however, the area gave way to imperial palaces and drew the famous such as Caligula (murdered here by members of his Praetorian Guard) and Nero.

Only the ruins of its former grandeur remain today. There is plenty of space and greenery, a pleasant change to the crowds below in the Colosseum and Roman Forum
Roman Forum & Colosseum in Background
From Palatine Hill
Some of the hill, especially around the lower reaches are just like a botanical park where every so often a ruin will appear as you explore down the maze of paths which crisscross the hill. Towards the top there is a higher concentration of ruins and the Palatine Museum containing Roman sculpture.

Up here you are rewarded with fine views over the Circus Maximus and Roman Forum.
Roman Forum
Originally a marsh, the Romans drained the area and turned it into a centre of political and social activity. The Forum was the marketplace of Rome and also the business district and civic centre.
It was expanded to include temples, a senate house and law courts. When the Roman Empire fell, the Forum became forgotten, buried.
Much of the forum has been destroyed. Columns and stone blocks are all that remain of some temples.

The Roman Forum for visitors is a large place stretching from Piazza Venezia right to the Colosseum. The Roman Forum used to be totally open access but from March 2008 is now restricted to ticket holders only. The good news is that the ticket covers the Colosseum and Palatine Hill as well.
Roman Forum
The entrance is along the Via dei Fori Imperiali connecting the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia towards the Piazza Venezia end. Better still descend into the Roman Forum from the Palatine Hill.
The natural flow of a visit is to exit the Roman Forum at the exit close to the Colosseum.
The Roman Forum is a big place. Without a guide or a book it can just become just a pile of stones once the initial impressions have worn off. If you have a genuine interest its worthwhile using a guide or take a walking tour.
Colosseum
When construction was completed on the Colosseum in 80 AD it was the largest amphitheatre built in all of Rome and could house over fifty thousand people! The engineering skill and technology of the day was pushed to its limits by its construction and design. The stadium was even designed to flooded in order to provide for mock navel battles
The Colosseum was built primarily to entertain the masses in brutal and barbaric games. Some were beast on beast combat to the death. Others were people fighting animals to the death, while the most popular was the human on human combat. Gladiators were slaves, often captured in war, that were trained in special schools to fight each other to the death.

At the entrance to the Colosseum there are usually men dressed as gladiators and will charge you to take a photo with them. Remember to bargain a price before taking the photo
Colosseum Interior
Queues for entrance can be long and its worth remembering you can purchase them at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill for which the 2 day admission ticket is also valid for.
Colosseum Admission Fees:
Full ticket - €15.50
EU reduced ticket - €10.50 (only for European citizens aged between 18 and 25)
EU minors & seniors ticket- €4.50 ( only for EU citizens aged above 65 and under 18)

The Rome archaeological card is also valid at the Colosseum.

Colosseum Opening Hours:
Mid February - mid March: 9 AM - 4.30 PM
Mid March - end March: 9 AM - 5.00 PM
End March - end August: 9 AM - 7.00 PM
End August - end Sept.: 9 AM - 6.30 PM
End Sept. - end October: 9 AM - 6.00 PM
End October - mid March: 9 AM - 4.00 PM
Getting to the Vatican
By Metro take Linea B(blue line) and exit at Colosseum station (2 stops from Termini).

The Colosseum is also more than adequately serviced by local buses. The Via dei Fori Imperiali that runs from the Colosseum to Piazza Venezia alongside the Roman Forum has a dozen routes that fan out after the Piazza Venezia to many of the accommodation area. The Piazza Venezia is a good place to start your day, the main bus hub in the old quarter of the city centre
There are a myriad of Rome hop on, hop off bus operators, all of which stop at the Colosseum and visit all of the major sights in Rome.

All the operators use very similar double deck open top buses.
Each passenger will get a disposable audio device for commentary along the way with a choice of at minimum 8 languages. Most buses have their first bus departing Termini at 08:30 or 09:00 with the last bus leaving at 18:00, finishing around 20:00.

Typical Rome Hop On, Hop Off Tour Bus
Coloseum Hotel Accommodation
The Coloseum district is quite a good choice for accommodation, with a good variety of accommodation for all budgets,
The quarter to the north of the Colosseum up to Cavour Metro is particularly atmospheric, one of the most ancient part of Rome. The area is a maze of narrow lanes with a good choice of accommodation and places to eat and drink.
Hotels around the Colosseum
Rome Guided Sightseeing Tours
Title Main Places Visited Adult Comments
Vatican Museums & St Peter's Vatican Museums
St Peter's Basilica		 €52 Walking tour, no transfers
Not Wednesdays & Sundays
Vatican Museums Vatican Museums €58 Walking tour, transfers inc
Not Sundays
Vatican Museums (Private) Vatican Museums
St Peter's Basilica		 var Personal guide for your group. Not Sundays
St Peter's Basilica St Peter's Basilica €52 Walking tour, no transfers
Mon, Thur Fri
Audience with Pope St Peter's €36 Wednesday only
Classical Rome Morning Tour Trevi Fountain,
Pantheon, St Peter's		 €36 Walking coach/tour
transfers inc, Daily.
Ancient Rome Trevi, Pantheon, Colosseum, Forum €27 Walking tour, no transfers
Daily. Admissions not inc.
Colosseum & Roman Forum Colosseum, Forum
Palatine Hill		 €49 Walking tour.
Nno transfers inc. Daily
Colosseum/Rom Forum- Private Colosseum, Forum
Palatine Hill		 var Personal guide for your group. Daily
Become a Gladiator n/a var 2 hour lesson at gladiator school - Daily
Rome Segway Tour Colosseum, Forum
Circus Maximus + others		 €75 Segway personal transpor.
Daily - No children
Rome Catacombs Capuchin Crypt
Domitilla Catacombs		 €54 Walking tour, no transfers
Mon, Wed, Sat, Sun p.m.
Appian Way & Catacombs Santa Maria Maggiore
Appian Way, Catacombs 		€45 Daily tour by coach
Rome by Night (Coach) All main sights and more €41 Daily tour by coach
Rome by Night (Walking) Capitoline Hill, Trevi, Pantheon, Colosseum €27 Runs April to October
Daily @ 18:30, not Sundays