This post covers tickets for the Colosseum, how to avoid long lines, available discounts, guided tours, nighttime access, as well as what to expect.
There are several types of ticket options so it's important to understand the differences before you buy. Let's dig in!
- Standard Entry Tickets
- Full Experience Tickets
- Discounts
- Guided Tours
- Colosseum At Night
- Plan Your Visit
- Things to Do in Rome
STANDARD COLOSSEUM TICKETS
As of April 2023, the Colosseum is allowing groups of up to 50 people or spectators into the historic site at 15-minute intervals.
This means that only 200 people will be permitted in the structure during the Colosseum opening hours.
Online reservation is required before Colosseum Tour.
Even if you have a Roma Pass or skip-the-line access, you will still need to reserve your entrance beforehand.
If you are planning to explore the architecture and ruins of Roman Colosseum, you will need to pay for tickets to get in. Luckily, admission is fairly affordable!
Entry to both the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill is included at no extra cost.
Since your ticket is valid for more than one day, you should have plenty of time to visit all three locations.
NOTE: You can only visit each of the three locations just once. So, you can't visit the Colosseum the heart of ancient Rome on both day 1 and day 2.
All tickets for the Colosseum are timed to make sure that the monuments and landmarks don’t get too crowded.
As such, it will be important to purchase skip-the-line Colosseum tickets ahead of time to avoid long waits.
Standard Ticket Prices
- €18 – Adults
- €4 – EU citizens 18-25
- Free – under 18
You must book and print out your exclusive ticket in advance of your arrival. There is no option to purchase tickets on-site. No full refunds and free cancellation is allowed.
This way you will have what is called skip-the-queue tickets or priority access, which means you will only have the security line to deal with.
The official Colosseum's website's English page isn’t the easiest to use and they often sell out far in advance.
If you want to avoid using their website, make sure to purchase your ticket from a reliable third-party seller.
Self-guided audio, and visual tours as well as guided tours of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Forum are available but cost extra (though there is a well-done free audio tour available).
You should also read our "plan your visit" section below to learn more about avoiding lines and other helpful tips.
How far in advance does the Colosseum sell tickets?
The Colosseum in Italy, once home to gladiators and wild animals, usually sells tickets 60 days in advance. Visitors often face long queues at the ticket office near Piazza del Colosseo.
How do you get into the Colosseum when tickets are sold out?
When Colosseum tickets are sold out, booking a small group tour is an excellent option. These tours often have skip-the-line tickets included and provide an insightful audio guide.
Can you buy Colosseum tickets on the day of your visit?
Although it's possible to purchase Colosseum tickets on the day of your visit, availability is often limited due to high demand. Therefore, booking a time slot online in advance is advisable.
BEFORE YOU BUY
Entry to the Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill is included at no extra cost with the purchase of any of Rome’s tourist discount passes, such as the Roma Pass and Omnia Card.
FULL EXPERIENCE TICKET
The prices and information above are for general admission tickets to the Colosseum (and Palatine Hill and the Forum), but do not include any special access areas, such as the Underground, Arena Floor, and the Belvedere.
If you want to see everything, you'll need to consider getting a Full Experience Ticket.
Full Experience tickets can be purchased with either arena access, underground access, or both.
Full Experience tickets also include access to the Palatine Museum, House of Augustus, and Santa Maria Antiqua from 12 pm - 18:00 (6 pm).
Prices start at €24 per person.
The Full Experience Arena Ticket essentially replaces the Colosseum SUPER ticket, but there is now a separate SUPER ticket designed specifically for the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
Better yet, this ticket type is valid for 2 full days, which will give you time to explore the additional areas at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill!
Even if you don't get a ticket that includes one of their tours, the employees at the Colosseum will help you find your way around the arena or underground area.
There are also early-bird and nighttime tour tickets available for additional fees.
We cover them in more detail in our post on guided tours of the Colosseum.
ROMAN FORUM AND PALATINE HILL TICKETS
While you can still visit these locations with just a ticket to the Colosseum, your access to the museums and other sites inside these areas will be limited based on which type of Colosseum ticket you have.
If you have the Full Experience ticket, you can visit the Palatine Museum, Santa Maria Antiqua, and House of Augustus between the hours of 12 pm - 18:00 (6 pm).
However, the new Roman Forum/Palatine Hill SUPER ticket includes unlimited access to the Palatine Museum, House of Augustus, House of Livia, Aula Isaica con Loggia Mattei, Neronian Cryptoporticus, Santa Maria Antiqua, and Domus Transitoria.
While you can purchase individual tickets for a few of these sites, some of these locations are only accessible with the new Roman Forum/Palatine Hill SUPER ticket.
- €18 – Adults
- €4 – EU citizens 18-25
With so much to see and do at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, you might want to consider setting aside an entire day just for this activity.
Since the Colosseum ticket is only valid for one day (unless you get the Full Experience ticket), it might make sense to purchase this one as well to ensure you see everything in this historic area.
COLOSSEUM DISCOUNT TICKETS
This section covers all the different ways you can save money on tickets to the Colosseum.
In addition to providing details about tourist passes, we will also cover any additional discount opportunities you may want to consider.
Tourist Attraction Discount Passes
Admission to the Colosseum is included with almost every Rome tourist pass or combo tickets. The way you save money will depend on which service you choose.
Rome tourist passes typically include some of the following activities and attractions in addition to historic landmarks like the Colosseum:
- Vatican Museums
- St. Peter's Basilica
- Baths of Caracalla
- Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella
- Hop-on-Hop-off Bus Tour
- Leonardo da Vinci Museum
- Rome Catacombs Tour
- And more!
An all-inclusive option like the Omnia Pass will give you access to dozens of popular attractions for a specific number of days.
The more activities you enjoy, the more money you’ll save.
Alternatively, with the Rome Tourist Card, you’ll receive a specific discount of 20% off most of the activities included with the service, ensuring you’ll be able to save some money no matter what happens.
There is also a Colosseum & Vatican Experience Pass which includes admission to both the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums, as well as a Rome audio guide for one low price.
Ultimately, regardless of which pass you choose, you should be able to save at least 20% - 50% off general admission prices for the Colosseum as well as other popular sights in Rome.
Roma Pass and Omnia Pass purchasers who want to visit the Colosseum are required to make a reservation for a certain time and day online.
The cost is €2 for the reservation fee per ticket through the official site.
Free Entry Days
Several times a year the Colosseum has free entry, and at the moment these dates are on the first Sunday of each month.
Even during the slower seasons, you can still expect larger crowds than usual on free days.
This may be a great way to save money, but we still recommend purchasing tickets to avoid long waits in line.
GUIDED TOURS OF THE COLOSSEUM
Joining a guided tour of the Colosseum offers you several advantages over regular ticket holders. Here are 4 reasons to consider a guided tour.
First, it's a great way to avoid waiting in long lines.
Some private tours offer special access to the Colosseum, which allows you immediate access to the security line (no waiting at all).
Second, some tours also often cover a variety of subjects including the Underground, the Belvedere, and the Arena Floor.
Access to all 3 is available only with certain guided tours.
Third, some tours include early bird or evening entry to the Colosseum, which means that your group will enter approximately 30 minutes before it opens or once it has closed for the day.
Fourth, you will be led by an experienced local tour guide, not only through the Colosseum but also through the Forum and Palatine Hill.
Tours last approximately 3-4 hours in total and prices typically start at about €35 per person.
We cover them in more detail in our post on guided tours of the Colosseum.
VISIT THE COLOSSEUM AT NIGHT
If you’re interested in seeing a different side of this landmark, there are tickets you can get which allow you to visit after the sun goes down.
These opportunities are only available through organized tours of the Colosseum.
Night tours include access to the underground, which is usually off-limits during the day.
This service is very limited, so it is recommended to purchase your tickets at least a few days in advance.
These underground tours are usually at least €50-€80 per person and they run for between 1-3 hours on average.
Check this list of night tours at the Colosseum for more details (affiliate disclosure).
The Colosseum is one of the most popular sites in all of Rome, which means that you can expect fairly large crowds during peak hours.
Bearing this in mind, it’s a good idea to plan out your trip to this landmark, especially if you choose not to take a tour.
Best Times to Visit
As with most big attractions around the world, there are going to be times when the Colosseum is especially busy.
If you want to avoid crowds, it will be important to consider when to see this landmark.
Hours of Operation
The Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum open every day at 9:00 am. It's the closing times that change based on the season.
- Jan 2nd - Feb 28th: 16:30 (4:30 pm)
- Mar 1st - 26th: 17:30 (5:30 pm)
- Mar 27th - Aug 31st: 19:15 (7:15 pm)
- Sept 1st - 30th: 19:00 (7:00 pm)
- Oct 1st - 30th: 18:30 (6:30 pm)
- Oct 31st - Dec 31st: 16:30 (4:30 pm)
As you can see, the Colosseum usually closes to the public at about the same time that the sun sets.
With that said, it’s worth noting that there are some companies offering night tours.
If you can take a night tour, this might be the best way to avoid a crowd at the Colosseum.
Visitors who are planning to see this landmark during the day will want to consider making their trip either in the morning or the late afternoon.
The Colosseum is at its busiest between 11 am - 13:00 (1 pm), and we recommend avoiding those hours if possible.
If you can't, then consider taking one of the tours offered by private companies, which have special access points which allow them to bypass the longer general security lines.
You should also avoid coming on a weekend (if you can), as crowds are even bigger than usual on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
If you can't avoid a weekend, then be sure to be here at the opening or book a guided day tour or a night tour.
Guests who have been here indicated that early morning offers some of the best lighting for photos of the Colosseum.
Even if you do show up when they open the doors, you may end up waiting in line for at least 15-20 minutes to get inside.
Bearing that in mind, you may want to get there even earlier than 8:30 am.
You should plan on giving yourself approximately 2-3 hours just to see the Colosseum: 30-60 minutes to get through the security check (unless you arrive very early) and another 30-60 minutes to explore.
Add another 30-60 min if you plan on visiting the Colosseum's Underground.
Getting Here
Once you arrive at this historic site, you’ll wonder how anyone could have missed it!
That said, it is important to note that you will find the Colosseum just southwest of the city center in Rome.
We recommend using this Google Maps link for directions.
Most visitors will want to consider making their way to the Colosseum via bus, tram, or metro.
For more information, check out our post about how to use the metro system in Rome.
Alternatively, several bus tours provide a stop at the Colosseum.
If you intend to use a hop-on-hop-off service to get around town, there’s no need for you to purchase a metro ticket to get here.
Check out our post on Rome bus tours for more details on this option.
Security Information
A lot of measures are currently in place to ensure the safety of visitors who are coming to see this site.
In addition to obvious things like weapons, certain items are not allowed inside the structure and they will not be kept for you.
If you bring the following items, there is a chance that you will be turned away and refused entry.
- Large Bags
- Luggage
- Trolleys
- Bottles/Glass
- Alcohol
- Food/Drinks
- Pets/Animals
No matter what size of bag you have, it will need to be visually inspected before you enter.
This can hold up the line and make the wait to get inside even lengthier, so we recommend that visitors avoid bringing any bags with them.
The staff often opens up "no bag" security lines.
That being said, small bags and purses are typically allowed and will not cause any problems.
The following items are also permitted at this Roman landmark.
- Strollers
- Cameras
- Camera Bags
- Smartphones
- Water Bottles
Although food is not allowed inside the Colosseum, if you plan on visiting the Roman Forum as well, past visitors indicate that you shouldn’t have any trouble bringing food with you to that location.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Upon arriving at the Colosseum, you will need to pass through security.
According to several tourists, the queue for this checkpoint can take up to 30 minutes at the opening and 60 minutes during the middle of the day.
As a result, you will want to arrive well ahead of the time that you plan to see this historic landmark.
There is no way to avoid this queue, other than with a guided tour by private companies, which have special access points that allow them to bypass the longer general security lines or with nighttime or early bird guided tours.
There are no other requirements or limitations other than the restriction of only 50 visitors at a time.
You must get your tickets before arrival and have them prepared as you enter the Colosseum.
For more details on this, read our ticket information section.
Private tour companies' groups are allowed to pass through security very quickly, potentially saving you even more time on your trip to the Colosseum.
If you want to know more about these options, check our guided tour section below and read our post about Rome tourist passes.
Once you get inside, you will be able to get a good look at the structure from several different angles.
You can also purchase or download an audio tour to enhance your experience and learn more about the history of this site.
Considering the size of the Colosseum, you may want to give yourself at least 30-60 minutes just to wander around and take it all in.
In addition to the significance of the location itself, there is also an exhibition area that provides additional background and information about the Colosseum.
You could easily spend another 30-60 min here.
You should plan on giving yourself approximately 2-3 hours just to see the Colosseum (including security and exhibition time).
Add another 30-60 min if you plan on touring the Colosseum's Underground or the Belvedere.
These timings assume that you are not buying a ticket onsite or visiting the will-call desk.
Add another 1-2 hours to visit the Forum and Palatine Hill. The amount of time is also dependent on the security lines to enter these two areas.
Your tickets will be valid for 24 hours, so you'll have to fit the Roman Forum/Palatine Hill into your Colosseum visit all in one day.
If you'd rather have two days to explore, consider getting a Full Experience ticket instead.
That being said, you could save time by taking a guided tour. This option will allow you to skip the queues and enjoy a focused trip around each site.
While some visitors could spend the better part of a day visiting the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill, a guided tour of these locations usually take 3 hours to complete (3.5 with the Underground).
If you are disabled, wheelchairs will be available on both the first and second floors. There is also a lift which can be used to reach the second floor.
There are also historic landmarks in the area such as Circus Maximus which could make for a great additional activity.
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