Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill
- See the ruins of temples, arches, and courtyards in the Roman Forum. Listen to detailed historical insights provided by the audio guide.
- Picture the grand Colosseum and transport yourself back to the era of gladiator battles, epic fights, and thrilling animal hunts.
- Your entry voucher grants access to both Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum, two significant landmarks in ancient Rome's political, commercial, and religious arenas.
- Stroll through these historic grounds and immerse yourself in the captivating stories that shaped the Roman Empire.
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Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill + Arena Access
- A friendly local staff member will escort you to the Roman Forum entrance and assist with security procedures so you can enter smoothly and stressfree.
- Wander the heart of ancient Rome: stroll through the Roman Forum, stand on Palatine Hill where the city was founded and where Rome’s leaders once lived, and walk onto the Colosseum’s arena floor—the very stage of the gladiators.
- Move through each site at your own pace, pausing to soak up the atmosphere and the layers of history that surround you.
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Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Guided Tour
- Embark on an intimate guided tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill, tailored for a small group of just 10 people.
- Start your adventure at the iconic Colosseum, where a knowledgeable guide will unveil its fascinating gladiatorial past.
- Stroll through the historic Roman Forum, discovering the significance of key monuments that line the Sacred Way.
- Conclude your excursion with breathtaking panoramic views from Palatine Hill, the very birthplace of Rome’s rich history.
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Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill + Arena Access Guided Tour
- Visit the Colosseum with included access to the Arena Floor, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
- Stand on the Arena Floor and imagine the spectacles, gladiators and performances that once took place there
- Learn how the Colosseum was built as a gift to Roman citizens, showcased Roman engineering and originally featured over 80 entrances with capacity for around 50,000 spectators
- Explore the Roman Forum, the social, political, religious and financial heart of the Roman Empire, and see remarkable ancient structures still standing
- Experience the daily life of ancient Romans where all layers of society mixed for business, politics and personal matters
- Climb Palatine Hill for views over the Forum and insight into imperial residences and the city’s origins
- Be among the visitors allowed to enter these historic sites today
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Colosseum & Mamertine Prison
- Descend into the ancient basement of San Pietro in Carcere and follow a video tour of the Mamertine Prison to explore cramped stone cells and hear about the people held here—most famously Saints Peter and Paul—then continue to the Colosseum for an intimate, behindthescenes look at one of history’s most iconic arenas.
- Choose the optional walking tour to wander Rome’s historic center and soak up the atmosphere at Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and Piazza di Spagna.
- Access the audio guide and video tour via the link located beneath the QR code.
- Visit the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill the same day as the Colosseum or on the following day within the ticket’s 24hour validity.
- Note that last admission to the Colosseum is one hour before closing, so if you select the final timeslot you may visit the Forum and Palatine Hill the next day.
- Allow extra time for the mandatory Colosseum security check, which can take 30 minutes or more.
- No refunds are given for noshows or late arrivals, so plan to arrive on time.
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Colosseum, Gladiator Arena & Mamertine Prison
- Grab a 24hour combination voucher to visit two of Rome’s most evocative sites in a single day: the atmospheric Mamertine Prison and the mighty Colosseum Arena.
- Begin at the Mamertine Prison, a grim, unforgettable chamber where some of ancient Rome’s most notorious prisoners were held, then walk straight into the drama of the Colosseum.
- Step onto the Colosseum Arena to experience the scale and spectacle of ancient Roman entertainment and imperial power up close.
- The 24h Only Arena voucher gives you one day’s access to the Colosseum Arena, the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and their museums — including the Roman Forum Museum, the Domus Tiberiana Museum, and the Palatine Museum — making it an easy way to trace Rome’s history from everyday politics to legendary shows.
- Important entry info: Colosseum Arena access with the 24h Only Arena voucher is allowed only through the “Colosseo lato Sperone Stern” entrance.
- To enter the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum with this voucher, use one of these gates: Varco dell'Arco di Tito; Varco di Largo della Salara Vecchia; Varco di via del Tulliano (next to the Mamertine Prison); Via del Foro Romano; or Via di San Gregorio.
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What makes it special
The engineering still isn't fully understood
The Romans built a structure that has outlasted virtually everything else from their era, in an earthquake zone, with technology we're still reverse-engineering today. It was built in just eight years using a complex system of vaulted arches and concrete.
It shaped how we build today
The Colosseum's elliptical design and numbered entry system - 80 arched entrances that could empty 80,000 people in minutes - is the direct ancestor of every modern stadium on earth.
The subterranean hypogeum (The "Backstage")
Recent restorations have opened up the Hypogeum, the subterranean network of tunnels and cages. Walking through where gladiators prepared and wild animals were kept in the dark before being hoisted to the arena floor via manual elevators is a visceral, slightly eerie experience that brings the history to life.
The spectacle of survival in ancient times
Standing on the reconstructed arena floor helps you grasp the sheer scale of the games. Beyond the gladiator fights, the Romans actually flooded the arena for mock naval battles (naumachiae) in the early years. Imagine "sea battles" here, in the heart of a landlocked city!
Must see highlights
The Arena Floor
Where the gladiatorial games in the ancient times actually happened! Standing on the reconstructed floor, with the hypogeum open below you, is the closest the site gets to experience what it must have felt like centuries ago. Make sure to book the ticket for this separately.
The Hypogeum
The underground network of tunnels and chambers beneath the arena floor. Gladiators waited here. Animals were caged here. Elaborate pulley systems lifted both into the light above. It's the part of the Colosseum that photographs least and impresses most.
The Upper Tiers
Most visitors stay at the lower levels, but you don't want to miss heading up to the upper tiers. From here, you'll be able to take in the full geometry of the arena in one view, and a sightline over Rome that hasn't changed in centuries.
The North and South Arches
Of the 80 original arched entrances, these remain the most intact. Look closely at the stonework, and you will still be able to see the holes where metal clamps once held the marble facing that the medieval city stripped for building material.
Did you know
Gladiator (2000)
Directed by Ridley Scott, the cult classic Gladiator featured a digitally reconstructed Colosseum for epic battle sequences and won 5 Academy Awards.
Roman Holiday (1953)
A princess escapes her royal duties for a single day in Rome, and a journalist follows. Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck's whirlwind tour through the city's landmarks -the Colosseum among them - turned Roman Holiday into one of cinema's great love letters to Rome, and to the ruins that define it.
Monument to Human Rights
Since 1999, the Colosseum is lit in gold for 48 hours whenever a death sentence anywhere in the world is commuted. A moment of poetic justice, wherein a Roman killing ground turns beacon against capital punishment.
Charles Dickens
Dickens visited the Colosseum in 1846 and was so struck by its beauty in the moonlight that he wrote about the experience in Pictures from Italy, describing the ruin as one of the most overwhelming sights he had ever encountered.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Goethe visited during his Italian Journey and wrote about the Colosseum with an almost spiritual awe, calling it unlike anything the modern world could produce: a structure that made everything else feel small.