Visiting the Colosseum – a complete and easy guide: tips, tricks + FAQ

Visiting the Colosseum should be on anyone’s bucket list.

After all, it is one of the most important attractions in Rome for a good reason. Whether you are visiting alone or with children, I will help you plan an unforgettable visit.

Unfortunately, reliable information is not always easy to find. Since Rome has so much to see and do, you might feel overwhelmed.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into everything you need to know for visiting the Colosseum. 

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Table of Contents
  1. Visiting the Colosseum – a complete and easy guide: tips, tricks + FAQ
    1. The Colosseum – A Short History
      1. Nero – The Mad Emperor
      2. Vespasian and the Flavian Amphitheater
    2. Visiting the Colosseum today
      1. Engineering and Artistic Masterpiece
    3. Where is the Colosseum in Rome and how to get there?
    4. How to get to the Colosseum
    5. Is visiting the Colosseum worth it?
    6. When is the best time to visit the Colosseum? How to skip the crowds?
    7. Opening hours for the Colosseum
    8. Ticket prices and options – where to purchase your tickets?

Visiting the Colosseum – a complete and easy guide: tips, tricks + FAQ

The Colosseum – A Short History

Visiting the Colosseum

Today, many of us think of the Colosseum as the quintessential symbol of ancient Rome and its Empire. Julius Caesar held gladiatorial games here. And Emperor Nero fed the early Christians to the lions, right?

Well…not really. Even referring to the ancient arena as the ‘Colosseum’ is inaccurate – no contemporary Roman called it by this name.

Initially, the place was a flat, marshy area between the Caelian, Esquiline, and Palatine hills. However, by Julius Caesar’s time, it was densely inhabited, with the impressive houses of the rich scattered among the hovels of the poor masses.

The neighborhood’s proximity to the Forum, the beating heart of the Eternal City, made it a desirable location to live.

Imagine a huge city – in its heyday, the population peaked at over 1.000.000 inhabitants – without cars or public transportation. Even horse-drawn carriages were banned within the city limits during the day. So how would one commute to work, go shopping, or visit the temples?

By foot, of course, either on one’s own feet or carried in a litter by a bunch of muscular slaves. And you thought today’s billionaires are excentric, eh?

Thus, living close to the action was both fancy and necessary for either the poor or the rich.

Nero – The Mad Emperor

Fast forward a hundred years to the reign of Emperor Nero.

On 19th July, 64 A.D.,  a fire began around the Circus Maximus, Rome’s chariot race stadium. The fire expanded to most of the city due to the wind, and it burned for nine days, destroying two-thirds of the Empire’s capital. How could the center of the Roman civilization burn down like that, one might ask?

Well, think of today’s disaster scenes. Bumbling politicians, under-funded emergency services, a crazed populus focused on looting instead of helping, and wealthy speculators ready to jump in and capitalize on the disaster.

It was even said that Nero himself provoked the fire because he needed the inspiration to write a new poem. Most historians believe this assertion is nonsensical, though. The Emperor was not in the city at the time; he traveled to the capital only after several days of burning chaos. Still, his next actions fueled the suspicions that Nero had something to do with the whole thing.

After the fire, the Emperor requisitioned most of the disaster-hit lands around the Forum. He built a massive palace complex as his residence, the Domus Aureus or Golden House, surrounded by extensive gardens and an artificial lake. Furthermore, he erected an enormous statue of himself, the bronze Colossus of Nero.

Vespasian and the Flavian Amphitheater

All these actions, combined with his mismanagement of the Empire and his erratic and violent behavior, led to what will be known to history as the ‘Year of the Four Emperors.’

Following a failed conspiracy to restore the Republic and a rebellion in Gaul led by the Roman governor Gaius Julius Vindex, Nero committed suicide. Four leaders fought over the throne.

When the dust settled after the ensuing civil war, only one man remained standing at the top.

The year is 70 A.D., and Vespasian, the son of a tax collector, is the new Emperor of a bankrupt and disintegrating Empire. His first priority was to restore the people’s faith in the state. He ordered Nero’s Golden House to be demolished, its artificial lake filled with soil, and a huge arena to be built in its place to entertain the people. The Colosseum was born!

The new amphitheater was more than a building. It was a powerful political statement proclaiming that the Empire was restored, as powerful and rich as ever, and capable of feeding and entertaining its people.

Curiously, the Romans never used the name ‘Colosseum.’ The name dates from medieval times and is probably derived from the megalomaniacal statue erected by Nero. Vespasian didn’t destroy it but refurbished it to represent Sol, the Sun God, and placed it next to his new arena. The statue is thought to have outlived the Empire by a couple of centuries, surviving until the early Middle Ages.

Hence, in one of history’s ironies, the mad Emperor Nero imprinted his mark on one of Rome’s iconic buildings for all eternity.

Read also: The best Italian gift ideas for Italy lovers!

Visiting the Colosseum today

When you visit the Colosseum, try to imagine the noise, smell, and violence of over 9000 wild beasts being slaughtered in the building’s inaugural games alone: lions roaring, weapons clinging, the frenzied masses shouting their encouragement, the metallic smell of gallons of blood spilled on the arena’s floor.

Or envision the appalling conditions in the dim, suffocating underground area below the floor: the visitors of today can see the remains of the ‘hypogeum,’ a series of tunnels and cells used to hold the wild beasts and the slaves and prisoners condemned to fight.

Imagine the utter terror of a young girl thrown to the lions because of her parent’s religious beliefs. Imagine her as she was elevated into the arena from the dingy cell below on a wooden platform; the blinding sunlight, the booming noise of people shouting abuse at her, and, eventually, the overwhelming fear as she glimpses her executioner, a starved, angry lion ready to gore her to death.

Visiting the Colosseum in Rome

It is claimed that the Colosseum could even be filled with water and used to re-enact famous sea battles to the delight of the tens of thousands of spectators. It must have been a sight, ships ramming each other and battling for supremacy as gladiators and slaves leaped from them in a life-and-death struggle.

These games would be held over several successive days, from morning to evening. One can easily deduct the presence of dozens of food and drink vendors similar to today’s sporting arenas. Equally, the building must have been surrounded by public toilets to cater to the biological needs of the gathered masses. Ohhhh, the smell!

Engineering and Artistic Masterpiece

To this day, the top of the arena retains 240 structural pieces of stone called mast corbels. These were used to hold a retractable awning, which was basically a huge canvas that shielded the spectators from the elements but let in the breeze during hot summer days.

Apart from being an engineering wonder, the Colosseum was also a gigantic work of art containing many minuscule artistic jewels.

For example, the now-empty arches of the 2nd and 3rd-floor framed statues represent divinities and mythological creatures. In addition, the arena walls were probably painted in red, gold, and black; some interiors might even contain beautiful frescos depicting battle scenes or relevant mythological ones.

All in all, the sheer scale of the amphitheater showcases an advanced civilization of builders, engineers, artists, and artisans. It also reminds us of the immense cruelty we are capable of in the name of politics, entertainment, and social control. Thus, it is a monument to our bright, creative side and our dark, destructive nature in equal measure.

I hope you will enjoy visiting one of the iconic monuments of European civilization.

Where is the Colosseum in Rome and how to get there?

Where is the Colosseum in Rome
Source: Unsplash.com

Located in the heart of Rome, in Piazza del Colosseo (Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy), you will find it easy to get there by public transportation or even by walking. 

It is one of the largest architectural structures in the area, and it is hard to miss. 

Distance from other main attractions in Rome

2 minutes away from the Roman Forum

30 minutes away from the Vatican City by public transportation (Cipro or Valle Aurelia on the orange subway line)

20 minutes walk from Fontana di Trevi, the Pantheon, or Piazza Navona

35 minutes walk from Piazza del Popolo

How to get to the Colosseum

On its northern part, you’ll find a bus stop with plenty of options to choose from, as well as the subway station with the same name: “Colosseo.” 

Hop on the metro blue line (line B) and make your way to the Colosseo. If you are traveling on the orange line (line A), simply change the line at Termini station (Rome’s main train station) and ride for 2 stops until the Colosseum. 

A hop-on, hopoff bus will also leave you in front of the Colosseum. This option is worth considering when you want to see as much as possible in a short time without having to worry about means of transportation, tickets, and other similar things. Get your ticket here!

You can have unlimited transportation for up to 72 hours with the Roma Pass. On top of that, the pass offers free access to two venues of your choice (one when you choose the 48-hour option), making it a cost-efficient option to look at. Get your pass here!

The Vatican & Rome City Pass is another option worth considering. It has a higher price tag, but it offers unlimited public transportation, skipping the line, and free admission to the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums, and Michelangelo’s miraculous ceiling at the Sistine Chapel. Get the pass here!

Is visiting the Colosseum worth it?

I’m sure that after you’ve read its short history, you are hungry for more. The Colosseum is one of Rome’s major attractions for a good reason, and it is absolutely worth visiting on a guided tour. 

When is the best time to visit the Colosseum? How to skip the crowds?

Rome in one day

When you visit the Colosseum during peak season, you should expect massive crowds. With that comes the endless ticket and entrance lines, with waiting times that can go well over one hour. 

When you don’t have months to spend in Rome, and especially when you only have 2 days to explore Italy’s capital, you must find workarounds and skip the crowds. 

That’s why visiting the Colosseum and Rome in winter might be a good idea. Temperatures aren’t as low as in many other places around Europe. 

November or March could also be perfect months for walking around Ancient Rome’s ruins. 

Opening hours for the Colosseum

The Colosseum is currently open every single day of the week, as follows:

  • 9.30 – 18.30: until the 30th of October 2021 (last admission at 17.30)
  • 9.30 – 16.30: from the 31st of October 2021 to the 26th of March 2022 (last admission at 15.30)
  • 9:30 – 19:15: from 26 March to 31 August 2022.

Don’t bother trying to visit on the 1 January and 25 December because the Colosseum is closed on these dates. 

It is worth knowing that you can only go inside in the timeframe you choose when booking your ticket. 

Also, it is advisable to get there 15 minutes before your time slot. 

These days, together with the ticket, you will have to show a Green Pass and an ID. 

Ticket prices and options – where to purchase your tickets?

Colosseum Rome

There are countless ticket and tour options for visiting the Colosseum. Moreover, you can buy your ticket online or directly at the ticket office.

While getting your tickets in Rome is an option, I recommend booking your tickets in advance. This way, you will skip the long queues and have more time to enjoy Rome. 

The official tickets can be booked online here

It will offer you access to the Colosseum at the booked time, as well as entrance to the Roman Forum and the temporary Exhibition. 

If you want to visit the Arena, Underground, and III Level of the Colosseum, check out the options below. 

Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill: Priority EntranceBook Here!
Semi-Private Colosseum Underground Tour + Roman Forum, Palatine Hill & ArenaBook Here!
Arena Floor Ticket: Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill: Skip The Line + Arena FloorBook Here!
Colosseum & Roman Forum: Guided TourBook Here!
Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill: Video GuideBook Here!

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