First-Timer’s Guide To Visiting The Colosseum & Roman Forum (+ Mistakes To Avoid)

We’ve made every mistake in the book across our two visits to the Colosseum in Rome. The first time we didn’t book tickets in advance, stood in a long line, ended up with the most basic entry tickets and a self-guided audio tour with headsets for €18/person, and melted under the blazing summer sun. And the second time we used our Go City Passes, which again only got us the most basic entry. Huge mistakes.

What would we do next time? At a minimum we would pay €6/person more on the official booking site to get upgraded tickets with access to bonus areas of the Colosseum (underground, arena or attic), and we wouldn’t use any type of attraction pass. Actually, in truth we’d scrap the DIY-style visit entirely and instead book an expert guided tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill to learn more and get exclusive access to hidden areas like the Gladiator’s Gate for €70+/person extra.

Here’s what we learned after our two trips in July 2018 and May 2022: The Colosseum is always overcrowded, getting a standard €18 ticket is the worst way to do it, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill definitely shouldn’t be skipped, and all three areas can be dangerously hot and exposed in the summer.

There are different ways to visit the Colosseum and some are going to give you a better experience than others. In this guide we show you our two experiences, the mistakes we made, exactly how to choose the best tickets and tours available, what to see, and how to get the most out of your first time at the famous Flavian Amphitheater. Let’s dive in.

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Our Two Experiences

Ever since watching the timeless classic movie Gladiator, we’d always wanted to stand inside the Colosseum – jump on a horse, hold a sword up and yell “single column, single column”, before taking down warriors riding chariots.

But it’s been 1,850 years since the days of Maximus Decimus Meridius, and Rome’s Colosseum is a very different place. Today, it’s a bustling tourist attraction with a complicated range of ticket types and visiting options. Trust us when we tell you the exact ticket you buy will impact your experience.

We’ve been traveling the world for a living since 2018 and we do a damn good job of exploring new places. But naturally (like any job) there’s a handful of things we wished we’d done differently. And our two visits to the immense Colosseum are among that handful.

July 2018: Absolute Disaster

Honestly, we couldn’t have done the Colosseum any worse. We’d just set off on our 18 month honeymoon around the world, we were pretty new to travel in major cities, and we had a strict budget to last a year and a half. So we couldn’t afford to splurge on a guided tour, and we genuinely thought it would be fine turning up without a pre-booked ticket to just buy the cheapest ticket in person on the day.

We arrived at around 10:30 AM to a massive line, waited for what felt like an eternity in the scorching hot July sun, and watched as the waiting and heat brought the worst out in people. Once we finally got into the Colosseum, we were frustrated, drained and overstimulated.

We spent maybe 45 minutes walking around the oval-shaped Second Floor walkway (the only area included with basic tickets). It was far too busy, and the walkway was totally exposed to the sun, so we made our way quickly to the Roman Forum, and we’ll admit things calmed down with the crowds, but we were still baking in the midday heat.

Groups of people were huddling under the cover of trees for shade, and moving in packs to the next shaded area. We tried to make the most of our audio guide tour but it was tough going with the conditions. In the end we walked away with barely any photos and a pretty underwhelmed feeling.

May 2022: Photography Won Over

Our experience was a hundred times better the second time because we entered the completely exposed Roman Forum as it opened at 9:00 AM to beat the sun and crowds (most people do the Colosseum first). We spent a good 3 hours exploring in relative calm, then we went to the Colosseum for our 12:00 PM time slot. It was brutal in the midday heat – but at least it had shaded areas.

And we still made other mistakes (although, we do have good reasons). We had basically no photos of the Colosseum and Roman Forum from our first awful visit, so our major goal this time was to spend plenty of time snapping photos to help us write this guide and show you what to expect. As a result, we opted against booking a guided tour so we could be more flexible, and instead we used one of the three attractions on our Go City Passes for the Colosseum. It sounded like a good plan at the time, but it turned out to be a mistake.

We didn’t know at the time, but the Go City Pass ONLY gave us the most basic entry ticket with no extra areas like the Underground, Arena or Attic (we’ll explain the complex ticket options later). So what we should have done was book on the official site to get a ticket with extra areas. But honestly, the big regret we have from our second Rome trip is not booking a guided tour of the Colosseum. It’s such an iconic landmark and we still haven’t seen any of the extra areas or learned more about it from a professional guide.

Now that we have amazing photos (which you’ll see throughout this guide) we would one million percent pay for an expert guided tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill next time – with those bonus areas included.

Avoiding The Biggest Colosseum Mistakes: Our Top Tips For Your Visit

Here are the mistakes we made and saw others making across our two trips, along with our tips and exactly what you should do instead:

Not Booking The Minute Tickets Are Released

Mistake: For most of the world’s top attractions we would simply say not booking in advance is the mistake, but the Colosseum is different because the better tickets with extra areas sell out the instant they’re released.

Tip: We’re going to show you exactly how to get the best possible ticket for your trip later in the guide. But for now, let’s just say not only do you have to book in advance, you have to be ready to buy right as they’re released otherwise the better tickets sell out and you’ll end up with standard entry like we had both times.

Using Attraction Passes

Mistake: The Roma Pass, Go City Rome Pass (read our review) and Turbopass only give you entry to the basic areas of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. We used a Go City Pass the second time we visited, which is part of the reason we didn’t get to see the Underground, Arena or Attic.

Tip: Do not use attraction passes for the Colosseum. Either book direct on the official site or book a guided tour with an official third party tour operator. We’re going to help you find the perfect tickets or tours to suit your budget and goals later.

Underestimating The Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

Mistake: Thinking that the Colosseum is the only thing you really need to see, and not allowing enough time to fully explore the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

Tip: Allow for 1-2 hours at the Colosseum (depending on basic entry vs extra areas), and at least 2 full hours to see the remains of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. There was more to explore than we imagined and there are additional SUPER sites to see depending on your ticket.

Not Seeing The Colosseum At Night

Mistake: Not going back to see the Colosseum lit up at night with orange light bursting out from its windows.

Tip: Our favorite Colosseum night views were near the Arco di Constantino and a semi-hidden spot called the Balcony of the Colosseum (here’s the map location). If you’re interested in photography, here are the Rome photo locations we loved most.

Forgetting Your ID

Mistake: Inputting the wrong name (nickname, maiden name or anything other than your actual name) when buying tickets because they’re checked on the day against ID.

Tip: Make sure your name is correct when booking, and make sure you take ID (drivers license, national ID, photocopy of passport) so they can confirm it’s you. They don’t check everyone, but if they spot check and you don’t have ID you won’t get in.

Visiting The Colosseum First

Mistake: Most people recommend visiting the Colosseum first thing in the morning because it’s the only part with a specific time slot and it’s quieter. While we acknowledge those benefits, we disagree because the Colosseum has areas to shade from the sun, whereas the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are totally exposed – and there’s a lot more walking involved.

Tip: During our visit to Rome in May we did the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill first thing right as it opened at 9:00 AM, spent 3 hours walking around the exposed areas before it got too hot, then joined our 12:00 PM Colosseum time slot. It was busier inside the Colosseum but at least we could escape the sun as much as we needed.

Doing The Roman Forum Between 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Mistake: Planning your itinerary so you end up walking around the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill during the middle of the day when its busiest and hottest.

Tip: Aim to do the Forum when the crowds are thinner, the heat doesn’t have as much intensity, and the light is best for photography. This is obviously less important to consider if you visit Rome between October and April when it’s cooler and quieter.

Bringing A Large Backpack

Mistake: Turning up with a jam-packed 20L+ backpack and getting turned away because there are no cloakrooms or luggage storage options. You’ll have to find a luggage storage area or go back to your hotel, then rejoin the line and potentially miss your time slot.

Tip: Take a small daypack (under 20L or 40 x 35 x 15 ideally), and don’t make it look full. Avoid rigid bags and make sure tripods etc are all packed away insides, not in the side pockets.

Buying Overpriced Water

Mistake: Paying over the odds for bottles of water from vendors outside the Colosseum. We fell for this one.

Tip: Take an empty reusable water bottle through security and fill it up at any of the “Nasoni” free water fountains located all across the archaeological park.

Not Wearing Practical Shoes

Mistake: The ground in the Roman Forum is completely made up of uneven stones with chunky gaps. Wearing flip-flops or heels is a big mistake.

Tip: Wear comfortable, robust shoes with good grips – especially if the stones are wet and slippery after rain. We both wore our running shoes.

Not Knowing About A Night At The Colosseum

Mistake: Missing out on an official 60-minute guided tour of the Colosseum at night with bonus areas, which runs every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00 PM until midnight from mid-May through the end of October. We had no idea this existed until after our visit.

Tip: Keep a close eye on the night tour page of the official site. Mark clicked on “buy tickets” in January when the tour isn’t running and it went to a 404 page, but the tickets will be live again in late April or early May. They will sell out fast, so get organized and set a reminder to check starting in April.

Paying For The Audio Guide

Mistake: Spending €5.50 on a physical audio guide or €6 on a physical video guide when you can get free audio coverage for the entire self-guided tour by using the MyColosseum app.

Tip: Download the MyColosseum app using your hotel WiFi the night before, then download the audio packs for Colosseum, Forum and Palatine. You can then use the app on site without internet connection (GPS triggers the audio – even offline), but you must take your own headphones to use.

Waiting For The Free Sunday

Mistake: Thinking a free visit on the first Sunday of every month is a great way to save money.

Tip: If your main goal is to keep costs to a minimum, go for it. Otherwise, avoid the free day at all costs. You can’t book timed slots, you’ll end up in a massive line, the bonus areas aren’t open and the crowds will be wall-to-wall.

Using The Main Forum Entrance

Mistake: Most people enter the Roman Forum near the Arch of Titus but it’s always jam-packed.

Tip: Enter via L.go della Salara Vecchia off Via dei Fori. The line to get into the Forum is always shorter. And here’s Mark’s top insider tip – you can even buy in person tickets with a time slot for the Colosseum here instead of joining the main line at the Colosseum. We don’t recommend turning up without advanced tickets, but if you do, this is where to go.

Colosseum Tickets, Hours + Logistics

Some major attractions around the world have simple ticket processes – unfortunately, the Colosseum is not one of them. Here’s everything we’ve learned about the different tickets available, opening hours, and how to get there.

Important: This is the exact order you should follow to buy basic entry tickets for an independent DIY-style visit to the Colosseum and Roman Forum – but make sure to look at our guided tour options later in the guide before booking anything because you might find a better option.

Start with the best ticket at the top and work down the list until you find availability:

Full experience – Underground levels and Arena (€24): Includes First Level, Second Level, Arena, Underground and SUPER sites. This is the best ticket because you can see the Arena floor and the intimidating tunnels and passages where the gladiators emerged. Tickets are limited and sell out almost instantly – available 30 days in advance, valid for 48 hours.

Full experience ticket with entry to the Arena of the Colosseum (€24): Includes First Level, Second Level, Arena and SUPER sites. It’s the second best ticket to buy because you can see the Arena floor, but availability is limited so get in early. Available 7 days in advance, valid for 48 hours.

Full experience ticket with entry to the Attic of the Colosseum (€24): Includes First Level, Second Level, Attic on levels 3, 4 and 5 (observation decks accessed by a glass elevator) and SUPER sites. We personally think this is the third best ticket because we’d rather do the Arena, but we’d still be happy to see the Attic. Tickets are limited and sell out almost instantly – available 30 days in advance, valid for 48 hours.

24H – Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine (€18): This is the most basic entry ticket. It includes First Level and Second Level only. It’s the worst ticket to buy because it has the least amount of areas, but it’s the standard ticket so it has lots of availability each day. This is the ticket you’ll get if you turn up on the day without pre-booking in advance. It has more availability for advanced purchase 30 days ahead, but tickets do still sell out, so it’s worth buying if no others are available. Only valid for 24 hours. (Note: You can pay €4 extra on top of this ticket with this add on to get access to the SUPER sites.)

24H only Arena (€18): This ticket only includes a limited time access to the Arena (20-30 minutes). It doesn’t include the First Level, Second Level, Roman Forum or SUPER sites – but it has more availability than the other tickets because it’s less desirable. This would only be a good choice if you want to quickly see inside the Colosseum without dealing with heavy crowds. Tickets are available 30 days in advance, and there’s usually a lot of availability. Only valid for 24 hours.

Forum Pass Super (€18): Includes Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and SUPER sites. But Colosseum is NOT included. This is great for return visitors who have already seen the Colosseum, but don’t buy this ticket if it’s your first time. This ticket does not require a time slot, so you could buy it in person rather than in advance.

What are “SUPER” sites? They are seven restricted ruins in the Forum and Palatine Hill, only accessible with Full Experience or SUPER tickets. We haven’t seen them yet, but the well-preserved ruins and frescoes are indoors or underground, rather than exposed to the elements outside. We wouldn’t say they are essential on a first visit, but they’re worth seeing if you get a “Full Experience” ticket. Learn more.

Here’s a table we created to help you visualize the complicated ticket options more easily:

Ticket	First Level	Second Level	Under- ground	Arena Floor	Attic (Lift)	Book Ahead	Price	Valid
Full Experience Arena + Underground	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	30 days	€24	48 hours
Full Experience Arena	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	7 days	€24	48 hours
Full Experience Attic	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	30 days	€24	48 hours
24H Colosseum + Forum	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	30 days	€18	24 hours
24H Arena	No	No	No	Yes	No	30 days	€18	24 hours

How to book tickets:

• Head over to the official ticketing service
• Click “Individuals”
• Choose a ticket type (follow our order above)
• Select number of tickets
• Choose available date
• Select a time slot (every 15 minutes)
• Review and pay

Prices:

• Full price (adults): €18 / 24
• Reduced (EU 18-25): €2
• Under 18: Free
• Booking fee: €2 (per person)
• Free days: Every first Sunday of the month

Opening hours:

• Colosseum: Opens 8:30 AM, closes 4:30 PM – 7:15 PM (seasonal)
• Forum: 9:00 AM – sunset year round

Mark’s top timing tip: If we visited independently again without a guided tour, we’d buy Full Experience tickets with an 8:30 AM time slot for the Colosseum to beat the crowds and heat, then we’d spend a full day exploring Rome and come back to do the Roman Forum 2 hours before last entry. The heat would be less intense, the crowds would have thinned out and the light would be best for photos.

Getting there:

• Metro: Colosseo (line B)
• Taxi: Piazza del Colosseo
• Walk: Via dei Fori Imperiali

Unmissable Highlights

If you book a guided tour (which we’ll show you later) you won’t have to worry too much about this section because your guide will plot your route to the major highlights. But if you’re visiting independently like we did both times, we’re going to show you the must-sees across each area in case you don’t want to spend a whole day listening to every single audio guide description.

This is our highlights reel through the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill based on our two visits:

The Colosseum

Second Level Loop: Honestly, we found the First Level (ground level) of the Colosseum to be very disappointing. There’s pretty much nothing there, so we skipped straight up to the Second Level both times. We basically just walked the full oval-shaped loop, which has views over the Arena and Hypogeum (underground). This is included on every ticket Colosseum ticket, so it’s always crowded. Our hidden gem place to see at the Colosseum is an official museum on the Second Level with gladiator armor, ancient coins and graffiti. It’s always quiet because everyone’s too busy taking selfies!

The Arena Floor: On one side of the Colosseum there’s a wooden stage that lets you stand exactly where gladiators fought – and it has a 360-degree “gladiator’s eye view” of the stands. We saw it from above, but didn’t have the right ticket to walk out onto the Arena floor.

The Underground (Hypogeum): The central part of the Colosseum is totally open, so from the Second Level we could see the maze of stone tunnels and lift shafts where animals and fighters were kept before being hoisted into the arena. But you can also see the lower level up close with the right ticket, but it’s the hardest one to get.

The Attic: The highest point of the monument has panoramic views over Rome and the Colosseum. It’s accessed with a special ticket via glass elevator. We haven’t been up there yet but we’d love to see the view.

The Roman Forum

The Via Sacra: The “sacred way” is the main street of ancient Rome. On both trips we enjoyed walking up and down the exact same stones that were used for victory processions 2,000 years ago. It’s a pretty cool experience!

The Curia Julia: The senate house where Roman senators debated laws is one of the best preserved buildings remaining in the Forum. Don’t miss the inside.

Arch of Septimius Severus: This massive monument with three arches is located at the far side of the Forum. It’s a great photo from afar but we prefer getting up close to see the intricate carvings.

House of the Vestal Virgins: We really like this tranquil courtyard with statues and pools at the home of the priestesses who guarded the “eternal flame” of Rome. It’s a super photogenic part of the Forum.

Temple of Julius Caesar: We almost missed the stone altar marking the spot where Caesar was cremated because it was so small and hidden behind large stones.

Palatine Hill

Farnese Gardens Viewpoint: This iconic view overlooking ancient Rome is stunning, so don’t miss it. Other than the Colosseum, we’ve always seen the biggest crowds at this exact spot.

Stadium of Domitian: One of our favorite parts of the walk around the Forum and Palatine Hill took us to a massive sunken private garden that looked like a mini-stadium. It was used by Emperors for private events, and we were the only people there so it felt like our own private version of Circus Maximus!

The Palatine Museum: We missed this first time around, but the most impressive statues and mosaics from excavations on the hill are housed in this small museum that’s included with all tickets.

Do It Yourself Or Book A Guided Tour?

Okay, we’ve covered mistakes to avoid, the various ticket options and what to see when you visit. The next thing to decide is that age old travel dilemma – visit independently or book a guided tour? None of us want to waste money, but it’s hard to know the right time to splash the cash or play it more conservatively if you’ve never been to a place before.

Take it from us, there are two places in Rome that are worth splurging on an expert-led guided tour – the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum. We did this opening time guided tour with Walks of Italy at the Vatican and it was honestly amazing. We highly recommend it and would do it again next time.

Okay, but how do we know it’s worth doing a tour at the Colosseum if we haven’t done one yet? Because we have done the basic entry with audio guide (twice!), and we know beyond a doubt that we should have paid for a guided tour instead. This is the Colosseum and Roman Forum, not some random throw-away attraction after all.

DIY

Visiting the Colosseum independently is the cheapest and most flexible way to do it (€18/24 depending on type of ticket). This works best if you’re on a tighter budget like we were during our 2018 trip, or you can’t make specific guided tour starting times work for your Rome itinerary.

Book your basic entry tickets at this official site and nowhere else (be aware of spam sites). Download the free app + audio guide or pay €5.50 for the physical audio guide, and you’re looking at a total cost of between €18-29.50/person. That’s really not too bad considering it’s the Roman Colosseum.

Both times, we thought the audio guide explanations were pretty good but they were also very generic – and more importantly we couldn’t ask any questions. That said, without paying extra for an audio guide (the free app didn’t exist when we visited), we’d have ended up walking around aimlessly, so we very strongly recommend getting access to an audio guide if you don’t book a guided tour.

Guided Tours

What’s the alternative to self-guided visits with audio guides? Well, you can spend a bit more money to get expert-led guided tours of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. The guide takes you to all the major historical sites, explains things in far greater detail and basically takes the stress out of your visit. This is what we wish we’d done second time around and will 100% do next time.

Now, there are two different guided tour options: Official guided tours that can be booked through the same website as individual entrance tickets, or guided tours with a third party company like Walks of Italy, Viator or GetYourGuide. Here are the tours we would consider booking:

Educational Tours (official): Instead of saying “guided tours” on the official ticket site, they use the words “educational tours” – which we wouldn’t think to click on when booking our tickets. But this is the official tours page, and here are the three to consider booking:

• Full Experience Underground and Arena: €32 (just €8 more than the regular ticket cost)
• Full Experience Commodus Passage: €32 (unique tour not available as individual)
• Domus Aurea: €26 (external area not part of the Colosseum or Forum)

A Night At The Colosseum (official): Costs €50/person, includes one hour guided tour of the Arena, Underground and First Level. Does not go to the Second Level (elevated oval-shaped walkway that you’ve seen in every photo of the Colosseum), Attic or Roman Forum. Only operates Tuesday – Thursday in summer. Tickets are released 30 days in advance, check the official site starting in late April.

Premium Colosseum (Walks of Italy): Very popular 3-hour guided tour, max group size of 16 and costs US $98+/person. Start times vary based on season. Highly trusted tour company operating in Italy, with thousands of positive reviews.

Gladiator’s Gate (Walks of Italy): Another hugely popular 3-hour guided tour, max group size of 16 and costs US $135+/person. It’s more expensive because it includes the Arena floor and a special access via the Gladiator’s Gate. In peak season the start time is 8:30 AM. This is the tour we will do next time.

Rome In A Day (Walks of Italy): This all encompassing Rome walking tour is exactly what we’d do if we were short on time in the city and want to see the Colosseum, Vatican, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and more. Colosseum entry is in the morning. It costs US $233/person but it includes entry into the major highlights and transport to the Vatican.

Affordable Tour (Viator): If we wanted an affordable guided tour of just the Colosseum and Roman Forum with Viator, we’d book this 2.5-hour tour with excellent reviews for just US $55/person.

Semi Private (Viator): This 3-hour tour has a small group size of just 6, so it costs US $219/person. It includes entry ticket plus Arena access. This one sells out fast so book it well in advance.

Affordable Tour (GYG): Popular 2.5-hour tour with basic price of around US $50/person but various options to upgrade to smaller group size or Arena access.

Underground (GYG): Top rated 3-hour guided tour with Underground access starting at US $115+/person (seasonal pricing). This is the best way to see the Underground levels if you can’t get the Full Experience Underground ticket.

Backup Underground (GYG): Another highly rated 3-hour tour with Underground access included starting at US $72+/person (prices increase into peak season). Compare against the other GYG Underground tour to find availability and cheapest price for your date.

In our experience, it wasn’t until we were walking around the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill that it really struck us – we definitely should have booked a guided tour. Why? Because the Colosseum was easier to look around and imagine what it was like (even without those bonus areas), but the Roman Forum was just a bunch of ruins and we really had to use our imagination to conjure up how it would have looked 2,000 years ago!

Is The Colosseum Worth Visiting?

Personally, we think the Colosseum is unmissable on any trip to Rome. We love visiting ancient sites with historical significance, and this is one of the best remaining examples of the ancient Roman Empire still standing in the world. If you have any interest in history, architecture, art, the Romans – even the movie Gladiator – then yes you should absolutely pay to see the Colosseum and Roman Forum.

Allow for at least 3 hours to see all three sites, and visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the worst crowds and heat. We strongly recommend buying Full Experience tickets the minute they’re released, so you get access to more areas and have a better experience. Or pay more for a stress-free guided tour, which is what we’ll do next time.

That said, if you’re not overly interested in history or architecture, you might just get frustrated by how busy the Colosseum gets. We hated the crammed-in crowds during our July visit, and the intense heat made walking around the Roman Forum almost unbearable. Consider these things before paying for tickets and using up half a day of your Rome trip.

Next Steps

We hope our guide on how to visit the Colosseum helps with planning your trip to Rome.

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments box below, and remember you can book an expert travel planning call with us if you want to make sure your plans for Rome and Italy are all set.

Still researching for your trip?

• Here’s our 4 days in Rome itinerary.
• These five neighborhoods are where to stay in Rome.
• Here are the top things to do in Rome.
• Here’s how to visit the Vatican Museum.
• And here are our favorite photo spots in Rome.

Finally, if you’re planning to visit more places on the same trip, we recommend reading our Italy travel guide for helpful tips and advice.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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