Visiting Rome's Colosseum
Tickets, Tours, and Security

Posted Apr 22, 02:30 AM
Comments None

The ancient Roman Colosseum is Rome’s most visited site and one of Italy’s top tourist attractions. Because so many people visit it each day, it’s best to buy tickets in advance. The pass has a specific entrance time for the Colosseum and also includes the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (the same day or following day).

Buy a Colosseum and Roman Forum pass online before you go.

Colosseum Upper and Lower Levels Guided Tours

Guided tours skip the ticket line plus go through a faster security line

Parts of the Colosseum that were formerly off limits to visitors can now be seen on special guided tours. These tours visit the upper tiers (levels 3, 4, and 5 with great views) or the lowest level, underneath the floor, where wild animals and gladiators were kept before battles.

Read my review of the Upper Levels Tour
Take an Arena Floor Colosseum Tour and use promo code ITALYMARTHA for 5% discount. Includes access to the arena floor and a tour of the Roman Forum, then you can visit the Palatine Hill on your own.
Take a Colosseum Underground Tour for access to the lowest level.
New in 2018 and eligible for 5% discount with promo code ITALYMARTHA: Arena Floor Tour with Ancient Villa Explorations Visit the Domus Aurea, Emperor Nero’s villa, and the gladiator school as well as the Colosseum arena floor. Then you can either continue visiting the Colosseum on your own or head to the Roman Forum with your guide to explore on your own.

Colosseum Night Tours and Tours for Kids

An interesting way to visit the Colosseum is on a special Colosseum at Night tour, available from late spring through early fall. See the Colosseum when it’s closed to the public and visit the underground area.

If you’re going to Rome with kids, try the special Colosseum for Kids Family Tour.

Security Measures at the Colosseum

Security measures now require all visitors (including those with skip-the-line passes or on guided tours) to go through a metal detector. So even though you won’t have to wait in the ticket line, you will have to wait in the security line. Backpacks, trolleys, and luggage are not permitted inside the Colosseum and there is no place to store them. Waiting time to go through security can be as long as an hour or even more since only 3000 people are allowed inside at one time.