Rome, Italy
The Colosseum probably the most in style sights in Rome, and probably the most recognizable landmarks in your complete world. Here are some helpful ideas for visiting the Colosseum!
No matter in case you’re a severe historical past buff or a Gladiator fan – you may’t miss a go to to the Colosseum on a journey to Rome. I used to be tremendous excited to see the Colosseum after we have been in Rome for the primary time, however visiting this historic landmark generally is a bit overwhelming.
To be sure that you get essentially the most out of your go to to the Colosseum and to keep away from any disappointment, it pays off to plan your go to effectively prematurely.
In this text I’ll be sharing my greatest ideas for the best way to go to the Colosseum, the best way to purchase tickets, and different issues that it’s best to know based mostly on my expertise touring in Italy.
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Many accommodations, points of interest, and personal excursions are open with new well being & security protocols in place, and you continue to should observe sure tips.
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Rome Colosseum Travel Guide
The Colosseum is a well-known Roman amphitheater that was constructed between 72 and 80 AD. The three-tired theater is the biggest amphitheater ever constructed, and the biggest (nonetheless standing) amphitheater in your complete world.
It is the biggest historical construction to have survived: It stands 157 ft (48 meters) tall and measures 620 by 513 ft (189 by 156 meters). The Colosseum was constructed to carry greater than 50,000 spectators.
Roman theaters have been usually in-built the identical approach: round or oval open-air buildings with raised seating. They have been used for in style occasions resembling gladiator fights, chariot races, animal slayings and executions.
There are round 230 amphitheaters that have been constructed throughout the Roman Empire, nonetheless, none examine to the Colosseum, which is exclusive in its type and grandeur. Because it was constructed by the Flavian Emperor Vespasian and his sons Titus and Domitian, additionally it is generally known as the “Flavian Amphitheater”.
The Roman theater has three stacked arcades: the bottom one in-built Doric type, the center arcade in-built Ionic type, and the very best one in Corinthian type. It was constructed on this technique to replicate the civilization that created it.
Even although the Colosseum has been severely broken by earthquakes, guests can nonetheless expertise many of the construction that historical Romans noticed after they entered the Colosseum to observe a gladiator struggle or spectacle.
How To Get To The Colosseum
The Colosseum is situated proper within the heart of Rome, and the doorway is close to the Arch of Constantine.
The nearest metro station is “Colosseo” on the B Line – it’s proper throughout the road from the Colosseum, a few 3-minute stroll to the doorway.
If you take the metro from Termini, take the metro that’s going to Laurentina. It’s a 3-minute prepare journey, or two quick stops.
If you will have a Rome Hop On Hop Off Bus Ticket, additionally they cease on the Colosseum. (Hop On Hop Off bus tickets are included in each the Rome and the Vatican Pass).
How To Visit The Colosseum
There are a alternative ways to see the Colosseum. You can merely see it from the skin (which is free), or you may e book a ticket to go inside.
If you wish to go inside, you will have the choice to e book tickets for various areas of the Colosseum.
Furthermore, you may select to go to the Colosseum independently, or be a part of a guided tour.
How Much Does Visiting The Colosseum Cost?
The basic admission ticket to the Colosseum is €18 (€16 + €2 on-line reserving charge) and likewise consists of the Roman Forum and the Palatine. With this ticket, you’ll have the ability to go to the primary and second ranges of the Colosseum, together with three overlooks, nonetheless, NOT the world stage or the hypogeum, the underground space of the Colosseum. (You must e book a guided tour to go to these restricted areas – see beneath for extra particulars.)
Discounted Tickets: European Union residents between the age of 18 and 25 solely pay €4 (€4 + €2 on-line reserving charge) to go to the Colosseum. However, you will need to present an ID on the entrance verifying the best to a decreased ticket.
Children / People With Disabilities: Children beneath 18 and disabled folks (plus one member of the family / helper) don’t should pay to go to the Colosseum.
Full Experience Tickets: Include entrance to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine in addition to the S.U.P.E.R. websites (the Palatine Museum, Neronian Cryptoporticus, House of Augustus, House of Livia and Temple of Romulus) AND a tour in English are €32 (discounted: €12) plus the €2 reserving charge per ticket. This ticket possibility consists of entry to the world stage and an accompanied go to to the underground, however it does NOT embody Level 3 of the Colosseum. “Full Experience Tickets” are legitimate for 48 hours from the primary use.
If you might be shopping for a ticket that features a information by the official Colosseum web site, watch out when choosing the ticket possibility: the English model of the web site is sadly not very effectively translated and generally is a bit complicated. You don’t wish to by accident e book an Italian tour.
Skip-The-Line Tickets
If you might be pressed for time or just don’t wish to waste time ready in line, I like to recommend spending a couple of extra {dollars} on the Skip-The-Line Ticket (round €22). Just bear in mind that you will need to e book this ticket with an allotted beginning time, and tickets normally promote out, so e book your ticket effectively prematurely. Skip-the-line tickets are usually not bought by the official Colosseum web site, however can be found by GetYourGuide.
What’s Included In Your Colosseum Ticket
The General Admission Ticket consists of the Colosseum (with out entry to the world), the Roman Forum archeological space, the Imperial Forums and the Palatine. It additionally consists of admission to short-term exhibitions at these sights.
The ticket is legitimate for twenty-four hours, so that you don’t have to go to all three websites in the identical day. You can determine through which order you go to the websites included within the ticket. The 24 hours begin whenever you entry the primary monument.
Note: If you purchase the ticket on-line, it isn’t essential to print it out, you may merely present it in your smartphone upon arrival on the Colosseum.
What’s Not Included within the Colosseum Ticket
The basic admission ticket to the Colosseum doesn’t embody entry to the world, the underground space and Level 3 of the Colosseum. To go to these areas, it is advisable e book a particular ticket or a guided tour (see beneath for extra particulars).
How Long Does It Take To Visit?
You must plan in not less than one hour to go to the Colosseum, and if you wish to go to the opposite sights included within the Colosseum ticket, plan in not less than one hour for these, too. If you wish to absorb every monument in additional element, you’ll want about 2 hours for every web site. Both the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum are bigger, extra spread-out areas.
As for distances between the sights: The Palatine is a five-minute stroll from the Colosseum, the Roman Forum can also be lower than 5 minutes away and the Imperial Fora is about 10 minutes from the Colosseum. If you’re pressed for time, it’s doable to go to all three websites in half a day, however ideally, you’ll wish to plan in 6 hours for all three websites.
Guided Tours Of The Colosseum
If you will have extra time and actually wish to perceive the Colosseum, I extremely suggest taking a guided tour. There is little signage all through all of the monuments included within the Colosseum ticket, which implies that you should have little understanding of what you’re looking at until you might be listening to a podcast in regards to the sights, or you might be utilizing a guidebook.
1-Hour Express Tour
The 1-hour Express Tour is ideal for individuals who don’t have plenty of time, and the ticket additionally permits you to skip the road. Get 1-Hour Express Tickets Here
Standard Colosseum Tour
Colosseum Tour with Arena Floor, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (from US$39)
Visit The Hypogeum (Under The Colosseum)
A tour is required to see the world flooring and hypogeum, the fascinating underground space of the Colosseum. The hypogeum was the place gladiators and animals have been ready earlier than their battles, and visiting it with a information means you’ll be taught much more in regards to the spectacles that guests got here to see on the amphitheater, the lifetime of the gladiators, and the battles that have been fought.
Colosseum Tour with Underground Hypogeum & Arena Floor
Colosseum Kid-Friendly Tour
This is a superb tour for anybody visiting Rome with children, because it goals to entertain youngsters and inform tales about historical Rome in a approach that they’re pleasant for children and adults alike.
Colosseum and Ancient Rome Family Tour for Kids
How To Buy Colosseum Tickets
There are a number of methods to purchase tickets to the Colosseum. The official ticket web site is in fact the apparent selection however bear in mind which you can typically solely get basic admission tickets by the official Colosseum web site.
You should buy particular entry tickets that embody a information by the official Colosseum web site, too, however the English-speaking excursions are restricted and thus typically bought out. No worries although: If there are not any excursions in English out there for any of the dates you’re planning to be in Rome, you’re normally nonetheless capable of finding guided Colosseum excursions in English by third-party web sites.
If you wish to e book a guided tour or entry to particular areas, you’ll have to e book by a third-party tour operator who’s licensed to supply these tickets.
There can also be a ticket workplace proper on the Colosseum however you’ll most probably have to attend in line to buy a ticket. Since tickets are timed and customer numbers are capped at 3,000 a day, I strongly suggest shopping for your Colosseum tickets on-line.
After clicking on the “Buy Tickets” button, a calendar will pop up, and you may choose the date you’re planning to go to the Colosseum on. After selecting a date, you will note all of the out there time-slots on the date you chose. If there aren’t any tickets out there anymore for the time you’d like to go to, attempt a distinct date.
It is value noting which you can solely e book a timeslot as much as one month prematurely, so in case your journey to Rome remains to be within the distant future, chances are you’ll wish to put a reminder in your calendar to e book a Colosseum ticket a month earlier than your go to.
USEFUL TIP: When choosing a time-slot, keep in mind that it will get fairly sizzling in Rome after midday. I like to recommend reserving a ticket to the Colosseum for the early morning, or an hour earlier than closing, in case you go to throughout the summer season months.
Roma Pass / Rome and Vatican Pass
If you will have a Roma Pass (which provides you free admission to a few landmarks / historic websites and decreased ticket costs to all different museums and archeological websites in addition to free use of public transportation), you continue to have to order a time-slot on-line and pay the €2 reservation charge.
This means it’s best to examine availability for the Colosseum as quickly as you buy the Roma Pass, to verify there are nonetheless time-slots out there throughout the days your go is legitimate (they’re normally legitimate for 48 or 72 hours). You’ll discover the choice to order a time-slot for Roma Pass holders on the official ticket web site.
Visit The Colosseum For Free?
On the primary Sunday of each month, the Colosseum might be visited without spending a dime. This consists of all websites which might be normally included within the Colosseum tickets: The Colosseum, Roman Forum and the Palatine.
Be Warned: The websites included within the free ticket are inclined to get very crowded when they are often visited without spending a dime. If you might be on a good funds and wish to make the most of the Free First Sunday, I like to recommend arriving as early as doable.
Colosseum Opening Hours
The Colosseum is open seven days per week, and it opens 9am year-round.
Closing occasions differ, relying on the time of 12 months:
- 2 January – 28 February: 9 – 4.30pm
- 1 – 26 March: 9am – 5.30pm
- 27 March – 31 August: 9am – 7.15pm
- 1 – 30 September: 9am – 7pm
- 1 – 30 October: 9am – 6.30pm
- 31 October – 31 December: 9am – 4.30pm
Note: Final admission is one hour earlier than closing time.
Colosseum Closed: The Colosseum open year-round, aside from two days: Christmas Day (twenty fifth December) and New Year’s Day (1st January).
More Tips For Visiting The Colosseum
- Large backpacks or suitcases are usually not allowed. Security is tight, and all baggage are screened by a steel detector on the entrance. A medium-sized daypack is okay. Glass bottles and alcohol are usually not permitted.
- Water fountains might be present in a number of locations contained in the Colosseum, which could be very helpful throughout the hotter months. Bring your reusable water bottle!
- If you’re solely visiting the skin, search for the water fountain close to the Colosseo metro station.
- If you go to throughout the summer season months, you’ll must pack a sunhat / visor or an umbrella. You’ll end up uncovered to the solar lots. Apply sunscreen earlier than your go to.
- I like to recommend carrying sturdy, comfy sneakers to your go to to the Colosseum. The surfaces are uneven, and in case you go to the opposite sights included in your ticket: you’ll stroll on historical Roman cobbles and uneven surfaces Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
- If you might be fascinated by the Gladiator fantasy and tradition, you may prepare to be a gladiator in your go to to Rome. The Gruppo Storico Romano and Gladiator School affords 2-hour gladiator coaching programs and can train you extra in regards to the gladiator video games, weapons and historical past.
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