Welcome to the Colosseum! One of, if not the, most iconic landmarks found anywhere on our planet, and one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. Situated in the center of Rome, tours of the Colosseum are both well suited to your itinerary needs and conveniently located to some of Rome’s other attractions!
Below we list a variety of different options you can choose from when looking at Colosseum tours and travel guides. From the standard Colosseum guided tour to a tour of the gladiator’s dungeons and a nighttime experience, there are options for families, couples and single tourists alike!
Know Before You Book
- With over 4 million tourists a year, expect queues by midday
- Peak season is hot and crowded, try for November through to March instead
- Early birds get a chance to visit the Imperial forum
Highlights
- Free tours are available!
- Go from an elevated view of Old Rome, to the dungeons in its basement
- Or in turn, see the Colosseum at night!
Rome. A city of culture and history. Where old meets new, and an amphitheater or Domus is never far away. You could spend a lifetime exploring the streets and ancient buildings, and still find something new and interesting.
Littered with famous landmarks and tourist destinations, there are none more iconic in Rome than the Colosseum itself! Standing at 48 meters (160 feet) in height, with a base area of 24,000 square meters (260,000 square feet), this “colossus” could host over 50,000 Roman spectators in its prime!
If all roads lead to Rome, then all roads lead to the Colosseum! So, it’s not a matter of if you go see it, but rather a matter of when and how. And we’re here to help answer both those questions.
Due to its popularity, the Colosseum is often filled to the brim with tourists, security guards, and guided tours alike! Receiving over 4 million visitors every year, the Colosseum can sometimes feel like it did when gladiators still frequented its arena, with crowds cheering for the circus.
However, don’t panic! There are options available for you to bypass most of the lines and get that Colosseum tour catered solely to your needs. All that’s left for you to do is choose!
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Colosseum Tickets Pricing 2020
Self-guided Colosseum tours in Rome cost $13 USD and you will get all the relevant sites. Guided tours, on the other hand, will cost between $30 USD and $40 USD.
In the end, price depends on length, sites visited and how in-depth you would like your tour to go!
Colosseum Opening Hours
Due to its high demand, the Colosseum needs to open as early as possible! Thus, you’ll find the gates opening at 8.30am sharp, every day of the week, 365 days a year!
“Sunset” determines closing times and these will change throughout the year at the Colosseum, Rome. Hours are shown below:
⦁ February 15: 8.30am – 4.30pm
⦁ February 16 to March 15: 8.30am – 5.00pm
⦁ March 16 to last Sunday of March: 8.30am – 5.30pm
⦁ Last Sunday of March to August 31: 8.30am – 7.15pm
⦁ September 1 to September 30: 8.30am – 7.00pm
⦁ October 1 to last Saturday of October: 8.30am – 6.30pm
Best Time to Go
There are not many places more popular attractions in the world than the Colosseum. Rome in peak season can be a torrid time for tourists already. With it being one of Rome’s main attractions, the Colosseum can be both hot and crowded, with queues up to the horizon, and no seating!
We can surmise travel times to the Colosseum to “time of year, time of the week, and time of day”:
⦁ Time of Year: Between March to October, you’ll find the Colosseum almost always crowded! Low season is more preferable, in the winter months between November and February.
⦁ Time of the Week: The week is almost always less busy than on the weekend, however again, in the peak season it is busy almost every day anyway.
⦁ Time of Day: The best time of day to visit the Colosseum is either when they open the gates (8.30am) or an hour or two before they close at sunset.
Colosseum Tour Options
Guided tours of the Colosseum and Roman Forum can vary depending on your needs. There are the standard walking tours that cover the basic corridors and ground floor view of the interior.
Then, there’s the night and underground Colosseum tour! A Rome Colosseum tour that adds a new spin on how you’ll get to enjoy this mighty behemoth and its ancient walls. You’ll find yourself captivated by every historic step.
Check below to find out more!
A Guided Roman Colosseum Tour
Colosseum tours done on your own can be tiresome due to queuing and they will only give you a ground-level basic experience of the amphitheater, with none of the added incentives!
This guided tour is the next level up of a standard self-guided tour! You’ll get over 3 hours of interesting information and access to usually unauthorized sights! Oh, and skip-the-line tickets are included at every venue you visit.
You’ll get tours of the Colosseum and Roman Forum, as well as surrounding sites such as the Palatine Hill, Julius Caesar’s tomb and a stop at the Via Sacra. A standard guided tour for the locals, but a must for first-time visitors!
- Skip-the-line entrance to all the visited sights
- Over 3hrs of sightseeing
- Professional guides and headsets offering over 4 languages
- Lifts to and from venues
- Wheelchair Accessibility
Beginning your exploration at the Arch of Constantine, this tour is certified to provide a lot of sight-seeing in a short space of time! With your professional guides giving you a thorough lay of the land, you’ll feel your craving for ancient knowledge being well sated!
Get Cheapest PricesColosseum Underground Tour at Night
Do something quite unique in Rome and break away from the norm. Leave the crowds of the previous day behind you for an exclusive private tour that traverses the Colosseum at night!
Get a third-tier view of the amphitheater lit up, and travel its basement, journeying the passages once trodden by gladiators and circus beasts! This unique experience is a must for those who can.
You’ll get all the benefits of viewing the day tour sites (Palatine Hill, the Forum, the Temple of the Vestal Virgins), along with an empty Colosseum, all at night! The stars overhead and the ambiance of a quiet Colosseum make for an experience to never forget.
- Special express entrance to all sites visited
- An empty Colosseum
- Tailored tour that feels personal
- Go until near midnight
- A unique view of Rome and its sights
- Gratuities
- Inter-hotel transfer
Specification: Rome Colosseum Tours & Prices (Skip-the-line, Express & Night)
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Anonymous –
Our guide was Azuria and she was amazing! She was very knowledgable about each place she took us to. I enjoyed that this tour was different than the other Colosseum/Roman Forum tour we had taken during the day. This tour started with the places around/near the Forum then, viewed the Forum from the top of the hill. We stopped for photos and she took the time to do photos for each group. The access to the Colosseum at night was the best!! No people around but us and maybe one other tour group. The access to below the Colosseum was amazing with a view of a reproduction of a lift used to take animals/people up through the trap door. We also had time on the floor of the Colosseum, but it was pretty dark by then to get any good photos of that.
Anonymous –
We enjoyed our funny and knowledgeable guide. We found the forum more interesting than the colosseum but both are a must see.
Anonymous –
Our tour guide was excellent, worth every cent. It was a small group and slow-paced did not feel rushed.
Anonymous –
I must’ve accidentally booked this 3+hr tour instead of the shorter version. Our guide was sweet & thorough and We learned a lot but after a long hot day, the last thing we needed was a 3 mile tour. My kids were exhausted. Read the details before booking. It would be better if it started at The Colosseum so one can see the details of the arena before sunset. Looks magnificent from the outside but very dark inside. 7:30 tour started at 8. Didn’t get home until 11pm