The Colosseum is the Flavian Amphitheatre, the largest arena of ancient Rome, finished in AD 80 and once filled with around 50,000 spectators for gladiator fights and animal hunts. As of October 2026 the basic ticket costs €18 (€2 for EU citizens aged 18–25, free for under-18s) and also covers the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Every ticket carries the visitor’s name and a booked entry time, so buy it ahead on the official site and bring ID. It opens at 8:30; until 24 October last entry is 17:30, and from 25 October 15:30.
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Tickets and tours for Colosseum
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Why the Colosseum matters
Emperor Vespasian began the amphitheatre around AD 70–72 on the site of Nero’s private lake, and his son Titus opened it in AD 80 with 100 days of games. For four centuries it hosted gladiators, wild-beast hunts and public executions, all free to the citizens of Rome as a show of imperial generosity. Earthquakes, stone robbers and centuries as a quarry, fortress and even a home for workshops stripped away much of the outer ring, which is why one side stands taller than the other. Today it is the symbol of Rome, part of the Historic Centre of Rome UNESCO World Heritage site, and the stage for the Pope’s Way of the Cross on Good Friday.
The Colosseum is run by the Parco archeologico del Colosseo together with the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill and Nero’s Domus Aurea, and the tickets are shared, which is the key to planning your visit.
What you’ll see
- The first and second levels: the arcaded corridors and the terraces where spectators sat, with views down into the arena and out over the Arch of Constantine. The standard ticket covers these, plus a small museum.
- The arena floor: a partial reconstruction on the eastern side lets you stand where the gladiators stood and look up at the tiers. It needs an Only Arena or Full Experience ticket.
- The underground (hypogeum): the maze of passages, cages and lift shafts that raised animals and scenery into the arena, visited in small guided groups. Places are few and sell out first.
- The attic: a panoramic lift takes small groups up between the second and third tiers to the top of the building, with the Full Experience Attic ticket.
Tickets and how to visit
Prices and rules from the Parco archeologico del Colosseo, as of October 2026:
- 24h Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine (€18): one entry to the Colosseum’s first and second levels at your booked time (maximum stay 75 minutes), plus one entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine within 24 hours before or after. A €4 supplement adds the arena floor, and another €4 the extra “SUPER” sites.
- 24h Only Arena (€18): a 20-minute visit to the arena floor at a booked time, plus the Forum, Palatine and SUPER sites within 24 hours.
- Full Experience (€24): valid for two consecutive days, with a booked Colosseum entry (up to 90 minutes) and one entry to the Forum, Palatine and SUPER sites. Choose the Arena, the Underground and Arena (guided groups of up to 25), the Attic, or the Commodus Passage version.
- Reduced and free: €2 for EU citizens from 18 to their 25th birthday; free for under-18s and for visitors with a disability and a companion, but free tickets must still be booked online. On the first Sunday of the month entry is free for everyone, with tickets issued on the day and long queues.
- Named, timed entry: every ticket carries the visitor’s name and is checked against ID at the gate. Names can be corrected once, up to seven days before. Arrive 15 minutes before your slot (30 for the underground); latecomers lose the Colosseum part, and tickets are not refunded.
- Booking: on ticketing.colosseo.it, where tickets go on sale about 30 days ahead. The park may refuse tickets bought through unauthorised resellers.
- Hours: the Colosseum opens at 8:30. From 1 to 24 October 2026 it closes at 18:30 (last entry 17:30); from 25 October to 31 December it closes at 16:30 (last entry 15:30). Closed on 25 December and 1 January.
- Security and bags: everyone passes a metal detector. Bags larger than 30 × 40 × 15 cm, glass bottles, trekking poles, selfie sticks, spray cans and drones are not allowed, and there is no cloakroom, so travel light. Water bottles are fine.
- What to wear: closed shoes are required for the rough paths, and a hat in the warm months; there is little shade.
How long to allow and when to go
The Colosseum alone takes 60–90 minutes, and the ticket limits your stay to that. Add the Forum and Palatine and you need at least half a day, best split into two visits with the 24h or Full Experience ticket. Book the first slots of the morning or the last of the afternoon, when it is cooler and the light on the travertine is softer. Ask for the underground early: in spring and autumn it often sells out as soon as tickets are released.
Accessibility
The Colosseum’s lifts to the second level are reserved for visitors with disabilities, pregnant women and over-65s; ask at the ticket office when your ticket is issued. Visitors with a disability and one companion enter free with a booked ticket. The arena floor and underground involve uneven surfaces and steps, so check with the park before booking those.
Getting there
Metro line B stops at Colosseo, right opposite the amphitheatre, and since December 2025 line C’s new Colosseo–Fori Imperiali station, which displays finds from its excavation, connects with it. Buses 51, 75, 81, 85, 87 and 118 and tram 3 stop nearby. The main entrance is on the side facing the Arch of Constantine.
Combine it with
Your ticket already includes the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, about 500 metres away through the Arch of Titus. From the Forum it is a 20-minute walk to the Pantheon or the Trevi Fountain. Plan the rest of your days with our Rome travel guide, and see our city sightseeing guide.
Colosseum FAQ
How much is a Colosseum ticket in 2026?
As of October 2026, €18 for the 24-hour ticket with the Roman Forum and Palatine, or €24 for a Full Experience ticket with the arena, underground or attic. EU citizens aged 18–25 pay €2, and under-18s go free.
Do I need to book the Colosseum in advance?
Yes. Every ticket has a booked entry time and the visitor’s name, and tickets are released about 30 days ahead on ticketing.colosseo.it. Free visitors must book too, except on the first Sunday of the month.
Do I need ID to enter the Colosseum?
Yes. The name on each ticket is checked against a passport or ID card at the entrance, and visitors whose names don’t match are turned away without a refund.
Is the Colosseum ticket valid for the Roman Forum?
Yes. All Colosseum tickets include one entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, within 24 hours of your Colosseum slot for the 24h tickets, or the day before or after for Full Experience tickets.
Can I see the Colosseum underground?
Only with the Full Experience Underground and Arena ticket (€24), in guided groups of up to 25. Arrive 30 minutes early, as there is no tolerance for latecomers.
Can I bring a backpack into the Colosseum?
Only a small one, up to 30 × 40 × 15 cm. There is no cloakroom or luggage storage, so leave large bags and suitcases at your hotel.