The Roman Forum was the political, religious and commercial heart of ancient Rome, a valley of temples, triumphal arches and the senate house below the Palatine Hill, where the emperors built their palaces. Both share one archaeological area with the Colosseum, run by the Parco archeologico del Colosseo. As of October 2026 you can visit them with the €18 Forum Pass SUPER, which needs no time slot but skips the Colosseum, or with any Colosseum ticket, which includes one entry here. It opens at 9:00; until 24 October last entry is 17:30.
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Tickets and tours for Roman Forum
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Why the Forum and the Palatine matter
For a thousand years the Forum was where Romans voted, worshipped, traded, celebrated triumphs and listened to speeches from the Rostra. Julius Caesar’s body was cremated here, and the Curia, the senate house rebuilt by Diocletian, still stands almost intact. On the hill above, according to legend, Romulus founded the city, and Augustus and his successors built palaces so grand that “Palatine” gave us the word palace. After the empire fell the valley filled with earth and became a cow pasture, the Campo Vaccino, until excavations from the 19th century brought the ancient pavements back to light. Together with the Colosseum they form part of the Historic Centre of Rome UNESCO World Heritage site.
What you’ll see
- In the Forum: the Via Sacra, the triumphal arches of Titus and Septimius Severus, the Curia, the columns of the Temple of Saturn, the round Temple of Vesta and the House of the Vestal Virgins with its garden of statues, and the vast vaults of the Basilica of Maxentius.
- On the Palatine: the ruins of the imperial palaces (Domus Flavia and Domus Augustana), the sunken stadium, the Palatine Museum, the Farnese Gardens, and terraces with the best views over the Forum on one side and the Circus Maximus on the other.
- The SUPER sites: smaller, fragile places opened in limited numbers, such as the House of Augustus with its painted walls, the Aula Isiaca, the early-medieval church of Santa Maria Antiqua with its frescoes, the Temple of Romulus and the Domus Tiberiana with its museum.
Tickets explained
There is no ticket for the Forum alone: every ticket covers the Forum and the Palatine together. As of October 2026, the Parco archeologico del Colosseo sells:
- Forum Pass SUPER (€18): one entry to the Forum, Palatine and Imperial Fora, plus the SUPER sites while capacity lasts (from 9:30 until one hour before closing). It does not include the Colosseum. There is no time slot: bought online, it can be used on any day within 30 days, and it is valid for the day you first use it. It is not valid on the first Sunday of the month.
- 24h Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine (€18): a timed, named entry to the Colosseum plus one entry to the Forum and Palatine within 24 hours before or after your slot. The SUPER sites cost a €4 supplement.
- 24h Only Arena (€18) and Full Experience (€24): Colosseum tickets with the arena, underground or attic. Both include the Forum, Palatine and SUPER sites, the Full Experience on the day before or after your Colosseum visit.
- 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 (book online). On the first Sunday of the month entry is free for everyone, with tickets issued on the day.
Which to choose? If you have a Colosseum ticket, you already have the Forum. If Colosseum slots are sold out, or you prefer to see the ancient city at your own pace, the Forum Pass SUPER is the most flexible ticket in Rome. Buy only on ticketing.colosseo.it or at the park’s ticket offices.
Hours and practical information
- Hours: the Forum and Palatine open at 9:00. From 1 to 24 October 2026 they close at 18:30 (last entry 17:30); from 25 October to 31 December at 16:30 (last entry 15:30). Closed on 25 December and 1 January.
- Entrances: Largo della Salara Vecchia on Via dei Fori Imperiali, Via Sacra by the Colosseum, Via del Tulliano near the Capitoline Hill, and Via di San Gregorio 30 for the Palatine.
- Security and bags: metal detectors at the gates; bags larger than 30 × 40 × 15 cm, glass bottles, trekking poles and selfie sticks are not allowed, and there is no cloakroom.
- What to bring: closed shoes (required on the uneven paths), a hat and a refillable water bottle. Shade is scarce in summer.
How long to allow and when to go
Allow two to three hours for the Forum and Palatine together, more if you want the SUPER sites. Enter from the Palatine side in the morning and walk down into the Forum, finishing at the Capitoline end for the classic view back over the ruins. Late afternoon light is beautiful, but check the last-entry time, which drops to 15:30 from 25 October.
Accessibility
Visitors with a disability and a companion go free, but must book online. Paths are unpaved, with ancient paving stones, slopes and steps, so parts of the Forum and much of the Palatine are hard going with a wheelchair or a pushchair; contact the park before your visit for the current step-free routes.
Getting there
Metro line B to Colosseo, or line C to Colosseo–Fori Imperiali, whose station, opened in December 2025, lies under Via dei Fori Imperiali between the Colosseum and the Basilica of Maxentius. Buses 51, 75, 81, 85, 87 and 118 and tram 3 stop around the Colosseum.
Combine it with
The Colosseum is a 500-metre walk from the Arch of Titus. From the Capitoline end of the Forum, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon are each about a kilometre away. More ideas are in our Rome travel guide.
Roman Forum and Palatine FAQ
Is the Roman Forum included in the Colosseum ticket?
Yes. Every Colosseum ticket includes one entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, which are one archaeological area with one ticket check.
Can I buy a ticket for the Roman Forum only?
Yes, the Forum Pass SUPER (€18 as of October 2026) covers the Forum, the Palatine and the SUPER sites, but not the Colosseum. It has no time slot.
Do I need to book the Roman Forum?
Not a time slot: the Forum Pass SUPER is open-dated and can be used within 30 days of buying it online. Buying ahead still saves queuing at the ticket office.
How long do you need for the Roman Forum and Palatine?
Two to three hours for the main sights, half a day with the SUPER sites such as the House of Augustus and Santa Maria Antiqua.
What are the SUPER sites?
Fragile places inside the Forum and Palatine opened to small numbers at a time, such as the House of Augustus, the Aula Isiaca, Santa Maria Antiqua and the Domus Tiberiana. They are included in the Forum Pass SUPER and the Full Experience tickets.
Is the Roman Forum free on the first Sunday of the month?
Yes, entry is free for everyone on the first Sunday, with tickets issued on the day. Expect long queues.