Colosseum Tickets

Admission to the Colosseum is limited to manage the large number of visitors it attracts. The venue can handle around 3.000 visitors at any given time, maintaining a balance between preserving the historical site and enabling visitors to experience the grandeur of the structure. As of December 2025, individual tickets to the Colosseum are priced at €18 per person. Guided tours of the Colosseum start at around €40 per person.

As of May 2023, the Colosseum has re-opened its onsite ticket office, where tickets can be purchased on location for the same day, subject to availability. However, we strongly recommend that you book your tickets in advance to secure your visit. If you’re planning a visit to the Colosseum in Rome, there are a few ways to secure your tickets, and reservations are most easily made online via the official platform ticketing.colosseo.it. Here, a variety of tickets are available for purchase, including the ordinary ticket valid for 24 hours and the full experience ticket valid for 2 days, as well as reduced tickets for EU citizens between 18 and 25 years old and free admission for visitors under the age of 18. (we explain each of these ticket types in detail below).

Even though minors enter for free, a dedicated free ticket must still be reserved, and online bookings usually include a €2 reservation fee. (Please take our note into consideration if you are traveling with minors; we know that many visitors to Rome with young children have experienced problems due to this issue.)

For assistance with bookings, you can contact the official helpdesk at helpdesk@ticketcolosseo.com or, for same-day admission issues, call the call centre at +39 06 21115843.

Important note: To prevent ticket scalping, Colosseum tickets are issued in the visitor’s name. For this reason, visitors are required to present a valid ID card or passport at the entrance that matches the name on the ticket. We have seen many tourists run into problems for this reason alone.

When do Colosseum tickets go on sale?

Official Colosseum tickets are released for sale according to schedules that differ by ticket type. As of December 2025, every ticket except the Colosseum Night Tour ticket is generally made available 30 days in advance.

For example, tickets for a visit on 05 January 2026 normally begin to appear on 04 December 2025 (30 days before your visit) and remain bookable until that time slot sells out. Rather than all ticket categories opening at a single hour, availability is gradually released throughout the day in line with the time slot you want to visit (for instance, a 10:00 AM entry time typically opens around 10:00 AM Rome time, 30 days earlier). In past years, Colosseum tickets tended to sell out very quickly. With the new regulations introduced in 2025, it is now considerably easier to secure official Colosseum tickets.

However, this “easy access” does not apply to the Colosseum Underground Tour or the Colosseum Night Tour. The Underground  Tour, in particular, sells out within seconds because only a limited number of slots are released and it grants access to every section of the monument. These special-access ticket types are generally put on sale one week in advance.

If you plan to visit the Colosseum independently—i.e., without joining a guided tour—we strongly advise against leaving your online ticket reservation until the last minute. As a team, we recommend completing your booking at least two weeks in advance. Visitors interested in the Underground Tour or Night Tour should finalise their plans at least one month beforehand.

Can you enter Colosseum without a pre-booked ticket?

Theoretically, Yes – but only if tickets are still available, and this is not guaranteed. The main ticket desk is located near the Colosseum (at Piazza del Colosseo,close to the Temple of Venus and Roma). If you arrive without a ticket, you can queue up and purchase any remaining tickets for that day, available strictly on a first-come, first-served basis.

However, we do not recommend relying on walk-up sales, particularly during the high season. The daily tickets have fixed entry time slots, meaning if the morning slots have been sold, you might only find late-afternoon entry or potentially no available slots at all. It’s quite common for same-day tickets to be entirely sold out by early afternoon during peak periods, making a spontaneous visit risky.

Queue times vary significantly depending on the season. During low season, waiting lines can be short, allowing visitors to secure a timeslot easily for later the same day. Conversely, during peak months, queues can extend for 1–2 hours or more under direct sun exposure. Visitors arriving when the gates open at 8:30 AM generally report shorter waits, whereas midday arrivals without pre-booked tickets often encounter very long lines.

Tip: If you haven’t booked your tickets in advance and weren’t able to find any available online, but you’d still like to try your luck for entry, we recommend buying your tickets at the ticket office located near the entrance to the Roman Forum/Palatine Hill (close to Via di San Gregorio). This office sells the same combination tickets and typically experiences much shorter queues compared to the main Colosseum gate. Once you’ve obtained your ticket here, you’ll bypass the ticket-purchase line at the Colosseum, only needing to queue for security.

Important: Special access features, such as underground tours or attic visits, are exclusively available through advanced reservations and cannot be obtained through walk-up purchases. The only options available in person are the standard entry or possibly the “Arena only” ticket. During extremely busy periods, even these basic options can sell out completely both online and at the ticket counter, leaving visitors who arrive late in the day “empty-handed and dissapointed”.. Therefore, arriving without a ticket remains a gamble—while it might work as a last-minute solution, we strongly recommend booking online as early as possible to secure your visit.

Where do I enter the Colosseum?

For guided tours, your reservation details will include your meeting point, a symbol (such as a flag or a t-shirt) with the name of the tour company that your guide will carry. Therefore, when you book a guided tour, it is enough to meet your guide at the meeting point and follow him/her.

If you have not booked a tour and will enter with your ticket, your entry point to the Colosseum (unless otherwise indicated on your ticket) will be the entrance just in front of the Arch of Constantine. This entrance point is called “Valadier Entrance”. If you are visiting the Arena, the Upper Floors or the Underground of the Colosseum, we recommend that you enter through the Valadier Entrance first.

At this point, the official Colosseum staff will first check your ticket, the time of your ticket and your passport. Depending on the type of ticket you have, you may be asked to put a sticker on your outfit. For example, visitors to the Arena are asked to attach a green sticker to their clothes so that the official Colosseum staff can better distinguish them. After the initial check, you can enter the Colosseum through the security check.

Colosseum entrance queue in front of the Arch of Constantine.

Map of the entrances to the Colosseum Archaeological Park – Screenshot from Official Ticket

Colosseum Ticket Office – Tourists waiting in line to the entrance of the Roman Colosseum.

If you have not planned your visit far in advance or if you realise that individual tickets are sold out, you might want to consider booking a Colosseum tour. These tours often include the cost of the ticket in the overall price and provide added value through expert guides who can enrich your experience with insights into the history and architecture of the site. Additionally, many of these tours include visits to other significant Roman attractions such as the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, making them a cost-effective option. You can use our webpage as a reliable source to compare all available options for Colosseum tickets, Colosseum tours, and Rome tours that include a visit to the Colosseum.

Book Colosseum Tickets

On our website, you can find current information and reservation options related to Colosseum tickets from reliable third-party ticket sellers, including primarily official Colosseum tickets, and special access Colosseum tickets (such as access to the Colosseum arena or underground Colosseum tours), and last-minute Colosseum tickets.

Particularly while compiling the Colosseum ticket options offered by third-party ticket sellers, we took into account the positive reviews and number of reviews made by those who experienced the tickets and tours.

Let’s start talking about Colosseum ticket types!

Standard Colosseum Ticket (24-hour)

The Standard Colosseum Ticket provides access to three main historical sites: the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Palatine Hill. It is valid for a 24-hour period, permitting one visit to each of the mentioned sites within this timeframe. The ticket is part of a broader effort to manage the crowds at these popular attractions and protect the integrity of these ancient monuments. As such, the number of people allowed inside the Colosseum is strictly controlled, with limited numbers of tickets available per day and per time slot.

Standard Official Colosseum Ticket– Booking Page

Standard Ticket with access to the Colosseum Arena

Valid only on the day of booking, the ticket ensures a timed entry to the Colosseum, allowing you to immerse yourself in its history at your scheduled time. Choose to explore the Roman Forum, the Palatine, and the Imperial Forums either before or after your Colosseum visit, at your own pace. The ticket includes:

• A single, timed entrance to the Colosseum Arena, offering a close-up view of where ancient spectacles unfolded.
• Flexible access to the extensive Roman Forum-Palatine archaeological area and the Imperial Fora, with one admission not bound by time—valid from the first use of the ticket.
• Entry to any ongoing exhibitions within the Roman Forum-Palatine area, enhancing your journey through Roman history.
• Admission to SUPER sites, providing a deeper understanding of the remarkable relics of Rome.

The Arena floor and the Underground are much less crowded than other parts of the Colosseum. You can spend more comfortable time in these sections than in other parts of the Colosseum and take much better photos. For this reason, we recommend you to visit at least the Arena of the Colosseum.

Arena vs Standard Ticket

To reach the Arena of the Colosseum, go straight after entering the Colosseum. Do not go up any stairs. After the elevators to the upper floor of the Colosseum you will reach the Arena entrance. Show the attendant your ticket and follow the signs.

Arena of the Roman Colosseum

Full Experience Ticket with access to the Colosseum Arena

The “Full Experience” ticket for the Colosseum is a special ticket that provides more access and time to explore the historical site than the standard ticket. This ticket offers access to areas of the Colosseum not included in the standard ticket, such as the Arena of the Colosseum. While exploring these areas, you will be accompanied by a staff member of the Colosseum, although this is not a guided tour. However, you have the option to book a tour separately if you wish.

The Full Experience ticket also includes access to the Palatine Hill/Roman Forum, the S.U.P.E.R. sites (some of which may or may not be open at any given time), and some may require a separate reservation. It also provides entrance to the Imperial Forums (Julius Caesar and Trajan).

Colosseum Full Experience Ticket

The ticket gives you two days to visit the sites, and you can only visit each site once (no re-entry). The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are treated as one park, so you must visit them together in one visit, along with any S.U.P.E.R sites (e.g. Palatine Museum, House of Augustus)  you want to see. There is no re-entry for these either. You have the option to visit everything in one day or spread it out over two days.

Last Minute Colosseum Tickets

Especially during the high tourism season, standard Colosseum tickets and tickets with arena access can sell out on ticketing.colosseo.it, the official online booking platform of the Parco archeologico del Colosseo, as well as on other third-party ticket providers (it wouldn’t be wrong to say that tickets can be sold out months in advance).

Colosseum Ticket Line

If you’ve left your reservation until the last minute and can’t find a Colosseum ticket, there are two options. The first is a last-minute Colosseum ticket; the second is Colosseum tours. As we mentioned at the beginning of our article, you might want to join a Colosseum tour or you can check the last-minute Colosseum ticket.

Below we have some suggestions for you:

Colosseum Tickets with Audio/Video Guide

A Colosseum Ticket with Audio/Video Guide provides a self-guided experience at the Colosseum, with the aid of a pre-booked audio guide. The audio guide offers explanations in multiple languages, including Italian, English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Russian, Chinese, Arabic and Portuguese. This kind of ticket allows you to choose the date and time of your visit and skip the line at the entrance. The audio-guided tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes. After the tour, the same ticket can be used to visit the Palatino and the Roman Forum. To pick up the audioguides, you will need to present an original identification document along with your voucher. The ID will be held until the devices are returned at the exit of the museum​​.

The key difference between a Colosseum Ticket with Audio/Video Guide and a regular Colosseum ticket lies in the inclusion of a pre-booked audio guide for a self-guided tour in the former, providing a more detailed, language-specific exploration of the Colosseum.

Full Experience Ticket with access to the Underground of Colosseum

Visiting the underground and top tier of the Colosseum in Rome offers a unique and rich historical experience. To visit these areas, access is granted exclusively via guided tours, meaning tickets cannot be purchased without a guide.

The “Full Experience Ticket with access to the Underground of Colosseum” offers a unique experience that allows visitors to explore the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill, and other attractions over the course of two consecutive days. The ticket, which can only be purchased online, grants one-time access to each site and includes a guided tour of the Colosseum’s underground passages and the arena floor​​​.

Standard Ticket Holders vs Underground Tour Group

Colosseum’s Underground Passages

Colosseum’s Underground Passages

Groups of up to 50 people, including a guide, can visit together, but group-tickets are not available. If you plan to visit as a group, we recommend booking single tickets at the same time. Additionally, the Colosseum’s underground and arena are not accessible during the free days, and tickets used at the Colosseum on the Saturday before the first Sunday of the month can be used the following Monday​​.

Unfortunately, tickets for the Colosseum underground tour tend to sell out quite quickly on the official website. The official underground tours organized by Parco Colosseo are budget-friendly but are organized with rather large groups (such as groups of 50) and are short in duration (50-60 minutes). Instead of these official tours, you might consider participating in an underground tour that covers the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the entire Colosseum.

For more information about Colosseum underground tours, we recommend visiting our Colosseum underground tour page.

Visiting Colosseum by Night

Visiting the Colosseum by night is a distinct experience that requires a specialized ticket, which cannot be acquired with a standard Colosseum ticket. A guided tour is essential for nighttime visits, and booking in advance is strongly advised. Known as the ‘Luna sul Colosseo’ or ‘Moon over the Colosseum’, these evening tours are offered during select months each year, specifically during summer and fall seasons.

Visiting Colosseum by Night – Luna sul Colosseo

There are several advantages to visiting the Colosseum by night compared to daytime. The most significant benefit is the lack of crowds, giving visitors the sensation of having the Colosseum almost to themselves. This absence of crowds also facilitates quick security checks and provides more opportunities for undisturbed photography. In addition, the evening ambiance offers a unique thrill of seeing the Colosseum under lamplight and moonlight, and visitors also get the chance to step out onto the arena, an experience not available during the day. Furthermore, the cool of the evening is much more pleasant than the heat of a crowded daytime visit, especially during the summer months.

Our suggestions regarding the tours that provide access to the Colosseum at night are as follows:

Combo Tickets

Reliable third-party ticket providers offer ticket packages that combine the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum. There are also professionally guided tours available that allow you to visit both the Vatican and the Colosseum on the same day. Additionally, there are ticket packages that combine your visit to the Colosseum with must-see places in Rome such as the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, Pantheon, Mamertine Prison, and others. Let’s discuss some of these now.

Colosseum and Vatican Combo Tickets

Rome Tourist Card

The Rome Tourist Card, available on Tiqets, offers a comprehensive package for exploring Rome’s top attractions at a cost of €85.00. The card includes priority access to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill, allowing visitors to explore ancient Rome with an immersive multimedia experience. It also includes skip-the-line access to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, enabling visitors to discover these sites at their own pace.

Additionally, the card provides a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, accompanied by an official guide. Other inclusions are a city audio guide app, which covers over 130 points of interest in Rome, and an audio guide app for a self-guided tour of the Pantheon. Purchasers also receive a 10% discount on other attractions in Rome. The tickets are sent via email after a secure payment process, and customers can choose when they want to visit and how many tickets they need. The card is tailored to create a custom adventure, highlighting Rome’s best bits in a day.

Roma Pass Card

The Roma Pass card stands as the official museum and city pass of Rome, offered directly by municipal authorities. Travelers seeking convenience may acquire the Roma Pass either online or from official tourist information centers throughout the city.

Visitors can choose between two distinct options tailored to different itineraries: a 48-hour pass and a more comprehensive 72-hour variant. With the 48‑hour Roma Pass, holders receive free entry to one museum or archaeological site; the 72‑hour variant covers the first two. Beyond these advantages, each pass grants discounts at over 45 additional museums and major archaeological areas citywide (Vatican Museums excluded). Both options include unlimited public transport on the ATAC metro, bus, and tram during the validity period.

Roma Pass Card

Among the notable attractions included in the Roma Pass is the Colosseum, Rome’s emblematic ancient amphitheater. However, an important caveat has emerged following updates implemented in 2019: direct access to the Colosseum using the Roma Pass card itself is no longer feasible. Instead, pass holders must secure an additional timed reservation through the Colosseum’s official booking portal, utilizing their Roma Pass credentials. Given that reservation availability depends strictly upon the official website’s capacity, securing timely access to the Colosseum has grown considerably more challenging. Thus, those specifically interested in visiting this remarkable monument should carefully evaluate this limitation when considering the Roma Pass.

Does this mean the Roma Pass loses its overall value? Certainly not. While entry into the Colosseum requires making a separate timed‑entry reservation, the pass still significantly simplifies visits to numerous other significant museums and historical sites, such as Castel Sant’Angelo, Capitoline Museums (Musei Capitolini), or the Borghese Gallery. Think of it as a useful but slightly intricate key: while it might not smoothly open every door immediately, it undoubtedly unlocks a vast majority of Rome’s cultural treasures with ease.

To ensure maximum satisfaction, we strongly advise travelers to consider their itinerary carefully. Ask yourself: Will you be primarily focusing on major landmarks, or are you interested in exploring lesser-known gems?

Colosseum and Mamertine Prison Combo Tickets

The Mamertine Prison, located at the foot of Capitoline Hill in Rome, Italy, is a historical site imbued with centuries of tales. Its origins can be traced back to the 7th century BC, making it one of the oldest prisons in existence. The structure, which initially consisted of a single cell, was expanded into a two-tier system under the reign of Ancus Marcius, the fourth King of Rome. The lower cell, Tullianum, is particularly notorious for its dark and suffocating conditions, believed to be reserved for the most infamous criminals or political adversaries.

Historically, the Mamertine Prison (Carcer Tullianum) served as a short-term holding site before execution or exile, not long-term confinement. According to early Christian tradition, Saint Peter and Saint Paul were held here shortly before their executions. This connection has turned the prison into a significant Christian pilgrimage site, with the lower cell transformed into a shrine to Saint Peter.

Colosseum Tickets can be combined with Mamertine Prison.

Despite its gruesome history, the prison’s architectural brilliance stands as a testament to Roman engineering. The upper cell, Carcer, is a classic example of opus quadratum, a construction technique that involves stacking large, squared-off stones without mortar. The Tullianum, on the other hand, demonstrates an early use of barrel vaulting. The Mamertine Prison offers a glimpse into ancient Rome’s law enforcement and punishment mechanisms. Today, it stands as an intriguing heritage site, attracting historians, archaeologists, and tourists alike, its chilling narrative intertwined with Rome’s vibrant past.

When you can’t find standard tickets and other types of tickets for the Colosseum, you may consider combining your Colosseum entrance ticket with the Mamertine Prison right next to the Colosseum. After purchasing your combo ticket online, you show your voucher on your cell phone at the Mamertine Prison ticket office and then your standard Colosseum ticket is given to you. You can visit the Colosseum approximately 1.5 hours after visiting the Mamertine Prison.

Colosseum and Vatican Combo Tours

Our suggestion is to visit the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill (the Capitoline Museum can also be included) in one day; and dedicate a separate day to the Vatican Museums (including the Sistine Chapel).

The Colosseum, more than just an amphitheater, is part of the Colosseum Archaeological Park; combined tickets also cover the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. These landmarks collectively require a dedicated estimate of three hours for a comprehensive exploration. Similarly, the Vatican Museums, renowned for sheltering one of the world’s most distinguished art collections, necessitate a minimum of three hours even for a hasty visit. The idea of exploring the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum, two of the largest and most beautiful museums in the world, on the same day could be exhausting and inefficient.

If your itinerary is constrained to a single day, our recommendation would be to strategize by visiting one landmark in the morning and the other in the evening. This strategy incorporates an extended break for recuperation and takes advantage of both the Colosseum and the Vatican’s capacity for nighttime visits, which typically offer a less crowded experience.

Furthermore, it’s important to take into account the transit time between these two landmarks. This could extend up to an hour depending on the chosen mode of transportation. If you’re under time constraints, considering guided tours could help expedite the experience. These tours often include transportation and quick access to both attractions.

The highly rated Colosseum & Vatican Combo tours that we offer on our website are as follows:

Tips for Visiting the Colosseum

After visiting to the Colosseum, you can easily reach the Roman Forum by foot. The Roman Forum is located in close proximity to the Colosseum, with a distance of approximately 555 meters. Following any direction signs you should arrive within about seven minutes of walking. The Palatine Hill, with its imperial palaces, is located to the left of the Roman Forum and provides an elevated view of the Circus Maximus. Your combined ticket for the Colosseum also grants you access to both the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

Google Maps – Map showing entrances and exits to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. (Updated: 2024 June)

Best Time to Visit Colosseum

The best time to visit the Rome Italy Colosseum depends on various factors. Here’s a breakdown:

• Seasonal Considerations: Between March and October, during the high and mid tourist seasons, expect crowds irrespective of the time of day. A quieter experience can be expected during the low season (November – February).
• Weekly Dynamics: The Colosseum is open seven days a week, with the exception of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Weekdays during the low season tend to be less crowded.
• Time of Day: We recommend visiting the Colosseum at the start of the day or 1-2 hours before the last entry to dodge the mid-day crowds. Additionally, during the hot months, the mid-day sun can be intense with limited shade.

During the high tourist season, strategizing the timing of your visit can significantly enhance your experience. The ideal times to visit the Colosseum to avoid large tour groups and excessive crowds are early in the morning, as soon as the site opens at 9:00 am, or later in the day during the last available time slot. These times can provide a more peaceful exploration of the site, avoiding the peak hours of tourist activity​.

How Long Does It Take To Visit?

The time it takes to visit the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, can depend on several factors, including your personal interest in history and archaeology, the specific tour you choose, and the crowd levels on the day of your visit.

In general, a basic visit to the Colosseum, where you walk around and admire the structure and its surroundings, could take approximately one to two hours. This allows for a casual pace, time to take photos, and a chance to appreciate the grandeur and scale of the amphitheater.

If you choose to take a guided tour, this could extend your visit to around three hours. Guided tours offer the benefit of detailed historical context and often include access to areas of the Colosseum that are not open to general admission, such as the underground chambers and the upper levels.

If you’re interested in Roman history and would like to explore the nearby sites as well, you might consider spending a half or full day in the area. The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are within walking distance and tickets are often combined with Colosseum admission. Exploring these three sites in depth could easily take five to six hours.

Remember that these times are just estimates and your visit could be shorter or longer depending on factors such as crowd size, waiting times, and personal interest. It’s also important to note that the Colosseum can be quite busy, especially during peak tourist season, so it’s a good idea to book tickets in advance and try to arrive early.

What to Bring to the Colosseum

Visitors of Colosseum should note specific policies and rules. Large bags are prohibited for security reasons, and all items, including small ones, are subject to security screening. Luggage lockers are available near the Colosseum for storing belongings.

The Colosseum, a World Heritage site, does not offer dining options within its walls. Visitors can bring in food and water, subject to security checks. Nearby establishments provide dining options.

Cameras are allowed for personal photography, with commercial photography requiring prior permissions. The Colosseum operates from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, with timed entry tickets. Parking is available nearby, but Rome’s Metro system offers convenient access to the site​.