Rome/Colosseo

The Colosseo district is the heart of ancient Rome and the Roman Empire. It has the Colosseum, the Forum, and the Capitoline Museum.

Get in
Via dei Fori Imperiali cuts through the centre of the Rome/Colosseo district, connecting Piazza Venezia with the Colosseum. It is well served by buses, although if you are into serious sightseeing you are likely to want to walk instead as the Roman Forum is on your right for most of the journey. After the Colosseum, the road becomes Via Labicana and takes you close to San Giovanni. Buses serving Via dei Fori Imperiali include No. 75, which connects Termini Station with Aventino- Testaccio and No. 85, which connects Piazza San Silvestro in the Modern Center (close to the Trevi Fountain) with San Giovanni. The metro station is two stops from Termini station in the direction of EUR. It will also be a stop for the new, and very much delayed, Line, and the Colosseum end of the Via dei Fori Imperiali is made unattractive by the construction site.

Colosseum, Imperial Forum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill








Tickets
When visiting the Colosseum in late spring, summer, or early fall, it is not unusual to see long lines at the entrance, where the admission fee is €16. The ticket is valid for 24 hours (updated May 2023) and includes admission to the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Colosseum.

It is possible to purchase an admission to the Palatine Hill (or the Roman Forum) for the same sum, which also provides direct access to the Colosseum via an automated entrance. The ticket for the Colosseum, Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill (one ticket for all three sites) can be ordered online from the official ticket office and printed at home. The ticket is valid for 24 hours. Even with the printed tickets you do have to stand in the line for the Colosseum, since there is a security check first. This line goes quite fast and isn't nearly as long as the line for the ticket office. When you have passed the security check, you can walk right to the ticket barriers. People who bought the ticket at the Colosseum have a small (metro style) ticket with a magnetic band. Your printed tickets won't fit in the machine. Therefore, make sure you use a barrier with a member of staff attending to it, they can scan your ticket with a hand scanner and let you pass. If no staff member is at the ticket barriers, go the reservations office at the right, near the barrier.

If you already have a ticket (from the Colosseum or Roman Forum or printed at home) and want to visit the Palatine Hill, make sure you don't stand in line at the entrance at Via di San Gregorio. The entrance near the Arch of Titus is closed. The line at the entrance is for people without a ticket. If you have a ticket, enter the entrance building at the right side of the line. People with small tickets issued at the Colosseum can use the automated ticket barrier at the right side in the building, people who have home printed tickets should use the entrance on the left in the building, right after the ticket office. There is a member of staff with a hand scanner who can scan your ticket.

Guided tours
Near the Arch of Titus at the entrance to the Roman Forum, you might be approached by young, native-English speakers (often students) offering you free guided tours of the Forum. This is not a scam and is done as a way for tour companies to promote their other tours (i.e. at the end of the free tour, the guide hands out a brochure telling you about other tours around town that do cost). Even if you're not interested in the other tours, take the free one and you'll learn a lot about the most important archaeological site in the city. Another option is to prebook an official guided tour.

Eat
Several places in this area are aimed at tourists and as a result don't have to offer high-quality food to do well.

Budget
There are many budget restaurants around.