Colosseum Tickets: Complete Buying Guide

This is the basic ticket most people buy. You’ll see the Colosseum from the spectator stands looking down onto the arena floor and underground areas. It’s a great view and includes two other major sites (Forum and Palatine).

What’s not included: Arena floor, underground, or upper levels.

Learn more about what you’ll see →

Standing on the arena floor is a completely different experience. You’re at ground level looking up at the towering walls around you, seeing it from the gladiator’s perspective. It’s less crowded than the standard levels and makes for incredible photos.

The underground area is fascinating. This is where gladiators prepared for battle and where wild animals were kept before being raised into the arena through trap doors. You can only visit with a guide, and the tour lasts about 2.5-3 hours.

Important: These tickets sell out within seconds when they go on sale. They’re the hardest tickets to get.

This is a guided tour experience where you enter through the iconic Gladiator’s Gate (also called the Gate of Death) and walk onto the arena floor where gladiators once fought. You’ll spend time on the arena floor getting photos and hearing stories from your guide, then continue to explore the first and second levels of the Colosseum.

The tour typically lasts 1.5 hours for the Colosseum portion, with your guide bringing the history to life through entertaining stories about gladiators, emperors, and the games. After the guided portion, you can explore the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill on your own.

The upper levels give you panoramic views over Rome and a bird’s-eye perspective of the Colosseum interior. It’s less about the historical experience and more about the views.

What’s included: Everything in the standard ticket, plus third, fourth, and fifth levels (attic), panoramic elevator access, and the highest viewpoint in the Colosseum.

The Colosseum night tours run year-round on select evenings when the monument stays open late. You experience the Colosseum illuminated after dark with dramatically smaller crowds than daytime visits. The tour typically starts as the sun sets over Rome, giving you the amphitheater in its most atmospheric setting.

The cooler evening temperatures (especially valuable in summer), minimal crowds, and dramatic lighting make this one of the most exclusive Colosseum experiences available.

Booking online is the best way to guarantee your entry. You can buy from the Colosseum Tickets Official Website or through trusted reseller sites.

How online booking works:

• Official tickets go on sale 30 days before your visit date at 8:45 Rome time.
• Resellers buy tickets in bulk and release them gradually, often with better availability.
• You receive tickets instantly via email as QR codes.
• Show the QR code on your phone at the entrance (no printing needed).
• You still go through security screening (everyone does), but skip the ticket office line.

Best for: Everyone visiting during peak season (March-October), anyone who wants guaranteed entry, and travelers who value convenience over saving a few euros.

You can purchase tickets at the Colosseum ticket office on the day of your visit. There are ticket booths near the Colosseum entrance and at the Roman Forum entrance on Via dei Fori Imperiali.

What to expect at the ticket office:

• Ticket offices open at 8:30 (Roman Forum entrance) or 9:00 (main Colosseum booth).
• Only standard tickets are available (no arena, underground, or upper levels).
• Lines form early, especially in summer months (June-August).
• By late morning (11:00-12:00), available time slots are usually only for late afternoon.
• On extremely busy days, same-day tickets sell out completely.
• You still need to go through security after buying your ticket, adding another 15-30 minutes.

Best for: Last-minute visitors during the off-season (November-February) who are very flexible about entry times and willing to risk not getting in. If you’re visiting during spring or summer, don’t rely on this option.

Tip: The ticket booth at the Roman Forum entrance (Via dei Fori Imperiali) typically has shorter lines than the main Colosseum ticket office. Same tickets, same prices, fewer people. If you’re determined to buy on-site, try this location first.

Standard, arena, and upper level tickets go on sale 30 days before your visit date at 8:45 Rome time. For example, if you want to visit on January 15, tickets go on sale on December 16 at 8:45.

Underground tickets sell out almost instantly. If you want underground access, you need to be online exactly at 8:45 Rome time when they release. Even then, you might not get them.

Several city passes include Colosseum entry:

• Roma Pass: Includes Colosseum access, but you still need to book a timed entry slot when you purchase the pass. It’s not a “skip the reservation” card.
• Rome Tourist Card: Bundles Colosseum with Vatican Museums and other attractions. Can be a good value if you’re visiting multiple major sites.

These passes are worth it if you’re visiting several included attractions.

Children under 18 enter for free, but you still need to book their tickets online with a specific time slot. When booking on the official site, select “free according to regulation” and choose “under 18.”

Important: You must bring photo ID for children at the entrance. A passport is safest. Without proper ID matching the ticket name, they won’t let you in.

EU citizens aged 18-25 get reduced tickets for €4 (bring ID to prove eligibility).

The Colosseum offers free entry on specific days:

• First Sunday of every month
• April 25 (Liberation Day)
• June 2 (Republic Day)
• November 4 (National Unity Day)

The reality of free days:

• You can’t book online. You have to collect tickets on-site the day of your visit, which means standing in enormous lines with thousands of other people trying to get free entry.
• Special areas are closed. Arena floor and underground access aren’t available on free days for safety reasons.
• Massive crowds. Everyone shows up on free days, making the experience rushed and uncomfortable.

Unless you’re on a very tight budget, it’s worth paying for a standard ticket and visiting on a regular day, the overall experience is much better.