Rome Colosseum: Tickets (2026), Opening Hours & Visiting Tips
  1. Home
  2. Lazio
  3. Rome

Rome Colosseum: Tickets (2026), Opening Hours & Visiting Tips

The Colosseum in Rome is one of those monuments you should visit at least once in your life. However, to ensure your visit isn't stressful, rushed, or perhaps even disappointing, it is a good idea to inform yourself in advance regarding tickets, entry prices, booking methods, and opening hours.

Colosseum Tickets

How Much Does it Cost to Visit the Rome Colosseum?

The entry tickets do not only include access to the Colosseum, but also to other monuments within the Parco Archeologico del Colosseo (Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Imperial Fora).

Depending on what is included, there are several types of entry tickets, with different prices:

The MyColosseum app, available on Google Play or the App Store, can also be very helpful.

24h Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill Tickets

The 24h Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill ticket is the most frequently purchased admission ticket. It includes access to all monuments within the archaeological park, excluding the underground area, the arena, and the Colosseum's attic (upper section), and the so-called "SUPER Sites" (specific attractions within the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill that house well-preserved, precious frescoes and have limited visitor capacities).

In 2026, the price for a 24h Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill ticket is:

The 24h ticket includes access to:

If you have purchased a 24h ticket, you have the option to pay a Forum Pass Super supplement to gain access to the "SUPER Sites". The price for this upgrade is:

What you need to know:

The 24-hour ticket gives you access to the first two levels of the Colosseum.
The 24-hour ticket gives you access to the first two levels of the Colosseum.

Colosseum Full Experience Arena Tickets

In addition to everything included in the 24h ticket, the Colosseum Full Experience Ticket also grants access to the arena and/or the Colosseum undergrounds, as well as access to the "SUPER Sites".

The Full Experience ticket comes in two varieties:

The price is the same for both types of tickets, but availability for the Undergrounds and Arena tickets is much more limited and they sell out rapidly. Tickets that include access to the Colosseum undergrounds are the most highly sought after.

Important: For the Undergrounds and Arena tour, you must arrive at the designated meeting point inside the Colosseum 30 minutes before your scheduled time, otherwise you risk missing the tour.

In 2026, the price for a Colosseum Full Experience ticket is:

If you booked the Undergrounds and Arena tour, you will need to arrive at the meeting point 30 minutes before the scheduled time.
If you booked the Undergrounds and Arena tour, you will need to arrive at the meeting point 30 minutes before the scheduled time.

In addition to the Colosseum (including the arena), the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, the Colosseum Museum, the Roman Forum Museum, and the Imperial Fora, these Full Experience tickets also include access to the so-called "SUPER Sites":

The Full Experience Undergrounds and Arena ticket includes access to the underground levels of the Colosseum.
The Full Experience Undergrounds and Arena ticket includes access to the underground levels of the Colosseum.

What you need to know:

The Full Experience Arena ticket gives you access to the reconstructed section of the arena.
The Full Experience Arena ticket gives you access to the reconstructed section of the arena.

24h Arena Tickets

The 24h Arena Tickets include access only to the arena floor level of the Colosseum and to the other monuments in the area.

The price of a 24h Arena ticket is:

The 24h Arena tickets include access to:

What you need to know:

Forum Pass Super Tickets

The Forum Pass Super Tickets include admission to all monuments (including the "SUPER Sites"), with the exception of the Colosseum.

The price of a Forum Pass Super ticket is:

The tickets include access to:

What you need to know:

The Forum Pass Super ticket includes access to all the monuments, except the Colosseum.
The Forum Pass Super ticket includes access to all the monuments, except the Colosseum.

Colosseum Full Experience Attic Tickets

The Colosseum Full Experience Attic Ticket includes a ride on the panoramic elevator to the gallery located between the 2nd and 3rd tiers, and from there (climbing several steep steps), access to the attic (the highest section).

Visits take place in small groups of a maximum of 8 people.

The price for a Colosseum Full Experience Attic ticket is:

The Colosseum Full Experience Attic ticket offers access to:

What you need to know:

Full Experience Commodus Passage Tickets

The Commodus Passage, recently opened to the public, is an underground passage built between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. It connected the pulvinar (the royal box where high-ranking officials sat, located on the south side of the Colosseum's minor axis) with the exterior of the monument.

The price for a Full Experience Commodus Passage ticket is:

The visit is guided (available in English, Italian, or Spanish) for groups of a maximum of 8 people. It takes place on Mondays and Wednesdays and lasts approximately 25 minutes.

What the Full Experience Commodus Passage ticket includes:

What you need to know:

Tickets for Domus Aurea

The lavish residence built by Emperor Nero after the fire that destroyed Rome in 64 AD has gone down in history as the Domus Aurea (Golden House). The palace featured luxurious decorations made of marble, gold, and precious stones. Surrounding it were gardens, vineyards, and woods, as well as an artificial lake located in the very valley where the Colosseum was later built.

Nero's successors largely destroyed the residence in an attempt to erase all traces of the emperor. Today, you can visit the remaining sections on Oppian Hill, which were likely used for banquets. These areas were completely buried and remained unknown until the Renaissance.

In 2026, the price for an admission ticket to the Domus Aurea is:

Where to Buy Colosseum Tickets?

Tickets for the Colosseum can be purchased online from the official ticket website, from tours and activities sites such as GetYourGuide, Tiqets, Viator, or Musement (as part of guided tours), or on-site (if you have the time and patience to wait in lines that are usually very long).

Colosseum Tickets Online

Tickets can be purchased online from the official website accredited to sell them. They go on sale 30 days before the date and time of the visit (Italian time), and 7 days in advance for the Full Experience Arena and Full Experience Passage of Commodus tickets.

According to the latest regulations, tickets for the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill are nominal. At the entrance, you will need to present not only your ticket but also your ID. If the name on the ticket does not match the name on your ID, entry will be denied, and your ticket will not be refunded.

Tourists booking online may change the name on the ticket only once, and no later than 7 days before the date of the visit. This modification is only permitted in specific circumstances, such as:

Free tickets for children under 18 must be booked online or requested directly at the ticket offices by presenting a valid ID.

If tickets are sold out online (which happens frequently if you don't book well in advance) or if you want to learn more during your visit, you can book a guided tour. Guided tours (available on GetYourGuide, Tiqets, Viator, or Musement) can often be booked more than 30 days in advance. Prices generally range between €50 and €100 per person (though discounts sometimes bring prices down to €30-€40), depending on the included highlights (e.g., some tours include the Arena or Undergrounds), the duration, or the size of the group (some tours feature large groups, while others are small-group experiences for a more comfortable visit).

You can also find guided tours at lower prices on the official website, but the English-language slots sell out very quickly.

Book Colosseum Guided Tours

 

Colosseum Tickets On-Site

You can buy tickets for the Colosseum and the other monuments on-site as well, but you will most likely waste a lot of time standing in line. In this regard, there is no real "off-season", and tourist numbers remain high nearly year-round - almost everyone on a first-time city break to Rome wants to visit the Colosseum.

Given that the number of tickets sold at physical counters is limited, there is also the possibility that they might sell out completely for the day.

Ticket offices are located in Piazza del Colosseo and in Largo della Salara Vecchia.

Free Entry Days at the Colosseum

Did you know that you can enter the Colosseum for free on certain days of the year? These days are:

Free tickets CANNOT be booked online. They must be picked up in person (on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability for that day) from the two ticket offices located in Piazza del Colosseo (in front of the monument) and Largo della Salara Vecchia (on Via dei Fori Imperiali).

You can choose between two ticket options:

Online reservations are completely unavailable on free admission days. Furthermore, access is not permitted to the Colosseum's arena floor, the underground areas, or the "SUPER Sites" within the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

On these days, the lines are huge and the crowds are just as bad, which can easily ruin the experience. We highly recommend avoiding them and scheduling your visit for another day using tickets purchased online in advance. However, if you still want to try to visit the Colosseum for free, we recommend going to the ticket office in Largo della Salara Vecchia, where the lines are usually shorter.

Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill Opening Hours

Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill Opening Hours

The Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill are open daily, from Monday to Sunday, with the exception of Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

March 29 - September 30, 2026:

October 1 - October 24, 2026:

October 25, 2026 - February 28, 2027:

Last entry is one hour before closing.

Domus Aurea Opening Hours

The schedule for visiting the Domus Aurea, the residence of Emperor Nero, is as follows:

Access to the Domus Aurea is located on Viale Serapide.

Domus Aurea is closed on January 5, February 2, March 2, April 6, April 25, May 4, June 1 and 2, July 6, August 3, September 7, October 5, November 2 and 4, and December 7.

"SUPER Sites" Opening Hours

The "SUPER Sites" within the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill observe the following visiting hours:

March 29 - September 30, 2026:

The SUPER Sites are entirely closed on free admission days at the Colosseum.

The Colosseum at night
The Colosseum at night

How to Get to the Colosseum?

The Colosseum is located in the center of Rome, in Piazza del Colosseo, which bears its name.

You can reach the Colosseum using the following means of transportation:

Book a Rome Hop-On Hop-Off Ticket

 

The distance between the Colosseum and the main points of interest in Rome is:

The entrance to the Colosseum is at Sperone Valadier, near the Arch of Constantine.

The entrance to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill can be accessed via Arco di Tito, Largo della Salara Vecchia, Via del Tulliano, Via del Foro Romano, Via di San Gregorio, or Piazza della Madonna di Loreto (Trajan's Column).

Entrance to the Colosseum
Entrance to the Colosseum

Tips for Visiting the Colosseum

The Colosseum seen from the Rione Monti district
The Colosseum seen from the Rione Monti district
 

What to read next

0721.810.270
Scrie-ne pe numărul 0721.810.270

Anulează