The Roman Colosseum is a must-see sight on your visit to Rome. Built between 72-81 AD under the Flavian emperors as a gift to the Roman people, it is located just east of the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum, on the grounds of what was Nero’s Golden House. This public amphitheatre could host tens of thousands of people and was the site of gladiator games and other spectacles to entertain the populace.

Unlike earlier amphitheatres, which were predominantly dug into hillsides for support, the Colosseum is a freestanding structure of stone and concrete, using a complex system of barrel and groin vaults and measuring 620 by 513 feet. Incredibly, over the years it has survived several earthquakes and Romans removing thousands of stones for use in other buildings.

The Colosseum can be easily reached by taxi as well as various modes of public transport. It has two metro stations nearby: Colosseo and Fori Imperiali/ Colosseo. Both stations are on Line B of the Rome Metro. From either station, it is just a short walk to the Colosseum. Several bus lines also pass near the Colosseum, including bus numbers 75, 81, 87, 117, 175, and 810. The closest bus stop to the Colosseum is “Colosseo”.

Open daily from 08:30 to one hour before sunset and on Sundays 09:00 – 13:00. A ticket combining the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill can be purchased for all three sites and is recommended to avoid the queues, especially in the busier months. You are given a specific time slot to enter the Colosseum

but you can visit the Forum and Palatine Hill at any time during the same day, before or after entering the Colosseum.

For access to the underground (‘backstage’) area, tickets must be booked months in advance and even then can be difficult to obtain - only group tours of max 25 people at specific times (in English) are available. Access for these tours is to the rear of the Colosseum and it also includes visiting the arena level and lower tiers.

If it’s your first visit, a private guide can give a fascinating insight that you otherwise may not get from visiting by yourself.

Please contact the Kirker Concierge to pre-book a guide or entrance tickets. This is particularly essential if you would like to include the underground area.