Colosseum — Attraction in Rome

Absolutely Breathtaking! A Must-Do Experience in Rome (with Tips!):

My visit to the Colosseum in May 2025 was, without a doubt, one of the best experiences of my life. It's an absolutely breathtaking monument and a true highlight of any trip to Rome. The sheer scale of the place and the incredible history that permeates every stone are simply awe-inspiring. Standing in the arena where gladiators once fought is a feeling I'll never forget. A few months later, I'm finally taking the time to write this review, and I wanted to share some tips for anyone hoping to have a similarly incredible experience. My friend and I were incredibly lucky to snag two tickets for the guided Full Experience, including the underground section, in Italian! These tickets are notoriously difficult to get, but here's what I learned along the way: Tips for Getting Tickets I would suggest booking exclusively from the Official Website: This is the most important tip. Other tour operators might charge you 2-3 times the price for the exact same tickets. Go straight to the official site. Be Ready at 8:00 AM Rome Time: Tickets are released exactly at 8:00 AM (Rome time). Be logged on and ready to go! Be EXTREMELY Quick to Add to Cart: Once you see the tickets you want, you have to be lightning fast! People have a very limited time to complete the transaction, so this might be your only shot at getting those highly sought-after tickets. Be Flexible with Your Dates: We initially couldn't get tickets for the Tuesday we wanted, but were able to get two on Wednesday by what felt like a miracle. Flexibility is key. Consider a Weekday Visit: While there's no guarantee, visiting on a weekday might increase your chances of finding available tickets. Do NOT Refresh the Page: Resist the urge to refresh the page if you don't see what you want. The website will block you as a security measure if you refresh too many times. Consider the Italian Language Tour: If you speak some Italian (or are willing to use a translation app), the Italian language tours are often less popular and might be easier to book than the English ones. I speak Italian, so it was no problem for me to translate for my friend.

The "Full Experience" ticket is a great value. It gives you access to the undergrounds, the arena floor, and the regular second floor that a standard ticket would give you. What's even better is that it also includes access to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, and this part of the ticket is valid for 48 hours—so you can visit the day before, the same day, or the day after your Colosseum booking time. Our tour was in Italian, and our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and warm. She shared fascinating details about the history of the Colosseum and the daily lives of the gladiators. My only surprise was that she didn't seem to want to translate, even though I was the only person in our group of about 20 who understood Italian. Despite that, I was happy to translate for my friend so he didn't miss out on any of the amazing information. Overall, a spectacular and truly unforgettable experience. The Colosseum is the most beautiful and popular historical site for a reason, but a little planning ahead will go a long, long way. Don't miss the opportunity to visit this incredible...

Honestly? Seeing the Colosseum back in July of 2023, was the highlight of my trip to Rome. Being passionate about history anyway, I was amazed at the sheer size of this Roman behemoth of architecture, still towering even after all these years. What's even more impressive, is that it took the ancient Romans only eight years to build and complete! And that's without all the tools and machinery we have in today's modern society!

My friend and I booked the tickets in advance as we imagined, being a popular attraction, it would be VERY difficult to purchase tickets on the actual day. Now I don't know myself, but it 'may' be possible to get them on the day. However, if you want to be on the safe side, it may be best to purchase tickets beforehand. That way, you haven't got to worry about queueing up in potentially massive queues and tickets being sold out before you have a chance to get one. I heard of cancellations and people being able to get last minute tickets, but I cannot be sure on this one. It's always best to check and ensure you buy tickets from the mains sites, as I believe there are a few scam websites out there.

We had a bit of a wait for our tour guide, however we were early in all fairness. So we relaxed in the shade, just across the way from the Colosseum until they had arrived. Getting into the Colosseum was pretty swift (the advantage of having purchased tickets beforehand), bypassing the usual queues and passing through the security checkpoint, before actually entering into the main part of the building itself. Getting up-close and personal with a piece of history like this, was pretty indescribable. Knowing that many Roman citizens once walked through these corridors, to bear witness to the spectacles that were to unfold on the arena floor. Speaking of, our ticket gave us access to part of the floor, where the gladiators once stood, looked upon by cheering crowds... quite the experience! From that area, we also got to take a look down into the floor below, to see where those fighters would be waiting and preparing themselves, ready to take the stage.

After the tour, we were free to explore the Colosseum at our own pace, which was really nice. We took some time, to look out from the upper floors onto the arena and the seating area, trying to imagine what chaos and excitement would have filled this once packed amphitheatre all those years ago. It was worth the money and if you're into history and all things ancient Rome, then I'd definitely...

The Colosseum – A Journey Through Time Rome, Italy

Visiting the Colosseum is like stepping into the bloodstream of history—where echoes of emperors, gladiators, and roaring crowds still seem to pulse through the ancient stone. It’s not just a monument; it’s a symbol of Rome’s eternal spirit, architectural brilliance, and turbulent past. No visit to the Eternal City is complete without standing in its shadow.

🕰️ Historical Depth That Resonates Constructed between 72 and 80 AD under the Flavian emperors, the Colosseum—originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre—was the largest amphitheatre ever built at the time and remains the largest still standing today. Capable of holding up to 50,000 to 80,000 spectators, it was the heart of Roman public life.

Here, gladiators fought to the death. Wild animals from across the empire—lions, elephants, crocodiles—were brought in to entertain the crowds. Mock naval battles (naumachiae) were sometimes staged in the arena, flooding the floor with water. Public executions, epic dramas, and imperial propaganda all unfolded beneath its marble arches.

Despite centuries of earthquakes, looting, and pollution, the Colosseum endures as a powerful symbol of both imperial grandeur and the darker complexities of Roman entertainment.

🎯 The Visitor Experience 🌅 First Impressions Whether you arrive from the Colosseo Metro station or wander over from the Roman Forum, your first glimpse of the Colosseum is unforgettable. Towering over the surrounding ruins, it seems almost mythological. Its pockmarked façade tells the story of time: war, weather, and survival.

Take a moment to walk the perimeter before entering. From every angle, the architecture reveals new layers of symmetry, decay, and splendor.

🏟️ Inside the Arena Once inside, the feeling is both overwhelming and exhilarating. The sheer scale of the amphitheatre is breathtaking. Looking down onto the exposed hypogeum—the underground network where animals and gladiators were kept—you can vividly imagine the tension of ancient spectacles.

If you've booked the arena floor access, you’ll stand where gladiators once fought, looking up into what would have been a deafening crowd. It’s a visceral, humbling moment.

Climb to the upper levels and you’re rewarded with panoramic views of Rome and the adjacent Roman Forum, with Palatine Hill in the background. The stone seating, though weathered, reminds you of how sophisticated Roman engineering and crowd...