The Colosseum is the great stone amphitheatre at the heart of ancient Rome, and for most visitors it is the first thing on the list. Nearly two thousand years after it opened, it still dominates the valley between the Palatine, Esquiline and Caelian hills. This guide explains how to reach the Colosseum by metro, how official tickets work, and what you will see inside.
A short history of the Colosseum
Its ancient name was the Flavian Amphitheatre, after the dynasty of emperors who built it. Construction began under Vespasian around AD 70 to 72, on land that had been part of Nero's palace grounds, and the building was inaugurated by his son Titus in AD 80 with a long series of games. Domitian later completed the work, including the underground passages beneath the arena floor. The name Colosseum is thought to come from a colossal statue of Nero that stood nearby.
The amphitheatre hosted gladiator fights, animal hunts and public spectacles for an audience usually estimated at around 50,000 people. After the games ended it was damaged by earthquakes and stripped for building stone, which is why one side of the outer wall is missing. Today it is part of the Parco archeologico del Colosseo, together with the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill.
Getting to the Colosseum by metro
The nearest station is Colosseo on Metro Line B, the blue line, which also serves Termini, Rome's main railway station, just a few stops away. When you come out of the station, the Colosseum is directly across the road in front of you, so this is one of the easiest landmarks in the city to find.
From Termini, take a Line B train heading toward Laurentina; Colosseo is two stops from Termini. Buy a ticket from station machines or tap a contactless bank card at the gates. Keep an eye on bags on crowded trains, as pickpockets work the tourist routes.
Colosseum tickets
Entry is by timed ticket, and booking ahead is strongly recommended, often several days or more in advance in busy months. The official sales channel is run by the archaeological park; start from its website, colosseo.it, and follow the links to the ticket office. Unofficial resellers often charge much more for the same entry.
The standard ticket combines the Colosseum with the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, with a set time for entering the Colosseum. Other options add areas that are not on the basic route, such as the arena floor, the underground hypogeum or the upper levels, and some of these are only visited with a guide. Ticket names, inclusions and prices have changed several times in recent years, so read the description carefully before you pay. Tickets may be issued in each visitor's name, so carry ID that matches the booking.
There is a security check at the entrance. Large bags and suitcases are not allowed inside, so travel light.
Best time to visit the Colosseum
The first entry slots of the morning and the last ones of the afternoon are the calmest and, in summer, the coolest. Rome is very hot from June to August and there is little shade at the Colosseum or in the Forum, so bring water and a hat. You can refill bottles at the public drinking fountains around the city. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons, though also very busy.
Allow about an hour to an hour and a half inside the Colosseum, and two to three more hours for the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Many visitors split the combined ticket across a morning and an afternoon. Check the official site for current opening hours, which change with the seasons and for special events.
What to see inside
- The second-level walkways: the standard route takes you up to views across the whole bowl and down onto the maze of walls beneath the former arena floor.
- The arena floor: a partial reconstruction lets visitors with the right ticket stand where the performers once stood and look up at the tiers.
- The hypogeum: the underground passages and chambers where animals, fighters and stage machinery waited before being raised into the arena.
- The upper levels: on some guided routes, higher views over the Forum and toward the Arch of Constantine.
- The exhibition spaces: displays on the building's construction and later history.
On Good Friday, the pope traditionally leads the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum, which brings crowds and changes to access that evening.
Nearby on the same metro stop
- Arch of Constantine: the triumphal arch beside the Colosseum, free to see from the outside.
- Roman Forum and Palatine Hill: the political and residential heart of ancient Rome, included on the standard combined ticket.
- Colle Oppio park: a shady park just uphill from the station, with views of the Colosseum.
- San Pietro in Vincoli: a church a short uphill walk away, known for Michelangelo's statue of Moses.
- Basilica di San Clemente: east along Via di San Giovanni in Laterano, with layers of earlier churches and a Roman building underneath.
For cafés, restaurants and more near Colosseo station, open the Colosseum on Around the Metro, or browse the Rome metro map.