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Wondering which Colosseum tickets to buy and where to buy them?
There have been some significant changes since the closures caused by Covid-19 - read on to find out more!
On this page, I'll describe the different options available to visit the Colosseum tickets, and how best to get them.
NEW PRICES AND RULES AS OF JULY 18, 2021
The two main types of tickets are:
Advance booking is required.
No tickets are sold on site.
Tickets are limited and timed and you must be punctual.
The "Free Sunday" is BACK as of April 2022!
It doesn't seem like it should be that complicated to get tickets to the Rome Colosseum.
But there are different types of tickets, and frankly, the procedure on the official website is a little confusing.
I have visited the Colosseum every which way you can imagine.
I also visit every time there is a change or new ticket.
I actually book and pay for my tickets so I can tell you exactly what it's like!
I have done all the things on this page, so you can trust my experience and advice.
On this page, we'll cover:
The standard entry ticket to the Colosseum costs
Even those eligible for reduced or free tickets have to reserve.
As of 2021, you must book online. Tickets are NO LONGER sold on site.
The number of people allowed inside the Colosseum is strictly controlled, with limited numbers of tickets per day, and per time slot.
This is for security reasons, to protect the 2,000-year old monument and also to prevent over-crowding.
During busy months, you may find that tickets are sold out for the day or time you want to visit, and in high season, tickets will sell out each day so it's important to book in advance.
The visiting calendar isn't open that far in advance at the moment, so if the date you want isn't showing yet, keep checking until closer to the time.
It used to be that you could go to the Colosseum ticket booths and buy tickets for a same-day visit. I also used to recommend to go the Palatine Hill or Roman Forum to avoid the ling lines at the Colosseum.
As of 2021, you cannot purchase tickets to the Colosseum/Roman Forum/Palatine Hill on site.
If you arrive at any of these sites/parks without a ticket, you will be told to go online to book one, using your smartphone or tablet. You should be able to get tickets for the same day, especially if you are just booking standard entry, but you may not be able to go until a later time slot, so it's really best to book in advance if you can.
The Colosseum ticket booths have personnel there to assist you, but they cannot sell or print tickets.
When you buy Colosseum tickets, you will see an option to print them at home - the option to pick up tickets at the office is greyed out.
Once you complete your booking, you will receive two emails from CoopCulture. One is a financial receipt showing proof of payment.
The other is an email with your order details. It will have a PDF attached with a QR code on it. That PDF is your ticket confirmation.
You do NOT need to print this ticket.
They are trying to do away with printed tickets so all you need to do is show the QR code on your smartphone/tablet.
If you do not have access to a smartphone/tablet while traveling then you can print the PDF at home before leaving.
Your hotel may be able to print the PDF if you book after you arrive in Italy, but you cannot do this at the Colosseum ticket office anymore.
I often get asked "I booked Colosseum tickets and they didn't arrive in my email. What now?"
If your payment was successful, and you've checked your junk folder and your tickets are not there, then take your payment confirmation email with you to the Colosseum ticket office and explain what happened, and they should help you.
You can also buy your tickets from an online ticket reseller like Tiqets or GetYourGuide where you will pay a bit more, but where the process is much smoother.
Even though under-18's get in free, you still need to book a ticket.
When you select your preferred date and time slot on the CoopCulture site, there are lots of different ticket options that come up.
You will need to scroll down and select the option for people under 18 years, in addition to the regular adult tickets you wish to purchase.
The price is 0 € so you will not be charged.
Each under-18 needs their own ticket, and they must enter with an adult.
NEW FOR 2023 - The Colosseum has opened a dedicated set of rooms for families, called the 'Baby Pit Stop' which you should take full advantage of if needed. This is for families with young children to take a break if the crowds and size of the arena get too much, as well as providing baby changing facilities and a quiet place to breastfeed. Find it on the second floor.
All about the Rome Colosseum
By now, you've seen me mention CoopCulture a lot.
They are the official entity that manages Colosseum tickets, as well as the tickets for other important sites in Rome and other parts of Italy.
Here are the steps to book your standard Colosseum tickets via the CoopCulture website:
You can also call CoopCulture to book your Colosseum tickets. There are options to speak in English or Italian.
Here is the number: +39 06 399 67 700
That "+" is what you dial from your cell phone.
If you are not using a cell phone, or don't know how to find the + sign, you can also use the dialing sequence, which varies from country to country.
When dialing from Europe, the + can be replaced by "00".
When dialing from the US or Canada, the + can be replaced with "011".
So depending on where you are calling from, here is the dialing sequence:
There are also online ticket agencies that make it easy to buy and reserve your Colosseum tickets in advance.
You will pay a small fee for this, but it's seamless, and the tickets arrive on your smartphone or tablet.
If you're interested in a more extensive experience, you can buy a Full Experience ticket, which allows you to access either the Arena floor or the Colosseum Underground area, as well as the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill park.
The ticket is valid for 2 days, although you only get one entrance per site.
Find out more about what's included and how to book Full Experience Colosseum tickets here.
The acronym S.U.P.E.R. stands for Seven Unique Places to Experience Rome - although there are now 8 sites as they added one!
The sites, located on the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum, are:
The S.U.P.E.R. sites are not all consistently open, so check the CoopCulture website to see which ones will be open at the time of your visit and their opening times.
When the S.U.P.E.R sites first opened, you had to buy a specific ticket to see them.
Now you have to purchase a Full Experience ticket to visit the S.U.P.E.R sites, but there is no additional cost, they are included with that automatically.
You can no longer pay extra to include the S.U.P.E.R sites with the standard Colosseum tickets, and you still only get 1 entrance to the Roman Forum/Palatine Hill area, so you will need to plan enough time to see everything you want in one go.
The perfect 3-day itinerary in Rome
Trying to figure out how to organize your visit to Rome? I've got the perfect 3-day itinerary for first-time visitors (or those who have not been here in a while.) It works for a 2.5 day visit as well.
In my 3-day itinerary, you'll see all the major must-see Rome attractions like the Vatican, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Castel Sant'Angelo, and much more.
And if you have more time, or want suggestions for extra/other things to do, you'll find that there too.
Visit my page with the best 3-day itinerary in Rome for first-timers.
So, which ticket should you buy?
If you have limited time, want to see the basics (there is still tons to see!), or you're on a budget, then get the standard entry ticket.
If you have time to take two days exploring these sites, and have a strong interest in ancient Rome, I really recommend the 22€ Full Experience ticket.
It’s only 6 Euros more, and for that you get to visit the Colosseum underground or arena floor, you get an additional day to visit the Roman Forum/Palatine Hill, and you get access to the SUPER sites. Even seeing 1 or 2 of these additional sites makes it worthwhile in my opinion!
The process for getting Colosseum tickets on the Free Sunday is different to what is set out above - you cannot book online in advance.
You will need to collect your ticket from the ticket offices right by the Colosseum, which will be given out on a first come, first serve basis, so come early to be sure you get a ticket!
Everyone will have to pick up their tickets, so even if you have the Roma Pass, a membership card or would be entitled to free entry anyway, you will need to queue and go to the ticket office.
The Colosseum underground and arena areas will not be accessible, and the free ticket is only valid for that day.
If you also want to visit the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill area you may do so, but the S.U.P.E.R sites will not be open.
Some visitors are eligible for free entry year-round.
These include:
Be prepared to show ID. Even those entitled to free entry need to book a date and time in advance.
For more details, visit my page about Free Colosseum Entry.
You can always get your Roma pass here
One very cool thing to do when you visit the Colosseum is to walk out onto the arena floor.
From this vantage point, you will have a sense of what it feels like to be on the stage of the Colosseum.
The arena can be included with a Full Experience ticket - visit my dedicated page all about the Colosseum Arena to find out how to visit it.
A visit to the Hypogeum (underground) of the Colosseum is really worth doing.
It's not too claustrophobic (if I can do it, anyone can), and you will get a whole different view of the Colosseum and its history from this perspective.
Again, it can be visited using the Full Experience ticket.
Click here to read all about the Colosseum Underground and how to get tickets.
UPPER TIERS TEMPORARILY CLOSED
Currently there are no visits available to the 3rd, 4th, or 6th tiers of the Colosseum.
A night visit to the Colosseum is a fantastic thing to do.
LIMITED AVAILABILITY FOR NIGHT VISITS TO THE COLOSSEUM
Since this is a seasonal event, you need to keep checking on CoopCulture for them to open availability.
Some years, they've opened it in late March, and in others, in mid-April.
Because this is so popular, and because space is limited, do not be surprised to find it sold out for the dates you want if you are coming in high season.
First of all, it's limited to very few visitors, so when you go at night, you'll feel like you have the place to yourselves.
Second of all, a night visit includes a visit to the Hypogeum and the arena.
A few things to note:
For more, visit my page all about visiting the Colosseum at night.
All guides I refer to on this page for the Colosseum are licensed.
This is the case whether you go with a guide employed by the Colosseum, a private guide, or a guide working for a tour agency.
Avoid taking tours of the Colosseum with unlicensed guides.
On the CoopCulture website, one option is to book a guided tour of the Colosseum.
This is an excellent way to get a tour of the Colosseum and save money, as it's not nearly as much as paying for a tour with an outside agency.
Is it as good as a tour you will get with a tour agency?
This is subjective.
I've had several tours with Colosseum personnel, and I've taken lots of tours with private tour guides/tour companies.
Every time it's different.
I cannot say that the CoopCulture tours are not as good as those with a tour agency, but I will say that the tours I've had with agencies have mostly been fantastic.
Since they're private companies, and compete with each other, they work hard to make sure you have enthusiastic, fun, knowledgeable guides.
When you book a tour through CoopCulture, you'll get someone who is employed by the Colosseum.
It's hit or miss what kind of guide they will be and what you'll get out of your tour. I've had good guides, and less good guides at the Colosseum.
So it may come down to your budget and what you expect from a tour.
If you are not a tour person, or would rather go at your own pace, a good option is to get the audio-video guides with your Colosseum tickets.
You need to book these in advance on the CoopCulture website. There is an option for tickets including the audio-video guide for an additional 6€ per ticket.
This 6€ also applies for reduced/free tickets.
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