Discover PArCo: the Colosseum and its Archeological Park
These three places are the main places in Rome that give you no choice but to look Rome right in its metaphorical face and think…wow you are old. Whether these sites come to mind when thinking of Rome and what makes it so popular and historically important, they really emphasize what it is that draws us all here. This place is literally ancient! And when you look at the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum you see it. Ruins have a magical way of taking you back in time, and these are not exempt from that.
Visiting the Colosseum
As many know, the Flavian Amphitheatre, more commonly known as the Colosseum, was once a stadium for gladiator contests and public spectacles like animal hunts, land and sea battle re-enactments, executions, and dramas. Although it isn’t used for any of that anymore, that doesn’t stop it from drawing in crowds larger than I even have the energy to imagine. I will not go as far to say that the Colosseum is beyond what any of us expect, but the experience is pretty surreal. It is one thing to visit, let’s say, a palace, you walk around the grounds with the other thousand people and struggle to imagine what living there could have been like. In the Colosseum, you are surrounded by thousands of other people but that’s exactly what it would have been like in 70 AD and that’s crazy! For many of us that don’t have a great imagination, it is even more amazing to be able to look out into the crowds of people within these ancient walls once filled with many of our ancestors and for maybe the only time in our life, feel like a Roman.
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How much does it cost to go to the Colosseum?
There are different types of tickets:
Ticket valid for 1 day with 1 entrance to the Colosseum and 1 entrance to the Roman Forum / Palatine / Imperial Forums archaeological area. Admission to temporary exhibition/s included. Valid for 24 hours.
Regular ticket: € 16,00 + € 2,00 (online booking fee in advance); Reduced rate € 2.00
Valid 2 days from first use, it allows one entrance to the Colosseum with access to the Arena and/or to the Underground, one entrance to the Palatine Forum and Imperial Fora area and SUPER sites – Aula Isiaca and Loggia Mattei, Oratory of the Forty Martyrs, Imperial Ramp, Santa Maria Antiqua, Neronian Cryptoporticus (starting from 2nd November closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday), House of Augustus (closed on Monday), Curia Iulia (on Saturday, Sunday and Monday). Admission to temporary exhibition included.
Regular ticket: € 22,00 + € 2,00 (online booking fee in advance)
- Forum Pass Super Ticket
Valid for one day, it allows a single access to the archaeological area of the Roman Forum, Imperial Fora and Palatine, including ongoing exhibitions, and, up to maximum capacity, to the special SUPER sites.
Regular ticket: € 16,00 + € 2,00 (online booking fee in advance)
Do I need to buy tickets in advance for the Colosseum?
Although you can buy tickets for the Colosseum at the Ticket Office at the Palatine hill entrance, it is recommended to book a ticket for the Colosseum in advance because tickets sell out very fast, and it can be challenging to get one at the last minute. Depending on the season, you might need to book your tickets one month to fourth months in advance.
What day is the Colosseum free?
In recent years, we’ve enjoyed the “Domenica al Museo”, in which state sites and museums, including the Colosseum, are free on the first Sunday of the month.
Be aware that the lines are very long during the free days, and we would advise going as early as you can because there will be an inevitably long line.
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What time is the Colosseum open?
The Colosseum is open every day of the year, 7 days a week, except January 1st, 25th December. The last entry is one hour before it closes. In late spring and summer, the Colosseum closes at 7.15pm. (last entry at 6.15pm). In winter months, the Colosseum closes around 4.30. (last entry at 3.30)
Visiting the Palatine Hill
The Palatine Hill was home to Romans since the 10th Century, so no wonder it falls under this list of truly ancient sites. In its later years it was home exclusively to emperors. What better place for an emperor to gaze over their domain than the centermost hill of the Seven Hills of Rome, looking over the Roman Forum and the Circus Maximus? Honestly, what better place for you, not an emperor but just as grand, to look out over Rome in standing in one of the oldest parts of it?
Visiting the Roman Forum
The Roman Forum is a plaza surrounded by the ruins of important government buildings, temples, and basilicas. This by far is one of my favorites because much of it is still standing. Walking through what used to be the center of the once proclaimed capital of the world really makes you feel how old this world is. Not only do you see how old it is from the obvious brutal effects of time on these buildings, but you can truly feel the time from the array of levels of deterioration. While some structures are literally no longer existing, or just a simple boulder, some are standing so tall you can almost picture walking through its doors.
The Eternal City, although she looks good for her age, has some amazing sites that truly immerse you into the ancient history of this city and these three sites do not shy away from painting as vivid of a picture as possible.
Opening Times:
Everyday 10.30am – 7.15pm (last entry 6.15pm)
9.00 am – 4.30 pm (last entry 3.30pm)
from 30 October to 31 December
Entry fee for Colosseum, Forums and Palatine ticket
€16
Ticket valid for 1 day with 1 entrance to the Colosseum and 1 entrance to the Roman Forum / Palatine / Imperial Forums archaeological area. Admission to temporary exhibition/s included.
