Roman Colosseum, Rome, Italy

The Colosseum, officially the Flavian Amphitheatre, is the largest amphitheatre ever built and the best-known monument of ancient Rome. Emperor Vespasian began it around AD 70–72, his son Titus inaugurated it in AD 80 with 100 days of games, and Domitian completed it. It could hold roughly 50,000 spectators, who came to watch gladiator fights, animal hunts and, in the early years, perhaps even staged sea battles.

The elliptical building measures about 189 by 156 metres, and its outer wall rises to about 48 metres. Only the northern side still stands at full height: the southern part of the outer ring collapsed after earthquakes, notably in 1349, and for centuries the ruins served as a quarry for other buildings in Rome. Beneath the arena lies the hypogeum, a network of passages and lifts that brought animals and scenery up into the arena.

The Colosseum stands in the centre of Rome, next to the Roman Forum; the Colosseo stop on Metro line B is right opposite. From Via del Corso, the walk takes about 20 minutes along Via dei Fori Imperiali. Together with the rest of the historic centre, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Tickets (2026):

• The standard ticket costs €18 and is valid for 24 hours: one entry to the Colosseum (first and second levels) and one to the Roman Forum and the Palatine.
• Full Experience tickets cost €24 and add the arena floor, the underground or the attic with its panoramic lift; they are valid for two consecutive days.
• Tickets are sold online at ticketing.colosseo.it, usually 30 days in advance, and sell out quickly in high season; the entry time to the Colosseum printed on the ticket is fixed.
• The Roma Pass (48 or 72 hours) also covers the Colosseum, but a time slot must still be reserved in advance.

Opening hours:

• From the last Sunday in March to 31 August: 8:30–19:15 (last entry 18:15).
• September: 8:30–19:00; October, until the last Saturday: 8:30–18:30.
• From the last Sunday in October to mid-February: 8:30–16:30, with closing time getting gradually later in late February and March.
• Last entry is one hour before closing; closed on 1 January and 25 December.