The Best Time To Visit The Colosseum Is At The End Of The Day - Here Is My Experience Visiting A Wonder Of The World
The Colosseum is one of the seven wonders of the World. Built in 80AD, this masterpiece in architecture is over 1,900 years old. And because of its iconic status, millions of people visit it every year, and I had the opportunity to be among them. But I went against the grain, purchased my tickets days before, and went on the weekend at the end of the day. This has many pros and cons, but if I ever found myself in Rome again, I would do this again. Here is my experience visiting The Colosseum.
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Buying Tickets
This was a super last-minute trip, and I bought my tickets through Tiqets using their Roman Tourist Card. If you want to read more about my experience, check out my post here: Is Tiqets Worth It? - My Experience With The Rome Tourist Card. The ticket came with entry to the Colosseum and a ticket to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill exhibit/museum. The prices vary, but at the time, it was a very economical way to see the iconic sites of Rome.
Once in Rome, we had to pick up the tickets at a separate location, which was very hard to locate, and we had to climb a steep hill. Once we located it, we could not utilize the Roam Forum and Palatine Hlll portion of our ticket because we had one of the last entry times to the Colosseum for the day and had to hurry there.
Entering the colosseum
We arrived at the Colosseum in the morning via Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus, took photos, took in the unrealness of being in front of a Wonder of the World, walked around, had lunch, and returned for our entry time around 3:15 pm. It was very crowded in the morning, with long entry and security lines. I assumed it must have been packed inside.
There were no lines when we made our way back in the afternoon. We breezed through security, and we got in within five minutes.
Being inside a wonder of the world
I cannot find the words to describe how surreal it felt to be standing inside the Colosseum. It was just fascinating to be inside a structure that is so iconic with a brutal past. It is impossible to wrap your head around how they fit over 60,000 people into this architectural masterpiece.
On the top level of the Colosseum is the gift shop and a scale model of how the Colosseum looked in its heyday, complete with its entire circular structure and statues in each arch.
The gift shop is tiny but has some cute souvenirs. I got a mini Colosseum statue for under $10 USD. I NEVER buy things like this because they are always super expensive. The Euro to Dollar exchange rate was good to me.
Since this was the last time slot for the day, no more people than the ones already inside were being allowed in, so there were fewer and fewer people as the time went on, and it was GLORIOUS. We didn’t have it all to ourselves, but the lack of crowds made moving around easier, and the photos felt more realistic.
Tips & Things To Know
The Gate Of Death
Go at the end of the Day instead of in the morning
My logic is if you go to a museum, site, etc., in the morning, you will have it all to yourself, which is cool, but as time goes on, it will start to get busier, and you may feel pressured to do and see everything before the crowds and tour groups come and this could make the experience overwhelming.
I think that by going at the end of the day, you know that even if it is crowded, you are guaranteed fewer crowds as the time gets closer to closing. Ultimately it is up to you and whether or not you have good time management skills or have crippling anxiety like me.
Purchase a guided audio tour
One regret I have is not getting an audio tour. Our tickets did not include one, and I planned on downloading one on my phone, but as this trip was planned in six days, I never got around to doing so. I would have loved to learn more information with an audio tour because there is just so much rich history that you need a guide of some sort. I know this might sound like I should have booked a guided tour with a guide, but I am not a fan of guided tour groups, so that was not an option.
Book tickets in advance
Even though I was able to get my tickets days before my trip, I don’t advise doing so unless you have no other choice. One issue we ran into was my friend and I getting different entry times. We booked at the same time, and I got the last spot at the last entry time for the day. My friend was able to find tickets on the official site for the same entry time, and we were able to visit together.
You can try to book tickets on the official website, or you can book via third party. My favorite third-party tour company is Viator, and if you’d like, you can book using my affiliate link below!
DISCLAIMER: The following links are affiliate links. If you decide to purchase anything from these links, I may earn a commission on eligible bookings at no additional cost to you. This is a great way to support me while also benefiting yourself! Thanks!
gift shops & bathrooms close early
The gift shop closes before the Colosseum does, so mind the time so you can get your souvenirs. As for the bathroom, I am unsure if it was because I used the one near the entrance/exit, but that closed early too.
The Stairs
There are a lot of stairs. I had gained weight due to meds I was on at the time, so I was struggling to get up the stairs but managed. There are elevators for anyone with mobility concerns, but if you are able-bodied, please use the stairs, take your time, and reserve the elevators for people with mobility concerns. Like, I literally saw people 2 to 3 times my age climbing the stairs like it was nothing.
how much time
If you are going at the end of the day as I did, you may only have about an hour or so in the Colosseum, which, in my opinion, is not enough time to explore and see everything and walk around the entire structure. I recommend giving yourself at least 2 hours here.
check policies
Check the policies on the website for any updates to the prohibited items list and their policy on recording video and taking photos. Do not assume anything.
cats
You may see some cute, chill cats. Don’t pet or feed them tho.
Hi! I’m Andrea, the creator of Cinematic Excursions.
I am a video editor, photographer, travel and events vlogger, and blogger who likes to write movie analyses and yap about fandom. I also have a useless film degree.
I have been creating videos since 2018. In 2023, I started Cinematic Excursions to share my unfiltered experiences traveling, cruising, going on excursions, and using city cards that are supposed to save money.
I also use my platform to document my experience attending events like New York Comic-Con, MCM Comic-Con London, and the Food Network New York City Wine and Food Festival, advising others and covering news from these events.