Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
The best Colosseum tours in Rome
Guided tours, audio guide tickets, the arena floor, a sunset visit and gladiator school. Here is how to choose one. We are honest about the lines skip-the-line does not skip, whether a guide is worth it and what happens if your tour is cancelled.
See our 8 picks
For most first visits, the best Colosseum tour is a 2.5-hour guided tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, from €49. To go at your own pace, the official 24h ticket costs €18 and goes on sale 30 days ahead on ticketing.colosseo.it. It gives one timed Colosseum entry and one Forum and Palatine entry within 24 hours.
Our 8 picks for the Colosseum
The seven tours with free cancellation come first. The one non-refundable tour comes last. Every tour still passes the security check.
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from €49 per person Our top pick 2 h 30 min 4.8 (93,507) reviews on GetYourGuide
Guided tour of the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine
A licensed guide takes you through all three sites, with headsets so you can hear. You can add the arena floor. About 2.5 hours. Free cancellation.
Best for First visits that want the story
Check availability: Guided tour of the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine on GetYourGuide -
from €33 per person 2 h 30 min 4.3 (5,568) reviews on GetYourGuide
Colosseum, Forum and Palatine entry with an audio app
Entry to all three sites and an audio guide app. A host meets you at the start. Bring your own headphones. Free cancellation.
Best for Your own pace on a budget
Check availability: Colosseum, Forum and Palatine entry with an audio app on GetYourGuide -
from €33 per person 1–3 hours 4.2 (31,726) reviews on GetYourGuide
Roman Forum and Palatine entry, Colosseum optional
Starts with the Forum and Palatine Hill and an audio app. You can add the Colosseum and the arena floor. Groups up to 10. Free cancellation.
Best for Visitors who want the Forum first
Check availability: Roman Forum and Palatine entry, Colosseum optional on GetYourGuide -
from €80 per person 2–3 hours 4.5 (988) reviews on GetYourGuide
Arena floor and Roman Forum with a licensed guide
A licensed guide takes you onto the arena floor, then through the Forum. Some Palatine passages are not always open. 2 to 3 hours. Free cancellation.
Best for The arena floor on a mid budget
Check availability: Arena floor and Roman Forum with a licensed guide on GetYourGuide -
from €129 per person 3 hours 4.8 (735) reviews on GetYourGuide
Small-group arena floor and Roman Forum tour
A small group with an official guide, the arena floor and a guided Forum walk. The Palatine Hill is not guided. About 3 hours. Free cancellation.
Best for Visitors who want a small group
Check availability: Small-group arena floor and Roman Forum tour on GetYourGuide - from €120 per person
Via Appia Antica
Gladiator school
2 hours 4.8 (983) reviews on GetYourGuide
Gladiator school with sword training
Two hours of gladiator training, a museum visit, drinks and a certificate. It is on Via Appia Antica, not at the Colosseum. Free cancellation.
Best for Families with kids
Check availability: Gladiator school with sword training on GetYourGuide -
from €53 per person 1.5–3 hours 4.0 (4,613) reviews on GetYourGuide
Colosseum, Forum and Palatine entry with an audio guide
Entry to all three sites and an audio guide for the Colosseum. There is no host at the entrance. You can add the arena floor. Free cancellation.
Best for A backup if the others are sold out
Check availability: Colosseum, Forum and Palatine entry with an audio guide on GetYourGuide -
from €55 per person 1 hour 4.4 (1,689) reviews on GetYourGuide
Colosseum sunset tour
Non-refundable. A 1-hour guided visit late in the day, with Colosseum entry if you pick that option. No Forum or Palatine.
Best for Late-day visitors with a fixed date
Check availability: Colosseum sunset tour on GetYourGuide
Colosseum tours compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Free cancellation | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided tour of the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine | €49 per person | 2 h 30 min | Yes | First visits that want the story | The most-reviewed Colosseum tour: 4.8 from 93,507 reviews. |
| Colosseum, Forum and Palatine entry with an audio app | €33 per person | 2 h 30 min | Yes | Your own pace on a budget | The cheapest way in with help at the start, from €33. |
| Roman Forum and Palatine entry, Colosseum optional | €33 per person | 1–3 hours | Yes | Visitors who want the Forum first | A small check-in group and a low price, from €33. |
| Arena floor and Roman Forum with a licensed guide | €80 per person | 2–3 hours | Yes | The arena floor on a mid budget | A live guide and the arena, with 4.5 from 988 reviews. |
| Small-group arena floor and Roman Forum tour | €129 per person | 3 hours | Yes | Visitors who want a small group | The top-rated arena tour here: 4.8 from 735 reviews. |
| Gladiator school with sword training | €120 per person | 2 hours | Yes | Families with kids | A hands-on outing for kids, with 4.8 from 983 reviews. |
| Colosseum, Forum and Palatine entry with an audio guide | €53 per person | 1.5–3 hours | Yes | A backup if the others are sold out | Rated 4.0 from 4,613 reviews, and it costs more than the audio-app pick. |
| Colosseum sunset tour | €55 per person | 1 hour | No | Late-day visitors with a fixed date | 4.4 from 1,689 reviews, but there is no free cancellation. |
Guided tour of the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine
€49 per person2 h 30 min 4.8 (93,507)
Details
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Who it suits
- First visits that want the story
- Why we picked it
- The most-reviewed Colosseum tour: 4.8 from 93,507 reviews.
Colosseum, Forum and Palatine entry with an audio app
€33 per person2 h 30 min 4.3 (5,568)
Details
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Who it suits
- Your own pace on a budget
- Why we picked it
- The cheapest way in with help at the start, from €33.
Roman Forum and Palatine entry, Colosseum optional
€33 per person1–3 hours 4.2 (31,726)
Details
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want the Forum first
- Why we picked it
- A small check-in group and a low price, from €33.
Arena floor and Roman Forum with a licensed guide
€80 per person2–3 hours 4.5 (988)
Details
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Who it suits
- The arena floor on a mid budget
- Why we picked it
- A live guide and the arena, with 4.5 from 988 reviews.
Small-group arena floor and Roman Forum tour
€129 per person3 hours 4.8 (735)
Details
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want a small group
- Why we picked it
- The top-rated arena tour here: 4.8 from 735 reviews.
Gladiator school with sword training
€120 per person2 hours 4.8 (983)
Details
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Who it suits
- Families with kids
- Why we picked it
- A hands-on outing for kids, with 4.8 from 983 reviews.
Colosseum, Forum and Palatine entry with an audio guide
€53 per person1.5–3 hours 4.0 (4,613)
Details
- Free cancellation
- Yes
- Who it suits
- A backup if the others are sold out
- Why we picked it
- Rated 4.0 from 4,613 reviews, and it costs more than the audio-app pick.
€55 per person1 hour 4.4 (1,689)
Details
- Free cancellation
- No
- Who it suits
- Late-day visitors with a fixed date
- Why we picked it
- 4.4 from 1,689 reviews, but there is no free cancellation.
- Small group: Roman Forum and Palatine entry, Colosseum optional takes up to 10 people.
- None of the 8 includes hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point.
- Private option: Small-group arena floor and Roman Forum tour.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
When do Colosseum tickets go on sale, and do you need one?
Colosseum tickets go on sale 30 days before your visit, and yes, you need one. You pick a time slot for the Colosseum when you book.
Entry is free on the first Sunday of each month, and on 25 April, 2 June and 4 November. The Colosseum is closed on 25 December and 1 January.
How to buy Colosseum tickets
Buy Colosseum tickets on the official site, ticketing.colosseo.it, or book a tour that includes entry. Each ticket carries your name. Keep an ID with you to show at the entrance.
Skip-the-line does not mean no line. The tours skip the ticket line, but everyone passes the security check, and the tour listings warn of waits there.
Some travellers report that a reseller's Colosseum tour was cancelled at short notice. We found no official list of which sellers may sell guided entry, so pick a tour with free cancellation and check what the listing includes.
Rome Colosseum tickets online: the official site or a tour
The official site is cheapest. A tour costs more and adds a guide, a host or an audio app. For visits from 9 May 2026, you can change the name on a ticket once, up to midnight 7 days before.
How much does it cost to tour the Colosseum?
The official 24h ticket costs €18 on colosseo.it (25 October 2026). The Full Experience Underground and Arena ticket costs €24. EU citizens aged 18 to 24 pay €2.
Our picks cost from €33 to €129 per person. The gladiator school is from €120.
- 24h ticket
- €18
- Underground and Arena
- €24
- EU, 18 to 24
- €2
- Tours here
- €33–€129
Which Colosseum tour to book
Book the guided tour of all three sites if this is your first visit. Pick by what you want most:
- The story: the guided Colosseum, Forum and Palatine tour.
- The lowest price: the entry with an audio app, from €33.
- The arena floor: the licensed-guide arena tour, or the small-group one.
- Kids: the gladiator school on Via Appia Antica.
- Late in the day: the sunset tour, but it is non-refundable.
What is the Roman Forum (and Palatine Hill)?
The Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill are the ruins next to the Colosseum, and the standard ticket covers them. They open at 9 a.m.
Expect hills and uneven ground on the Palatine. Wear good shoes.
The Capitoline Museums are another way to see ancient Rome without a tour.
Do you need a separate Roman Forum ticket?
No. The 24h Colosseum ticket includes one Forum and Palatine entry. If you want only the Forum, the Forum Pass SUPER covers it without the Colosseum.
Entry ticket, audio guide or guided tour: what each gives you
A guided tour gives you a live guide and headsets. An entry ticket with an audio app is cheaper, but you need your own phone and headphones.
Is a guided Colosseum tour worth it?
Yes, if you want the story. Our top guided pick costs from €49, against €18 for the official ticket alone. The guide explains what you see as you walk.
What a Colosseum tour guide adds
A guide plans the route and tells the history. On some tours the guide also covers the Forum. Check each listing: some guide only part of the visit.
Arena Floor and Underground: what the extra ticket adds
The arena floor puts you on the stage where the gladiators fought. The underground is the rooms below it, and only the official Full Experience Underground and Arena ticket goes there.
That ticket costs €24 and is valid for 2 days. The underground part depends on availability. Two tour listings say the arena floor may close in bad weather.
Small group, standard group or private
Pick a small group if you want to hear the guide easily. The Forum and Palatine entry checks in groups of up to 10. The small-group arena tour is from €129.
The main guided tour runs standard groups. It also has a small-group option.
Best time of day and how long to plan
Plan about half a day for all three sites. The official page says you get about 75 to 90 minutes inside the Colosseum, depending on the ticket.
From 25 October 2026 to 28 February 2027, the Colosseum is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Last entry is 3:30 p.m. In summer, bring water and a hat.
Not ready to book? The Circus Maximus is a do-it-yourself idea for the same day.
Colosseum night and sunset tours
Our sunset pick is a 1-hour visit late in the day. In winter, last entry is 3:30 p.m., so there is no true night entry then.
Before you go: ID, bags, security and the Vatican combo
Bring an ID that matches the name on your ticket. Arrive 15 minutes early, because the booked time cannot be changed.
Leave large bags behind. One tour listing says there is no cloakroom at the Colosseum.
None of our picks adds the Vatican. Book them as two visits, and see our Vatican Museums tickets guide.
Tips before you book the Colosseum
Book as soon as sales open
Tickets go on sale 30 days ahead. Book soon after, as time slots fill up.
Use your real names
Tickets carry your name. Enter full names that match your ID, or you may be turned away.
Pick free cancellation
Seven of our eight picks let you cancel for free. The sunset tour is non-refundable.
If a tour is cancelled
Ask the seller for a refund through GetYourGuide. The official ticket is your backup if slots are still free.
Colosseum tours: questions and answers
When do Colosseum tickets go on sale?
What is the Roman Forum?
How much does it cost to tour the Colosseum?
Which Colosseum tickets should I buy?
How do I buy Colosseum tickets?
Do I need a ticket for the Colosseum?
More Colosseum tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideSources (3), facts checked on 25 October 2026
Written by the Things to Do in Rome editorial team.