The Colosseum is located in the center of Rome, Italy. It also goes by the name Flavian Amphitheatre. Previously an ancient Roman Amphitheater, it is now an iconic landmark destination. This is a must see spot when visiting Rome. Below are a few tips and tricks on how to have the best experience possible during your visit as well as a quick history of the Colosseum. Read ahead and see if you can find our extra important tip!

The Colosseum History

Construction started in ~70 AD by Emperor Vespian. His son, Titus, completed the construction during his reign in 80 AD. Made out of concrete and stone, it originally could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators. One way for emperors to showcase their power was by holding events within the Colosseum. These ranged from the well known gladiator fights to exotic animal hunts. They even were able to hold mock sea battles by flooding the inside area.

When preparing for these shows, fighters and animals with their props were located in the underground area of the arena. By utilizing a vast tunnel system with many chambers, it was possible to easily prepare for the shows. It is still possible to see and walk around in these tunnels. The fights were often to death with the gladiators being slaves trying to earn their freedom. Many people and animals died during the earlier years. Not only did the exotic animals face being hunted for show, many lost their lives during transportation from their homes. The later years of shows were less brutal with fewer deaths.

Overtime, the Colosseum has been damaged. Robbers and natural disasters have had the biggest effect. In the 19th century restoration began. Their goal is to maintain and preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site. When visiting, it is visible the areas they have added stone to keep from further erosion.

Planning Your Visit

The Colosseum is located next to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. With the location being in the center of Rome, it is extremely accessible.

How to get there: walk, take the bus, Uber Lime scooters

Address: Piazza del Colosseo 1 00184 Rome Italy

Entry: Tickets are required for entry

Cost: €25 and up

Time: 2-3 hours

Due to it’s location next to two historical sites, we highly recommend getting a combined ticket to visit all three sites. There are a variety of options to choose from. They range from entry to all three sites, audio guides, guided tours, underground tunnels tour, and even a virtual reality tour.

Taking a guided tour is exceptional. There are many ruins throughout these sites and having an expert explain the history and purpose of each ruin made the experience much more enjoyable. Having a guide also allows for asking a variety of questions. Read the guided tours carefully. There are different options to visit the arena floor (photo above) or to visit the tunnels below the arena. Listed below are links for guided tour options.

Recommendations

1. Pack sunscreen, wear a hat, and sunglasses. There isn’t a lot of shade as you walk around.
2. Wear good shoes. There was a ton of walking and some stairs.
3. Bring your own water. ***Here’s the extra important tip – don’t buy water from the guys walking around selling it. The bottles are not new. Once empty, they refill the bottles to resell. *** Throughout Rome there are many small fountains where you can refill your water bottle, including inside the archaeological sites. We like these collapsible bottles.
4. Visit early in the morning for sunrise to get great photos and walk up the stairs across the road to get the overview shot (like the first photo).

We really enjoyed every aspect of Rome! If you are interested in other parts of our trip, check them out below!

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