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THIS SITE DOES NOT SELL TICKETS FOR THE COLOSSEUM, BUT SUGGESTS FIVE DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO IT
... AND HOW TO GET THERE
The Colosseum, together with the Palatine (the ticket is valid for both) is the most visited monument in Italy, so it takes some time to get in the amphitheatre, especially during the tourist season. The picture below shows the locations of the services inside and around.
The ticket for the Colosseum is also valid for the visit to the Palatine and is valid one day for an entrance in each site. You can buy the ticket at the Colosseum and book by telephone or online; in fact there are FIVE different ways:
1. At the Colosseum
FULL PRICE: The price of the ticket is currently (Nov. 2006) 9 Euros, but during
Colosseo exhibitions there may be a € 2,00 surcharge.
REDUCED PRICE: UE Citizens between 18 and 24 and
Civil-European Union teachers (don't ask me what a Civil-UE teacher is!) pay € 4,50
+ € 2,00 for exhibitions.
FREE
ENTRANCE for UE citizens under 18 and over 65 years
2.By telephone
CALL CENTRE FOR INFO AND BOOKINGS: +39 (0)6 399 677 00
To reserve entrance by telephone contact the Call Center from Mondays to
Saturdays 9 am-1:30 pm and 2:30 pm-5 pm (fee for services € 1,50 individuals, €
21,00 groups, € 15,00 schools).
3. Online
OFFICIAL LINK
FOR BOOKINGS AND SALES
CHECK PRICES AND CONDITIONS, THEY ARE
DIFFERENT FOR INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS!
The Soprintendenza Archeologica di Roma has introduced a new obliged groups booking
service for the entrance in the Colosseo which includes a free service of radio-guide
instruments, for groups without theirs own radio-guide. The service is obliged for groups
composed by a minimum of 14 to maximum of 50 visitors and the cost is € 21,00 (€
1,50 each person from 15 to 50), also for the schools (max 50 pupils) there’s an
obliged reservation of € 10,00.
4. Archaeologia Card
In Rome, for € 20,00 + 2,00 for exhibitions + 1,50 for the internet sale, you can buy the ARCHAEOLOGIA CARD,
which is valid 7 days for 9 sites: Palazzo Massimo, Palazzo Altemps, Crypta Balbi, Terme
di Diocleziano, Colosseo, Palatino, Terme di Caracalla, Villa dei Quintili, Mausoleo di
Cecilia Metella;
REDUCED FEE € 10,00 + € 2,00 for exhibitions + 1,50 for the internet sale). The
discount is given to young (18-25) UE citizens and to teachers.The card is FREE for
UE citiziens under 18 and over 65 years; at the cashier station they 'll receive a free
ticket.
5. Roma
Pass
ROMA PASS: the Colosseum is included in the Roma Pass circuit, a 3 days
integrated ticket valid for the most important museums and archaeological sites of the
city, and also for travelling on the transport network; booking on line: link
Remember that this is not the official site of the Colosseum; the official address and telephone no. of the Colosseum (information from the site of Rome's Museums) is: Piazza del Colosseo - 00184 Roma - Tel. 067004261.
Call 06 399 677 00 also to book a guided tour with professional guides. In any case personal electronic guides (with earphones) are available for rent at the entrance, so one can wander around the ruins, together with the many cats that live there, while listening to the machine. One can visit the ground floor and the first (second floor used to be visitable but now seems to be closed). A part of the arena has been recently reconstructed, and I can tell you that the sight of the amphitheatre from the middle of the arena is amazing. In the past one was restricted to the edges of the arena, and it was a poorer perspective.
The Colosseum is rather accessible to people in wheelchairs, apart from some steps here and there. There is a lift to the first floor on the northern side. Toilets are on the other side, and there is also a shop of books, guides and souvenirs.
How to get there: the monument is extremely central in the city of Rome: a few hundred yards from Piazza Venezia, and close to the Forums. On Sundays the motor traffic is forbidden and Via dei Fori Imperiali and the square of the Colosseum are available to bicycles and strollers. Just outside the Metro station there is a taxi parking, a Bike rental , and a bar with tables outside: you can sip your cappuccino in the shade of the biggest thing in Rome.
Beware of pickpockets !!!
Public transport:
B line Metro station Colosseo
A line metro station Manzoni, then two stops of any tram that goes southwards, in the right direction
Bus lines 60, 75, 85, 87,175, 810, 850, and the electric minibus 117, my favourite
Tramway lines nos 3 and 8.
