Colosseum Underground, Arena, and Ancient Rome Tour

Experience the Roman Colosseum’s exclusive areas on this popular guided tour with a priority entrance through a separate gate. Explore the Underground and Arena Floor and walk the circumference with live commentary from an expert guide.

Why should you book this ticket?

This 3-hour ticket offers full access to the Colosseum, including exclusive and public areas, with skip-the-line entry to avoid the crowds. You can meet your guide and fellow travelers at the designated point and proceed through the Stern entrance after a security check.

The tour starts from the Underground (30 minutes), learning about the behind-the-scenes events, then moves to the Arena Floor (30 minutes) for a 360-degree view of the amphitheater. 

Next, visit the 1st and 2nd tiers of the Colosseum. Your guide will narrate the brutal history of the Arena’s fights.

Conclude with a self-guided tour of Ancient Rome, exploring the significant ruins of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill areas that were once central to the Roman Empire. 

Ticket inclusions

• Skip-the-line entry to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill
• Live tour guide (English)
• Access to the Underground and Arena floor 
• Access to 1st and 2nd levels of the Colosseum 
• Access to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Is the Arena and Underground worth it?

Visiting the Colosseum is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so make the most of it by exploring all its sections. This stadium is 2000 years old and has a story in every corner. Gladiators once fought fierce battles here, entertaining up to 80,000 spectators with fights against each other, wild animals, and condemned criminals.

Originally, the Arena’s wooden floor was covered with sand to absorb blood, vomit, and waste, but it wore off over time, exposing the underground area.

The underground, which served as the backstage where gladiators and animals waited to emerge through trap doors, has been partially reconstructed to let visitors experience its original form and view the intricate network of tunnels and chambers.

Highlights of the Arena 

You get to enter the Colosseum through Porta Libertina (Gate of Death) with Porta Triumphalis (Gate of Life) straight ahead.

Other things to see include a Christian cross erected by Mussolini in 1926, the emperor’s seat, a replicated trapdoor, and an 18th-century altar used for religious purposes.

Highlights of the Underground

Check out the blocked corridor that once connected the gladiator training school (Ludus Magnus) to the Colosseum. Walk through tunnels with well-preserved 1st-century walls and brick structures, which were excavated after being buried for centuries.

You’ll see bronze capstans embedded in the floors, probably used to operate trapdoors with ropes. There’s also a replica of a wooden elevator that lifted gladiators and animals onto the Arena. Plus, you can observe the drainage system that channels rainwater from the Labicano Creek.

Meeting point  

Meet your guide at Via del Colosseo No. 31, in front of Caffe Roma, just above the second floor of the Colosseum Metro station (blue line). Meet the guide 

Cancellation 

This tour is a non-refundable activity.

Opening hours 

The Colosseum will follow these timings in 2024:

Know before you go 

Wear comfortable shoes, as the tour involves a lot of walking.

All guided tours of the Colosseum include access to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. 

Certain levels of the Colosseum are restricted to guided groups only, so individual tourists cannot enter these areas. Therefore, a guided tour is the best way to fully experience the Colosseum.

Please arrive at least 20 minutes before your scheduled time, as there are strict visitor capacity limits. Late arrivals might end up in you missing the tour without a refund.

Carry a valid ID, as it is required for security checks. 

Food and drinks are not allowed inside the premises. If you bring water, you will need to empty it before entering, but you can refill it after the tour.