Rome - the Colosseum and Roman Forum

Rome is an iconic city, and one of her greatest icons is the Colosseum. The Colosseum is an architectural marvel, truly, and walking through it is with merit one of the essential experiences to have on a trip to Rome. Visiting the Colosseum these days can be a little fraught though. The streets leading up to the entrance are full of tour guides offering you to skip the line and there are really so, so many people that it can be a bit overwhelming. I do believe that visiting the Colosseum is worth your time, but not your stress. So, I’ve put together a little guide so that you can enjoy the Colosseum as a Roman would, and as they have, for almost 2000 years.

The stratification of the walls of the Colosseum offers a glimpse inside. Also, the entrance is located just to the right of where this occurs.

The first thing to know about visiting the Colosseum is that you can absolutely do it on your own, but you will need to plan ahead. Head over to the CoopCulture website to purchase your tickets in advance, as they do sell out. The ticket is timed, and my advice is to buy for as early in the morning as you can. You will want to do this because if you are doing another activity, you do not want to have to rush to make it to the entrance time. I know that when visiting Rome in only a few days, it is difficult to fit everything in. If you begin here in the morning, then you can take your time at the Forum, and still have time in the afternoon for another activity. From my experience, this is the best way.

The Arch of Titus can be found while wandering the grounds of the Roman Forum.

CoopCulture is an official cultural organization, and it is good to check out their website for tickets to other attractions in Rome as well. For the Colosseum and Roman Forum, they offer many ticket options: I would choose the “Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Ordinary Admission,” or perhaps with the audio guide included if you prefer. With this ticket you will skip the long queue. You need to arrive 30 minutes before the time on the ticket to enter, to find the proper line and pass through security. This ticket will allow you to enter the Colosseum at your designated time, and then head to the Roman Forum afterwards at your own pace. The ticket is actually valid for two days, but since Rome has a lot to see, you will probably just want to do both in the same day, while you’re in the neighborhood. I also just saw that they have a Colosseum by Night tour - I’m definitely adding that to my “to-do” list the next time I am in Rome!

A view from inside the Colosseum.

In order to really appreciate walking through the Colosseum and the Forum, I suggest reading up a little on the history, watching videos on YouTube, or listening to a podcast guide such as Rick Steves. I would do this before your trip, so that you can have an understanding of what you will be seeing, and make sure you write down anything that you want to look out for - especially in the Forum, which has ruins from the myriad epochs of Roman history.

How much history has lived here…

Being prepared also allows you to be present when you are actually visiting these places. Even I admit I have taken for granted in the past just how incredible these sites are. You will get out of your visit what you put in. What you are seeing are not just stones. You are stepping back in time.

Walking through the Forum also offers the chance to connect with nature.

What you see in front of you are what remains of Roman life beginning 2,000 years ago. These ruins are the foundation of the city, and have been built upon each other as the centuries passed. And how amazing that these structures are still standing! Entering the Colosseum, it’s almost the same feeling as going to a sports stadium today, and that is essentially what you are doing. Except that you must use your imagination ;)

Layers upon layers…

For some practical information, the entrance and exit to the Colosseum is near the Arch of Constantine, which is located between the Colosseum and the Forum. It is very easy so that when you exit the Colosseum, you can just cross the way to the entrance of the Forum. Here you may have to wait in a small line, but in my experience it moves quickly.

Standing in front of the Arch of Constantine. To the left, you will see the entrance to the Colosseum, and to the right, an entrance to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill area.

Now, if on your trip you do not have the time to actually enter the Colosseum and Roman Forum, you can at least pass by them. If you walk down the Via dei Fori Imperiali starting from the Vittorio Emanuele II Monument, you will be able see some ruins as you head towards the Colosseum at the end of the street. Thinking about it now, it really is quite spectacular: to be in the midst of so many spirits, history that you can feel, if only you imagine it as it once was.

Then, and now.

This is the fourth post in a series about Rome, the city I consider to be a second home. You can check out the other posts here.

Note: The header image was taken while walking through the Roman Forum.