The Colosseum is easy once you know what happens at the entrance. This page covers the questions that come up on the day: bags, security, queues, water, toilets and how long you can stay. For tickets, see our Colosseum tickets guide. For transport, see how to get there.
Contents
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Before you go: the quick checklist
- Your ticket with the time slot, on your phone
- Your original ID (passport or ID card), the ticket is personal and the ID is checked at the entrance
- A small daypack, carry-on size
- A plastic water bottle (no glass, no metal)
- A sun hat or umbrella for the Forum in summer
- Comfortable shoes with flat soles
Your time slot, and the park before it
The best time to visit is the one you booked. Every slot is filled to the maximum, so waiting for a quiet hour does not help. Inside the Colosseum it is shady and well ventilated, so even midday heat is not a problem there. The Forum and Palatine Hill are different: little shade, so avoid midday in summer and bring a hat or umbrella.
Our tip: spend about two hours in the park before your Colosseum slot. Use the entrance on Via del Foro Romano, which has the shortest queue (no Colosseum tickets are sold there, so book online first). The park opens at 9:00 and the Colosseum at 8:30, so for a two-hour park visit book a Colosseum slot later than 11:00.
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Last entry to the park is one hour before closing. The Colosseum admits you only at your reserved time.
Entrances and the security check
You face two separate waits: the ticket queue and the entrance queue at the security check.
- Main entrance (Valadier): the security check usually takes about 15 minutes.
- Stern entrance: about 5 minutes. It is only for Arena tickets and Full Experience tickets.
- Ticket queue at the box office: a different line, with an unpredictable wait of an hour or more.
- Park entrances: also have queues. The best one is the entrance on Via del Foro Romano.
Always buy your tickets online in advance.
Bags and luggage
Take a small daypack of carry-on size. The Colosseum has no luggage storage. Leave larger bags at Termini station, or book luggage storage near the Colosseum.
Not allowed: sharp objects (scissors, knives), glass bottles, metal bottles, alcohol, spray cans and weapons.
How long you can stay
You do not need more than about an hour for the Colosseum itself. The maximum stay is 75 minutes with a standard ticket. A Full Experience ticket allows 90 minutes: 75 minutes in the Colosseum plus 15 minutes on the Arena floor, so the Arena is part of the 90 minutes, not on top. With an Arena only ticket the Arena floor is the whole visit: normally 15 minutes, 20 at most. Plan the Forum and Palatine Hill as a separate block of time. See the Arena guide for what each Arena ticket includes.
Water, food and toilets
You cannot get water inside the Colosseum, and food is not allowed. Plastic bottles are fine. Around the Colosseum you will find three public water points (Casa dell’acqua) with chilled, filtered water, still or sparkling, and USB charging for phones: at the exit of Metro B, at the Arch of Constantine, and opposite the Colosseum exit. The park also has several plain drinking fountains.
Toilets inside the Colosseum and in the park are free. The paid toilets opposite the Stern entrance and at the tourist information on Via dei Fori Imperiali are crowded and not recommended.
What to wear
Wear sturdy shoes: the paving is uneven and the stairs are steep, so no high heels and no flip-flops. The Colosseum has no strict dress code, but costumes, masks and fancy dress are not allowed.
Children, strollers, dogs and accessibility
Keep children by the hand, the stairs are steep and uneven. Strollers are allowed, but not in the Underground, where you have to carry the child. The lift is at the end of the northern oval: on the left seen from the Valadier entrance, on the right seen from the Stern entrance. Children under 18 and people with disabilities enter free, but book online.
Small dogs (5 to 10 kg, in their own carrier, free of charge) are allowed in the open areas of the Forum and Palatine Hill, not in the Colosseum. Inside the Colosseum only assistance dogs are allowed, free of charge and without a reservation.
Staying safe around the Colosseum
- Gladiator photos: agree the price before the photo, and never take pictures without asking.
- Street sellers: ignore them. Do not answer questions like “where are you from?”, never shake hands, and do not take out money or documents.
- In the park: do not write on walls or take anything away. Damaging or removing ancient material is punished with 2 to 5 years in prison and a fine of 2,500 to 15,000 euros.
After your visit
Good restaurants near the Colosseum include Angelino ai Fori and Hostaria Isidoro. You will also find more on Via di San Giovanni in Laterano, in the side streets and in the nearby Monti district.
Colosseum visitor tips: quick answers
Is there luggage storage at the Colosseum?
No. Leave larger bags at Termini station or book luggage storage nearby.
Can I bring a backpack into the Colosseum?
Yes, a small daypack of carry-on size. Large backpacks and suitcases are not allowed.
What is not allowed through security?
Sharp objects, glass and metal bottles, alcohol, spray cans and weapons.
How long can I stay in the Colosseum?
A standard ticket allows 75 minutes. A Full Experience ticket allows 90 minutes: 75 in the Colosseum plus 15 on the Arena floor. With an Arena only ticket you spend about 15 minutes, 20 at most.
Are there toilets and water inside the Colosseum?
Toilets are free inside the Colosseum and in the park. You cannot get water inside the Colosseum, but you will find public water points right outside and plain drinking fountains in the park.
Book your ticket in advance, travel light and arrive in time for your slot, and the Colosseum is one of the easiest big sights in Rome. For the next step, see the tickets guide.
