Colosseum Arena tickets come in three options: the arena floor, the underground (hypogeum) and the upper levels (attic). Each option needs its own timed ticket. This page compares the four Arena tickets, what they include, what they cost and how to pick the right one, whether you are looking for arena floor tickets, underground tickets or the upper levels. For standard tickets, free entry and ticket offices, see our Colosseum tickets guide.
Contents
Affiliate Disclosure
Colosseum Arena tickets and prices
Includes: A short visit to the arena floor for visitors in a hurry, plus the Forum and Palatine. The regular Colosseum visit is not included. Not available on days with free entry.
Where to buy: online only, with a fixed time slot
Includes: The arena floor plus the regular Colosseum visit, the Forum and Palatine, and the Super Sites. Not available on days with free entry.
Where to buy: online only, with a fixed time slot
Includes: The arena floor, the regular Colosseum visit and the underground, plus the Forum, Palatine and Super Sites. A guided tour is compulsory in the underground, and the supplement is included in the price shown. Not available on days with free entry.
Where to buy: online only, with a fixed time slot
Includes: The arena floor, the regular Colosseum visit and the upper levels with the glass lift, plus the Forum, Palatine and Super Sites. Not available on days with free entry.
Where to buy: online only, with a fixed time slot
All four tickets include the Super Sites. These are exclusive sites in the Forum and on the Palatine that open only at limited times, so check the hours on your ticket before you plan the day. There is no combined ticket for the underground and the upper levels: you choose one or the other.
How the Arena visit works
- Timed slot. Arena tickets are valid for a fixed entry time and are sold online only. There is no Arena ticket at the gate.
- Stern entrance. You enter the Colosseum through the separate Stern entrance, which is opposite the main entrance on the other side of the Colosseum, not through the main queue. It is marked on our map of the ticket offices and entrances.
- 15 minutes on the arena floor. Groups rotate, so your time on the arena is limited to about 15 minutes. After that you continue to the underground, the upper levels or the other areas of the Colosseum, depending on your ticket.
- Wheelchair access. The arena is directly wheelchair accessible, without a lift. If you then want to visit the upper floor in the regular area, the lift is on the right-hand side as seen from the arena entrance.
How long you can stay, what you can bring and where the queues are: see our Colosseum visitor tips.
What you will see in each area
Arena floor tickets
You enter the floor level of the arena like the gladiators and see the seating tiers from the inside. It is the best place for photos, but remember the 15-minute rotation.
Underground tickets (hypogeum)
The Colosseum was a theatre machine, and the underground was its engine room. Elevators brought scenery, people and animals up onto the stage, served by a network of service corridors. You will see a replica of the ancient elevators, as well as the remains of the elevator shafts and passageways, but no prison cells. Below the arena there were waiting rooms for animals, gladiators and prisoners, who had to wait there for their appearance on the stage. Extensive supply rooms were located, among other places, in the Caelian Hill, several hundred metres from the Colosseum. Large water reservoirs were also discovered in the hill. Entry to the underground is only with the compulsory guided tour.
Tip: to the left of the bell tower of the Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo on the Caelian Hill you can look down into rooms of this kind.
Attic tickets (upper levels)
The upper levels give you a view over the arena and across the Forum. They are reached by a glass lift. This ticket is for you if you want a panoramic view over the Colosseum and the archaeological park.
Which ticket should you book?
- You just want a quick look at the Colosseum from the inside: Arena only. Keep in mind it does not include the regular visit of the Colosseum.
- First visit, no special interest: Full Experience: Arena + Colosseum.
- You want to see how the Colosseum worked: Arena + Underground.
- You want views over the arena and the Forum: Arena + Upper levels (Attic).
Official website: tickets and booking windows
You can book Arena tickets on the official website of the Colosseum Archaeological Park. Underground and Attic tickets are currently available only there. Each ticket has its own booking window:
- Arena only: Arena ticket, bookable 30 days in advance.
- Full Experience: Arena + Colosseum: Arena Full Experience, bookable 7 days in advance.
- Full Experience: Arena + Underground: Underground, bookable 30 days in advance.
- Full Experience: Arena + Upper levels (Attic): Attic, bookable 30 days in advance.
All tickets sell out quickly on the official website, so book as soon as your date opens.
Arena tickets with a guide or audio guide
If you prefer to book through a partner and visit with a guide or audio guide, these Arena tickets are available:
The underground and attic tickets are currently available only on the official website, see the booking windows above.
Free entry days: the Arena is closed
On days with free admission, such as the first Sunday of the month, the Arena and the underground stay closed. Free tickets cannot be booked online and must be collected at the ticket office, so expect a queue. If you want the Arena, book a paid Arena ticket for another day.
Arena questions
Can I buy an Arena ticket at the Colosseum?
No. Arena tickets are sold online only, for a specific time slot.
Can I visit the underground without a guide?
No. The underground is only open on the compulsory guided tour, which is added to the Arena ticket.
How long can I stay on the arena floor?
About 15 minutes. After that, your group moves on to the next area of your ticket.
Is the Colosseum arena floor worth it?
It depends on how much time you have. The arena floor is the shortest option: you stay about 15 minutes on the floor and are then directed to the underground, the upper levels or other areas. Arena only suits a quick look from inside, but it does not include the regular visit of the Colosseum. If no Arena tickets are available, the standard ticket is a good alternative.
What is the difference between arena floor and underground tickets?
Arena floor tickets give you a timed slot on the arena floor, with entry through the Stern entrance. Underground tickets are Arena tickets with a compulsory guided tour, and the guided part covers the underground only. The price of Arena + Underground, including the guide, is listed in the ticket overview above. The upper levels are a separate ticket: there is no combined ticket for the underground and the upper levels.
No Arena tickets available? See all Colosseum ticket types and where to buy them or go back to the Colosseum overview with live opening hours.
