Get ready for your gladiator moment on the Colosseum’s Arena Floor
Colosseum Arena Floor Tickets At A Glance
🎧 Colosseum, Arena & Roman Forum Access (with Audio Guide)
Best for Budget Travelers
The most affordable way to step onto the Arena Floor. Includes Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill entry, plus an audio guide or multimedia video.
🚶♂️ Guided Tour: Colosseum, Arena & Roman Forum
Best for First-time visitors
Choose from standard, small-group, semi-private, or express guided tours. Each one covers the Arena, Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Tours are offered in several languages and last between 1.5 and 3 hours.
⚔️ Guided Tour: Access to Arena Floor through Gladiator’s Gate
Best for Skipping the Lines
Enter the Colosseum immediately through a separate entrance (the original Gladiator’s Gate) to the Arena Floor, just like ancient fighters once did.
🏛️ Full Experience: Underground Chambers & Arena Floor
Best Ancient Rome Experience
This ticket gives you the full experience: Arena Floor, Underground, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. A 3-hour deep dive into Ancient Rome.
Want more options (e.g., twilight tour, VIP tour)? Scroll to the full ticket types below.
Tickets & Prices
The official Colosseum website offers Arena Floor access as part of:
- Full Experience Underground and Arena ticket: The complete package with access to the underground and arena, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and Imperial Fora.
- Full Experience Arena ticket: The same as above, minus underground access.
- 24-Hour Only Arena ticket: A separate option, includes arena, Colosseum and surrounds access for 24 hours.
- A Night at the Colosseum: Includes day entry to the Colosseum and surrounds, plus a guided arena floor night tour.
Ticket Types with Arena Floor Access
Here’s a closer look at all the official Colosseum tickets with Arena Floor access.
Full Experience Underground and Arena ticket
This is a complete package, includes Arena Floor, first and second levels, Underground access, and all current exhibitions.
You’ll also get entry to the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and Imperial Fora, and your ticket is valid for two days from your first visit. Perfect if you want to see every part of Ancient Rome.
🎟️ Tickets from Authorized Resellers:
Full Experience Arena ticket
This option covers everything as the previous ticket, just without the Underground chambers.
Similar tickets from authorized resellers often come with an audio guide app or a multimedia video, you can listen to while exploring at your own pace. They also offer guided tours of the Colosseum and Arena Floor, which the official ticket does not.
🎟️ Tickets from Authorized Resellers:
24-Hour Only Arena ticket
A good option for those who want to see the arena floor and other sites, but don’t need to visit the upper levels of the Colosseum.
You’ll have 20 minutes to walk on the Arena Floor, entering through a separate door on the northeast side. The ticket also includes one entry to the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and Imperial Fora, all within 24 hours of your visit.
🎟️ Tickets from Authorized Resellers:
A Night at the Colosseum
Experience the Colosseum in a new light with this evening tour. You’ll get a one-hour guided visit after dark, including the first tier, Arena Floor, and underground levels. There’s also a special exhibition, and it’s much less crowded at night.
Similar tickets from resellers also include a visit to the Imperial Forum and a walk past Trajan’s Column at sunset.
🎟️ Tickets from Authorized Resellers:
Tips to Help You Pick
Choose the Full Experience Underground and Arena ticket for the most complete visit.
Pick the Full Experience Arena ticket for the same perks without underground access.
Opt for the Gladiator’s Gate entry ticket to enter the Colosseum through a dedicated door and pass right onto the arena floor.
For a more personal visit, book a VIP tour for a smaller group size (below 12 people). You’ll get more interaction with your guide and more space on the Arena Floor.
A Night at the Colosseum gives you the best of both worlds. Explore everything during the day, then return after dark for a guided arena floor tour under the lights.
What You’ll Experience
Arena Floor
Where gladiators battled in front of roaring crowds, you can stand on a reconstructed platform today and admire the same view. Beneath your feet, glimpse the underground tunnels where animals and performers waited to enter the arena through hidden trapdoors.
Underground (Hypogeum)
Descend into the hypogeum, a labyrinth of tunnels and cages where gladiators and wild animals waited for trapdoors and lifts to bring them to the surface in dramatic style. It’s the ultimate behind-the-scenes look at ancient Roman spectacles.
You must select the Full Experience Underground and Arena ticket to go underground.
Balcony (Upper Levels)
The Colosseum’s upper levels once held Rome’s poorest citizens. Yet today they offer incredible views of the amphitheatre’s interior, the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the city.
Roman Forum
The Roman Forum was the heart of ancient public life, filled with temples, basilicas, and bustling markets. Walking through it today is one of Rome’s most atmospheric experiences. You’ll see ruins of grand structures like the Temple of Saturn, Santa Maria Antiqua, Temple of Romulus and the Arch of Titus.
Palatine Hill
Where Romulus apparently founded Rome in 753 BC, Palatine Hill became the city’s most prestigious address in Imperial times, home to emperors and lavish palaces. Today, you can wander through ancient ruins, gardens, and the Palatine Museum while enjoying panoramic views across the Forum and Circus Maximus.
Imperial Fora
The Imperial Fora are a series of emperor-built grand squares with towering columns and open courtyards, emphasizing Rome’s power and wealth. Each forum had its own landmark, from Caesar’s political hub to Augustus’ Temple of Mars Ultor and Trajan’s Forum with its famous column.
A Virtual Visit Inside the Colosseum »
How to Book
Select participants
Select participants, date, and language
Select Your Experience
Check what’s included (some tickets offer optional upgrades)
Pick a Time Slot
Choose your preferred time slot
Payment
Enter your details and complete the booking
Get Your Tickets
Instant confirmation, digital tickets will arrive directly by email
Reschedule and cancellation policy
- Most Colosseum tickets are non-refundable and can’t be rescheduled once booked, due to extremely high demand and limited availability.
- Some reseller tours offer a partial refund if cancelled.
Meeting Point
Details vary by tour. Check your confirmation email for directions and staff identification.
Plan Your Visit
| Date | Opening Hours |
|---|---|
| 2 January – 29 March | 8:30 – 16:30 |
| 30 March – 30 September | 8:30 – 19:15 |
| 1 October – 25 October | 8:30 – 18:30 |
| 26 October 2025 – 28 February 2026 | 8:30 – 16:30 |
Tour groups use separate entrances with faster security processing and skip the massive queues.
For complete entrance details, meeting points, and entry rules, check our comprehensive Colosseum Entrances Guide.
Here are directions to the Colosseum, which is easily reached by public transport via Metro Line B (Colosseo stop), the 3 tram, or buses 51, 75, 81, 85, 87, and 118.
Check our comprehensive Colosseum Location Guide to find the easiest ways to get to the Colosseum (detailed directions and tips).
The Colosseum’s entrance, first and second levels are accessible for wheelchairs, strollers, and visitors with limited mobility. But the arena floor, underground, and upper levels (balcony) have no elevator access.
Did You Know That? Facts
- The Colosseum’s arena floor was originally made of wood and covered in sand. The word “arena” comes from the Latin harena, meaning sand. The sand helped soak up bodily fluids during gladiator fights.
- A network of pulleys, platforms, and trapdoors lived underneath, allowing animals, props and gladiators to suddenly appear.
- Alongside gladiatorial fights, the arena floor hosted dramatic re-enactments of mock naval battles before the underground tunnels made flooding the arena impossible.
FAQ
1. What is included in the Arena Floor ticket?
The Arena Floor ticket gives you one timed entrance to the arena. Afterward, explore the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Imperial Fora.
2. Do Arena Floor tickets let you skip the line to the Colosseum?
Yes, you skip the main entrance line and enter through the Stern Gate on the opposite side.
3. Can I visit the Arena Floor without a guide?
Yes, the Full Experience ticket lets you explore the arena floor without a guide.
4. What’s the difference between Arena and Underground tickets?
Arena tickets don’t include the Underground, but the Full Experience Underground and Arena ticket covers both.
5. Can I visit both Arena and Underground?
Yes, with the Full Experience Underground and Arena Ticket.
6. Is the Arena Floor accessible?
No, it isn’t wheelchair accessible.
7. Are Colosseum Arena tickets worth it?
Arena tickets are worth it for an immersive experience, witnessing what gladiators saw.
8. How long does the tour last?
Guided tours typically spend 20 minutes on the arena floor.
9. Can I cancel or reschedule?
No, tickets are non-refundable and can’t be rescheduled.